Remember Google Wave? We still do, and depending on who you ask, it was either a collaboration tool that was ahead of its time, or a complicated tool with no single defined purpose. Either way, if you miss the unique, real-time collaboration features that Google Wave offered, Co-Meeting is a new web service that brings a lot of them back, including real-time, as-you're-typing conversations, document storage, in-line to-dos, notes, and meeting minutes, and more.

Co-Meeting borrows a lot of tricks from Google Wave, most notably the ability to have up to 30 people in one workspace at the same time, all typing and interacting with one another, updating documents, starting and answering comments and posts and threads, and in general just working together. As everyone talks, one click turns any posted comment into a to-do item or a progress update to an existing to-do. We can see people working on remote teams using the tool to stay in touch with each other and have separate conversations when a simple top-to-bottom chat won't do. The service even keeps track of where you left a conversation so you can get up to speed quickly when you return.

It's important to note that while Co-Meeting is inspired by Google Wave, it doesn't dive as deep as Wave did, which allows it to keeps its focus squarely on improving meetings and group projects when your team or coworkers aren't in the same room. If you're a remote worker, freelancer with multiple clients, or a project manager who doesn't want to drag everyone into yet another meeting, Co-Meeting is worth a look. Plus, it's free, at least while it's in public beta. Plus, if you're still sore that Google Wave has gone read-only, Co-Meeting even allows you to import your waves so you can pick up where you left off.

Co-Meeting

One of the biggest problems with project management software is that it can be so difficult to wade through that it's hard to get the people you work with—whether they're at the office, your neighborhood volunteer group, or the family members you're planning a reunion with—using the same tool and on the same page. Podio is a free webapp that makes managing your projects a little less like slogging through pages of updates, and more like updating Facebook.

Podio is free for individual users and groups of up to five people at a time, which makes it perfect for small projects. Once you're set up and logged in, you can build as many workspaces for as many projects as you like. Each project workspace has room to store documents, get status updates from other people on your team or people working with you on the project, and as many mini "apps" as you'd like in your workspace. Those apps can be selected from Podio's built-in options, like a calendar, social feed, and document store, or you can build your own custom ones if you have specific needs. In addition to the Podio webapp, there are also Android and iOS apps you can use to update and stay updated on your projects when you're away from your desk.

The service feels distinctly business when you take a first glance, but it's flexible for individual users as well, like volunteers looking to organize their school's PTA, or freelancers who want to give their clients updates on their progress in a single, consolidated place. Additionally, Podio announced today that they support Dropbox integration, so free users with limited document storage can leverage their Dropbox accounts to share and store documents for their teams or clients to see.

Podio's greatest strength is its flexibility—you can customize and tweak your workspaces to fit the projects you're working on or the people you're working with, and you can manage as many or as few as you like from inside. Have you tried Podio? Prefer an alternative service for managing small groups? Let us know in the comments below.

Podio

Vertical laptop docks are fairly trendy these days, but the trouble with most of them is that they can get pretty expensive, with some models running up past $50. This Ikea hack may not duplicate all of the functionality of one of those docks, but some time with a wire saw and a little cable management will net you a vertical laptop dock for your laptop that matches your style.

At the heart of this trick is the $3 Ikea BRADA, which according to Jordan, who sent it in to Ikea Hackers, was the right shape for his laptop, but a little too long. He cut the whole thing in half so it wouldn't take up as much space on his desk, and then cut out a slot in the center with a keyhole saw for his laptop. It's quick and dirty, but for less than $3, it works like a charm. We'd suggest sanding down the side and the inside where your laptop will rest a little bit so it doesn't scratch your case, but aside from that, it's a great custom vertical dock for much much less than the fancier options out there. Plus, it works with any laptop, not just one with the ports in the right place. What do you think? Too college dorm chic, or a super-cheap way to personalize a workspace? Let us know in the comments below.

MacBook Pro Vertical Stand | IKEA Hackers

Paint removal usually requires a highly toxic chemical to get the job done, but for small metal objects, DIY site The Family Handyman recommends dropping your paint-coated hardware into a slow cooker with some water.

Obviously you don't want to go grabbing your favorite slow cooker off the shelf for this, but if you have an old one collecting dust or you score one cheap at a thrift store, the paint removal process is incredibly simple. Fill the slow cooker with water, set the dial to high, drop whatever hardware you want to strip paint from inside, and leave it overnight. You do need to be careful what type of material and paint you're working with though. The Family Handyman explains:

This works on oil, latex and spray paints, but it may not remove some clear finishes like lacquer. Cooking the hardware may stain or contaminate the pot, so use an old one or buy a new one for less than $20. This method won't harm hardware made of non-rusting metals like copper, brass or aluminum. You'll end up with a little rust on steel-not enough to ruin hidden parts like hinge pins or screws, but possibly enough to roughen shiny surfaces. If the steel has a plating like chrome or brass and the plating is already flaking off, this method will cause more flaking.

As a chemical-free and no-hassle paint removal process it might come in handy for hardware like hinges or window locks. Have some paint-removal tricks of your own?

How to Remove Paint From Hardware | The Family Handyman via Apartment Therapy