By Alisa Miller

Social sites have grown in number and variety in the past years and many now offer opportunities for students and professionals to network in a serious manner. Whether you are preparing for your first job or making a change with an established career, connecting with others in your field will not only help you get started, but be an enhancement for your career as you continue to grow. These 50 social sites provide a chance for you to find others through professional networking sites, meet others in your field, find employment, and more.

Professional Sites

These social networks provide opportunities for finding and nurturing professional business relationships whether you are in marketing or academia.

1. LinkedIn. This popular social site connects professionals who are seeking opportunities for networking, client-building, employment, and more.
2. academia.edu. With such illustrious members as Stephen Hawking and Noam Chomsky, this social site provides an excellent place for those in academia to keep track of developments in their field while networking.
3. Networking for Professionals. Join NFP for some serious professional networking that not only includes online connections, but face-to-face opportunities in several cities across the US.
4. Ecademy. Business people can search for jobs, network, and connect with others at this site. You can upgrade (for a fee) to the BlackStar membership for extra benefits.
5. Ziggs. Market yourself, find employment, meet other professionals, and more on this site that is specifically meant to help you "organize and connect in a professional way."
6. NetParty. This site provides an opportunity for young professionals to network both professionally and socially at organized functions in several cities in the US.
7. Ryze. Participate in quality business networking with Ryze where you can see and be seen in the business world through profiles, bios, groups, and much more.
8. iKarma. Build your professional reputation with a presence on iKarma. Customers rate their experience doing business with you and leave comments on your profile. Others can then check out your reputation.
9. XING. This global networking site allows you to find and make professional business contacts as well as participate in employment searches.

Finance Sites

Check out these social sites to learn about finances, stock market, and the economy or just to connect with others to get great tips and ideas to help your money grow.

10. Financial News @ Tip’d. For those interested in finance and investment, Tip’d offers news, tips, articles, and more to it’s community. Members then votes for which content goes on the homepage. Members are welcome to submit articles from their own blogs as well.
11. Zopa. This social finance company works to connect its members who are seeking loans with credit unions who offer low-interest rates. Zopa also has sites for Italy, UK, and Japan.
12. Prosper. Based on a principle similar to eBay, this site allows member-borrowers to create a listing and set the interest rate they are seeking, then lenders participate in an auction to fund the loan. In addition to typical criteria such as credit scores, lenders can consider personal stories, references from friends and family, and group affiliations of the borrowers.
13. Minyanville Financial Infotainment. Join this financial social network to meet other investors, learn about smart investing strategies, read articles, participate in forums, and read blogs.
14. My.WallSt.net. Learn about investing with this social site that helps beginners find out about stocks, trading, and more.
15. MarketWatch Community. Members here can create profiles to help connect with others, then share information, news, tips, and more on this social networking site that is a part of Dow Jones.
16. Wesabe. Learn to manage your money while connecting with others with the same financial needs. This community offers both online tools as well as the experience of others to help you reach your financial goals.

Science Sites

Scientists of any ilk can find a group to call their own with these sites that range from life sciences to nanoscience to engineering.

17. The Research Cooperative. This international, not-for-profit group works to connect science researchers, writers, editors, and translators. Members have their own page as well as access to groups, blogs, and more.
18. sciencestage.com. Teachers, students, and professional scientists will all appreciate this social site that promotes academic research, teaching, and learning.
19. nanopaprika.eu. This international community is specifically for those interested in nanoscience. Members can join specific groups, read or post on blogs, participate in chats, and more.
20. Lab Spaces. Scientists can connect with this social network that offers specific categories for biological scientists, physical scientists, environment, space, and technology. Read blogs and submit your own articles, too.
21. Nature Network. This global community of scientists can connect through member profiles, forums, groups, and blogs. If you are in Boston or London, you will appreciate the city hubs available too (with more cities to be added soon).
22. BiomedExperts. Biomedical researchers can come together on this social site designed specifically to promote collaborative research and development in the field. Researchers with at least 3 papers published in PubMed over the past 10 years qualify for an expert profile.
23. SciLink. Not only can scientists network and stay on top of the latest news at this social site, there is also a job board for those seeking employment.
24. LabRoots. A social network for scientists of all fields, including mathematics, engineering, and computer science, this site offers opportunities for networking, employment, and collaborative learning.

Health and Medicine Sites

Whether you are in med school, are a practicing physician, or a patient, there are social sites to help you connect and expand your network.

25. SocialMD. Whether you are a med student, resident, or physician, you can connect with others on this site. Those in school will find the study groups and study aids of benefit.
26. Ozmosis. Physicians can participate in peer-to-peer networking for sharing information, learning about recent developments, and more.
27. SurgyTec. Surgeons can share their knowledge on this social site that includes videos of procedures and forums to keep surgeons and students up-to-date with the latest techniques and developments in the field.
28. PatientsLikeMe. Patients looking to connect with others facing similar diagnoses or health issues will welcome this community. The emphasis here is information sharing between patients, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device companies.
29. Healtheva. This organization is for physicians and researchers who are interested in research, paper collaboration, and start-up opportunities.
30. TiroMed. This social networking site is designed specifically for med students and physicians who want to "research and learn, and connect with others" in the same field.
31. The Student Doctor Network. Med students can connect with others through the blogs and forums as well as find plenty of articles that offer information and support.

Social Sites

With a vision beyond the flash and glitz of some social sites, these sites promote social networking with a more focused approach.

32. Care2. For those looking to combine social networking with supporting the environment and those who campaign for the environment, this site offers opportunities to make the most of both.
33. Gather. Come together with friends, family, and colleagues through this social site that strives to provide more down-to-earth connections than some of the other social networking sites.
34. FriendFeed. From videos to news articles to web pages, share what you find interesting with friends and family at this simple, streamlined social networking site.
35. Plaxo. Stay in touch with family, friends, and business contacts with this social networking site. You can also share all the items such as photos, blog posts, and tweets you’ve posted from a variety of other sites right here.
36. tweako. For those interested in computing and technology, this social network site will provide information as well as social contacts.
37. Pixel Groovy. If you want to find the best resources and tutorials for computer usage, this site relies on member rating for what information makes it to the home page. Find help with Photoshop, Flash, Ruby on Rails, and more that you can know will be quality information.
38. The Whole 9. Artists can connect with others, post portfolios, and find something to do in a specific geographic location with this networking community for the artistic types.
39. Green Friends. Whether vegetarianism or environmental consciousness is your thing, this site that is part dating and part social networking will help you connect with others equally devoted to the cause.
40. eons. A popular social network for Baby Boomers, eons offers plenty of ways to connect with others through profiles, groups, blogs, videos, and photos.
41. ReZoom. This social network that looks beyond age offers articles on music, activities, going green, money, and more, as well as ways to find and stay connected with friends and family.
42. Multiply. This site features media sharing for those who want to connect with people they really know. Create your own website, a social calendar, and more to help you keep in touch.
43. Maple and Leek. For those 50+, this community is one of adventure and entrepreneurial spirit. Connect with like-minded people at this site for friendship as well as professional connections.

Employment Sites

Whether you are looking for employment or want to stay connected with some of the top job seekers to staff your company, these employment sites will help you meet your networking goals.

44. YorZ. This site allows professionals looking for employment to connect with employers. Job seekers can join groups by university, professional interest, and by company.
45. Guru.com. Freelancers can create profiles here that employers can search. Employers can also post their projects and freelancers then participate in a bidding process to be awarded the project.
46. Monster. This popular site is a great place for job seekers and employers to come together. Not only can you find a job, but the resources here will help you do it professionally and efficiently.
47. CareerBuilder.com. Another popular career site, job seekers and employers shouldn’t pass up this opportunity for connecting.
48. CollegeRecruiter.com. Recent graduates or students looking for internships will love this site where thousands of opportunities await as well as many job search resources.
49. GoFreelance. Freelancers and those looking to hire freelancers will both find this site helpful. From writing to web design to programming and technical projects, there are opportunities for many different types of freelancers.
50. Sologig. Contractors, freelancers, and consultants can find employment at this site that allows job seekers to post their resumes and employers to post their projects.

Posted in Job Search, Web Tools -- No Comments

By Laura Milligan

Despite the many wifi spots that are popping up all around airports, coffee shops and even whole neighborhoods, it’s sometimes hard to find a free, secure and stable connection. For many freelancers, business travelers and other professionals who have to spend time out of their office or on the road, Adobe AIR is a great solution for maximizing productivity, even if you don’t have an Internet connection. Read on for 100 of the best apps that will increase your productivity with Adobe AIR.

Social Apps

Use these apps when you want shortcuts or offline solutions to Digg, Twitter, Facebook and more.

