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ENTERTAINMENT
Worth 1,000 Words
GIMP (www.gimp.org)
Adobe Photoshop is a powerful graphics program, but with a $999 price
tag, few can afford it. Open-source download GNU Image Manipulation
Program (GIMP) performs many of the same image editing and
retouching tasks for free.
Hugin (www.hugin.sourceforge.net)
Can't quite capture that majestic panoramic view with a tiny 3.5" by 5"
photo? Take several photos and stitch them together with a free
downloadable software program called Hugin.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
FreeClassicClothes.com
(www.freeclassicclothes.com/?
config=1299&src=WC-00087aaa:81558:)
Want a $500 gift card for the Gap?
Again, sign up yourself and one friend for
six trial memberships to
FreeClassicClothes.com's sponsors. Getty Images
GreatOnlineRewards.com (greatonlinerewards.com/?config=2798&src=WC-00087aaa:127759:)
Most parents won't have the time, but for $500 worth of Huggies diapers, you can sign up yourself and a friend for eight trial
memberships to GreatOnlineRewards.com's sponsors.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
E-Poll (www.epoll.com)
Like American Consumer Opinion, E-
Poll gives you the option of taking
longer surveys for cold hard cash, or
filling out short questionnaires for a
chance to win money in a drawing.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
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SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Hone Your Skills
iPlayMusic (www.iplaymusic.com)
iPlayMusic sells instructional DVDs and software for
learning how to play guitar, but its Web site also provides
basic video tutorials for things like stringing and tuning a
guitar, and constructing chords.
Drawspace (www.drawspace.com)
Drawspace has step-by-step instructions for learning how
to draw everything from cartoon animals to something
more realistic.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Learn a New Language
BBC Languages
(www.bbc.co.uk/languages)
Want to brush up on your French?
Interested in learning a more exotic
language, like Urdu? The BBC offers
audio lessons in 13 different languages,
downloadable in MP3 format.
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(commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm)
A print dictionary is unhelpful for learning sign language, so Michigan State University created an online video dictionary of
hundreds of standard signs.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Back to School
MIT OpenCourseWare
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(ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm)
If you want a degree from an Ivy League school, it's going to cost you. But if you want the next best thing—for free—go online.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers access to 1,700 courses spanning sciences, humanities, and management.
OpenUW (www.extension.washington.edu/openuw)
University of Washington course materials in selected areas. Current courses include Heroic Fantasy: Tolkien and History of Jazz
New Orleans.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
HEALTH
Lose a Few
A Calorie Counter (www.acaloriecounter.com)
Want to learn how many calories are in your food from a trusted
source? A Calorie Counter searches the USDA database for
detailed nutritional information on almost any food.
Fatsecret (www.fatsecret.com)
To lose weight, some people just need the support of friends.
Fatsecret is a social network for dieters and exercisers, with weight
loss journals, tips, recipes, and advice.
myfitnesspal (www.myfitnesspal.com)
Myfitnesspal has an exercise journal, a searchable food database,
a calorie counter, body mass calculators, and message boards in
one place.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
HEALTH
Good Health and Hygiene
Airborne Power Pixies
Getty Images
(www.airbornehealth.com/promotions_pixies.php)
If your kids' allergies are acting up, a simple fix could be Airborne, an immunity boosting formula. The company is offering a free
sample of its Power Pixies product, designed especially for kids. Supplies may be limited.
Lactaid (www.lactaid.com/vcrc/offers/nmcampaign.jhtml?id=vcrc/offers/la_freesample2.inc&oid=5018&bid=21&formType=C)
Even if you're lactose intolerant, you might be able to enjoy dairy foods again with the aid of a product like Lactaid. A free sample
of the dietary supplement is available. Supplies may be limited.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
HEALTH
Get a Second Opinion
WebMD (www.webmd.com)
Can't tell if that bump is a bug bite or an allergic
reaction? Before you make a doctor's
appointment or run to the emergency room,
check out your symptoms on WebMD (WBMD).
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ON THE MENU
Drinks on the House
Pravda Vodka (www.pravdavodka.com/registration.aspx)
Pravda doesn't ship free samples of its vodka directly, but sign up to
receive a promotional brochure and get a coupon for a free miniature
bottle. Offer may be for a limited time.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ON THE MENU
Taste Tests
Hamburger Helper
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(www.startsampling.com/sm/24966/captureAddress.iphtml?item=24966&source=&p=)
Try out Hamburger Helper's new microwaveable packs. Supplies may be limited.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
Freecycle.org (www.freecycle.org)
Right now, someone in your
neighborhood is throwing away
something you could put to use.
