Monday, 8 June 2009
Game On
Got a spare half hour to kill while the boss is out? Log on to www.bestarcade.com and choose from over 3000 video games. Choose from a range of categories including ‘platform’, ‘shoot ‘em up’, ‘brainteasers’ and ‘racing’.
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Keep Calm
If you’re off on your summer hols soon, the last thing you want is to be feeling stressed before you go. So do something that helps you relax, be it mediation, reading or walking. Visit www.relaxationforliving.co.uk for some ideas on how to keep calm.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Going Dotty
www.games1.org/games/worms.swf is an odd little game that will remind you of a simpler time. The aim of the game is to make sure that two black dots don’t crash into each other. And if you think that sounds easy, give it a try.
Friday, 5 June 2009
Easy As ABC
Even young children now are finding it difficult to resist the lure of the computer, but it need not be a bad thing. Encourage your kids to read more by visiting www.lovereading4kids.co.uk. The site allows you to download and print off opening extracts of hundreds of children’s books, and encourages kids to discover new authors through their recommendation service.
Thursday, 4 June 2009
Bright Spark
You can’t move on the internet for sites about the supernatural, but if you don’t subscribe to that world view, there’s now a home for you too.
If the prospect of ghosts and gods sounds like hogwash, head for www.the-brights.net. There you’ll find a movement of like-minded people who believe in nothing but science and evolution. So if you’re an atheist, humanist, or just a skeptic, check it out.
If the prospect of ghosts and gods sounds like hogwash, head for www.the-brights.net. There you’ll find a movement of like-minded people who believe in nothing but science and evolution. So if you’re an atheist, humanist, or just a skeptic, check it out.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
Baking Mad
If you like cake you are going to love this site www.bakingmad.com
From the very opening page the design is delicious. There are plenty of mouth-watering illustrations, and with a menubar across the top it is a real dream to navigate.
Check out the recipes drop-down menu first for the staples, then why not sift for ideas under baking ideas. Here you will find suggestions for particular occasions, such as morning coffee treats and winter warmers.
All the recipes are really easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions and plenty of pictures to illustrate.
And because cakes are not traditionally considered a healthy food, if you want to know all about nutrition then browse through the sections under health.
From the very opening page the design is delicious. There are plenty of mouth-watering illustrations, and with a menubar across the top it is a real dream to navigate.
Check out the recipes drop-down menu first for the staples, then why not sift for ideas under baking ideas. Here you will find suggestions for particular occasions, such as morning coffee treats and winter warmers.
All the recipes are really easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions and plenty of pictures to illustrate.
And because cakes are not traditionally considered a healthy food, if you want to know all about nutrition then browse through the sections under health.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Think U Know
Any parent whose child goes online will no doubt have worried about who they might meet and talk to in cyberspace. Think you know who you are talking to online? Think U Know is a site set up by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the UK, but its advice is relevant wherever you are. Find it at www.thinkuknow.co.uk
First of all, I love the design of the site. It has impact without being over-dramatic and it loads really quickly, especially the video on the opening page, which is well worth a look for any teenager who is new to online communities.
Parents should be aware that it is very frank and open about the potential dangers, so make sure you are around to offer support if they are disturbed by it. But perhaps better they be disturbed by the potential than fall into any traps.
Laid out in easily accessible chunks, covering all sorts of subjects like mobiles, podcasting, chatting and the like, the site teaches that the internet can be great fun, but also teaches children to recognise the signs of grooming and abuse. And if they should come across trouble, there is an easy way to seek support and report an abuser to the UK police - just use the Report Abuse tab at the top. Here you will also find sections aimed at parents and teachers.
All in all, a very good website.
First of all, I love the design of the site. It has impact without being over-dramatic and it loads really quickly, especially the video on the opening page, which is well worth a look for any teenager who is new to online communities.
Parents should be aware that it is very frank and open about the potential dangers, so make sure you are around to offer support if they are disturbed by it. But perhaps better they be disturbed by the potential than fall into any traps.
Laid out in easily accessible chunks, covering all sorts of subjects like mobiles, podcasting, chatting and the like, the site teaches that the internet can be great fun, but also teaches children to recognise the signs of grooming and abuse. And if they should come across trouble, there is an easy way to seek support and report an abuser to the UK police - just use the Report Abuse tab at the top. Here you will also find sections aimed at parents and teachers.
