Wednesday, November 20, 2013

'Settleup' an ultimate android/iOS app for managing expenses and accounts.

Recently,  Our  www.AdobeKnowHow.com  team had been to Goa for team outing with family.

It was such great 4 days trip after a hectic release. While on trip we dint worry about splitting the bill, we just recorded all expenses. After returning the bigger problem was how do we split the bills? Some were with family some were not,  some dint booze while some did? some dint come for karwar trip. 

We then found this super start app called SettleUp 

  • It allowed us to manage uneven share ( i.e. some people with family had three head  or two head, while bachelors had only one head) 
  • It allowed one particular expenses to be shared among specific set of people, out of 9,  4 dint booze.
  • Some places where credit card were not accepted, money was collected from all and we paid the bill.
At the end it just reduces the number of transactions that need to be done. If 'A' had to give 'B' 100 bucks and 'B' had to give 'C' 100 bucks.  Summary would tell that 'A' need to pay 'C' 100 bucks. 

When I read settleUp FB page or blog, they mentioned that Google is trying to patent algorithms that reduces the number of transactions in such group expenses.

Another good feature of this app was, not all group member need to install and sign-up for this. One person can do it for all, and later add group members, without affecting already entered transactions.

I guess it should be very good app for all flatemates/roommates, college students. 

A big thumbs up  to settleUp team.





Friday, September 20, 2013

"Copy.com" One of the best cloud storage and file Sync service like Dropbox, Google drive, Skydrive.

Copy.Com is a cloud storage and file sync service like Dropbox/Google Drive/ SkyDrive/Box etc. I  have used Dropbox, Google Drive and Box very extensively. I have very rarely seen such an amazing feature rich and mature software as version 1 from any newcomer in market. Its from famous hard drive maker Barracuda. They are giving away 15GB Free space for new sign up. 

They have some amazing referral scheme.  Referrer and Referred both earn 5 GB free space, hence this post :), and there is no upper-cap like dropbox has 16 GB upper-cap.

Please sign up only and only using my link  https://copy.com?r=Z764BP 

Here is my review comment: 
  • Their web interface doesn't require any learning, its  ditto as as Mac OS Finder.
  • After installing their desktop sync client  you can simply right-click and get a public link of a folder, which you can share with anyone.
  • Their Sync client for desktop is super fast,and smart, it chooses to upload small files first before uploading bigger files.
  • They have local peer discovery. I had sync client installed on three PCs in same network, It copied about 1.5 GB data in less than a minute, that was lightening fast, I was shocked as it was faster than normal network files transfer, don't believe me? you think I am bragging, try it out yourself in high speed LAN. 
  • Sync client has options to limit upload/download rate ( I wish they had option to schedule rate changes)
  • Sync client has options to choose which files you want to sync ( normally everyone will have this)
  • Android app has option to auto-upload newly clicked photo/video to cloud(It has becomes norms now).
  • You would be able to preview all most all types of files on their web interface. 
  • Like all other cloud storage vendors they also have client for all sort of devices and computers.
Whats missing?
  • Local peer discovery doesn't work for Windows 8 PC.
  • Dint get any option to 'create a new folder' while sharing pics from Gallery via Copy. However their android app had an option to create folder, and had an option browse through images on phone and upload.
  • Bug: On Windows 8 notifications wouldn't come on desktop ( like you get from dropbox or outlook email notification). 
  • Limitation: Web interface had no search option or may be I couldn;t discover it)
  • Bug: On my desktop 1 (win7), I pasted a 1.5 GB folder into root folder of Copy, It took about 1.5 hours to upload, while this folder was getting uploaded, on 2nd Win8 desktop (that was in the same network) , this 1.5 GB folder newly pasted never appeared. It dint appear event one after it was completely uploaded from my desktop 1, So its seems they have some bug with Win8 client, but when I installed the Copy client on 3rd win7 desktop, It copied everything in about 1 minute as mentioned before.
Final verdict? 
Its a must to have, its as mature as Dropbox in its first version itself. It gives more free space than dropbox. its very fast. 
Please signup using https://copy.com?r=Z764BP





Sunday, May 5, 2013

Which is the least expensive yet reliable 'Unlimited' cloud storage service for 'personnel' use


My requirements are: 

1) 'Unlimited' cloud storage for keeping personnel data.

2) Sync client on multiple plateforms  Windows/Ubuntu/Android/Blackberry.

3) Safety of data: If service is down 30% of the time, that's fine but should never loose data.

4) Privacy: is not a big concern, good to have.

5) Easy on pocket : must have feature

Monday, April 15, 2013

highlight text, Comment annotateon web pages and collaborating with friends and colleagues using annotary

I had been looking  for a tool to

  1. highlight portion of text on web pages
  2. comment on web pages
  3. draw circle shapes on pages to highlight important sections of pages
  4. add a sticky note on some highlightes section of pages, on top of which i can collabrate with my friends.
I tried following tools 

Web Klipper - 
 + Simple and best , I can highlight section of text, color is prominent florescent yellow
 + I can share the highlitest text with others
 
 - when i share somehting with frineds, its opens them in webklipper url.

Scribble
-Its slow
-It requires a toolbar.

Diggo
+ Its quite old and famous tool
+ allows all except collaboration

- usability is not all that good
-UI looks quite old

Annotary
+ this was best among all
+ Its fullfilled all my requirements except collaboration, collaboration is a paid feature
+Usability is good, UI is good.
+ even though collaboration is not there , you can see what your friend have highlighted on current page.