blekko – This new search engine is boldly going where other search giants have gone before, with the mission of delivering a spam-free search experience. How do they do it? With slashtags. These slashtags are essentially your search’s focus keyword by which blekko organizes the accurate relevant results, all from trusted sources while leaving out all the irrelevant (and malware) ones. As TechCrunch’s Michael Arrington had written in his review on blekko back in July 2010, slashtags “like /news or /date or /amazon or /blogs, or any combination, make it very simple to quickly filter results to what you are looking for.”
In addition, users are invited to create their own slashtags and make these public so that, similarly to the ‘everyone’s-an-editor’ concept of Wikipedia, other users can later make use of these public slashtags for their own searches, and get curated, high quality results. See the video below to learn more.
I’ve included a screen shot of a blekko search I performed using the slashtags: /science /date to get a filtered list of relevant results, organized by date (from most recent to latest). This, for example, is a search you can’t do on Google. I invite you to try and search blekko using the ‘reday-made’ slashtags to begin with, and then if you’re interested, create your own user and slashtags for future searches by users.
Another feature blekko offers that is worth mentioning is their transparency graphs related to inbound traffic, SEO and other interesting analytical data that has always been free and open, but blekko is the first to make it all easily accessible in one page. Simply click on of the light gray words under each search result and a world of information will open before your eyes. See below the interview by Alexia Tsotsis of TechCrunch TV, talking to blekko CEO Rich Skrenta, to learn more.
MapCrunch – Google is the undisputed expert when it comes to maps and street view. We already know that. And here is a nice website that uses Google’s wonderful geo-visualizations to create an exciting platform for exploring the world’s mainstream as well as less obvious locations.
MapCrunch neatly presents the world to you in various options to choose from: either hop from one location to the next at random (simply click on Go!), or choose a more specified location (by selecting continent or country). This site is simple and entertaining, which is why we loved it so much. By the way, if you’re wondering why some European countries are saying no to Google Street View, check out the MapCrunch’s sidekick site, StreetViewFunny.com and you’ll see why.
Groupon – Group discount shopping sites are still relatively new but they’re growing fast, and for a good reason: they deliver hot deals that are totally worth it. Groupon is by far one of the very best group-based deal provider currently on the Web, offering large discounts on luxurious products, services and activities. As Groupon explains, it “negotiates huge discounts on popular local goods, services and cultural events. Then we offer the deals to thousands of subscribers in a free daily email.” What deals will you find here? Half priced spa sessions, discounted hotel reservations, even orchestra tickets. Simply search for your state or country, provide your email address and you’re good to go.
The only catch for scoring those hot deals is that there must be a minimum number of on-site users who actually go through with the purchase (hence the ‘group’ of Groupon), and there’s a time limit for the daily deal. The way I see it, there’s noting for you to lose; you sign up for free, get daily updates on new deals (as low as 50%, even 70% off), let all your friends know of this great opportunity, and then proceed to discounted goodness. You’re not obligated to do anything you don’t want to. Here is an example of recent deals on Groupon.
Rentalic – Now there’s finally a solution to all those unused household items and old appliances you keep stored away in your basement: rent them to people who need them. Sounds surreal? Just visit Rentalic and a whole new world of income and sharing opportunities will open up to you.
Rentalic’s basic concept is so simple and useful, it’s surprising no one had thought of it before. Rent out your bicycle for a week or rent someone’s 4-persons tent for your weekend camping with friends. All these and numerous other options are available to you on Rentalic, all with the added value of saving money, helping others and making the world a more sustainable place. Rentalic is the perfect rental marketplace! See the photo below as an example of what people from San Francisco are renting out.
Everything Mom – Being a mom who juggles family and work can be quite a challenge, even if there’s a caring husband or partner to help out whenever possible. First-time moms in particular can find the entire situation daunting, which is why Everything Mom is a delightful blessing.
According to their About Us page, Everything Mom has created “a place for busy moms to kick back for a few minutes, communicate, share and learn. Empowering and inspiring moms to be the happiest they can be while nurturing their families and selves.” Everything Mom truly is a comprehensive source for everything related to womanhood and motherhood. It’s a fun and inviting environment for mothers across the nation to interact, share and draw self empowerment. Get information on meal plans, pregnancy and ovulation, download useful printables for house (and kids) organization, and make use of many other resources. My favorite feature is creating your own listing on the site for free!
Trivial Pursuit’s YouTube Channel – Entertainment galore with a hint of the gambling craze is what you’ll find here on Trivia Pursuit’s YouTube Channel. In this fun trivia game you are betting on YouTube to get questions right or wrong. Getting them right scores you chips. Win the house and claim the glory! But the question is, how well-rounded is your knowledge? Try it and find out…
More Intelligent Life – This quarterly magazine from The Economist “covers the arts, style, food, wine, cars, travel and anything else under the sun, as long as it’s interesting.” More Intelligent Life offers sophisticated and interesting content on just about any lifestyle topic you can think of. The magazine’s excellent writing, cleverly coupled with engaging photos and visuals, is like a tender filet mignon, perfectly matched with the right red wine.