All in all, a very good website.
Monday, 1 June 2009
Skoool
Education is important the world over but it can also be very different the world over. What I particularly like about www.skoool.com is that it recognises and caters for these differences with dedicated sections accessible from the opening page.
Regions covered at the moment are Ireland, the UK, Thailand, Sweden and Turkey. Just click on the relevant button to enter the country-specific site.
Once inside the site, everything is very self-explanatory and nicely designed. There are games, study tools and plenty for the teacher and parent too. Scan the tabs across the top with your mouse pointer to reveal dropdown menus, and explore in your own time.
Regions covered at the moment are Ireland, the UK, Thailand, Sweden and Turkey. Just click on the relevant button to enter the country-specific site.
Once inside the site, everything is very self-explanatory and nicely designed. There are games, study tools and plenty for the teacher and parent too. Scan the tabs across the top with your mouse pointer to reveal dropdown menus, and explore in your own time.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
HowJsay.com
www.howjsay.com is a must visit for anyone travelling to an English speaking country who wants a hand getting to grips with the lingo.
HowJsay.com is a simple concept, presented simply. It is an English pronunciation dictionary with audio guide to make sure you get your "P's and Q's" spot on.
You will need sound, unsurprisingly, then just type the word you need help with in the box provided and type submit.
The closest match the website has will be presented below, and an audio file triggered automatically showing you how it is pronounced. To repeat the audio simply click the word again.
HowJsay.com is a simple concept, presented simply. It is an English pronunciation dictionary with audio guide to make sure you get your "P's and Q's" spot on.
You will need sound, unsurprisingly, then just type the word you need help with in the box provided and type submit.
The closest match the website has will be presented below, and an audio file triggered automatically showing you how it is pronounced. To repeat the audio simply click the word again.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Club Penguin
www.clubpenguin.com is something for our younger surfers - Club Penguin, a cool online club where you can chat and play games safely.
The first step is to create a penguin identity for yourself. Click Play Now to begin the registration process, then just follow the steps.
Because there is chat involved in this site it is heavily moderated. Parents can choose to moderate their child's online contact even more by limiting their chat capabilities to the preset dictionary of words and phrases.
Once registered you will need to activate your account from the email you are sent. The next thing to do is watch the tutorial as it will explain everything you need to know to enjoy your time at Club Penguin.
Here you can wander around, play games, explore the online world, and even chat to other penguins you happen to bump into. Great fun.
The first step is to create a penguin identity for yourself. Click Play Now to begin the registration process, then just follow the steps.
Because there is chat involved in this site it is heavily moderated. Parents can choose to moderate their child's online contact even more by limiting their chat capabilities to the preset dictionary of words and phrases.
Once registered you will need to activate your account from the email you are sent. The next thing to do is watch the tutorial as it will explain everything you need to know to enjoy your time at Club Penguin.
Here you can wander around, play games, explore the online world, and even chat to other penguins you happen to bump into. Great fun.
Friday, 29 May 2009
StatCounter
Once you have created a space for people to visit you online, you will be wanting a good free stat counter so you can see how many people have been there.
At www.statcounter.com you can download a free and invisible stat counter which embeds into your webspace and provides you with detailed information about how people are using your site.
Click the live demo link underneath the registration button to get an idea of the kinds of stats you can collect.
When you are ready to sign up then you need to register, and the following page asks you to create a new project.
Follow the steps through, adding details of your web address where prompted. The final step is to configure and install your code.
Easy menus allow you to choose how the counter will look on your site - even down to choosing the colours of the button.
After making all the technical selections you are presented with a few lines of html code to place in your website.
From this moment on, StatCounter will be collecting data about your traffic, and displaying the results in your My Projects section of their website.
At www.statcounter.com you can download a free and invisible stat counter which embeds into your webspace and provides you with detailed information about how people are using your site.
Click the live demo link underneath the registration button to get an idea of the kinds of stats you can collect.
When you are ready to sign up then you need to register, and the following page asks you to create a new project.
Follow the steps through, adding details of your web address where prompted. The final step is to configure and install your code.
