LearnBoost launched its free gradebook and lesson plan software today. See my ReadWriteWeb coverage.

And Xplana, an online social learning platform, launched yesterday.

Interestingly, both of these companies have been on my radar for quite some time prior to their launch due their blogs. Granted, I may be partial to quality blogs as a writer, and as someone who scours RSS feeds daily to find news. But I think smart blogging can demonstrate you have a real grasp on your market, and it helps establish your voice within your industry. For a startup to be able to launch with that "cred" already in place is great.