FunTastic Links - Cool, Fun and Useful WebSite Links Showcase

Become the handy man (or woman) you always dreamed, FixIt Club

2009-07-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

This website deserves a review, and a very positive one. Basically, there you can find info on how to fix just about anything we have at home. Most of the problems we have in our house appliances and furniture are always the same and can be easily repaired, without spending a buck on tools or professional technicians, sometimes we just don't know how. The guides are very practical and accompanied by some useful pictures, and range from a television repair to a garage door reapir, a faucet repair, or even a small engine repair... Pretty much everything.

No registration required

[Go FixIt]

Quick free and fancy flash charts - Rich Chart Live

2009-07-15T02:28:00.000-07:00

This tool is probably not something you will use often, but is always a good idea to keep it under your tool belt. The idea of creating fancy flash charts with astonishing effects is to have them embedded somewhere like on a website, a multimedia presentation or work report among others. The charts are created in just a couple of steps, and the data is inserted directly on the generator app, after that, you have the option to download the chart as a offline flash application, publish it to powerpoint or embed it in a blog or website using the html code provided. You can even save it in their servers for later reuse or rework. Another great example of the web 2.0 power...

No registration required

[go create a chart]

And since I had no better ideas for an example, here's a chart showing the number of comments and ratings of the latest ten posts in this blog at the time of this writing, being number one the last one. Roll your mouse over the chart to view the post title or click the bars to go directly to the post.

What about an online library? I mean, a real library with virtual books... Scribd

2009-07-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Imagine youtube, but for books... Scribd works just like that, users upload books, which stay available for other users to read. Just like that. Thing is, only original writings should be submited, truth is (and this is a small secret) pretty much everything is available for online reading there, from a recipe book to the latest "something for dummies", or the hottest novel of the moment. Registered users can download the books in pdf or plain text, and documents can be uploaded using almost any printable format like Word docs, PDF files or powerpoints. My guess is that if and when this website becomes publicly noticed, there will be some kind of censorship, like it happened with youtube, but for now is free and up for everyone. Have fun putting your readings up to date...

No registration required
Registered users can upload and download documents

[Go on and read a book]

The worst website ever...

2009-07-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

Although it was considered the second most useless website in the world by PCWorld, i think we can consider it useful, since it's a news and opinion website, we can even consider it cool or fun because all those flashing graphics, but i like to consider it... crazy, completely crazy. I think it deserves a reference here because of the effort the authors have puted in making the website so awful and difficult to read, and that they look so proud to state at the bottom of the endless index page... But either way, i sticked there for more than half an hour, looks like it has hypnotic capabilities...

[See by yourself]

Here's an excerpt from the disclaimer:

HavenWorks.com has been an Aesthetically Challenged News Website Since 199

[ HavenWorks.com is not responsible for loss of vision, disorientation, or headaches from visual overload :-|

[[ Aesthetically HavenWorks was meant more as a Mondrian, we apologize that it comes off more like a Jackson Pollock ]]

The guys from PCWorld said:

If a Web-design program got sick and threw up, it might look something like this site. My uncle from Santa Cruz says the first time he saw it he had an acid flashback.

Review your projects, work in a collaborative environment

2009-07-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

First of all a confession. When I started this blog, I wasn't expecting to find some many cool and useful websites. I already have a very long website list to review and post about. This one is other of the awesome pearls I've found. In ReviewBasics, you can post your latest project whether is a website, a powerpoint presentation or a new banner ad, anything that could go digital. Then you simply invite people to review your material, and they can post comments, draw small signs with comments on your website screenshot for example, and many other things. As an example, suppose you were reviewing this blog and you don't like the scrat toon, you can make an arrow pointing to it, saying something like "I don't like the creepy look in his face". You can also use it as a project management tool, where two or more persons will work on the same project simultaneously. Really really nice...

Registration required

[ReviewBasics]

If you would like to review this blog, as an experiment, just post your email in a comment and I'll be glad to invite you to review it.

From the beggining to the end. Build your timeline or map...

2009-07-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome tool, you can build timelines, embeding images, videos, links, a description, etc, and then show it up as a timeline, a list, a flipbook, or even a map, if you provide locations within the events. I can see a huge list of probable uses for this tool, including to use as a navigation aid in websites. Check my exemple bellow, I created a funtastic timeline, and I'm presenting it as a flipbook, then you can navigate by all the posts, and click on a link to go directly to the post. You can create a private timeline with the growth of your son, with fotos and videos, and show it to your family, or your wedding, or your career in some sport... Imagination is the limit. Enjoy.

Registration required
Aditional features available uppon a subscription

[build up your timelines]

Here's the funtastic timeline

Hernani C. on Dipity.

Do you know your meme?

2009-07-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

First of all, if you don't know what an internet meme is, check out this article about internet memes. Now the question, have you ever wondered where that video or picture that is always popping on your mail box, or that everyone seems to know and wants to show you come from? Knowyourmeme.com is here to answer you that. Remember the Numa Numa guy or the dancing baby, or the more recent 2nd runner on 2009 edition of America's Next Top Model, Allison Harvard, more known as Creepy Chan, they are all famous internet memes. This website reveals everything about the origin of such memes and uncover the hoaxes, like the cellphone popcorns, and the best of all is that is not just plain text and pictures, they produce really elaborated and funny episodes, some with interviews with the the sudden internet celebrities explaining the all deal. A must see...

