The Internet offers a wealth of information, so we’ve delved deep to find 50 sites that we enjoy, ranging from entertaining to informative and educational
To borrow from Douglas Adams, the Internet is big. Really big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. You may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist, but that’s just peanuts compared with the Internet.
Despite its size, once you’ve been on the Internet for a while, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut when surfing and go to the same small handful of sites day after day. To help you out of this predicament, here are 50 sites we love. Some are entertaining, others are useful, and some, well, some we can’t quite put our finger on, but your life will definitely be enriched by a visit.
Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com
If you’ve only seen a couple of movies this year, it’s time to get a less hectic schedule. Check out IMDB to find out what’s hot or to rate the latest flicks or DVDs. And with its keen eye on the news, IMDB fans will be the first to know if Bruce Willis has signed up to do Die Hard V: Die Slightly Harder.
Wikipedia www.wikipedia.com
When people say the Internet is like a huge encyclopaedia, it’s this site they’re thinking of. It should be the first bookmark on a mobile phone browser during the pub quiz.
Flickr www.flickr.com
A fantastic picture storage site with a generous free upload capacity every month and a system that’s easy for anyone to use. A better way to share your snaps with family and friends.
Guardian Football – The Fiver http://football.guardian.co.uk/fiver
Football is a funny old game. That is especially true with The Guardian’s daily newsletter, which takes an irreverent sideswipe at the footy news.
Life Hacker www.lifehacker.com
Technology is supposed to make our lives better, not more complicated. Life Hacker plans to take back control by providing useful tips that will bend computers to our will and make them genuinely useful.
Yahoo Mail http://mail.yahoo.com
We know that Gmail is the webmail program of the moment, but it’s only available by invitation. Yahoo has just updated its Mail service – it looks and works like Outlook, with a few extra bells and whistles.
Shockwave www.shockwave.com
Shockwave’s free online play deals with everything from daily jigsaws to shoot
‘em-ups, eight-ball pool and classic platform adventures.
What’s on when Whatsonwhen.com
Plenty of people go on holiday and follow a well-beaten tourist path. Whatsonwhen allows you to find quirky local events in all kinds of different countries.
Poker Room www.pokerroom.com
Don’t fancy downloading poker software onto your computer or risking real money? Shuffle up and deal in an instant using the web-based, no-risk version of the game.
BBC News http://news.bbc.co.uk
Renowned the world over, the BBC uses its massive resources to provide breaking news to a digital audience. Its army of correspondents make this a must-have news source.
Universal Currency Calculator www.xe.com/ucc
This currency calculator is basic, but useful. Never travel abroad again without checking if you should carry a few notes or a suitcase full of local cash.
Museum of Online Museums www.coudal.com/moom.php
Don’t let the rain stop an educational visit to a museum. Lure the kids away from the computer with a browse on Cartoon Network and then use this list to reach a host of institutions online.
Google Books http://books.google.com
When the Internet first took off, the doom-mongerers exclaimed that print was dead. But it’s alive and well and stored on this handy Google search site, which provides information and previews of texts along with details on where to buy or borrow them.
TV.com www.tv.com
The idiot box has never had such a loving tribute as can be found on TV.com. With topics from soaps to sci-fi, and stretching from classic shows to what was on five minutes ago.
Digital Spy www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums
Digital Spy’s news pages offer a hit of celebrity culture, but the real joy is in the forums. Telly addicts discuss everything from Big Brother to Deal or No Deal, often while the shows are being broadcast.
Cat of the Day http://catoftheday.com
If there’s a cuter website out there we don’t want to know about it, because this one is already so sugary it’s giving us diabetes.
You Tube www.youtube.com
Forget all the talk of happy slapping and exploding Coke bottles. Search for something memorable from the world of entertainment and it’ll be there. Probably.
Time and Date Planner www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html
A must for busy individuals, this time planner helps to work out when to call people overseas.
Epicurious http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/find/advanced
If you’re wondering what to cook using the dregs of your cupboard and fridge, Epicurious has the answer. Search for a dish using your main ingredients, or exclude any recipes containing problem foodstuffs.
