*Note: Seasoned Skype veterans need not watch this video, just know that their skype username is freeconferencing.

Not only is it so easy to find fonts to add to my collection, but it really is a special feeling to find just the right font for that application which actually brings me to my problem. As most of you surely have found, inside of software like word and photoshop there’s really no good way to search through your fonts in any intelligent way. Enter Myfontbook.com. This is a free online application which allows you to view your installed fonts, preview them in editable contexts, and also tag them so that you can organize an otherwise chaotic space.

The Chrome OS is Google’s attempt to “re-think what operating systems should be.” They hope to establish a light-weight platform capable of running web-apps designed for any browser. Another consideration is that currently, a majority of netbook users are running Windows XP, an eight year old operating system. I’m still not convinced that Chrome is the “Microsoft killer” that some have claimed. As I previously posted, Windows 7 will be released this fall and is capable of running on netbooks. However, Chrome is not without an audience or fan base. I’m confident many will be looking forward to this free, open-source, Linux-based alternative to Windows.

Last year Google launched its mobile OS, Android, which was well-received, but limited by small install base, and phone/carrier support. Chrome is a separate venture that is initially targeted solely at netbooks, but many speculate might develop into a desktop version. Some such as David Coursey at PC World and John Biggs at Crunch Gear are hesitant to declare Chrome a success. As the official release is over a year away, I am also staying in “wait-and-see” mode. Finally, if anyone is running the Windows 7 RC on a netbook, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Microsoft recently released RC1, a release candidate for Windows 7. This free download lets you preview the Ultimate Version of the new OS until June 1, 2010 (However, it will begin shutting down every 2 hours as a warning starting in March of next year). Although the RC is deemed stable by Microsoft, it might still contain a few minor bugs. I have been using it for over a week now, and have yet to find a single flaw in this version. My favorite improvement is the new taskbar, which I discussed on this blog way-back-when. With loads of new features and a simple user interface, I highly recommend taking the RC for a test drive. Also, you can upgrade without hassle if you are currently running Windows Vista.

A final note: I don’t recommend trying it out on your main computer, but if you have an old or secondary one that meets these specifications, go ahead and give it a try. The Windows 7 Release Candidate can be downloaded here. Post any questions in the comments and I’d be happy to answer.

You know it’s gotta be good because they call it Beta [*wink GMail beta]. But really, I jabbed it’s use of a very trendy naming convention because that is literally the only bad thing I have to say about this service.

FreeConferencing.com is a sister service of FreeConferenceCall.com which is in itself a wonderful product. But from what I can tell this new beta service seems superior in every way. Basically, FreeConferencing.com gives you the ability to conduct your own teleconference, with up to 1,000 participants, absolutely free. There are several reasons why as long as this is an option, it will be the only teleconference system I ever use. First and foremost, FreeConferencing.com is completely free, not kind of free, not mostly free. Completely and absolutely free. They don’t even pester you with solicitations for other products. The only thing that could be possibly considered a cost is that the call in number is long-distance (but domestic US).

So, the price gets you in, but the tremendous quality keeps you around. Not only does FreeConferencing.com boast an extremely high participant cap, it’s length cap is also surprisingly generous at a full 6 hours. You also have the option to record the entire teleconference for playback AND download, again, absolutely free. On top of all of these features, they offer a flash-based host controls interface that is absolutely fabulous. It is so outstandingly simple that in a recent teleconference for our MVP Master Program participants, Kirk was able to handle it on his own. As our readers know, Kirk would be the first person to tell you that he and technology usually don’t get along. From this host control panel you have options to name callers, mute, and boot from the call. To ice the cake, FreeConferencing.com supports three mute modes: all talk, all mute except the host (and any callers the host unmutes), and Q&A which actually allows participants to enter a queue to be called upon by the host.

Absolutely amazing service. On top of all that the call quality is absolutely stellar, please take a listen to the below sample from our last teleconference. If you try it you’ll love it, I promise.

Since 2006, Mint.com has been helping people to manage their money better. Mint is a free online resource that tracks your spending in order to build a budget and determine where your money is going. It lets you follow your investments and even helps you do your taxes through its partnership with TaxACT. Mint’s priority is helping you obtain your financial goals, whether they are paying of your credit cards, loans, or saving for retirement. The Web 2.0 company currently boasts over 850,000 users and acclaim from top critics such as The New York Times and Time Magazine.

For those concerned about security and privacy of online financial services, Mint states:

Mint.com uses bank-level data security verified by VeriSign and TRUSTe. You’re anonymous on Mint.com; you don’t share your name, address, social security number or account numbers. You can save money — but you can’t transfer money — using Mint.com. In fact, with Mint.com’s automatic email and SMS alerts, you can increase your online security by learning of – and acting on — any suspicious activity in any of your accounts more quickly.

You can start using Mint with a simple, one-time setup that can immediately pull the balances of your balances, purchases, and stock trades. It also features secure connections to over 7,000 financial institutions. You can learn more about Mint and decide if it’s the software for you at Mint.com: Features, Why Use Mint, and About. If you’ve had success with this software, or you prefer managing your finances in another tech-savvy way, please share in the comments.

If you ask anyone that is knowledgeable about computers, they will be able to tell you the best place to buy computer parts and other consumer electronics is Newegg.com. Both at home and at work, I’ve used Newegg to buy everything from hard drives to software, to digital cameras. The company is known for their spectacular customer service and super fast shipping. With every purchase I have made, it has arrived before the estimated delivery date.

Even if you decide to make your electronics purchases elsewhere, I highly suggest using Newegg for customer reviews. I’ve found them to be some of the most accurate and informative on the internet, as most are written by people who have experience with the products. You can even sort product categories by best reviewed or most reviews to see what is popular.

With the lowest prices available and new deals daily, give Newegg a try next time you need a flash drive, speakers or even a blu-ray player.

The new look to the Google Reader actually improves functionality. Load times are faster and the addition of collapsible navigation makes things easier to find. The social aspect of RSS feeds was also improved. In order to keep up with emerging social aggregates, the Google Reader now notably features content from friends.

Using RSS feeds makes checking for new content on your favorite websites as easy and efficient as checking your e-mail. Find the orange RSS button, subscribe to it with Google Reader, and surf more efficiently.