Although I’m certain the More Intelligent Life’s printed edition delivers the full extent of the magazine’s experience, the website does not fall short from offering an enjoyable and insightful read. Browse the site’s main categories (ideas, lifestyle, arts, places), or visit the blog for more intriguing reviews and essays on varying cultural topics. I recommend starting out with the interesting article “OMG, ETC” by Robert Lane Greene on our heavy use of acronyms. Clicking on the illustration below (by Richard Rockwood) will direct you to the article’s page.
Things Organized Neatly – I usually don’t enjoy going through tumblr galleries; it’s only on rare occasions that I am blown away by genuinely beautiful photos there. Well, we are fortunate enough to have found Things Organized Neatly, a wonderful collection of yes, organized objects in each posted photo. Although this tumblr user wishes to remain anonymous, he or she has exquisite taste and an eye for simple beauty.
See a couple of photos on Things Organized Neatly to get a feel of this regularly updated collection.
From Inventory Magazine (Issue 03 launch @ Partners & Spade) by Ryan Wilms, Oct 26, 2010
By Gregory Han, Sep 9, 2010 Unplggd.com
Paul Frank Planned Pines – What happens when a brand wants to reach out to the online community? It launches an interactive and fun campaign that includes a myriad of content and information for users to engage in. That is what Paul Frank Industry, the super cute fashion accessories company has created in order to reach out to larger audiences online.
The Paul Frank Planned Pines is a fun place for people of all ages, and you’re bound to find something here to keep you busy. Some of the attractions you will find on Planned Pines include the Galaxy Theater, featuring a number of “Julius and Friends” cartoons; the Fun Zone with its beautifully designed arcade games; the Museum’s Art Gallery (showing users’ versions of the brand’s trademark monkey character); and a Rec Center where users create their version of Paul Frank that is later added to the Art Gallery (see my creation below).
Planned Pines is a bundle of cartoon joy. By the way, this campaign is a finalist in the nomination for the 2010 Pixel Award in the Animation category, which totally makes sense. Congrats, Paul Frank Industry!
Bustabrain – Don’t let the cute smiley characters here fool you; the Bustabrain game presents a new difficult challenge in every level, and you will find yourself scratching your head quite a bit. Bustabrain will exercise your thinking organ but it’s all served with a heavy dose of fun and cute background music. If you’re interested in consulting a walkthrough, click here.
For more addicting logic games and many others, visit our I ♥ GAMES page and stay connected!
NabeWise – Thinking of moving into a new neighborhood? If you’re already familiar with the new location in terms of what the local community is like then you’re all set. But what happens if you want or need to relocate to a different state? How would you go about searching for the right neighborhood for you, especially if you don’t know anyone in the area? NabeWise was conceived precisely for this purpose, and it offers an innovative neighborhood ranking and research tool for the clueless ‘relocators’.
Whether you are a single woman moving from Chicago to New York City, or a married + children family relocating from San Francisco to Seattle, NabeWise is your best buddy for identifying the most suitable neighborhood for you. Based on their user community feedback, NabeWise offers bona fide information on local neighborhoods in major US cities (currently covering NYC, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and Chicago, with more locations coming soon). Explore neighborhoods’ ranking (in terms of quality of life, character, people, and things to do), average rental costs, school statistics, local reviews and more.
NabeWise’s excellent use of visual content helps you taste better the currently distant neighborhood you are considering moving into. I don’t think there’s anything quite like it on the Web, and I am still a bit bewildered by the fact that NabeWise is a 100% free service! To see an example, see what searching for a Seattle neighborhood is like on NabeWise. The screen shot below is a glimpse of the NabeFinder, a dynamic neighborhood search map showing results according to set parameters (over 30 attributes to choose from).
JibJab e-Cards – Even if Halloween is over, JibJab makes the holiday spirit linger on with lots of humor, ingenuity and a great deal of fun. Experts of the funny “Starring You” videos and photos, JibJab outdid themselves this year, with numerous Halloween e-Cards including your special appearance you can share with friends and family – all funny as hell.
Although the JibJab Sendables are perfect for the dress up holiday of Halloween, JibJab is perfect for sending funny e-Cards for practically any occasion; birthdays, graduation, anniversaries, thank you cards, you name it. Simply pick your favorite photo or video e-card starring you, and start making people laugh. The photo below is my customization of JibJab’s Pooch of Darkenss e-Card using the head photo of my favorite four-legged furry friend.
