Webvanta is a new tool, just lunched this fall. Geared to designers who know xhtml and css but don’t want to deal too much with the back end, Webvanta provides a comfortable environment for dynamic site development. Chris Haupt, Webvanta’s Chief Technology Officer, came to show my class at Art Institute how easy it is to take a xhtml / css template and build a build a dynamic website around it with Webvanta in just a few hours.

Having spent a lot of time working with WordPress, it is exciting to see some other options and see how other tools can handle dynamic content. Webvanta hold a lot of promise. It is a hosted CMS, so it is a bit different from the open source CMS options out there. Check out the Webvanta website.

Also, it is a good idea to point out that they have a design contest starting up. Build something in Webvanta (for free) before the end of the year, and you could win a nice MacBook Pro, or an iPod Touch. You can follow them on Twitter for more info.

I have a great deal to post on MeadDesign. The first in a series of posts about work I have been doing is about Kalexo. What is Kalexo? Funny you should ask. Kalexo is a startup in silicon valley that builds really amazing collaborative software. Need to work with a team remotely on a project? These are your go-to guys.

The Kalexo Teamwork software combines task management, file sharing, text chatting, voice chatting, screen sharing and tons more. I have been helping them with bits and pieces for the last few years, kind of on the periphery, but I am really impressed with how useful and cutting edge the software is. I strongly recommend you check them out.

I am always looking for great tools for making stuff. One tool I have wanted for a long time is a tool for quickly and easily creating an online portfolio that is clean and slick. There are lots of tools to do this, but my requirements for this particular tool are strict. I wanted something that I could easily update. That knocks the obvious choice, Flash, out of the running. The last thing I want to have to do is disect a flash .fla file everytime I want to update my portfolio. (more…)

Well it has been a little over a week since I went to MacWorld and I have gone through all my handouts and looked through the various demo disks to see what is really worth pursuing further. The one thing that really stands out for me is an interesting tool called Memory Miner. Be sure to watch this video to get a sense of what it does. (more…)