Easy menus allow you to choose how the counter will look on your site - even down to choosing the colours of the button.
After making all the technical selections you are presented with a few lines of html code to place in your website.
From this moment on, StatCounter will be collecting data about your traffic, and displaying the results in your My Projects section of their website.
Thursday, 28 May 2009
The Big Picture Library
How many of you have photo collections online? The web has opened up many doors for sharing and showing off your digital photography collection, and our first website takes the concept of an online album to whole new levels of professionalism.
www.thebigpicturelibrary.com is the brainchild of two chaps called Jack and Matt, whose one burning desire is to give you a decent way to display your albums online.
On loading up the page, one cannot help but notice the fluid and professional design of the site.
After the introduction you can click any of the photos to access its menu area. Click the red picture with the pencil first to have a look at the templates you can choose from.
They look pretty professional, and loading your images up and using that template could not be simpler.
You will need an account, which is free for personal use, then go to the library manager to begin uploading your pics. You can display up to 250 images.
You can do this a number of ways, including using an FTP client, or with Internet Explorer you can simply drag and drop them into the browser window.
All you have to do now is hit the publish button and your pics will be displayed online using your user name as an extension after www.bigpicturelibrary.com
www.thebigpicturelibrary.com is the brainchild of two chaps called Jack and Matt, whose one burning desire is to give you a decent way to display your albums online.
On loading up the page, one cannot help but notice the fluid and professional design of the site.
After the introduction you can click any of the photos to access its menu area. Click the red picture with the pencil first to have a look at the templates you can choose from.
They look pretty professional, and loading your images up and using that template could not be simpler.
You will need an account, which is free for personal use, then go to the library manager to begin uploading your pics. You can display up to 250 images.
You can do this a number of ways, including using an FTP client, or with Internet Explorer you can simply drag and drop them into the browser window.
All you have to do now is hit the publish button and your pics will be displayed online using your user name as an extension after www.bigpicturelibrary.com
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Instructables
http://instructables.com is a brilliant website for those with a hands-on approach, and you'll find it at instructables.
This collaborative project aims to be a place for people to post step-by-step instructions on their latest cool DIY project.
Whether it is making a bird nest box with a webcam inside, or a battery-powered portable charger for your MP3 player, you will find dozens and dozens of step-by-step guides here, and if you register an account you can even add your own.
Search the topics by keyword or just click one of the thumbnails on the opening page. I love the Tupperware iPod boombox.
Each guide is accompanied by photos and explanations, and even if you never get round to building anything yourself, it is incredible to see what other people have thought of doing with a few bits and pieces they found lying around the house
This collaborative project aims to be a place for people to post step-by-step instructions on their latest cool DIY project.
Whether it is making a bird nest box with a webcam inside, or a battery-powered portable charger for your MP3 player, you will find dozens and dozens of step-by-step guides here, and if you register an account you can even add your own.
Search the topics by keyword or just click one of the thumbnails on the opening page. I love the Tupperware iPod boombox.
Each guide is accompanied by photos and explanations, and even if you never get round to building anything yourself, it is incredible to see what other people have thought of doing with a few bits and pieces they found lying around the house
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Ideal Present
Have you ever been at a loss when buying presents for your own children or for that matter anybody else's?
How do you keep up with all the latest youth fads and buy the right thing? You bookmark www.idealpresent.co.uk
After free registration the first job is to add a child. You will be asked some questions about the kinds of activities they enjoy, and the next page lets you add more details about their age, the occasion, and how much you want to spend.
This is a UK based website so the values are in pounds, but the ideas returned are good the whole world over. Continue filling in as many of the sections as you want, then click submit to return a list of suggestions from the huge database of presents that have been listed.
In some cases there are links to buy the product, but you do not have to go through this website.
How do you keep up with all the latest youth fads and buy the right thing? You bookmark www.idealpresent.co.uk
After free registration the first job is to add a child. You will be asked some questions about the kinds of activities they enjoy, and the next page lets you add more details about their age, the occasion, and how much you want to spend.
This is a UK based website so the values are in pounds, but the ideas returned are good the whole world over. Continue filling in as many of the sections as you want, then click submit to return a list of suggestions from the huge database of presents that have been listed.
