Type and travel: Web-based word processors

Online word processors let you save your work to the Web, which can save the day whether you're a mobile student or a small- business owner, a freelance journalist or a scientist in the field. You can start a file in, say, San Francisco and perfect the prose later in Paris. The portability of Google Docs & Spreadsheets (formerly Writely), Zoho Writer beta, ThinkFree, and Glide Write beta allow you to invite other people to view and edit your work. All you need is a secure and speedy Internet connection.

Not only do these four free tools let you import and save files that will work in Microsoft Word and with OpenOffice, but they also let you create PDF files or post a blog entry with the click of a button. You can even download Zoho Write's free plug-in for Microsoft Word that lets you save work to Zoho's servers from Microsoft's software. Unfortunately, none of the writing tools we've reviewed imports from or exports files to Corel WordPerfect X3 desktop software, a veteran rival to Microsoft Word. (You can however cut and paste text from any WordPerfect file into Google Docs, Zoho, ThinkFree, or Glide documents.)

If you're looking for a seamless online suite that lets you integrate charts and presentations into your text files, don't hold your breath. ThinkFree online comes closest. Zoho Office beta offers even more tools to make spreadsheets or presentations, and even manage customer databases, but it's no snap to integrate those apps. While Glide Write can integrate multimedia files and provides strong tie-ins to Glide's calendar, chatting, and e-mailing tools, the lack of a spreadsheet maker limits Glide's usefulness for a small business. And Google Docs beta is a breeze to use, but its integration with Google Spreadsheets is pretty much limited to a common sign-in page. Another option for working with several people and projects at once is the JotSpot wiki 2 (now owned by Google), a user-friendly collaboration system that lets you share image, text, and spreadsheet files.

Should you seek the security of a desktop companion to your online word processor, ThinkFree offers both (although you could download the better, free OpenOffice instead). Our review of ThinkFree focuses more on its $50 desktop version, but you don't need to install that to use its Web-based component at no cost. Corel is offering users a free test of its new WordPerfect Lightning, a lightweight word processor that syncs online files with those on your hard drive. Glide provides mobile editions and lets you sync PC and online versions of your documents, but it offers no desktop software.

So which online word processor should you pick? Most of these applications remain in beta testing, so expect their features to change. Overall, we were partial to Google Docs' quick setup and easy-on-the-eyes interface, but check the chart below to find the tool that best fits your personal needs.