Cool New Tech Tools

Over the past several weeks, I’ve run across some new and interesting tools that may be useful for associations and non-profits. Special thanks to a few of my colleagues who have shared information on new tools they’ve come across.

Prezi
http://prezi.com/
No more PowerPoint slides with awkward transitions. With Prezi you can zoom out to see the big picture and zoom in to see details. It's essentially one big PowerPoint slide that you can move around in, use scale to emphasize key points and zoom or rotate for more details. I don’t think Prezi is the right format for all types of presentations but can definitely make your presentation stand out. Not ready to give up on PowerPoint entirely? You can import your PP slides into Prezi to ease your transition. 

Wordle
http://www.wordle.net/
Use entire conversations based around your relevant keywords to build a tag cloud. Scan tweets that mention your brand, product or industry, or plug in your blog URL and Wordle will drop them into a tag cloud. You may find new keywords you may not have thought of as well as a few surprise topics of association. This is a great way to really stretch your content dollar and find emerging trends to blog about.

Screenr
http://www.screenr.com/
This is one of my favorite new websites. Screenr lets you capture screen recordings with optional audio, all you need is a mic.  They make it extremely easy to create a video and then share when you're done. This is a great way to show members or fans how to use a new feature on your website, how to find you on Facebook and Twitter, or use different tools. Screenr is a great tool for creating quick tutorial videos right from your desktop.

SupporterWall
http://www.supporterwall.com/
Think of it as a virtual pin-up campaign. People can purchase squares (donations) on your SupporterWall. The square then displays your chosen photo and link. As squares are purchased, the proceeds go directly to you. It’s still in Beta but an interesting concept.

Crowd Tap
http://crowdtap.com/
Crowd tap is “where brands and consumers collaborate.”  It’s a revolutionary social marketing and research platform that enables you to be rewarded for your ideas and brand promotions. Consumers earn cash or rewards for taking surveys, sampling new products and promoting favorite brands.  For marketers, Crowd Tap allows you to tap into certain markets and reach influential consumers quickly and easily.

Zipcast
http://www.slideshare.net/zipcast
Social Media Examiner recently did an excellent post detailing Zipcast, a new meeting service from SlideShare. They position themselves against rivals such as GoToMeeting and Webex but I don’t think it’s ready to hold its own. Zipcast’s idea is pretty simple. People usually make presentations through PowerPoint. SlideShare hosts millions of PowerPoints. Why not walk someone through your presentation and make your point to them in real time. Zipcast is still in Beta and has some major short comings but with so many people using SlideShare as a tool for sharing presentations, this could become a useful tool.

YouTube Going Live
http://sites.google.com/site/ytpartnercommunications/Announcements/youtubelive
If you currently use YouTube for a business or client, you may want to keep an eye on this for the future. YouTube is slowly rolling out its new live capabilities to select Partners throughout the rest of the year. This could be an interesting alternative to other live streaming services. The ability to stream straight to YouTube could be huge!  It’s still in Beta testing so it could be awhile before it’s available to the masses.  But definitely something to look forward too.

Ligit
http://www.lijit.com
Lijit helps publishers grow your website, build your business and make more money. They offer innovative advertising services, audience analytics, and reader engagement tools that allow publishers to engage their readers and better monetize their site.  If you’re currently using Google Analytics, you may want to check out Ligit to compare.

What other cool new tech tools have you stumbled upon lately?