In some cases there are links to buy the product, but you do not have to go through this website.
Monday, 25 May 2009
Jumpcut
Video blogging is all the rage, and with modern camera phones capable of capturing better quality footage it will not be long before we are all making our own online TV shows.
Enter http://jumpcut.com, a fantastically simple and totally free video editing tool that will have editing like a pro in no time.
You will need to register to start using the features, but why not take a look at the video tutorial first by clicking Try A Demo on the opening page.
The tutorial should sort you out with the basics, so I will just add a few tips. Uploaded clips can only be 50MB, so make sure you break them down before starting.
Do not forget you can add music too, but be wary of copyright issues if you are going to publish to the web.
Once finished you can choose to publish your work to the rest of the vibrant Jumpcut community, or save it to work on later.
Just click REMIX from the movie play screen to re-open the project at a later date
Enter http://jumpcut.com, a fantastically simple and totally free video editing tool that will have editing like a pro in no time.
You will need to register to start using the features, but why not take a look at the video tutorial first by clicking Try A Demo on the opening page.
The tutorial should sort you out with the basics, so I will just add a few tips. Uploaded clips can only be 50MB, so make sure you break them down before starting.
Do not forget you can add music too, but be wary of copyright issues if you are going to publish to the web.
Once finished you can choose to publish your work to the rest of the vibrant Jumpcut community, or save it to work on later.
Just click REMIX from the movie play screen to re-open the project at a later date
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Holidays Uncovered
Have you ever booked a low cost package holiday thinking you had got a great deal, only to arrive at the resort and discover there was a very good reason the deal was so cheap?
www.holidaysuncovered.co.uk is a holiday site with a difference.
There is information here about resorts all over the world and anyone who visits the site can add their own comments on any resort.
What this does is provide a very frank and varied set of opinions on a resort from a first hand perspective, allowing you to steer well clear of those that come up short.
Just use the drop-down menu in the top search box to choose the location you are thinking about, then scroll down to find the reviews.
To add your own review use the link in the bottom right-hand corner of the main frame. All the instructions on what to do follow.
You can also click the Search link at the bottom of the frame to create a more detailed search for reviews that are relevant to you.
This website is very simple in concept, but really demonstrates the power that the web can give us as consumers.
Brilliant stuff.
www.holidaysuncovered.co.uk is a holiday site with a difference.
There is information here about resorts all over the world and anyone who visits the site can add their own comments on any resort.
What this does is provide a very frank and varied set of opinions on a resort from a first hand perspective, allowing you to steer well clear of those that come up short.
Just use the drop-down menu in the top search box to choose the location you are thinking about, then scroll down to find the reviews.
To add your own review use the link in the bottom right-hand corner of the main frame. All the instructions on what to do follow.
You can also click the Search link at the bottom of the frame to create a more detailed search for reviews that are relevant to you.
This website is very simple in concept, but really demonstrates the power that the web can give us as consumers.
Brilliant stuff.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Skyscanner
Using Skyscanner www.skyscanner.net could not be simpler, just fill in the details of your trip on the opening page and then click search. A nice touch here is that you can leave some of the details, such as day, blank, allowing you to take advantage of the best possible deals if you are flexible on dates, which is ideal for students!
The next page shows the result of your search, laid out in a bar chart allowing you to quickly see what days you can get the best prices.
Make your selection on the bar chart for outbound and return flights, and the next page lists the flights in more details.
When you are happy with your choice, the final page offers you a button to click through to the airlines website to purchase your flight. Easy.
The next page shows the result of your search, laid out in a bar chart allowing you to quickly see what days you can get the best prices.
Make your selection on the bar chart for outbound and return flights, and the next page lists the flights in more details.
When you are happy with your choice, the final page offers you a button to click through to the airlines website to purchase your flight. Easy.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Rememory.com
Now this site is for your precious memories. Yes literally.
www.rememory.com is all about remembering stuff - an online repository for all your favourite memories: a funny incident, a proud moment perhaps, or simply a commentary of a great game that your football team has won.
Here you can simply post them to the site, either to be viewed by you or your friends, or for all and sundry to enjoy.
And if you really are passionate about your memories you can turn them in to a good read, decorate it with few pictures and enter it to the competition to win some rememory bucks.