No registration required
Register and you can send your own meme stories (that have to be confirmed and approved)

[Know your memes?]

Or check my favorite

[Numa Numa guy]

Put your ideias in map. In a MindMeister mind map.

2009-07-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Are you aware of the concept of a mind map? wasn't until I've found MindMeister. Here's the wikipedia definition for a mind map:

"A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organization, problem solving, decision making, and writing."

I won't argue with whoever wrote the definition, and it even looks logical, but I guess it takes some practice to use mind maps, and maybe a motive, something I don't have right now. Either way, it's pretty cool to play with it for a while, and will reside on my favorites because I may need it someday, who knows?

Registration required
Paid extras
Collaborative, multiple users can work in the same mind map

[Go map your mind]

Here's a funtastic map:

Be generous and make part of the generosity game - Generosity.org

2009-07-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

The generosity game is an idea of a solo individual (Jhon Stoner) who've founded a small non profit organization to run what he calls the generosity game. I'll wont enter in to many details, since all is explained in the website. I loved the idea, and even contributed with a translation of the cards, go check the website and you'll know what I'm talking about.

No registration required

[be generous]

A search engine or a Geek portal? Wolfram Alpha

2009-07-01T18:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished your favorite search engine would directly answer your question? This appears to be the idea of WolfRam. You make a question in plain English, just don't use slang, and possibilities are that you get an answer. As an example, I tried asking What was the weather in New York when Michael Jackson born?, and true is that I didn't got what I was looking for, but just because there is no weather records for that particular date, August 29 of 1958... But the question was clearly understood by Wolfram, and it provided me with some related information, like the birth date of MJ and a graphic with historical temperatures for August 29. Cool uh?

No registration
Plugins available for major browsers

[Go make a question]

or

[check the answer to my other ultra difficult question]

A new desktop to go. Take a look at g.ho.st

2009-06-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

This one is for everyone that occasionally, or even on a daily basis, use public computers. Have you ever dreamed on having the same environment, the same files, the same bookmarks or even the same software everywhere you go? You could do that with a pen drive and portable software, but you become dependant on the pen and on the security policies of the cybercafe or school or wherever the computer is. I present you g.ho.st, total freedom for the public computer surfer. G.ho.st is a web based desktop, with free file storage, free email (yourname@g.ho.st), lots of software like a browser, an email client, a productivity suite or even games, all of this accessible from any flash enabled browser, which is almost 100% of browsers. Use it on firefox and press F11 to go full screen, and you wont even notice that you're running flash application inside a browser. It also offers a lite version for quick access, such as if you are only looking for some bookmark to show to some friend. As a final note, I must say that it looks like that g.ho.st developers are very active and adding new functionalities almost daily, and they also did a very good job on integreting third party web applications, like facebook or myspace, or even googledocs and many others.

Registration required

[Go g.ho.st]

Toondo. Want to make some comic strips?

2009-06-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

When I was a child I used to dream about becoming a comic strips artist, and I really mean it. My life took other paths but I still like to make some drawings. Toondo allows you to create and publish your own comic strips. You can also take a look at other people strips, and vote them and all that usual stuff. It's a really cool online application, you can mix and match some premade drawings, or create your own. There's even a very easy way to create really cool characters. I've now found a new addiction....

Registration required

[Go make your strips]

Here's my very own comic strips book, I'm so happy:-D

a day in the life of a geek by hrcerqueira | Make Your Own At www.toondoo.com

Want to transform yourself? We are autobots, become a transformer

2009-06-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Augmented reality is one of the coolest technologies around. For the ones unaware of the concept, augmented reality is, by the definition on Wikipedia, a field of computer research which deals with the combination of real-world and computer-generated data (virtual reality), where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real time. Currently, the main application for this technology are simulations with testing purposes, like airplane or car simulations, but in the future some more exciting stuff is about to happen. It's a very good subject to read about... In weareautobots.com, augmented reality is used in advertising, specifically in a movie promotion. Using your webcam you transform yourself in Optimus Prime, the leader of Autobots. Click on the symbol over the webcam image and try some even coolest stuff, like having Bumblebee on the palm of your hand...

No registration required
IE and Firefox only
Need to install a plugin

[WeAreAutoBots]

Wanna listen to some music? Accuradio, the next generation radio

2009-06-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is a must for all the music fans. It's a must for me at least. Accuradio offers thousands of musical genres and subgenres to choose from, from simply rock or jazz, to "Alternative 90s" or "Hiptronica". We can simply select one and start listening, or build our own chanel. Musics play randomly, but always with some logic. You have great control over the station your listening. You can pause and resume, skip musics or ban that band that pisses you off from playing. All the info about the musics playing is available to, what makes accuradio great to meet new stuff.

