It goes without saying that our PMs, coders and designers are world-class website-making geniuses but without their tools they are useless. Like Zeus without his lightning bolt or Wonder Woman without her lasso of truth. So which tools are used by these apocalyptic menaces to create such wonderfully functional pieces of digital perfection?

Here are the top 5 free or cost-effective web-apps used by Codegent on a daily basis to keep this engine running.

#5 Tickspot

Tickspot is a great tool for everybody here to log how much time they’ve spent on projects and to compare the total time with the target. It’s really simple to use and at $39 a month, pretty good value.

We could have also mentioned Yutiti. Like a pre-project tickspot. A time managing application for our project managers. Yutiti allows the user to manage the use of resources and projects, so everybody knows what to do and when. With its simple graphics and Gantt chart, it’s very easy to use. Other features include a drag & drop system and world-wide access.

#4 Twilert

We feel that it’s of great importance to see who’s saying what about us and our clients. That’s why we invented this handy little gismo. Twilert is a free service which lets you know when you, your company or... well anyone really is being tweeted about. It sends you email notification in certain time intervals that you choose which means you’re not bombarded with emails about how your Aunty Sheila likes your dog or how your best friend when you were six has just bought a mars bar.

We could have also mentioned Tweetdeck. Tweetdeck lets us browse all of our social networking sites in one place. Available for computers, iPhones and iPads; a great way to keep on top of everything at once.

#3 Codebase

This tool is quite new to us but getting popular fast. It has a few features including tickets & milestones for each step of building a website. Codebase basically helps us to see what’s been done so far and what’s left to do – like an interactive checklist. It also acts as a database for our progress. The developers will upload their work to the project so it can be seen by everybody else involved.

We could have also mentioned Google Docs. Google docs is an incredibly useful web app for sharing documents in real time. A really simple and effective way of updating and sharing documents between computers and countries.

#2 Skype

Where would we be without Skype? Like a massive string and cup system between London and Bangkok. We create rooms for projects so everybody involved can discuss progress as they work on it. We also have room for project managers, designers etc so they can talk between themselves. It means that there is a paper trail for everything that’s been said if you join the conversation late and the team in Thailand are just as accessible as the people in the next room.

We could have also mentioned Campfire. Campfire is like instant messaging but designed exclusively for groups”. With this in mind, it’s designed to deal well with group conversations and conferences.

#1 Dropbox

Dropbox is a brilliantly simple and invaluably useful tool for us here at Codegent. We are often faced with large amounts of videos, photos and other large files which need to be shared between people here in London and in Bangkok. Dropbox is the perfect tool for this. The files are as accessible as if they are on your local network and they are also available from the Dropbox website, so you’re never left without them. Plus there is an iPhone app that lets you manage files on the move.

We could have also mentioned Backblaze. Backblaze is a back-up system which is constantly adapting to keep your work safe. Every file on your computer is constantly being backed-up without you even having to lift a finger. A small icon on your taskbar allows you to check the progress and your items are instantaneously saved. It’s never funny to lose your work. This makes sure that never happens.

Here at codegent we love our music, and we love Friday afternoons. So we have decided to put together the Ultimate Friday Playlist on Spotify and we need your help.

For those who haven't been swept up in the revolution, Spotify is a simple piece of software which puts any song you want to listen to at your fingertips and gives you instant access with no restrictions. We find this interesting as it is the final stage in de-commoditisation of music, which started with the removal of the purchase of a physical 12"/Tape/CD. Now purchase is no longer needed to listen to any song, when you want it.

So if you want to add a song to get us dancing on Friday, install spotify then follow this link to add your party favourites. http://tiny.cc/vvZAU

To claim a song as your own, you can either leave a comment below or just tweet it to us @codegent or tag #ultimatefridayplaylist

We build a fair few sites that facilitate all kinds of user generated content, but we wanted to share an absolute jewel with you!

We designed and built a competition microsite for Cartoon Network's Ben10, a program about 10-year old Ben Tennyson, who discovers a watch-like device with mysterious powers which allows him to transform into 10 different alien heroes. 

