Cool web services and sites we really like.
We’ve all done it, we’ve clicked on a link through social media and been taken by a story. It’s ok, it happens to the best of us! In fact, some sites run their whole business on “news” that is really just made up nonsense. Before you hit share, drop that link into Real or Satire, the site that will let you know if you’re looking at a trusted news source or not.
Some parts of the internet are weird. Click Click Click is one of the oddest websites I’ve encountered in a while. The point is to show you how much your computer can pick up from your simple movements but this site has sort of gamified it.
We’ve talked about the Merlin Bird ID app before but I’m bringing it back up because a new update allows it to do EXACTLY what we’ve always wanted. It can now ID a bird from a picture.
One of the BEST things about the holiday season are the gorgeous window displays in shops. The lights, the fun decorations, it’s all really lovely and no one does it better than New York City. If you can’t make it to the Big Apple for the holiday season, don’t worry, Google has you covered with Window Wonderland.
Most people have probably received a curated list of all the things that their kids want with verbal reminders of the most important items every day for the last few weeks. If you happen to have a child whose Christmas desires are still a mystery, have Santa Phone give them a call so you can get some direction.
The holiday season is upon us and like everyone, you’re probably busy and could use someone to do all of the little odds and ends for you. Maybe not pick up gifts but maybe looking recipes for picky dinner guests or making hotel reservations. Fancy Hands is the virtual assistant service for people who just need a little help.
Since the advent of e-books, being a voracious reader has gotten a lot easier on the back. Now you can carry hundreds of books with you on one device and never have to worry about being without reading material ever again. Early Bird Books is the mailing list that gives you the low down on what’s on sale so you always have something new to read.
The world has changed drastically in the last 30 years but these subtle changes aren’t very noticeable when you live with them every single day. With Timelapse, part of Google’s Earth Engine, you can see how the world has changed from the 80s till today.
Everyone doodles. Your mind wanders, you’ve got a pen and paper, just doodle. Now your little drawings can help a neural network learn. With Quick, Draw you can help teach this neural network to recognize doodles the same way we do.
Ever had to go somewhere new by yourself? Wish you had a friend to bring along for company? If you’ve ever been in that situation and didn’t have anyone to call, check out RentAFriend, the website that lets you rent company.
Happy Super Moon! The moon is the closest it’s been to us in decades and it’s huge. The moon doesn’t get as much love as other space based occurrences, probably because we see it all the time, but if you are really into this heavenly body, check out Moon Connection, the website and software that’s all about well, the moon.
Dead silence is a mind killer for most people but not everyone can just listen to music and stay productive. Finding the right type of background noise can help people stay sane without pulling away that precious concentration. Sounddrown is the website that lets you build your own ambient background sound.
After the last two days, the world needs a nice soothing break before tackling the issues that will no doubt be coming up as 2016 finally rests its terrible head for good and 2017 gets raring to go. If you are finding life a bit challenging, why not put on Napflix, the Netflix of soothing videos.
Remember when the internet used to be a text and photo based medium? Like a digital book or newspaper. That was before people realized you could say things faster with video. If you’re looking for a solution outside of the main video sites for your uploads, check out Streamable, the video streaming service that helps you brand.
The internet is a wild and scary place full of all kinds of things. Honestly, our internet wilderness has shrunk considerably and most people use it for the same ten websites every day. Still, there’s some stuff out there that our younger explorers aren’t ready for yet. Manage their experience with the Net Nanny.
