Thursday, March 29, 2007

CoolTool

Letterpop! Newsletters, online.

What a neat concept! Create and host newsletters online, in a visually appealing and creative way.

Features:
  • Free option with advertisements, or a nominal yearly fee (Business option also available)
  • Can post up to ten free letters a year
  • Ability to incorporate photos and text
  • Use photos hosted on Flickr
  • Ability to import contacts from Outlook
  • A variety of templates
  • A 'user profile page' featuring a description of who you are, along with your previous newsletters
  • A print feature that, allowing readers to print the newsletter
  • Comments! Readers are able to leave comments
  • RSS (syndication or feed) - Parents using RSS feeds (or administrators, or other teachers, or students.... I think you get the picture) could be kept up to date without having to visit the site
I think this could be a great tool for a school or classroom, to communicate with the world outside the classroom in a dynamic and interesting way. There is a limit to how many letters you can post a year with the free option, however, the pricing options for a Pro Plan (the intermediate plan between FREE and Business) are quite reasonable, at approximately $25/year, American funds, I am guessing. :)

An example of how this tool is being used can be seen here, put to use by the Learn English Online network for a neat 'Word of the Month' feature.

I feel that the strength of this tool lies in its flexibility and some of the integration they have pursued. You choose your template, add photos, import contacts, in the paid versions, have the opportunity to send e-vites (I know I have a problem, perhaps even an addiction, but I love e-vites!) and so forth. What I do not like is the need to create another user name, another profile, another password... etc. With so many accounts for different tools, it can get a bit unwieldly. These days, I find myself thinking before I sign!

Looks like a neat tool, and could be useful. Of course, I would not use it to post pictures of students, but I could post students work...

No comments: