Zoho Notebooks

Thank you to Karen Cawley and Christine Mooney for their tutorial on Zoho Notebook.

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Zoho Notebook is a useful Web 2.0 tool that allows users to create notebook pages online. You may add audio, video, HTML codes, or URLs. You may also embed your material created on the other Zoho Suite applications!

Zoho Notebook is just one of many web-based applications presented by the parent company AdventNet. Launched in 2005, the beta version of Zoho Notebook takes its place in the Zoho Office Suite to provide a repository for text, images, and other files that users can organize for their own purposes or share with others. The interface of Zoho Notebook reveals the company's desire to provide a smooth workspace for novices and experts alike.

Strengths:
The ability to share a book, object, or page with Zoho Notebook is merely the beginning of its Web 2.0 capabilities. Zoho Notebook is acclaimed as one of the top products in this field because of its collaborative capabilities (Agarwal).

• Users may add books, pages, and content. They can easily operate the buttons to add HTML, RSS feeds, and URLs, in addition to traditional document attributes. The application also includes several recognizable features, such as font manipulation and a tool for drawing.
• Users can create a page, and others may edit the item in real time. A user may simply click on the “Share” button and add the e-mail addresses of those involved with the project. Once the addresses are listed, the user may choose the “Read Only” or the “Read/Write” options that will allow others to comment or edit.
• Users can add to a document offline if there is no Web connection. Once the individual connects to the Internet at a later time, the offline document is immediately synchronized with the online document (Vegesna, 2007).

Weaknesses:
While Zoho Notebook may appear simplistic, its nuances often prove frustrating for users.

• Uploading interfaces are often slow or faulty, which reduces the benefits of having instant aggregation and collaboration.
• The option to “pin” items to the page inhibits organizational simplicity: it is difficult to “unpin” items to move them, and the bulky object boxes often make the page appear cluttered.
• The text on a page may overwrite other text (Martin, 2008).

Special Features:
Applications in the Zoho Suite were designed to work together, but the true asset of Zoho Notebook is that it is easily streamlined with other programs outside the scope of AdventNet.

• The site allows users to login with Google or Yahoo! accounts, even providing the ability to import from Google Notebooks.
• Zoho Notebook can connect to Skype, Facebook, browser plug-ins, mobile applications, and more.
• The synchronous nature of Zoho Notebook outshines any interface flaw, and helps boost its reputation among ample market competition.
• Users may create a document in one facet of the Zoho Suite and easily adding it to another. For example, a presentation in Show (a tool similar to Microsoft's PowerPoint) can be embedded onto a Notebook page.

Comparison to other tools:

• Google Notebook (**http://www.google.com/notebook/**), once thought as an alternative to Zoho Notebook, no longer can compete. Many Google users accepted the lesser product out of loyalty to the application giant, but the depth of collaboration that Zoho provides has held its ground. Google recently announced that it will end many of its services due to the economic downturn; thus, no new users, or new features, will be added to Google Notebook. Only those with existing accounts may continue to use the application and search for their online notes from the search page. A combination of Google Docs, Google Bookmark and Gmail will replace the Notebook features (Ionescu, 2009). Despite a circulating petition to save Google Notebook, it appears that Zoho is becoming more dominant than its competitors. (Ostrow, 2009).
• Microsoft OneNote continues to be a worthy market competitor. First created in 2003, OneNote was updated in 2007. One advantage of Zoho is that it is a free application, whereas OneNote must be purchased for $99.95 and costs $79.95 for upgrades. OneNote's features are not as expansive as those found on Zoho Notebook. For example, the option to chat during the creation of the page, is unique to the Zoho Suite (McCracken, 2007). Audio and visual images need to be sent as an attachment and cannot be embedded in the page (Microsoft Corporation, 2009). Hamilton (2008) states that businesses are willing to continue to purchase OneNote because it is more cost effective than training staff to use a different application. The sixty-day free trial offer seems attractive to users as well.

Other tools:

• UberNote allows users to download their pages in a small HTML document.
• Springnote is another similar application, but this tool creates a strong deviation between a personal notebook and a public, wiki-like notebook.
• Evernote, features the ability to work from the web, a mobile device, or a computer's desktop. (Lowensohn).
• Backpack offers the same type of creative suite integrated into an intranet format (Wondrack). While some of these qualities overlap, each company specializes in a small handful of tools. This makes the features better in that application, which permits users to choose what aspects of note-taking applications are most desirable for them.

There are problems associated with the Zoho software, but Sridhar Vembu, the CEO of both Zoho and AdventNet, has found his place amongst Microsoft and Google. His motive to rank high in the industry is evident. Vembu reads the Zoho blog to receive feedback from users and then asks his team to make changes to accommodate needs (Lynch, 2008). Because Vembu pays close attention and responds to suggestions from his clients, he will continue to improve Zoho services.

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References, Articles, etc.

Agarwal, Amit. “Microsoft OneNote vs Zoho Notebook - Comparison & Review.” Digital Inspiration.
18 Aug 2007. 22 Jan 2009. <http://www.labnol.org/internet/office/microsoft-onenote-vs-zoho
-notebook-comparison-review/1168/>

Ionescu, Daniel. “Google Kills Services: Notebook, Dodgeball, Others Gone.” PC World. 15 Jan. 2009.
24 Jan 2009.
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/157734/google_kills_services_notebook_dodgeball_others_gone
.html>

Lowensohn, Josh. “Seven Worthy Google Notebook Replacements.” CNET News. 16 Jan 2009. 22 Jan
2009. >http://news.cnet.com/seven-worthy-google-notebook-replacements/>

Lynch, C.G. “Understanding Zoho, The Company taking on Goolge and MS.” CIO: Business,
Technology, Leadership. 31 July 2008. 24 Jan. 2009.
http://www.cio.com.au/index.php/id;739766322;pp;4

Martin, Michele. “Zoho Notebook vs. Google Notebook for Handouts: Which Would You Use?”
The Bamboo Project: Career Development, Technology and Learning Strategies for
Lifelong Personal and Professional Growth. 17 Mar 2008. 22 Jan. 2009.
http://michelemartin.typepad.com/thebambooprojectblog/2008/03/zoho-notebook-f.html

McCracken, Harry. “Review of the AdventNet Zoho Notebook Software.” PC World. 18 Jan 2007. 22
Jan 2009. <http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/30237/review/zoho_notebook.html>

Microsoft Corporation. “Microsoft OneNote.” Microsoft Office Online. 2009. 25 Jan 2009.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/onenote/HA100325871033.aspx

Ostrow, Adam. "Users Petition to Save Google Notebook." Mashable: All That's New on the Web. 19
Jan. 2009. 24 Jan. 2009. <http://mashable.com/2009/01/19/save-google-notebook/>

Vegesna, Raju. “Videos: Zoho Notebook.” Technorati Media. 21 May 2007. 23 Jan 2009.
<http://technorati.com/videos/youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsfJFBcF_6cE>

Wondrack, James. Personal Interview. 23 Jan 2009.