<\/p>\n
As part of the expansion of the web, the last decade has seen the rise of thousands \u2014if not millions \u2014of web apps: often-simple tools that allow users to complete specific tasks via a web page from any computer connected to the internet.<\/p>\n
The possibilities are almost endless: think of a task you need to complete and you can be nearly certain that there will be a useful web app that fits the job. The key, however, is to know where to look. And that\u2019s where this guide comes in.<\/p>\n
Below, you\u2019ll find a list of a few tried-and-tested web apps that \u2014if used correctly \u2014can make your life much, much easier. Try them. Use them. Share them.<\/p>\n
NOTE TAKING\u00a0AND STUDY AIDS<\/strong><\/p>\n Evernote: <\/strong>A very popular note management solution, allowing you to pull in notes from your tablet, computer, phone and elsewhere. The web app lets you create, edit, manage and search your notes library. www.evernote.com<\/a><\/p>\n Mindmap:<\/strong> An easy-to-use tool that lets you create your own mind maps quickly and efficiently. Great for summarising course notes, articles and books. www.mindmup.com<\/a><\/p>\n Gliffy<\/strong> and LucidChart<\/strong>: Both great apps for illustrating a concept with diagrams. Both include many useful shapes and tools. However, both have some limits on the free account. Still, they are great for occasional diagramming. www.gliffy.com<\/a> and www.lucidchart.com<\/a><\/p>\n Google Drive Documents: <\/strong>Google\u2019s web-based word processor. It\u2019s perfect for summaries, essays and more and you and other people can type in the same document at the same time<\/em>. This makes it perfect for team planning, agendas and taking minutes in a meeting. Google Drive Documents is part of \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 Google Drive, so you\u2019ll need to create an account there. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Cram: <\/strong>A lightweight flashcard tool that lets you create your own flashcards (having one word\/phrase on the front and one on the back) and then review them alphabetically or randomly. Very useful for any content for which you have to remember a key point for a specific concept, e.g. in learning a language. www.cram.com<\/a><\/p>\n PRESENTATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n Prezi:<\/strong> Tired of slideshows with sparkling text and way too many bullet points? Do your next presentation with Prezi. It\u2019s a great way to illustrate how your ideas fit into one another because all your content is displayed on a single canvas, with the \u2018view\u2019 simply panning and zooming from one area to another. www.prezi.com<\/a><\/p>\n Google Drive Presentations:<\/strong> If you prefer a more traditional \u2018slideshow\u2019, or if Prezi isn\u2019t suitable for communicating your message, you can use Google\u2019s PowerPoint alternative for free. While it\u2019s not as feature-packed as PowerPoint, it\u2019s still a great way to do presentations if you don\u2019t want to dish out money for the aforementioned duo. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0RESEARCH<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Scholar:<\/strong> This app brings the power of Google search to research. By letting you search thousands of academic databases (including those used by EBSCOHost, JSTOR, etc.) quickly and easily, it cuts down the time necessary to find the articles you need for projects, essays and theses. As a bonus, it also lets you import article metadata into a citation manager (see Zotero below) directly from the search results page. When accessing Google Scholar from outside the Stellenbosch University, use scholar.google.com.ez.sun.ac.za<\/a> to get access to the journals to which the university subscribes. Otherwise: scholar.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n [Special mention] Zotero: <\/strong>While Zotero isn\u2019t strictly speaking a web app (although it also runs in your browser), it\u2019s just too good and relevant not to include here. For a full Zotero guide, check out the previous<\/a> article\u00a0 in this series.<\/p>\n ORGANISATION AND COMMUNICATION<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Calendar:<\/strong> This app is the gold standard in free calendar tools. It helps you keep track of your appointments, events, deadlines and general planning \u2014 all while still being very easy to use. It can also keep in sync with all your devices, so that you can have access to your calendar on your tablet, phone and computer. calendar.