WebKak

What's so cool about Firefox 3 ???

2008-06-17T23:06:00.003+01:00

Never mind cool, the new firefox 3 is totally awesome. It redefines the web browsing experience with much faster performance, better memory handling, and some totally cool new features.

I've been using the release candidate of it for a while now, but today sees the release of the final Firefox version 3. My favourite new feature has definitely got to be the 'Smart Location Bar' as it makes it so much easier to find the sites I'm looking for. Simply typing in natural words will bring up related sites from your history / bookmarks.
Here's a weblink for a breakdown of it's most important new features which will enhance your productivity online.

Create, attach and share sticky notes with Postica

2008-05-30T23:33:00.002+01:00

Taking the sticky notes concept online allows for some interesting and cool things to be done with them. Postica allows you to create online sticky notes, attach related files, and easily share them with friends (even if they don't have an account).
Managing and organising your sticky notes is very straightforward and Postica will ensure that the notes retain their attributes even when viewed on different PCs (screen position & colours etc). Check out the Postica website if you want to give it a try.

Blip is sort of like a Twitter for music

2008-05-21T23:28:00.003+01:00

It's a cool website where you can check out what other people are listening to and also quickly inform your friends as to what your currently playing.
The interface is really straightforward, allowing you to search for, play and share your favourite music tracks in real time. If you choose to register, you can set Blip to automatically update your Twitter, Friendfeed, Pownce, and other accounts with whatever songs you're playing.
It's an easy way to kill a few hours while you check out old songs you'd forgotten about and also discover cool new music. Here's the weblink for Blip.

The most Favrd tweets on Twitter !

2008-05-19T23:11:00.002+01:00

Twitter I'm sure requires no introduction, as I'm sure are sites like Digg & Yahoo Buzz etc. But how about a site which combines aspects of those ?
With Favrd it checks out the most favourited (don't like that word now, prefer the cooler Favrd) tweets on Twitter and then lists them in a real time scrolling display.
The idea being you've got a single place to check out weird, amusing, inspiring or entertaining tweets that can be tagged and shared with the world. It doesn't appear to be screened in any way so don't be surprised if the 'F' word shows up from time to time. Still the site is only intended to be some light hearted fun for people and for Twitter fans it's worth checking out the Favrd site.

Cool new features in Google Maps

2008-05-15T00:39:00.003+01:00

Google is just after releasing some cool new features for Google Maps, which will allow people to upload their photos, videos and custom maps.
The way it works is that you type in a location name and there's a link labelled "Explore this area >>" on the left hand side, which will show you thumbnails of available photos, videos and custom maps. As always you can drag and zoom your way around the main map screen, but now you can click on any of the thumbnails on it to bring up a pop-up box with more information about them. As ever Google comes up with some pretty cool stuff, so check out the new Google Maps.

Creepy but cool Manbabies

2008-05-14T19:46:00.003+01:00

Ok, now here's something which is totally original, totally cool, yet eerily creepy at the same time. As I'm sure you can gather from the photo there's something a little different about it.
With Manbabies.com you can submit your photo and they'll play with it a little (heads swapping bodies). The resulting output is then showcased on their website and visitors can rate the photos, embed them in their blogs.
They've even got a new facebook application which will display random photos on your profile, which should make for an interesting experience whenever your friends visit your profile ;-)

Create your very own social networks with Ning

2008-05-12T22:20:00.002+01:00

MySpace & Facebook are the kings of social networks, however, compared to Ning they're very restrictive. Existing social networks are merely networks of profiles, Ning on the other hand is a network of groups.

The really cool thing about Ning is that it lets you create your own social networks (in minutes). There's some very fresh looking themes to choose from, which have far more of a focus on group sharing and communication than there is on your profile.
The integrated environment is incredibly customisable (branding, forums, videos, photos, custom domains etc). Whether you're looking to join existing special interest groups or to start your own groups, Ning.com really rocks :-)

Qlubb makes it easier for groups to connect

2008-05-09T20:46:00.002+01:00

If you've got your own real world group or are a member of one, here's an elegant tool which makes it easy to create online groups so people can share information with each other (schedules, events, photos, messages etc).
Most people don't have the time to be learning new applications, but with Qlubb.com you can create a new group in 2 steps and someone else can join that group in a single step. They also provide live demos & information links throughout the site.
I imagine that Qlubb is more suited to people who don't already utilise any group apps in social networks. As it stands though it's simple and useful enough to use as to be worth checking out (amateur sports teams, scout troops, school clubs, religious groups etc).