Epinions www.epinions.com
No-one likes to splash out money on something without knowing what they’ll get. Which is where Epinions comes in. Read millions of other users’ thoughts before you part with your cash.
Download Free Games www.download-free-games.com
The function of this site probably won’t surprise you. If games are your passion, then fill your boots here.
Akihabara News www.akihabaranews.com/en
Based in Japan, the site’s broken English news and reviews provide a first look at the latest gadgets, such as the combined ear muffs and beverage holder.
Apple Trailers www.apple.com/trailers
PC or Mac, anyone can enjoy a movie moment at the Apple trailers website. In some cases the trailers are so detailed they are as good as watching the whole film – view the Ghost Rider trailer to see what we mean.
Darwin Awards www.darwinawards.com
The Darwin Awards celebrates those who have helped the human race by removing themselves from it. As such, it is the oddest collection of tales of woe and injury to be found on the Net.
Internet Hoaxes www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
Not content with keeping computers virus-free, Symantec is also helping online users avoid the rash of internet scams that are all too common these days. If something seems dodgy to you, it’s worth checking this list.
MySpace Music http://music.myspace.com
It’s not necessary to be on the lookout for virtual friends to enjoy Myspace Music. There’s tons of exclusive content from established bands, new and old.
How Stuff Works www.howstuffworks.com
This is exactly the kind of site that shows how useful the Internet can be. Not only is it a great source of information, but it’s perfect for dodging awkward questions from the younger members of the family.
DVD Spot www.dvdspot.com
This service enables you to put your DVD collections online so it’s possible to keep track of them. You don’t have to share the collection with others, but it’s possible to organise screenings for friends.
Google Earth http://earth.google.com
Sure, there are map sites telling you how to get from A to B, but Google Earth is so much more than that. Communities have sprung up, swapping co-ordinates to find interesting views on the satellite images.
Listal www.listal.com
Listal is a social networking site where anyone can submit lists of their favourite films, music, games and more, along with reviews. A great source of inspiration for the curious consumer.
Second Life www.secondlife.com
Some people may think one life is quite enough. For everyone else there is the chance to start a different life in a hugely popular virtual-reality world.
Chez Pim http://chezpim.typepad.com
Two of our favourite things – eating and travelling – rolled into one. Pim Techamuanvivit travels the world and eats out in the process. If you’re thinking of going to Bangkok, San Francisco, Paris or New York, she’s already been there and eaten the soup.
Live 365 www.live365.com
If words or music are your thing, then point your browser at the Live 365 website. It boasts links to thousands of internet radio stations, which means even the most obscure tastes are catered to.
The Onion www.theonion.com
Everything great eventually loses its shine, but The Onion never fails to splash a smirk across our faces. The addition of film reviews in its Audio/Visual Club has added a new area of interest to this satirical website.
Game FAQs www.gamefaqs.com
There’s nothing worse than being stuck in a dark tunnel with Lara Croft. This place has everything a gamer needs to escape a dodgy situation in almost any game.
Rotten Tomatoes http://uk.rottentomatoes.com
By the law of averages there are more bad and mediocre films out there than there are good ones. Rotten Tomatoes pools critics and readers to sort the fresh from the putrid.
Sudoku www.websudoku.com
The game that has taken the world by storm has found a home online. With numbers typed in and deleted as the game is worked out, it avoids the nonsense with crossing things out in pen.
What’s On Where www.wow.ie
Ireland’s No.1 destination for finding out what to do for fun on just about any night of the week across the country. Cinema, theatre and gigs all covered here.
RTE www.rte.ie
News, sports, lifestyle and from February 9th technology news courtesy of PC Live!, at the website of the national broadcaster.
Skoool www.skoool.ie
Ireland’s largest schools portal and a place where secondary school students and teachers can engage and access key resources. A new feature to the site is its Techzone and the ability for students to get access to a FREE online edutainment game
Techcentral www.techcentral.ie
What better site to finish at than the place we like to call home. All the latest news, reviews, games and opinions constantly updated.
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No matter whether you are a novice or a net know-it-all, any web surfer will benefit by having our list of top 40 websites. However, the Internet is a big place. Having this collection of sites under your belt will certainly help but it’s important to explore further and look for the unexpected diamonds in the rough.
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