TechSoup Blog

Multimedia & Graphics

New Templates for Google Docs

43 Folders reports that Google Docs has just added a selection of over 300 templates, including calendars, letters, labels, and more. For a service that started as an odd curiosity in the back of the Google catalog, the new templates may be a sign that Google Docs is finally ready for public consumption.

Beware of Creative Directors

Here at TechSoup, we want to help you tell your organization's story in a creative, compelling way. Product donations like Microsoft Expression Design (new to TechSoup), Adobe Creative Suite, and Flickr help your organization find creative, compelling ways to broadcast your message. But can artistic design ever get in the way of an organization's goals?

Spring TechSoup Stock Catalog: Get New Products While They're Hot!

The brand spankin' new Spring 2008 TechSoup Stock catalog is hot off the presses and you can check out the full version (PDF) of all the great finds for your organization today.

There's some new, some old (and still awesome), and some updated software, tools, and programs that can help your organization get a leg up for fundraising online, managing finances, editing and hosting photos, and keeping your office functioning smoothly and securely. Check out some highlights here:

New: Upload Your Videos to Flickr

These days, nearly anyone create a short video clip with a cell phone or video camera. And now, you can upload and share these videos on popular photo-sharing community Flickr, thanks to a new feature that allows you to upload and show videos on the site.

Flickr video content is divided into three categories: videos, screencasts, and animation/CGI. Only Pro account members can upload videos, though anyone can watch them. Also, only the first 90 seconds of any video will display (longer videos can be submitted, but they’ll be truncated.) The 90-second limit is intended to frame videos uploaded to Flickr as “long photos,” or "slices of life," according to the Flickr Blog.

Adobe Launches Free Web-Based Version of Photoshop

If your nonprofit needs to occasionally tweak photos, but doesn't require the all of the advanced capabilities of Adobe Photoshop, you may want to look into Adobe's Photoshop Express, a new, free online image editor and photo-sharing Web application available to anyone with a computer and a broadband connection.

Flickr Toys

If you’re just uploading your pictures to Flickr and occasionally looking at others’ pictures, you’re missing half the fun. There are a staggering amount of tools available to Flickr users to do all kinds of things with your pictures. Here are some of our favorites, along with sites that have many more to play with:

To start, you don’t even have to log on to Flickr to upload your pictures. Uploaders allow you to send your pictures to your Flickr account directly from your desktop, along with using titles, tags, and other metadata. The official uploader supports Windows and Macs, while third-party uploaders allow you to send your pictures through Apple’s iPhoto (Mac only) and Linux, too.

Nonprofits Using Flickr

Nonprofits can use photo-sharing site Flickr in a variety of ways to raise awareness, launch campaigns, or show nontraditional sides to their organizations. Beth Kanter wrote a post how 10 nonprofits used Flickr in unique ways. Here are some examples we’ve selected that could inspire you.

Online Video-Sharing Ultimate Roundup

While YouTube has become eponymous with online video-sharing, did you know that there are many other services that offer similar and — depending on your needs — better features?

New Google Release Allows You to Create Presentations Online

Yesterday, Google announced the addition of a Web-based application for creating presentations to its existing Google Docs office-product bundle.

Get Video Blogging

Video blogging can be a dynamic, engaging way to get your organization’s message out, allowing you to create a more interactive dialogue between your organization and your donors and constituents.

TechSoup Blog