No registration needed

[Go listen to music]

Or try one of my favorite chanels

[All I want to do is rock]

Become a skilled computer graphic artist - Splashup, online graphical suite

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Photoshop is expensive and not very friendly. The Gimp is free, but it really annoys me with all that floating panes over my desktop. But now you have Splashup. Yes, finally I can finally stop my restless sleeping nights... Or maybe I'm exaggerating. Anyway, splashup is an online flash application with advanced graphical editing capabilities, ans is also surprisingly very easy to use. Maybe the adobe guys should learn something with splashup fellows...

Optional registration, but not required

[Go splashup]

I've made my own Andy Warhol type picture using Uncle Bill's photo.

Would you like to blend your iPhone with our new blender? - Will it blend?

2009-06-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

This is just to crazy for not to show. BlendTec is a company that fabricates blenders, and are willing to do about anything to show you how good their blenders are. And they have fancy videos, presented by a crazy guy named Tom Dickson, to prove it. Also, you can suggest an object to blend. Don't think on golf balls or snow skis, they've already done it. You have to think harder...

No registration required

[Will it blend?]

Speaking on blending iPhones, here is the proof:

I think I'm going to suggest Tom to blend my photos from when I was a kid...

Let's Cuil for the funtastic links - Cuil.com latest "future google killer"

2009-06-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hum, a fresh new search engine... They claim to be better than Google, and I must admit that all the searches I've tried gave-me satisfactory results. I won't say better, but different... The latest "future google killer" is here with a ultra sophisticated web search concept. They have the looks, so give them a try, they worthy of it.

No registration required

[go Cuil]

I've written an article about Cuil on Helium (Which ranked N. 1 :-D ) under the discussion Does Cuil.com poses a real threat to Google. I voted for the NO side, click to read.

PS. Cuil is an Irish word pronounced "cool", which is undoubtedly favorite word...

SimpsonizeMe - Become a Simpsons Character

2009-06-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to be a Simpsons character? Now you have the opportunity to see how you'd look as a Springfield inhabitant. Very fun and addictive, try it with all your family members and build your own crazy neurotic family ;-)

No registration required

[SimpsonizeMe]

I tried with a Bill Gates photography and here's the result:

Become a song writter - JamStudio

2009-06-18T06:12:00.001-07:00

Ever wanted to write your own music? This is website is coolness at the top, here you can create and save your musics for free, and it's really easy to make music that sounds good. I've created a music with ultra fancy sounds, and I don't even know what those musical symbols mean...

Registration required
Paid options

[Jam Studio]

[Jam Studio starting with my super fancy crazy mix music]

Urban Dictionary

2009-06-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

Having trouble understanding your neighbour or your nephew? Check the urban dictionary, and maybe they have an explanation for you...

This is a collaborative dictionary of common slang.

No registration required
Registered users can add their own definitions

[Urban Dictionary]

This one is easy, but I love the definition:

air quote

In conversation, the dual flexing of the index and middle finger of both hands, to signify the presence of scare quotes. Used ad nauseam by 'pretentious' and ostensibly 'intelligent' university students, to advertise their 'superior morals' and 'erudition'.

Using air quotes in this example is, like, so 'post-modern'.

by user omaxc at UrbanDictionary

Internet Archive Wayback Machine - How's this for a start?

2009-06-18T03:35:00.000-07:00

You'll have to take a look for yourselves, type in a domain name of any website and browse it exactly how it was at any given date since it's existence. One of my personal favorites...

No registration required

[Wayback Machine]

Someone made a google photo biography using this tool (it was me in fact), check it here.

By the way, did you know facebook looked like the screenshot below somewhere in year 2000?

Navigation hints

2009-06-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Besides the usual post by post navigation I want to provide other ways to navigate this blog.

Tag Cloud

On the right sidebar you’ll find the tag cloud, where you can see the most used tags on my posts. I try to tag my posts in a way related to the subject but also in a way that can relate the links with common features. Most common tags are:

Link: don’t know why I did it like this, but is a common tag for all the posts
Cool: I just love the word, and that’s the word I use to classify the links where you can become addicted. Maybe addictive was the right word, and in fact, I also use it, but I prefer “cool”
Fun and Useful: self explanatory
No registration: You don’t need to register
Registration required: The opposite
Application: Usually flash based websites that work as desktop based software and where you can have some sort of productivity
Collaborative: Community based websites, or just websites where users collaborate with the content

Search Bar

Right bellow the tag cloud there’s a search text box, to search for specific content on this blog. It’s Google powered, but you don’t have to leave the blog, the results appear right way in the content area. You can also search the web from there.

Feeling Lucky

Click the feeling lucky link and get a random post with a random website.

About this blog

2009-06-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

This blog isn't about anything in particular; basically it provides links to other websites where you pass some spare time, and maybe achieve some of these goals I have in mind for my readers:

Have a good laugh and get some fun alone or with friends or family
Find some useful tools that will be of great use to you
Who knows, maybe you’ll find your passion in life or a great way for you to free it

This blog is also for my personal amusement, and maybe (let me be honest) to help my monthly budget grow a bit.

I realize the blog is somewhat difficult to navigate, so I provided some navigation hints to help my readers.

Hope you enjoy your stay…