02
SEP
2007
Bust a Myth from the comfort of your own home
Have you ever had an argument over whether something is fact or fiction? Snopes has the largest database of urban legends in the world. They actually go and solve them, kind of like MythBusters, except they’ve been around much longer. This site is a must have in any household.
Find an older version of your favorite software
It is what it says. OldVersion catalogs all the past versions of your favorite software. If you don’t like the new version of AIM, you can grab version 1.7 if you wanted to. At OldVersion you can find any chat software to graphics, multimedia shareware/freeware, ftp, file sharing, utilities (winzip, winrar, etc), browsers, security, and enterprise software. Bookmark this bad boy, because as they say, “newer is not always better”
IM on any service through the web
Meebo is like Trillian or Adium except through your web browser. This website has impressed me because I have completely abandoned installing any service on my computer. Meebo is a must have if you’re on the road or if you’re tired of cluttering your computer with all sorts of different messengers just to keep in touch with all of your friends.
Cocktail social network
Amazing. A social network built around cocktail recipes. Rate recipes, tag them, make friends. They also provide some very useful tools: You can tell them what you have in your bar and it will show you what recipes you can use. A must have for those cocktail gourmets.
Also subscribe to the RSS feed for the drink of the day or you can send a text message to their service and they will send you back a random recipe! Love it.
Order delivery online, super easy
If you’re ordering delivery, there’s probably a reason — you’re lazy. Ok, or it’s cold outside. Either way, you’re not moving anything but your fingers. Foodler allows you to set up an account and securely store a credit card on file. You can log in and make an order in a matter of minutes. Their smooth online interface allows you to browse full menus and create an order via AJAX. No need to make a phone call and have any communication issues. Foodler faxes the order to your restaurant of choice.
Find out what’s going around in your area
A very interesting concept. Using the Google Maps API, you can see who is sick in your area. If you’re sick, you can specify your zipcode and your symptoms and it will be added to the map. This is a good idea, though I am skeptical of getting people to participate on the website, because it’s purely voluntary. It’s hard to keep people coming back, especially if they’re sick. I would look to offer this as a tool to physicians. If physicians are actively updating this database, it could prove to be a useful tool to citizens.
Lend a helping hand and get it back
Kiva allows you to loan money to the working poor. A man in Kenya running a medical clinic, or a man in Ukraine running a small bakery. You can lend money to them and be repaid on specific terms. It’s a great way to help those in need and still retain some cash. It does sound sketchy, but you can read their About page for more information. I’ve also seen this website mentioned on some reputable sites.
Buy me a beer if you liked this post or found it helpful
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Thanks for mentioning Foodler. We’re in the middle of a big expansion, so we hope we’ll get noticed more and more.
September 3rd, 2007 at 3:13 am
I use olderversion to download AIM version 5.9, as I hate the new ones.
PS: I love kiva, and my site will be spreading their word to millions of visitors after it takes off. I like seeing other people spread the word about them as well. The site launches the second week of September, and I suggest you check it out
September 25th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Foodler is just an amazing service. I love the site and the concept. I only wish I had done it first, I wrote about such a service years ago, boo hoo.
I have ordered from there 3 or 4 times now in the last month…It is Football season after all!
Kiva is a great concept and is the kind of “Charity” I can get behind (I know it’s not technically charity). Even if I don’t get my money back at least I gave an entrepreneur from the third world a chance at true wealth.