I appreciate discounts and great deals. Give me something that is free….even better. Most things technology related are far from that, but times are changing. Paying an arm and a leg for software and the hardware it is running on is becoming ancient history as more affordable or free applications surface online.

The trend we are seeing is called Web 2.0 or cloud computing. This second generation of the internet is home to the growth of interaction, communication, productivity and mobility. Through the internet resources are now available to use without having to install bulky and buggy software. What is even better is that developers have made these applications easy to use.

So what are some of these great applications you ask? Well here are a few that I enjoy, and they are absolutely free:

Google Docs (docs.google.com) –
Do you have a Gmail account? If you don’t I would definitely recommend getting one. Gmail currently offers up to 7GB of email storage, exceptional spam filtering, and access to some very useful online applications. Google Docs is basically a replacement for Microsoft Office. Online you have access to applications comparable to Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. You can share your documents if you wish and even grant access for others to edit what you have created.

Blogger (http://www.blogger.com/) -
A blog is a personal webpage which allows an individual to post information about their interests, concerns, or that tasty hamburger they just had for lunch. It is like an online diary. I have seen blogs range from astronomy research to pet fashion. A lot of blogs are quirky and unusual, but they provide something refreshingly unique to websites that tend to be business minded and impersonal. With Blogger you can have your own corner of the internet in just a few minutes.

Fotoflexer (http://www.fotoflexer.com/) -
Do you love taking photographs? After I got a digital camera I became addicted to taking pictures. I also enjoy fine tuning those almost perfect shots. Fotoflexer is an application similar to Photoshop with most of its basic tools. You can crop photos, perform red-eye reduction, and apply filters. There are even advanced options to tweak certain ranges of color. The only drawback I noticed was that it will slightly reduce a photo’s size when you upload it for editing.

Pandora Radio (http://www.pandora.com/)-
Need to listen to some tunes while at the office? Are you having a get together and need background music? This online radio service puts the controls in your hands. If you want to listen to a certain genre of music you have a long list to choose from. Classical, Alternative, Holiday, you decide. There is even a search function where you can type you favorite song or artist. The software will create a playlist with that choice and other artists similar to the style of music. You also have the ability to pause, or skip over a song.

Access to free applications online is an exciting proposal, but be careful because sometimes free is too good to be true. You should only go with what is reputable. If you are unsure about a website you may want to do some research before you sign up for an account. Have fun with it, but always be wary if something pops up requesting to install software onto your computer.

- By Todd Kingman the Ring Leader at SuperGeeks