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Traditional Media Gets a 2.0 Facelift with Zoho Notebook

You know the world has changed when the writing tools you lived by in grade school are referred to as "traditional."

Inspired by the stodgy ol' pen and paper notebook, AdventNet, Inc. adds Zoho Notebook to the Zoho suite of free offerings. It's less now a notebook and more the blessed recipient of a Web 2.0 facelift with a fresh array of multi-media and online collaboration tools, and functionality fit for enterprises of today and grade schoolers of tomorrow.

DEMO '07 conference executive producer, Chris Shipley, notes, "Web-delivered services are all about empowering the individual, and with Notebook, Zoho is fundamentally changing the way that we create and consume content."

Those are some big words coming from a guy who, with the rest of us, witnessed the way Web 2.0 has already fundamentally changed the way we create and consume content. But clearly the spiral notebook is still up for grabs, and Zoho Notebook takes care of that.

Zoho took strategic advantage of its presence at the DEMO conference, a premier event at which it was tapped out of 68 companies to preview. DEMO served as a starting point for Zoho Notebook's launch. "We were delighted to be selected to preview at this prestigious event and also very excited about Notebook's upcoming release," gushed VP of Business Development Ian Wenig. "Notebook represents the next-generation of Web-based application by enhancing individual creativity through the combination of multi-media and collaboration tools."

A major benefit of ye old notebook was the freedom to develop and pursue ideas without clearly dilineated usability boundaries (like fonts and sadistic two-inch margins) as demonstrated by existing apps like, say, Microsoft's WordPad. Zoho Notebook keeps the ability to free flow intact with a whiteboard function, additionally enabling users to edit, aggregate, publish, share and collaborate creations on a browser. And while tools for adding and editing text exist, the information zealot can also add audio and video, images and content from other Zoho apps.

Because of its apparent flexibility and friendly UI, it's worth noting that "this technology is useful to you whether you are a teacher, student, businessperson or blogger," explains Shipley. And to ensure those walks of life and all others will be able to access that golden opportunity, Zoho Notebook is free for all future users.

The launch of the new feature comes fast on the heels of Zoho Wiki, another impressive offering that smacked Google Apps yet to arrive Wiki offering (really the result of a quick JotSpot acquisition) upside the head. But like the little kiddies who may one day be using the Notebook for their mathematical scribble, Zoho's clearly an overachiever.

A sneak preview of Zoho Notebook will be available today. Hit their website if you want to take a look, and catch a few precious screenshots here.

Zoho, is part of AdventNet, which provides software tools for customers worldwide. AdventNet has been around since 1996, and under their umbrella Zoho has flourished with over fourteen different application launches to date. Zoho specializes in creating online tools for knowledge workers.

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