1. SocialAddict: Facebook, FriendFeed, MySpace and Twitter are some of the services supported by this desktop tool, which lets you load mobile pages "for easy access."
2. Twibble: This Twitter app comes with six icons, lets you see Twitter timelines and see the location of other Tweets.
3. DiggTop: Check Digg posts 10 at a time with this tool.
4. Toro Twitter AIR client: This popular Twitter client comes with an integrated search and tabs for recent, public, friends, replies and search.
5. RAPTR Client: This gaming app can be accessed offline.
6. SedThink: This application currently supports Facebook, Twitter, Hi5, Feed readers and Thai stock tracking, all in one interface.
7. Apprise: With this tool you can share and streamline stories from AIM, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and even your e-mail in 16 different languages.
8. Zebr: View and manage Facebook from your desktop.
9. Moderator - Wordpress comment moderator in AIR: Moderate your Wordpress comments offline with this tool.
10. Mini Digg: Read and digg stories from your desktop with Mini Digg.
11. Lifestream.fm: Keep up with your lifestream.fm friends offline with this tool.
12. @eventtrack: Stay connected to world events even if you don’t have an Internet connection with this app.
13. DeskTube: Search and watch YouTube videos with this app.

Shopping and E-Commerce

Whether you’re selling your own products online or you just want to keep track of your bid on eBay, try out these tools.

14. Level Four Storefront: Manage your Flash e-commerce shopping cart with this tool.
15. TheSlurps eBay "Browse your Photo" Desktop Widget: Search eBay offline with this personalized widget.
16. Yahoo Desktop Search Widget: Search Yahoo! with this tool.
17. Cheapo: Get alerts on special online deals from different sites with Cheapo.
18. Allurent Desktop Connection and Anthropologie: "Valued customers" can shop Anthropologie from their desktop with Allurent.
19. eBay Desktop: This app features one-click search filters, alerts, history and more.
20. CL Desktop: Craigslist shoppers can use this app to view product photos, descriptions and search results.

Multimedia

From Flickr to YouTube to Picasa to Pandora, all of these apps offer desktop solutions for remote and offline management.

21. Picasa Image Browser: This browser lets you view public images from Picasa.
22. Doppelganger: Download, drag and drop online videos with Doppelganger.
23. DestroyFlickr: Manage Flickr with the app that actually features "really good online documentation with screenshots."
24. Pandora - Music on AIR: This desktop app is for U.S. users only.
25. Finetune: This customizable music tool lets you search for new artists and music, create your own playlist and more.
26. uvLayer: Upload videos, and use AIM, GTalk or Facebook to manipulate and share videos with friends.
27. Chorducopia: Songwriters who have either PCs or Macs can get recommendations for picking chords with this app.
28. Thumbfall: Conduct image searches supported by Google, FriendFeed, FFFound, Yahoo and more with Thumbfall.
29. Bookmash: This popular app can be used on Windows, Macs and Linux to watch, share and upload videos, music, photos, social searches, news and RSS.
30. Podcast Player: You can play pre-loaded podcasts from Buzz Out Load, New.com Tech News and Slate Daily with this app.
31. Splasup Light: Edit your digital photos with this app.
32. Flaivor: This app uses RSS to stream entertainment videos to your desktop.
33. MYMediaPlayer: This tool may actually hurt your productivity, but it’s a lot of fun. You can watch videos and online TV shows easily.
34. Adobe Media Player: This is the offline version of Adobe Media Player, which lets you download Internet TV and videos.

Web Developer and Design

These apps are great for web developers and web designers who want to work from their desktop and manage their files.

35. Google Analytics: This reporting app is great for bloggers and web developers who don’t always have an online connection.
36. Font-picker: Web designers use this tool to help them decide which of their saved fonts are the best match for whatever they’re doing.
37. Snippely: With this app, you can organize your code and text bits more efficiently.
38. WebSnapshot: Manage thumbnail, browser and full-page images to save and resize.
39. JavaScript Special Effects: If you like to use JavaScript, then take a look at this free app.
40. SnurlIt: Make long URLs short and manageable with SnurlIt.
41. Dot3D: View images in 3D, including JPG, PNG, GIP, BMP and ICO files.
42. Shrink-O-Matic: Resize photos with a drag and drop interface.
43. designview: designview is a great app for designers who like using Flex Builder Design View.
44. Icon Generator: Create CS# or Web 2.0 icons in just three steps.
45. JavaScript Style Switch: Play around with different designs without having to change HTML codes.
46. SearchCoders Dashboard: Connect with other web developers with this Flex-related app.
47. Pixus: Preview your designs without having to switch back to low-res views.
48. .merlin: .merlin finds and organizes all of your saved fonts.

Business Tools

Here you’ll find a great list of apps that work for the busy business professional, including calculators, stock analysis and more.

