WEB+2.0+TOOLS

__ **VUVOX - Mixer Tool** __ **Rating: 8/10** Vuvox is a tool that allows users to create interactive slideshow presentations. The users can include pictures, music, videos, and can incorporate their own voice into the presentation, as well. When the presentation is complete, it can easily be shared or embedded onto various websites, like Facebook. Pictures or videos can be uploaded into the presentation from the users own computer or from different media websites. There are three different tools one can use to create a presentation: Express, Collage, and Studio.

Express is by far the easiest to use. It is similar to Studio, but less complex.

Collage is my favorite because it allows the user to create a panoramic slideshow while incorporating music, videos, their own voice, and even text if they want.

Studio is definately more complex, but the possibilities and the number or various forms of presentations the user can create is awesome. I feel like the user would need to be technology savvy to be able to use this particular tool.

Even if the user isn't technology savvy, the ease of use makes up for it. The website is very organized and easy to maneuver around without too much complications. Basically, everything on the website is spelled out for the user. What is very nice about this website is that professional looking presentations can be made without too much trouble. If a presentation looks as if it took days to make, chances are it only took them a couple hours. Also...it's free!

[|Dominoe]

__** Tabblo - Collage Tool **__** Rating: 5.5/10 ** Tabblo is also an free online application. It is similar to Glogster. It is essentially a photo-sharing service. You can add text, as well, like you would do with Glogster. There is a simple three-step process to creating a Tabblo. To begin, you would upload all the pictures you'd want to use in your collage. However, you have to edit the photos before you upload them. The service doesn't allow for cropping, red-eye removal, color touchups or anything like that. The only thing the user would have to pay for is if they wanted to print it out. Next, you would choose which style of Tabblo you would want. There are three steps in this process as well:

1) Choose whether you want a square or rectangle photo layout; the square ones are pretty cool, but they require more cropping than the rectangle ones do.

2) Choosing a layout for square or rectangle photos. There are different ones based off whichever layout you chose. Once the pictures are uploaded, the user can move them around the Tabblo poster and can zoom in, pan, or change the outline shape of the pictures.

3) Choosing a theme. This is definately the most fun part of this tool. You can choose a wide variety of different color layouts. If the Tabblo is being created for an event there are themed backgrounds. You can add different borders and all that fun stuff to the pictures as well.

After that, you would simply pick your privacy settings.

Overall, I think this service is easy to use. But, I think it's relatively bland compared to some of it's competitors. It's not nearly as exciting or as interesting as Vuvox or Glogster. I do like how easy it is to upload and how everything is done on a step-by-step basis.

[|The Old Farm]

__** Scrapblog (Mixbook) - Collage Tool **__** Rating: 9/10 ** It's free, and awesome. There are a lot of really cute themes you can use to create an online scrapbook! It's really easy to get started. There is no age limit. You could feasibly create a scrapbook in less than as hour. The only reason I gave this tool a 9 and not a 10 is because you can't print anything without paying for it. But they would ship it to you. I don't know how you could incorporate it into the classroom, though. It is really easy to use and there are more background and layout options. It's really self explanatory.

if you can figure out how to use it in the classroom, then it would be really fun!

[|Wedding]