We created a site where users uploaded video impressions of their favourite Ben10 alien, either by recording entries using a webcam or uploading the video file straight from their camera or mobile phone.

In the words of Aidan, aged 5, from Sheffield, "My best alien is Heatblast because he's great at shooting fire at rocks!" And then Aidan himself shoots fire into the corner of his garden from his very own human fingertips! How he does this we are still trying to figure out ;) but we suggest that if you are ever lucky enough to meet awesome Aidan, you are don't get on the wrong side of him!

Check out Aidan's entry in the Ben 10 Gallery now!

If you wanna know more about Ben10, then check out the Ben 10 site on Cartoon Network.

We recently worked with Cartoon Network on another site, Sonic Chronicles:The Dark Brotherhood, where users have to search the site for Sonic the Hedgehog characters in order to win cool prizes!

I'm writing this by only the light of my computer screen, this is my last hope. It's a dangerous thing I do putting this information into the public domain but I have no alternative, they are coming for me tonight.....

I know of two superheros which you must help to protect so they can continue to utlise their wonderous powers!  They go by the names of Antihistimine Man and Acronym Boy. 

Antihistimine Man fights against the evil chemical Histimine, his weapons are a variety of creams, sprays, tablets and injections, and his trusty sidekick Acronym Boy who can decipher any acronym known to man!  Without their talents, the world would not be as we know it.  

If you recognise them, protect them, for their fight is for good and for a better tomorrow.

There's someone coming, they're coming for me now, My God it's their evil arch enemy...... 

One of our clients, Cat Le-Huy, otherwise known as "Diz" has been arrested in Dubai for allegedly smuggling drugs. In reality, he claims that all he had were legal sleeping tablets that can be bought over the counter.

We've known Cat, who is head of technology at Endemol, since we started working with them on a variety of projects about 2 years. Cat is a great guy, very very smart and respected by the techie dudes within Codegent. It's a total outrage that he is still being incarcerated whilst it appears there is no evidence of any laws that have been broken.

This seems really surreal until you delve a bit deeper and see the ridiculous reasons they have given for holding foreigners in prison in Dubai. One guy was sentenced to 4 years because they found poppy seeds on his clothing which had fallen off a bread roll he had eaten at Heathrow Airport. Another had 0.003g of cannabis stuck on his shoe - according to an item on the BBC website.

Codegent regularly flies people to Asia, and Dubai is a common stop-over point. We can't risk any of our guys getting caught up in this nonsense so any flights that land in that country are now strictly off limits for us.

To find out more, visit the Free Diz website

To add your support, join the Free Diz Facebook Group

Since we launched our new website we have been featured on quite a few portals as an example of good web design and coding standards. Its been great for traffic as well as the ego!

However, today broke boundaries as our global reach stretched as far as China and Japan! That's why I love this medium, things crop up in the most unlikely of places :)

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Now is the winter of our discontent.

The digital world is an exciting place to be right now, but it’s time to get selective. Trouble is, browsing the web, it’s so easy to get distracted and go off on tangents.

My digressions used to include thoughts such as ‘how long have my trainers been so dirty’ or ‘how long have I had my umbrella up and it’s not been raining?’ Now they’re more frequently ‘how long have I spent on this website!?’

I guess Shakespeare was right when he said, ‘All the world’s online, and all the men and women merely avatars.’

I switched my ipod off last night so that I could listen to the elderly gentleman sitting on my bench at the tube station.  He was singing about Jesus.

He had a nice enough sounding voice, but it was the fact that his eyes were closed that really struck me and the serene look on his face. I watched him singing, meaning every word and I thought about updating the playlists on my ipod, but actually, maybe I just need to turn it off every once in a while, to see what else I can hear.

I know what you're thinking, but apparantly it’s not a diet, it’s a mixture of "dietary and lifestyle changes that will enable you to lose weight without the unpleasant side-effects normally associated with dieting."

What are the 'unpleasant side-effects' I wonder, putting on weight I guess.

The 'No diet' diet will change the way your body responds to food. 

Well that's great, but whilst we're at it, how about ‘No payment’ bills and ‘No hangover’ alcohol or 'No show-up' work,  then you’d really be talking!