Some Useful Websites

Aloha!

Information overload. It’s what we can feel whenever we go online and are lured by the endless distractions of news, entertainment, things to buy, etc. Nonetheless, there are some great resources and services on the web that we can make judicious and enjoyable use of. Here are five of my favorites.

Skype.com. You can download this free software and then, with a microphone and speakers (or headset) plus video camera, make free video calls to anyone in the world who also has Skype. Just last week I had a one hour video conference on Skype with a friend on the mainland. It’s a great way for islanders to keep in visual contact with friends, family, and business associates who are elsewhere in the world. Also, you can make calls with Skype from your computer to landline and cell phones for about 2 cents per minute. Plus, you can chat (instant message) and send files. Note: for Skype to Skype calls, you need broadband Internet on each end of the link.

Logmein.com. Using this free software, you can remotely and securely access your home or office computer from anywhere in the world, provided you have broadband Internet on each end. Say for example you’re traveling with your laptop on the mainland and want to view some info on your office PC. After having installed this program on the office PC you can do just that - by signing in to your account at logmein.com and gaining remote access to your desktop. You should use logmein.com only when someone is not on the host computer, as you will be taking over keyboard and mouse functions – unless you want to give them a scare! The basic version of the software is free, but the paid versions offer more features. Try it out!

Craigslist.org. This is in my opinion one of the best services the Internet has produced to date: a free online classifieds listing. Here on the Big Island, I found a rental house, a used car, a daycare provider, used furniture, etc. Our family basically set up camp when moving here largely thanks to postings on Craigslist. I have also sold plenty of personal items here and on the mainland. In addition to buying and selling, the site provides postings about community activities, bartering, personals, and discussion forums. The nice thing about buying and selling is that you can do most of it locally, which is safer, you deal in cash, and you meet people face to face. As with any contact made online, use caution and good judgment. There are plenty of scammers out there.

Hulu.com. This website offers commercial-supported streaming video of TV shows and movies from NBC, Fox, Comedy Central, PBS, Sci Fi, Nick Jr., PBS KIDS Sprout, etc. For a 10-minute break from work, I enjoy watching the TV clips from SNL, Jay Leno, etc. This website can get addicting, especially if you’ve got a large flat panel monitor and a decent computer sound system. It’s one more pacifier we can turn to as we suffer through the economic downturn.

Alternet.org. This site aggregates news from various sources. And it’s the kind of news you won’t catch on the networks or cable news. The slant is definitely progressive, so conservatives beware: you may not like what you find here. The site publishes reports that the mainstream media won’t or can’t touch, or even news Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show won’t touch, such as the atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. It’s a kind of social justice news site.

Wishing you akamai computing!