Nota let's you grab it, mix it, and share it

2008-05-06T23:13:00.003+01:00

The basic premise behind Nota is that you (or up to 50 people) start with a blank canvas and then add whatever photos, videos, maps (google), text and speech bubbles you want onto it. If you like your creations, you can then embed your them in your blog, facebook, or myspace page.
With Nota though you can get these photos and videos from other peoples Flickr, Picasa, YouTube, Facebook, your PC, even direct from webcams. You can easily create and collaborate with friends simultaneously on your creations.
The interface is simple yet still requires a little practise when playing about with effects and stuff. You don't even have to register an account to try it out, and if you don't feel like embedding your creations, you can just print them off, unfortunately the videos don't retain their streaming abilities on paper ;-)

PicArtia lets you create photo mosaics online

2008-05-05T14:16:00.004+01:00

I love sites that let me do cool things with photos, I've previously posted about Razz and Comiqs. Now it's time to introduce another cool web application which lets you create a mosaic out of your photos :-)
The way PicArtia works is straight forward enough, just click 'start' and upload whatever photo you want to play with. Then it lets you select a Flickr gallery for what you want your mosaic to be made out of. There's a variety of resolutions you can choose from, the low resolutions are rubbish but the medium resolutions are pretty cool and free (unfortunately you've to pay for high resolutions - doh!). Still it's a fun and simple web app and once they introduce the planned feature which allows you to use your own Flickr gallery it should be really cool.

Create & share beautiful documents with Calameo

2008-05-02T14:22:00.003+01:00

You know all those plain and static documents you have lying around, why not have some fun with them ? Calameo is a simple web application which allows anyone to create and share dynamic magazines, brochures, catalogs, guides etc.
The way it works is that you upload whatever document (word/pdf) you like, then you can insert links, video, music, forms, other multimedia into your documents. With a single click you can take your documents online/offline and the online viewer is pretty neat :-)
The only downside is that it currently lacks hosting for video & audio files to make things a little more seamless (as it is you'd need a service like box.net to host your multimedia content). It's still worth checking out though ;-)

April 2008 round up of cool web stuff

2008-04-30T15:15:00.007+01:00

Well before we kick off with yet more cool web apps & stuff next month, it's time for a round-up of the most popular posts for the month of April :-

This is the most amazing web photo viewer ever
"...quite simply the most stunning web browser add-on I've ever seen... completely transforms your web viewing habits..."
Pando is just too darn cool, easy and superfast
"...high-res photos or home made movies... send huge files up to 1Gb... WAY faster than BitTorrent files..."
Clipmarks are so much better than bookmarks
"...save just the part of a webpage that you're interested in... easily share your findings with friends or embed them in your site..."
Presdo understands you the natural way
"...simply type in natural/casual language queries and it'll take care of the rest... it's so intuitive to use straight away"
Be Funky with real life cartoons
"...ever wonder what it would be like to star in your very own cartoon... turn your photos into cartoons... even make videos..."
Think of Fliiby as the YouTube for regular files
"...allows you to upload and share all your different types of files... easily describe, categorise & share your files publicly..."
Oosah is not just new and cool, it's useful too
"...standout feature is its interface... allows you to just drag-and-drop your photos, videos, music between your PC and different websites..."
Readbag is perfect for organising your web material
"...easily save articles which you want to read later... can subscribe to your own saved feed... nothing to install, just a simple drag & drop of the bookmarklet..."
Being sniitch is new cool thing to do
"...concept seems so blatantly obvious... enormous viral potential... expose sociopathic bosses, cheating spouses, dubious corporate practises..."

