Free Tech Tools

A Tool Extravaganza!

Presented at the 2019 NTEN Conference by
Jason Shim – NTEN board chair, Pathways to Education
jshim@pathwayscanada.ca
@jasonshim
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonshim

Note: Almost all of the tools listed here are available free

Security

Password Managers

  • Bitwarde thn (Free) and 1Password.com alternatives to LastPass
  • com ($2 nonprofit price for each team member)

Tools:

BuiltWith.com – tells you website platform and google analytics, what is running behind the scenes

Vidyard – Go Video chrome extension – records and creates a video link. Use this to thank donors. (cool idea)

  • Enables hyper-personalization in an easy way!
  • Notification when it’s been viewed
  • Use this to engage people online to cut through the email
    • Hey, I made a video for you

LICEcap – download it for Mac or PC

Unsplash – free photos for website design etc

  • Can do anything you want with them

Noun Project – icons for everything

  • A couple bucks to use for commercial purposes

Photopea.com – online photoshop for free

  • If you don’t have enough licenses for design products and your teams need to open ne off files; this is a great tool where you don’t need to swap devices

Remove.bg – easily removes background from images with people only

  • Just have to upload it and it outputs on its own
  • Direct download

Kapwing – online video editor (free with watermark or $6 per video, or $20 a month unlimited without)

  • Can subtitle, add audio, resize it, loop, trim, and more
  • Free version – adds a watermark

Temi.com– speech to text transcription in 5 min ($0.10 per minute)

  • AI driven approx 97% accurate (if clear audio and not too much background noise)
  • Completely automated
  • A little more accurate than Google AI transcript bot

Express Scribe – standard transcription software, download, not AI based

  • Desktop software
  • Can purchase USB foot pedals – tap to rewind

Canva.com – social media marketing items to post

Sharekit.io ($9)

  • If you’re unable to change meta-image data from a link that you’re posting, this will let you finely tune a post and change those post options
  • Will give you an in-between link

Linktr.ee – instagram shares.

  • Intermediary page with link analytics
  • “Links in bio” that enables you to have multiple links off of your page
  • Tracks engagement as well with how many clicks
  • List format; not thumbnail screenshots like some retailers

Meekan.com

  • Scheduling bot
  • Everyone needs to be synced with it
  • Great if you use Slack to collaborate with your teams
  • Works with google and MS/Outlook
  • Like a supercharged Doodle for larger coordination / scheduling

Asana

  • Task Manager – recurring task lists
  • Asana has a free basic plan

Krisp.ai

  • AI driving audio filter that can run on mac osx that filters out background noise.
  • Can use for Zoom
  • Has to be routing through your laptop

Twilio

  • Can use with recruiting volunteers
  • Text based engagement based on trigger questions and journey
  • Twilio Flex ($0.50/active user hour) – contact center

Cloudflare

  • Protective layer over your website – business level protection
  • Great for content delivery network
  • Project Galileo – arts, human rights, civil society, and democracy organizations

Stayresponsive.com

  • Check how website looks across different devices

Zoom.us

  • Video conferencing
  • Free to use

Vidhub.co ($19/month)

  • Internal video review to look at it together and discuss
  • Videographer can click directly on the comment

Wistia.com

  • Host video
  • Alternative to YouTube
  • Smooth streaming and buffering
  • Can see what people are engaging with
  • Can have calls to actions within different points of the video
  • Calls to action at the end
  • Enter your email to watch this video
  • Can embed directly on website

HelloSign.com

  • Docusign-like software
  • Free for 3 signatures a month

Resource Space

  • Connects with GoogleVision
  • Have to work with developer or IT person
  • Digital asset management platform
  • Will auto scan and tag
  • Free, but requires more work to implement

Microsoft and Google for Nonprofits

ManageWP.com

  • For anyone running wordpress website
  • Monthly backups for free

Mightytext.net

  • For Android Users
  • Can text from your computer (like Mac iMessage)

Hubspot Service Hub

  • If all messages are going into a single inbox, can switch over to this ticketing model
  • High visibility into what’s coming in
  • Metrics according to what people are inquiring about
  • Basic versions are free

Sumo.com

  • Little banner at the top or bottom of your website to have highlighted call to actions
  • Can even use it to interrupt the entire page

EmailHippo.com

  • Can help with filtering out bad email addresses; email validation software 10 cents per email
  • Look up if an email address is going to be bouncing

Sendy.co ($59 – $10/100,000 emails)

  • Amazon SES to send out the emails instead
  • Integrations are limited
  • Tracks all of the metrics

TripIt

  • Travel organizing
  • Forward itineraries to it
  • Read what’s in the email and plans an itinerary

JustGetFlux – Adds blue light filter on your screen

  • Limits blue light exposure
  • Syncs up with the sunset and will give a redish tinge on the screen
  • Better regulate sleep patterns and address cronic insomnia

Twilight

  • For android
  • App for dark reading

Inbox when ready

  • Spend less time on email and protect focus

Siempo

  • For android only, but working on iphone version
  • Takes away all colors, alerts, and replaces it with something very plain
  • Gives breathing room and prevents unconscious use