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Gmail:<\/strong> This e-mail service has ever-expanding storage space and great search functionality. Gmail is different from Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Mail and other services, in that it uses \u2018labels\u2019 instead of traditional folders. You can tag any e-mail with one or more labels and subsequently search by that label. Also, because you have such a large amount of space (15 GB as of early 2014), you never have to delete e-mails and lose them forever. Consequently, because you have access to all e-mails you ever sent or received, Gmail includes powerful searching capabilities (think: Google for your inbox) that allow you to delve into your tons and tons of messages effortlessly. www.gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n Wunderlist:<\/strong> task management made easy \u2014 and beautiful. Keep track of your daily to-do list, priorities, shopping list and more. You can also share task lists with friends \u2014 a great tool for group projects. www.wunderlist.com<\/a><\/p>\n FILE SHARING<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Drive:\u00a0<\/strong>Install Google Drive on your computer and then simply drop a file in the assigned folder to upload it. Once uploaded, you can share files with friends. Google Drive has a\u00a0range of web-based editors that are included by default \u2014two of which were previously mentioned \u2014that make collaboration easy. You can also share specific folders in your Drive with your friends, which works really well to keep all the files for a group project stored in one place. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Dropbox:<\/strong> simple and easy file sharing. While it works in the same way as Google Drive, it doesn\u2019t include the online editors built into the latter. However, Dropbox remains one of the simplest ways to share files between devices and people. Dropbox is particularly useful when you need to send a large file via e-mail and don\u2019t want to clog up the recipient\u2019s mail storage: simply upload the file to your Dropbox and then share the link in an e-mail. www.dropbox.com<\/a><\/p>\n [ARTICLE BY\u00a0JOHANNES JONKER<\/a>]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As deel van die uitbreiding van die web het die afgelope dekade die opkoms van duisende \u2013 indien nie miljoene nie \u2013 web apps gesien: in baie gevalle eenvoudige gereedskap wat gebruikers toelaat om spesifieke take via \u2019n webblad te voltooi, vanaf enige rekenaar wat aan die internet gekoppel is. Dit is egter belangrik om te weet waar om te kyk. En d\u00edt is waar hierdie gids jou kan help. Hieronder sal jy \u2019n lys vind van \u2019n paar bewese webtoepassings (apps) wat \u2013 indien hulle reg gebruik word \u2013 jou lewe baie makliker kan maak. Probeer hulle. Gebruik hulle. Deel hulle.<\/p>\n AANTEKENINGE NEEM EN STUDIEHULPMIDDELS<\/strong><\/p>\n Evernote: <\/strong>\u2019n Baie gewilde nota-bestuurstelsel, wat jou toelaat om notas van jou tablet, rekenaar, foon en elders in te trek. Die web app laat jou toe om \u2019n nota-biblioteek te skep, verander, bestuur en te deursoek. www.evernote.com<\/a><\/p>\n Mindmap:<\/strong> \u2019n Stuk gereedskap wat maklik is om te gebruik en jou toelaat om jou eie breinkaarte vinnig en doeltreffend te skep. Wonderlik om kursusnotas, artikels en boeke op te som. www.mindmup.com<\/a><\/p>\n Gliffy<\/strong> en LucidChart<\/strong>: Albei wonderlike apps om \u2019n konsep d.m.v. diagramme te illustreer. Albei sluit baie bruikbare vorms en gereedskap in. Albei het egter \u2019n paar beperkings op die gratis rekening. Tog is hulle goed as jy net nou en dan diagramme wil skep. www.gliffy.com<\/a> en www.lucidchart.com<\/a><\/p>\n Google Drive Documents: <\/strong>Google se webgebaseerde woordverwerker. Dis perfek vir opsommings, opstelle en dies meer en jy en ander mense kan terselfdertyd<\/em> in dieselfde dokument tik. D\u00edt maak hierdie eienskap dus perfek vir beplanning in spanverband, agendas en om die notule in \u2019n vergadering te neem. Google Drive Documents is deel van \u2013 ja, jy\u2019t reg geraai \u2013 Google Drive, dus is dit nie nodig om \u2019n nuwe rekening daar te skep nie. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Cram: <\/strong>\u2019n Liggewig flitskaart hulpmiddel wat jou toelaat om jou eie flitskaarte te skep (met een woord\/frase voorop en een agterop) en hulle dan alfabeties of lukraak te hersien. Baie nuttig vir enige inhoud m.b.t. waarmee jy \u2019n spesifieke sleutelpunt vir \u2019n spesifieke konsep moet onthou, bv. wanneer jy \u2019n taal aanleer. www.cram.com<\/a><\/p>\n AANBIEDINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n Prezi:<\/strong> Moeg van skyfievertonings met flitsende teks of te veel kollyste (bullet lists<\/em>)? Berei jou volgende aanbieding voor met Prezi. Dis \u2019n wonderlike manier om te illustreer hoe jou idees met mekaar verband hou omdat al jou inhoud op \u2019n enkele skerm vertoon word, met die \u2018gesigspunt\u2019 wat eenvoudig van een area na \u2019n ander swaai en inzoem. www.prezi.com<\/a><\/p>\n Google Drive Presentations:<\/strong> Indien jy \u2019n meer tradisionele \u2018skyfievertoning\u2019 verkies, of as Prezi nie gepas is om jou boodskap te kommunikeer nie, kan jy Google se PowerPoint alternatief gratis gebruik. Hoewel dit nie so vol eienskappe soos PowerPoint is nie, is dit nog steeds \u2019n goeie manier om aanbiedings te doen as jy nie geld op die voorgenoemde kombinasie wil uitgee nie. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n NAVORSING<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Scholar:<\/strong> Bring die krag van \u2019n Google soektog na navorsing. Deur jou toe te laat om vinnig en maklik duisende akademiese databasisse te deursoek (insluitend di\u00e9 wat deur EBSCOHost, JSTOR, ens.) gebruik word, verminder dit die tyd wat jy benodig om artikels vir jou projekte, opstelle en tesisse te soek. \u2019n Bonus is dat dit jou ook toelaat om belangrike metadata van die artikels in \u2019n aanhalingsbestuurder (sien Zotero hieronder) direk van die blad met die soekresultate in te voer. Wanneer jy van buite die Universiteit Stellenbosch toegang tot Google Scholar wil verkry, moet jy scholar.google.com.ez.sun.ac.za<\/a> gebruik om toegang te kry tot die vaktydskrifte waarvoor die Universiteit inteken. Andersins: scholar.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n [Spesiale vermelding] Zotero: <\/strong>Hoewel Zotero nie streng gesproke \u2019n web app is nie (ten spyte daarvan dat dit ook in jou blaaier loop), is dit net t\u00e9 goed en t\u00e9 relevant om nie hier ingesluit te word nie. Meer oor Zotero in `n vorige <\/a>artikel.<\/p>\n ORGANISERING EN KOMMUNIKASIE<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Calendar:<\/strong> Die goue standaard van gratis kalender gereedskap. Dit help jou om op hoogte te bly van jou afsprake, geleenthede, sperdatums en algemene beplanning \u2014 maar bly tog baie maklik om te gebruik. Dit kan ook op al jou toestelle sinkroniseer sodat jy toegang tot jou kalender het op jou tablet, foon en rekenaar. calendar.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Gmail:<\/strong> Hierdie e-posdiens met immer groeiende stoorruimte en ongelooflike soekfunksionaliteit. Gmail verskil van Microsoft Outlook, Yahoo Mail en ander dienste omdat dit \u2018etikette\u2019 in plaas van tradisionele l\u00eaers gebruik. Jy kan enige e-pos met een of meer etikette merk en gevolglik volgens daardie etiket soek. Omdat jy ook so \u2019n groot hoeveelheid ruimte het (15 GB vroeg in 2014), hoef jy nooit e-posse uit te vee en hulle vir ewig te verloor nie. Omdat jy gevolglik toegang het tot al die e-posse wat jy al ooit gestuur of ontvang het, sluit Gmail kragtige soekvermo\u00eb in (dink: Google vir jou e-pos) wat dit vir jou moontlik maak om met gemak deur tonne en tonne boodskappe te soek. www.gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n Wunderlist:<\/strong> Taakbestuur vergemaklik \u2013 en pragtig. Bly op hoogte van jou daaglikse taaklys, prioriteite, inkopielys en meer. Jy kan ook taaklyste met jou vriende deel \u2013 \u2019n wonderlike stuk gereedskap vir groepprojekte. www.wunderlist.com<\/a><\/p>\n L\u00caERS DEEL<\/strong><\/p>\n Google Drive:<\/strong> \u00a0Installeer Google Drive op jou rekenaar en plaas dan eenvoudig \u2019n l\u00eaer in die toegewese vouer om dit op te laai. Sodra dit opgelaai is, kan jy die l\u00eaer met vriende deel. \u2019n Wenner eienskap van Google Drive is die verskeidenheid webgebaseerde wysigers wat by verstek ingesluit word \u2013 twee waarvan ons reeds vroe\u00ebr na verwys het \u2013 wat samewerking so maklik maak. Jy kan ook spesifieke vouers in jou Drive met jou vriende deel, wat goed werk as jy al die l\u00eaers vir \u2019n groepprojek op een plek wil stoor. drive.google.com<\/a><\/p>\n Dropbox:<\/strong> Eenvoudig en maklik om l\u00eaers te deel. Hoewel dit soortgelyk aan Google Drive funksioneer, sluit dit nie die aanlyn wysigers in wat in laasgenoemde ingebou is nie. Dropbox is egter steeds een van die eenvoudigste maniere om l\u00eaers tussen toestelle en mense te deel. Dit is veral nuttig wanneer jy \u2019n groot dokument per e-pos moet stuur en nie die ontvanger se posbus wil oorlaai nie: laai die l\u00eaer eenvoudig op na jou Dropbox en deel dan die skakel in \u2019n e-pos. www.dropbox.com<\/a><\/p>\n