Presdo understands you the natural way

2008-04-28T00:36:00.002+01:00

What makes Presdo so very cool, is that it's so intuitive to use straight away (reminded me of Google the first time I ever used it).
Being a meeting scheduler of sorts may not sound particularly exciting, but when done correctly it certainly is. With Presdo you simply type in natural/casual language queries and it'll take care of the rest (beautifully).
It comes up with the type of event, when (it can suggest full dates based on only partial info), where (can integrate with Google Maps), and with whom (easy to schedule or invite multiple people). If you already have a Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or iCal calendar it will save the event to those calendars. In fact you don't even have to register and it still saves your schedule on Presdo (good old cookies). If you already use a calendar / scheduler, you really should experience Presdo.com.

On the web you can BumpIn to anyone

2008-04-25T21:27:00.004+01:00

The concept behind BumpIn is sound enough, while surfing the web you can see other people who are on the same website. Thus allowing you to discover other people with similar interests, chat live with them, make new friends etc.
It's only been up and running for a short while now so doesn't have a very large userbase [yet] so many websites you visit won't show anyone else there (bummer).
Realistically you'd really need a widescreen monitor to make the most of this (as the browser add-on reserves a portion of your window for chatting and showing a list of related websites). So that excludes about half the web surfing population (again, bummer). Hopefully it will take off as it's a really cool concept :-) Failing that I'd love to see a future version of StumbleUpon incorporate its feature set as they've already got the requisite userbase.

Readbag is perfect for organising your web material

2008-04-24T22:12:00.003+01:00

Using the likes of StumbleUpon or Digg introduces you to so many articles that it can be hard to keep track of everything. With Readbag you can easily save articles which you want to read later, on your PC or mobile phone.
A really cool feature is that Readbag can be configured to email you a list of links (including descriptions) which you've saved each day (or auto archive those you've viewed). Another cool one is that you can subscribe to your own saved feed and view in your reader.
It's an elegant and ingenious tool, and if you already have a Google account, there's no further sign up process. There's nothing to install, just a simple drag & drop of the bookmarklet onto your bookmarks toolbar, which will provide you with a button you can click to save any site you like.

Oosah is not just new and cool, it's useful too

2008-04-23T19:43:00.004+01:00

There's no shortage of applications that let you share photos, videos, and music. So for any application to stand out, it needs a standout feature, something which Oosah most certainly has.
What makes Oosah standout is its interface. It allows you to just drag-and-drop your photos, videos, music between your PC and different websites (Flickr, Picasa, Facebook, YouTube, etc). They also provide you with 2GB of free storage should you wish to create site-to-site slideshows / playlists, plus blog owners can easily link or embed these mashups. It's free so no harm checking it out ;-)

Remember the Milk to manage your tasks

2008-04-21T23:50:00.004+01:00

Don't you just hate it, when you go all the way to the shops and back again, only to realise you forgot the milk ? If like most people you find yourself with having to keep track of too many things, wouldn't it be cool to easily track everything ?
The ease & portability with which 'Remember the Milk' allows you to manage tasks from so many different places is what makes it so cool. Creating & organising stuff is simple and you can get reminders in so many different ways through SMS, emails, twitter and IM clients. You can also share your tasks/lists with your friends etc, and get this, locate your tasks on Google Maps (how cool is that). It integrates particularly well with Gmail (awesome), iPhone (mmmm), Google Calendar (class), Twitter, and Windows Mobile (no comment). The only feature missing is a cure for procrastination (hope it makes the full release).

Being a Sniitch is the new cool thing to do

2008-04-18T00:04:00.003+01:00

The concept seems so blatantly obvious, I had one of those, "why didn't I think of that" moments. With Sniitch you can create an anonymous blog diary which anyone can read and comment on. Got any juicy secrets or criticisms you want to make, just Sniitch on them ;-)
The advantage which Sniitch has over PostSecret is that it's far easier to create, submit and find secrets. People can use this open forum to let off steam and obtain feedback in 3 areas (people, schools, companies). It's got enormous viral potential and despite the 'playful/innocent' intentions of Sniitch, I wouldn't be surprised to see lots of sociopathic bosses, cheating spouses, dubious corporate practises being exposed :-)

