About.com Web Search

Web search news roundup Nov. 1-7: Google custom sections, Bing geobrowsing, Hulu TV schedules

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:51:35 +0000

Lots of great Web search news and doin's around the Web this week, let's get right to it:

Yahoo Helps Music Lovers Find Videos More Easily: Yahoo's added some great search refinements to their video search.
List of all magazines now available in Google Books: Lots of magazines available for viewing in Google Books; I'm guessing they're going to add more (only three pages at the time of this writing).
Coming Soon: Your Resource for Good Things to Come: Hulu presents a schedule of what's on TV.
National Geographic Digitizes 120 Years of Magazines; Geobrowse with Bing Maps: Oh, now, THIS is cool. Local map functionality included in new Natl. Geographic retrospective set.
No link between social isolation and the Internet: Phew! A new Pew Internet study "finds that the Internet and mobile phones do not lead to social isolation, as some previous research suggested. In fact, there's plenty of evidence that people who spend a lot of time online have fuller social lives."
Internet censorship liable to WTO challenge: "Censorship of the Internet is open to challenge at the World Trade Organisation as it can restrict trade in services delivered online, a forthcoming study says."
Build Your Own Google News Home Page With Custom Sections: A new Custom Sections Directory makes it easier than ever for searchers to customize their news.

Is there a great Web search news item that you'd like to share? Leave it in the comments!

Web search news roundup Nov. 1-7: Google custom sections, Bing geobrowsing, Hulu TV schedules originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 00:51:35.

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YouTube search - a few different methods

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:09:39 +0000

Like YouTube? Of course you do! Here are a few alternate methods/sites/utilities you can use to search YouTube for your favorite videos:

That should be enough to keep us busy for a while! Do you have a favorite YouTube video you'd like to share with the rest of us? Leave the URL in the comments (but make sure it's clean - this is a family-friendly site, after all!).

YouTube search - a few different methods originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 15:09:39.

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Need a dictionary? Try the free WordWeb download

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:08:04 +0000

We all know that there are great free online dictionaries we can use if we run across a word we don't know. But how about a dictionary that you can use both on and off the Web that actually lives on your computer - and is free? That's where WordWeb comes in.

WordWeb is a an English thesaurus and dictionary for Windows (no Mac versions at this time, unfortunately). It works both on and off-line, and pulls definitions not only from dictionary and thesaurus sources, but also reference resources, such as Wikipedia. Check it out - it's a free download and well worth looking into if you find yourself using a dictionary or thesaurus often in your work.

More dictionary resources

Need a dictionary? Try the free WordWeb download originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 13:08:04.

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What's your favorite free online photo album?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:19 +0000

Do you share photos with family and friends online? The Web has made it possible for people all over the world to share their digital photos with each other, which makes it easier than ever to stay in touch. If you use a free online photo album, which one is your favorite? Vote in the poll below:

More ways to share and find photos online

How to Find a Free Online Photo Album

What's your favorite free online photo album? originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 09:00:19.

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Create your own "mad libs" with Wacky Web Tales

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:02:32 +0000

If you've got an elementary age kiddo around (or you just want to have some fun yourself), you'll want to check out Wacky Web Tales, a site that offers up dozens of different scenarios that you can use to play "mad libs" with (remember that game?). Here's one that I just made up:

I fell asleep yesterday listening to an old album that my mom had. I really enjoyed it, though I had a weird dream. It was kind of like one of the old songs.

I've been workin' in Tahiti,
All the silly day.
I've been workin' in Tahiti,
Just to pass the time away.
Don't you hear the whistle singing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Don't you hear Santa Claus shouting
"Daphne, run your horn? "

Daphne, won't you run,
Daphne, won't you run,
Daphne, won't you run your horn?
Daphne, won't you run,
Daphne, won't you run,
Daphne, won't you run your horn?

Someone's in the kitchen with Daphne.
Someone's in the kitchen, I know.
Someone's in the kitchen with Daphne
Strumming on the old clarinet.

It was the weirdest dream I've had in a long time!

Now, of course, beyond the silliness is a great way to learn your grammar: verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. Check it out!

More great learning resources on the Web

The Best Kids Sites on the Web

Create your own "mad libs" with Wacky Web Tales originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 13:02:32.

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Google Music Search

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:03:53 +0000

Google has rolled out a new music search improvement, basically making music, songs, lyrics, etc. more accessible when you do a search for them. Search for an artist, say, Colbie Caillat, and streamlined results will show up: videos, playable songs, information, etc.

Now, honestly, this doesn't do much that's different from regular Google results. If you do two searches side by side, one with just plain ol' Google and one with the new Google Music results, you won't see anything that really stands out. I'm guessing that this will be improved as time goes on, but right now? Much ado about (sort of) nothing.

More about music search

Google Music Search originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 14:03:53.

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Halloween 2009 around the Web

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:11:52 +0000

Happy Halloween! Here are a few fun places around the Web that are celebrating Halloween 2009:

More Halloween Fun

The Top Ten Halloween Fun Activities You Can Do Online: Looking for some Halloween fun? Try my list of the Top Ten Halloween Fun Activities on the Web - everything from scavenger hunts to pumpkin carving patterns to haunted houses.

Halloween 2009 around the Web originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 01:11:52.

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Flying somewhere? Try a Web check-in

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:53:43 +0000

If you're planning on flying somewhere, you can save yourself some time and aggravation by checking in ahead of time on the Web. Not all airlines offer this option, but here are a few that do:

You'll need your flight number and your confirmation/booking number in order to check in, but it really does save you a lot of hassle once you get to the airport; most of the time, they have kiosks set up specifically for folks who have checked in via the Web or would like to do so at the airport.

More Web travel information

Flying somewhere? Try a Web check-in originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 12:53:43.

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The Technorati Top 100

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:52:35 +0000

Want to see what the top blogs are on the whole Web? You'll want to check out the Technorati Top 100, a frequently updated listing of blogs/sites ranked by Technorati Authority, a matrix of various factors such as content, links, authority, etc.

I like to check out the Technorati Top 100 for sites that I might want to explore. For instance, I found Jezebel, a blog about various women's issues, PhysOrg, a great science site, and AppleInsider, a site that is laser-focused on anything Apple and Mac. Check it out - you'll most likely see a lot of sites you're already familiar with, but you'll also discover a few new ones that might be just your cup of tea.

More about Technorati

The Technorati Top 100 originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 12:52:35.

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Legitimate Web sources for swine flu information

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:36:31 +0000

Unfortunately, whenever there is some kind of disaster: health epidemic, weather events, etc. - there are also shady people that take advantage of this on the Web, putting out loads of misinformation and outright scams to pull in people who really need the information that they're looking for. Swine flu is no exception. Here are a few sites that you can trust to give you trustworthy information on this illness:

Swine Flu H1N1: Specific information for swine flu and kids.
H1N1 Swine Flu - What Is the H1N1 Swine Flu: A broad view of what the H1N1 flu is, symptoms, and treatments.
2009 H1N1 Flu: From the Center for Disease Control; frequently updated with state by state information, pamphlets, and vaccination resources.
Swine Flu Symptoms: WebMD is a great place to get information, mostly because they take complicated medical terminology and translate it for us regular people.
Swine Flu: MedlinePlus, from the National Institute of Health, offers up a ton of swine flu information for any age group; diagnosis, symptoms, latest news, prevention, etc.

Is there another source for swine flu/H1N1 information that you don't see listed here? Let us know in the comments.

More disease or disaster information on the Web

Legitimate Web sources for swine flu information originally appeared on About.com Web Search on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 12:36:31.

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