49. Klok: Use this time tracking tool when you’re trying to fit in extra projects at off times.
50. NASDAQ Market Replay: Those who track the NASDAQ and NYSE will love this replay and analysis app.
51. Timeloc: Timeloc is another time tracker that is great for freelancers and contract workers.
52. Scientific Calculator: Access a scientific calculator for your business and financial equations with this app.
53. VAT Calculator: This calculator can calculate VAT inclusive and exclusive values.
54. Jipingmi Pro: If you’re in the market for Chinese real estate, use this tool.
55. [G]OneTime: [G]OneTime is another time tracking tool.
56. Ora Time and Expense: This app helps you manage expense reports, invoices and timesheets.
57. Point of Sale Software (POS): Retailers and store owners can use this tool to get "a better overview of your business, your employees and your customers." Get updates daily.
58. Google Calendar Invoice Creator: Clock your billable hours and generate HTML or text invoices with this tool.

Contacts and Communication

Manage all of your instant messages and e-mails safely and efficiently with these tools.

59. Universal Inbox: This tool "gives you control over how you store your digital assets," including e-mail, files, Twitter messages and more.
60. AIR iPhone: This early-stage iPhone app manages contacts and the web browser.
61. TokBox: This video calling app is free to use.
62. GMDesk: Manage your Gmail account offline using this app.
63. AS iYahooCheck v2: Check your Yahoo ID status and your friends’ statuses with this app.
64. NEWZDOG: Stay connected to news updates with this searchable app.
65. Multilingual Soft Keyboards: This is a great tool for those who work internationally.
66. SimpleClass2: Teachers and students can check grades and stay connected wherever they are with SimpleClass2.
67. Pronto!: Pronto! is a secure interfact that includes IM, e-mail, groupware, voice and chat.
68. LG Phone: The Adobe AIR app for LG Phone lets you "call people from your Ribbit account."

Apps for Cubicle Dwellers

Adobe AIR is a fun platform for those who are stuck in their cubicles all day and want to waste time under the radar.

69. CrazyCam: This Adobe AIR app lets you turn regular photos into ridiculous images by playing around with 33 different effects.
70. dock_clock: Count the seconds until your workday ends with this clock.
71. StudioCloud Clothing Assistant: Play around with outfits and even send your saved looks to friends.
72. Pizza Hut: Privately order yourself a pizza from Pizza Hut.
73. FansBuzz Desktop: Catch up on football news with this app.
74. Fotobooth: Add effects to your webcam and play around with silly images with this app.

Time Management and Productivity

Below are a host of tools designed to boost your productivity.

75. Remember the Milk Notifier: The Adobe AIR version of this web-based to-do list makes for maximum productivity.
76. AgileTracker: This easy-to-read app clearly displays task reports and time tracking charts. Agile Agenda users can sync up their task lists with this app too.
77. Doominow To-Do list: Check out this very easy to-do list manager.
78. Google Reader AIR app: Google Reader addicts work offline thanks to this app.
79. Snackr: Quickly browse your RSS feeds with this app, which pulls random items and runs them across your screen.
80. Desktop Alarm Clock Widget: This "unobtrusive" alarm clock can deliver messages automatically.
81. MiniTask: MiniTask is another simple to-do list manager for Adobe AIR.
82. RTM Notifier: This app automatically checks your Remember the Milk tasks and reminds you when deadlines approach.
83. JabeAbzar’S Clock: Stay on track when you download this analog desktop clock.
84. compuccino time track: This time tracker syncs up with Basecamp.

Apps That Make Your Life Easier

From a map app to a back up tool, these apps are designed to save you time and stress.

85. Websnapshot: Take snapshots of different web pages with this drag and drop tool, so you can work offline.
86. BackIt archive tool: Use this app to back up files and folders to a USB drive.
87. myHomeCache Visual Inventory: This offline home inventory software app is updated weekly.
88. JavaScript Quadratic Equation Calculator: If you need to solve quadratic equations, download this app to make things go faster.
89. PMT Mortgage Calculator: Use this app to help you organize your monthly payments to your mortgage.
90. EarthBrowser: EarthBrowser is similar to Google Earth. Click on different parts of the globe to retrieve data for that area.
91. WebKut: Cut screen shots and capture web pages to work offline.
92. Passpack Desktop: If you have trouble remembering all of your passwords, let this app manage them for you.
93. Net Cost to Buy: This app is another real estate tool that figures out your net cost per square feet for different commercial properties.
94. Oxy Reminder: This smart app reminds you to get up and stretch every 2 hours.

Managing Teams

These apps are great for team managers.

95. Timeslide: Add notifications into your apps whenever you post to your blog or a new IM pops up.
96. Employee Directory: Search for employee data and information on your desktop.
97. Salesbuilder: This app features data synchronization and direct chart manipulation.

Miscellaneous

These two apps round out our list of awesome Adobe AIR apps.

98. StockQ: Get stock quotes delivered to your desktop.
99. Netbook: Access the Project Gutenberg Library offline.

Posted in Office Tips, Productivity -- No Comments