Do not expect them to worth too much in the outside world - though if you make enough of them you can at least console yourself with a prize.
Overall a nice website to take a trip down memory lane, socialise and learn a few things from people around the world along the way.
www.rememory.com is all about remembering stuff - an online repository for all your favourite memories: a funny incident, a proud moment perhaps, or simply a commentary of a great game that your football team has won.
Here you can simply post them to the site, either to be viewed by you or your friends, or for all and sundry to enjoy.
And if you really are passionate about your memories you can turn them in to a good read, decorate it with few pictures and enter it to the competition to win some rememory bucks.
Do not expect them to worth too much in the outside world - though if you make enough of them you can at least console yourself with a prize.
Overall a nice website to take a trip down memory lane, socialise and learn a few things from people around the world along the way.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Off The Map
They call them Visionary Artists - creatives who have never been to an art school or been taught how to create art but who have still made incredible works, either whilst redecorating their houses or maybe painting their back yards.
At www.pbs.org/independentlens/offthemap you can either start surfing by clicking Tour Backyard Paradises which will open up a separate flash page where you can look at different artists' works from around the world. This is quite fun as it is interactive but a bit more bandwidth-hungry.
The other option is to click See The Travelogue which goes to a list-style page with the same information on and will load quicker if you do not have a fast connection.
One of my personal favourites is Bottle Village by Tressa Prisbey. She started building it in 1956 when it began life as a single structure to house her collection of 17,000 pencils.
Since then it has grown to 13 structures which she has connected with mosaic flooring, simply using coloured disposed-of bottles. What is particularly cool about this section is the zoom-in feature, as it reveals the intricate details she went into in order to create her village.
And if you really feel inspired by these artists, well you are in luck, because the site creators have given you the opportunity to create your very own backyard paradise with the items they have selected for you. A really nice touch.
At www.pbs.org/independentlens/offthemap you can either start surfing by clicking Tour Backyard Paradises which will open up a separate flash page where you can look at different artists' works from around the world. This is quite fun as it is interactive but a bit more bandwidth-hungry.
The other option is to click See The Travelogue which goes to a list-style page with the same information on and will load quicker if you do not have a fast connection.
One of my personal favourites is Bottle Village by Tressa Prisbey. She started building it in 1956 when it began life as a single structure to house her collection of 17,000 pencils.
Since then it has grown to 13 structures which she has connected with mosaic flooring, simply using coloured disposed-of bottles. What is particularly cool about this section is the zoom-in feature, as it reveals the intricate details she went into in order to create her village.
And if you really feel inspired by these artists, well you are in luck, because the site creators have given you the opportunity to create your very own backyard paradise with the items they have selected for you. A really nice touch.
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
LibriVox
LibriVox provides free audio books and files of literary classics which are in the public domain. Take a look at http://www.librivox.org
Rather than famous actors lending their vocal talents to the readings, the audio books here are read out by volunteers.
All of the audio books are literary classics and are out of copyright so they can be downloaded and listened to free of charge.
You will not find any Dan Brown or John Grisham but classics like Jane Austen's Emma and Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are all here.
At present there are nearly 650 audio titles to choose from.
Selecting Listen on the homepage leads to the catalogue. Titles can be searched by author or title or you can simply browse through the whole catalogue.
Once a title has been selected, there is a brief description of the work along with links to further information about the author. Scrolling down the page reveals the file format available for download; right click to save to your hard drive and you are away.
The list of titles is not as long as I would like, but it is growing all the time and the quality of the recordings is generally very good.
Rather than famous actors lending their vocal talents to the readings, the audio books here are read out by volunteers.
All of the audio books are literary classics and are out of copyright so they can be downloaded and listened to free of charge.
You will not find any Dan Brown or John Grisham but classics like Jane Austen's Emma and Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland are all here.
At present there are nearly 650 audio titles to choose from.
Selecting Listen on the homepage leads to the catalogue. Titles can be searched by author or title or you can simply browse through the whole catalogue.
Once a title has been selected, there is a brief description of the work along with links to further information about the author. Scrolling down the page reveals the file format available for download; right click to save to your hard drive and you are away.
The list of titles is not as long as I would like, but it is growing all the time and the quality of the recordings is generally very good.
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