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Cool Tech
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There's a lot of cool technology coming, much of it part of the Web 2.0 movement. I am very excited about the changes that the Internet has brought to the human culture, but more importantly, I'm excited about the changes that are coming.
Microsoft Live
I haven't quite decided what this is. For that matter, I'm not sure Microsoft has decided what this is. However, it appears to be a mash-up of Konfabulator widgets (Microsoft calls them Gadgets) and a personalized web portal (ala My MSN or My Yahoo!). A great idea and certainly an inevitable next step. My first experiences with it were a bit buggy, but the concept is there and it does have the groundwork necessary to be the "killer" homepage.
As an offshoot to the main Microsoft Live page, there is a ton of stuff that they're working on. One of the more interesting items is local.live.com. It's similar to Google Maps, except for one amazing feature. They added aerial photographs of popular areas taken from aircraft for a "birds eye view" which is nothing short of awesome. Check out Main Street USA at Disneyland. You can even rotate the camera and view the same place from the north, south, east, or west in most cases.
Zillow
This could be the death of real estate agents. This tool allows you to look up the value of any home in the US. You can see previous sales and a satellite map that shows the values of the homes in the surrounding neighborhood. It doesn't have the entire US, but it does seem to have most major metropolitan areas.
Oldies But Goodies
There are a few online tools that reign supreme. I use them so much, I have already started to take them for granted. If you're not using these tools, you're missing out on some great stuff.
Flickr
Yahoo recently aquired this awesome photo management site which validates that their own photo site was lacking. Flickr is simple, fast, and full of features. Check out my Flickr site to see some of the cool things you can do with it.
Wikipedia
This isn't new by any stretch, but it is almost my first source of information. It's like a constantly updated encyclopedia, chock full of information on even the most obscure subjects. Anyone can edit this living information database which makes it a great place for detailed information, although accuracy can sometimes be questionable.
NetFlix
Complete DVD rentals online... without late fees. It's cheaper than renting movies at the store, includes free shipping, and a selection that rivals Amazon.com. If it's on DVD, they probably have it. We rent 4 DVD's at a time for $24.95 per month which means we always have something to watch. New movies are delivered in one business day about 98% of the time. Further, you can purchase their overstock for as low as $5.99, with free shipping.
Gmail
I don't understand why people still use Yahoo, MSN, and other free e-mail services. The geeks over at Google have revolutionized e-mail (at least for me). Gone are the days of sorting your mail into folders or attempting to categories them in some way for easier retrieval later. They put the power of the google search engine behind the e-mail system and allow you to meta-tag your e-mails if needed. Let's not forget that they pioneered the 2GB mailbox limit. You just keep everything and search for it when you need it. I type "mom" and it finds every message from and containing the word "mom" in about 2 seconds. Bam! You can POP3 with your favorite e-mail app if your prefer (why?) and check your mail on any mobile web device as well.
Craig's List
The best localized classified ads ever. Free, simple, and very effective. Happy searching.
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