Think of Fliiby as the YouTube for regular files

2008-04-17T12:43:00.004+01:00

There's already services such as Flickr & YouTube available for uploading and sharing your photos and videos with the world, but how about a service which allows you to upload and share all your different types of files (documents, games, presentations, spreadsheets, music, photos, videos, etc).
You can easily describe, categorise & share your files publicly and other people can rate, comment and download them (excluding MP3 files). Alternatively you can keep the files private if you want to use it as an online hard drive / backup solution. To top it all off, you can embed publicly shared files on your website (eg tutorials etc).
The Flash based interface (yes you need that installed) is fast and easy to use, check out the Fliiby website and give it a spin for yourself ;-)

Discover great new pet stories, photos and videos

2008-04-16T12:16:00.005+01:00

Pet lovers around the world can rejoice with PetCharts whose content is devoted to pets. Videos and photos are taken from YouTube & Flickr respectively, with written content coming from a variety of sources, users can then vote for their favourites by clicking the green paw button (no membership is required which should boost the popularity of the site).
The interface is well organised allowing you to switch between cats & dogs (or both) as well as a timeframe. Check out the PetCharts website, there's plenty of cute photos & videos for your perusal ;-)

Clipmarks are so much better than bookmarks

2008-04-15T12:16:00.005+01:00

Do you ever forget why you've added a bookmark to your collection ? Do you wish you could just save the part of a webpage that you're interested in ? Do you wish you could easily share your findings with friends or embed them in your blog etc ?
If you answer yes to any of those questions, clipmarks.com is probably right up your alley ;-) It's beautifully easy and fun to use (read: addictive too), it makes it easy for sharing & commenting on pieces of the web you find interesting (or not). A particularly cool feature called ClipCasting allows you to syndicate content you've clipmarked and embed in your blog (if you wish) or even on Facebook (minifeeds between friends).
Keeping track of content I like on the web has never been this much fun and the community aspect lets you see what stuff other people think is cool.

Create & share comic style stories with your photos

2008-04-14T00:08:00.003+01:00

Fancy having some tools to turn your photos into something a little more fun ? A simple drag and drop interface so you can add some speech bubbles and various doodles to your photo spread and then share them with other people ?
Comiqs.com is a smart fun site which gives you the free online tools you need to do the above. From a social perspective, it's got a vibrant community of people who share their creations with each other (or the voyeur in you can have fun just browsing other peoples creations).
Here's a YouTube video showing an example of editing a single frame :-

Pando is just too darn cool, easy and superfast

2008-04-11T00:37:00.007+01:00

Have you got some high-res photos or home made movies (think clean thoughts !!!) you want to share with your friends etc ? Perhaps you might even want to embed or share large files on your blog/website.
Pando is integrated with the most popular email & IM programs so you can bypass the current restrictions on sending large files. The great thing about this free and oh so simple application is that it allows you to send huge files up to 1Gb in size, plus it's WAY faster than BitTorrent files (what's even better is that you don't have to be online for your friends to receive your files). To top it all off you'll have access to loads of full screen internet TV channels.
Of course now all I've got to do is figure out what files I'm going to start sharing on my blog ;-)

For all the budding screenplay writers out there

2008-04-10T12:41:00.005+01:00

Writing a screenplay can be difficult enough especially if you're collaborating with other people, more so if it's over the internet. Having said that though along comes a neat wep app which makes life so much easier for you.
Plotbot allows you to build a whole project from the ground up, including rights usage, MPAA ratings, pitching the project etc.
It's a simple editor which allows you to switch between action cues and dialogue. Everything is formatted on the fly which makes for rapid prototyping of scenes. Who knows maybe one day the next big movie will come from people collaborating through plotbot ;-)

If photos could talk what would they say ?

2008-04-09T23:10:00.007+01:00

Well that's something for you to decide now that there's a neat little application available for Facebook which allows you to add voiceovers to your photos and then share them with your friends.
If you can't think of anything to say, they've got thousands of lines from films for you to choose from.
It's entirely up to you whether you combine your voice alongside music and soundclips. Also you can use any clips you make as ringtones for your phone (pretty cool, eh).
"No photos were harmed in the making of this application", so if you want to find out more about this neat little thing then check out the Razz website.