Every now and then I come across some cool websites that just make me go, “Wow!” While there are certainly plenty of mediocre sites out there, along with a slew that are just plain crappy, for those sites that rise above the common denominator and actually give us something worth bookmarking, it seems only fitting that we take a little time here and there to spread the love, so to speak! This is going to be one of those weeks…
Google Earth (earth.google.com)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – today’s Google is the Yahoo! of five years ago.
First it was gmail, then they took over the map section with Google Maps and already they’ve taken their efforts about ten steps forward from there with the introduction of Google Earth, an interactive tour of the planet Earth via satellite imagery and other data already being utilized by Google Maps. If anything, this application certainly skyrockets cartography into the 21st century as suddenly the world seems just a little bit smaller with space-age views of the Eiffel Tower and the Great Pyramids…not to mention Disney World…right at our fingertips!
If you ask me, Google Earth seems to be one of the better uses for broadband that we’ve seen lately…or at least one of the better legal ones! I couldn’t tell you how many hours I’ve already spent flying around various parts of the country, realizing just how little I actually know about the layout of the land and how to get from there to here. There’s just so much that’s already been incorporated into the interface – most of the features from Maps, in fact – and still the little extras had my eyes rolling with delight! From simple stuff like built-in screenshots and bookmarking to the more complex such as highlighting for similar businesses, the fly-overs, and even 3d imaging for downtown areas (this just blew my mind!), never before has playing around with the family globe been this much fun.
No doubt we’ll be seeing plenty of knock-offs springing up in the near future from Microsoft and company, but let’s remember that we saw it first from Google and as long as they’re able to keep the momentum that they’ve got going right now, the skies the limit for what we can expect from these guys…
Digg.com (www.digg.com)
Ever want to share bookmarks or cool links with your friends without having to import or copy & paste URLs and all of that nonsense? Welcome to the future!
Digg refers to itself as a “social bookmarking tool” that promotes technology and science websites submitted by its own users, who then in turn also vote for their favorite stories to determine which items are displayed on the site’s front page, thus effectively keeping editorial control in the hands of those who actually visit the site day after day. The site also offers a handful of options to help users publish and promote stories on their own websites and blogs as well via RSS and other mechanisms, resulting in a community atmosphere as enthusiasts in a variety of geeky categories share their favorite findings of any given day.
Another aspect to consider with Digg is their weekly podcast, Digg-Nation, hosted by former TechTV hosts Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht. The half-hour show summarizes the most popular stories dug on Digg over the previous week and really adds to the personality of the project – even if you don’t care for any of the stories that they might feature, its always fun to see what kinds of beer get highlighted each week as the duo venture forth into uncharted territories when fermentation is concerned!
Hands down, if you constantly find yourself on the lookout for the next dancing badgers or man-eating shrimp, keep an eye on Digg and consider your prayers justly answered…
Make Magazine (www.makezine.com)
Modders of the world, unite! This is your bread and butter…
Anyone who’s ever spent entire weekends amongst circuit boards and power tools building their own robot in the basement will absolutely love this new quarterly publication from O’Reilly Media focused on technology and invention. Covering topics ranging from the geeky to the extremely geeky, their latest issue dabbles in such as how to make your own working blimp and how to motorize your everyday shopping cart, not to mention a variety of “What if…”-style columns to show that the art of innovation certainly isn’t limited to what can be explored in a lab backed with millions of dollars worth of equipment!
The website also features both a podcast and a blog that is updated several times a week, expanding on stories that simply couldn’t fit within the printed pages of the magazine itself and also giving readers an opportunity to chime in about their latest creations. For the inventor who’s looking for a new project to fill some time in between conquests for world domination and taking the kids to soccer practice, there seems to be a little something for everybody in these eyes and if not, just give it another day or two! Another reviewer compared Make Magazine to be a modern-day version of Popular Mechanics – I don’t really think much more can be said than that…
The print version can be found at a Barnes & Noble location near you or ordered from the website, and of course, the blog and podcast can also be found online. Enjoy, and let your creativity be your only limit!
If you’ve got a great link that you think I might be interested in talking about here in the future, e-mail it to me and I’ll see what I can do to share your suggestions with the rest of our readers. Happy surfing!
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