Freecycle.org—a site with links to local
swap groups all over the country—was
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started to reduce unnecessary waste.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
Getty Images
(www.highroadsolutions.net/clients/lmo/forms/form_tshirt.php?email=&source_code=tshirt_cart)
You don't have to join the National Guard to get your very own T-shirt that reads: "Army National Guard, 100% American Soldier.
Supplies may be limited.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
Getty Images
(www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_calc_index.asp?page_id=35720769&parent1=Location&child1=Office%
2FDen&parent2=Category)
Having trouble figuring out how much paint to buy? Go to Easy2DIY.com's paint calculator and enter the room measurements an
number of doors and windows—and it will tell you how many cans you need for the job.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
RESEARCH
Chart a Course
Google Earth (www.earth.google.com)
Google Earth combines satellite imagery, aerial
photography and the geographic information
system to create a complex, interactive model of
our planet. Recent additions include a star
viewer and a flight simulator.
HopStop.com (www.hopstop.com)
Sites like Google Maps and MapQuest are
frequently used for driving directions, but they
aren't as helpful if you live in a city and rely on
public transportation. HopStop has bus and
subway directions for New York, Boston,
Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Getty Images
MapMyRun (www.mapmyrun.com)
Plan smarter jogging routes with MapMyRun, where you can see elevation, topography, and street-level views before heading ou
the door. Afterward, track your mileage, speed, and calories burned.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
RESEARCH
Comb the Archives
Internet Archive (www.archive.org)
Where can you download the film Night
of the Living Dead, the MP3 of a recent
Ryan Adams concert, and an e-book on
medieval feudalism? At the Web's
largest collection of public domain
media, the Internet Archive.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
PRINT MEDIA
Get Published
Lulu (www.lulu.com)
Aspiring novelists and scrapbook hobbyists go to Lulu for free book
layouts, including text sizing, cover art, and binding style. Then, they set
the price and take 80% profit from each book that's printed and shipped.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
PRINT MEDIA
Read a Comic Book
Marvel Digital Comics
(www.marvel.com/digitalcomics)
Marvel (MVL) saw its core audience of
youngsters moving online, so it brought
comic books online. It makes available
its entire collection of thousands of
Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk, Silver
Surfer, and more comics for $10 per
month. But it also offers 250 free comics
at a time.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
PRINT MEDIA
Read a Book
Project Gutenberg
(www.gutenberg.org/wiki/main_page)
When the copyright expires on a popular book, it
frequently goes into Project Gutenberg—an
online collection of more than 20,000 free e-
books. Recent additions include works by
Charles Dickens and Joseph Conrad.
LibriVox (www.librivox.org)
LibriVox solicits volunteers to record readings of
books in the public domain, then offers the
recordings for free on their site. It currently has
over 1,000 titles available for download as MP3
files.
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read the story
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ENTERTAINMENT
Go Out
myopenbar.com (www.myopenbar.com)
If you live in a big city, chances are there is free booze to be had on
any given night. Originally limited to New York, myopenbar.com is
now a daily guide to free or discount drinking in New York, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Washington, D.C., and Seattle
are coming soon.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ENTERTAINMENT
Worth 1,000 Words
GIMP (www.gimp.org)
Adobe Photoshop is a powerful graphics program, but with a $999 price
tag, few can afford it. Open-source download GNU Image Manipulation
Program (GIMP) performs many of the same image editing and
retouching tasks for free.
Hugin (www.hugin.sourceforge.net)
Can't quite capture that majestic panoramic view with a tiny 3.5" by 5"
photo? Take several photos and stitch them together with a free
downloadable software program called Hugin.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ENTERTAINMENT
Lights, Camera, Action!
DVD Flick (www.dvdflick.net)
If you have a number of video files of various
formats clogging up your hard drive, use DVD
Flick to turn them into a fun home movie. With
the open-source software, any video you can
view on your PC can be burned onto disc, and
personalized audio and subtitles can be added.
Motionbox (www.motionbox.com)
Motionbox might be the simplest-to-use video
editing tool on the Web—and most of its features
are free. After you upload videos, you get a
frame-by-frame view that makes cutting and
reordering scenes a breeze.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
ENTERTAINMENT
Rock Out
Pandora (www.pandora.com)
Select an artist or a song you like, and
Pandora creates a playlist of similar
songs based on deep data about
melody, harmony, rhythm, and
instrumentation. As of this year, the site
is ad-supported.
Critical Metrics
(www.criticalmetrics.com)
If you sift through stacks of magazines,
newspapers, and blogs looking for a
consensus on the best new albums and
singles, cancel your subscriptions and
head over to Critical Metrics. The site
sifts through reviews from Rolling
Stone, The New York Times, Pitchfork
and more to create a list of the top
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recommended songs at any given
time—and links to streaming audio and video for most of them.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
CAREER
Get Your Name Out
VistaPrint (www.vistaprint.com)
Having a business card is a must, but if they
aren't provided by an employer they can put a
dent in your wallet before you land a job. At
Vistaprint, you can order 250 customized color
business cards with graphics, for free. The only
catches: a small ad on the back, and a $6
charge for shipping.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
CAREER
Land a Job
Emurse (www.emurse.com)
Most online job hunters have different
versions of their résumés scattered
across job boards like Monster (MNST)
and Yahoo! (YHOO) Hotjobs, as well as
networks liked LinkedIn and MySpace.
At Emurse, build a simple online
résumé with a short domain name
where you can direct potential
employers to an updated CV.
Indeed (www.indeed.com)
How do you choose between national
online job boards like Monster, regional
job boards and industry-specific job
boards? You don't have to with Indeed,
a site that searches these databases
and others for jobs that match your
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skills.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
PERSONAL FINANCE
Play the Housing Market
Zillow.com (www.zillow.com)
Real estate agents are no longer the first stop
for information on local markets. Zillow.com
uses public records of recent home sales to
create "Zestimates"—estimated values of more
than 70 million homes in the country.
Trulia (www.trulia.com)
Trulia aggregates for-sale listings across the
country into one searchable database. The site
also has local real estate guides, which bring
trends and statistics on schools, crime,
household income, and home sales into one
place.
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PERSONAL FINANCE
File Your Taxes
TaxACT (www.taxact.com)
This Web-based tax software is part of
the Internal Revenue Service's Free File
program. But unlike other IRS partners
who limit free filing services to those
with incomes of $54,000 or less,
TaxACT is open to all.
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PERSONAL FINANCE
Manage Your Money
Mint: Personal accounting software
(www.mint.com)
Register anonymously for online
accounting software Mint, and keep
multiple credit and bank accounts
organized in one place, with alerts for
upcoming bills and low balances. Mint
also analyzes your spending patterns
and suggests ways to save.
Freerealtime.com
(quotes.freerealtime.com)
Stock tickers on most Web sites,
including BusinessWeek.com, are
delayed by at least 20 minutes.
Freerealtime.com is one of the few to Getty Images
offer a real-time ticker.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
TECH TOOLS
Phone Home
Skype (www.skype.com)
With more than 200 million users,
Skype is still the most popular VoIP
service. Calls from one Skype user to
another are free, anywhere in the world.
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TECH TOOLS
Home on the Web
divShare (www.divshare.com)
It's free to upload videos to YouTube
and photos to Flickr. But on ad-
supported site divShare, you can upload
an unlimited amount to one personal
account, keep them there forever, and
access them without having to
redownload to your hard drive. You
can't do that with those other sites.
WordPress (wordpress.org)
One of the first free blog hosting sites, WordPress offers features like user registration, spam protection, and a wide variety of
designs.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
TECH TOOLS
Safeguard Your System
AVG Anti-Virus Free (www.free.grisoft.com)
The complete version of Grisoft's popular
antivirus software starts at $53, but the free
version is just as effective if you can do without a
firewall, spam blocker, and technical support.
Spybot (www.safer-networking.org)
If you paid for an antivirus bundle like those
offered by AVG and McAfee (MFE) you probably
have the tools for detecting and removing nasty
spyware. But if you skimped, be sure to pick up
a standalone program like Spybot, which is
available free for all versions of Windows.
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BEST AND WORST IN TECH
Load Up Your PC
Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com)
Have a new PC? Now you need an
operating system, and that can run up
to an additional $278 for Microsoft's
(MSFT) Vista operating system or up to
$200 for Apple's (AAPL) Leopard. The
Linux-based Ubuntu operating system is
free and comes with a word processor,
spreadsheet, presentation software,
browser, e-mail, media player, and
photo-editing software.
OpenOffice.org (www.openoffice.org)
The basic version of Microsoft's popular
Office suite runs as high as $400.
There's no charge for OpenOffice.org,
and it's available for Windows, Mac, and
Linux.
Libra (www.getlibra.com)
You get a simple way to organize your collections of books, CDs, DVDs, and console games, and Singapore developer CodeJam
gets affiliate revenue from e-commerce sites like Amazon.
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