Archive for December, 2006
Searchmash.com
I was super excited to see Google’s newest venture, SearchMash. It combines the typical Google search results with blog results, image results, and news results in a pretty Ajaxy/Web2 feel.
I was so excited with it that I downloaded the necessary stuff to make it my default search bar engine in Flock and Firefox.
Apparently, I was so excited, and searching so often that I’ve killed it. All visits to searchmash.com are redirected to sorry.searchmas.com, and a beautiful 404.
Man, what gives? I was so pumped…Come on, Google!
technorati tags:searchmash, google, searchengine
OurStory.com - Get the whole family in on it
I spent a few minutes this morning stumbling around the web, and happened upon OurStory.com - a web2 site that’s offering people a means for cataloging events by visual, annotated timelines.
I actually see this as being similar to a genealogy software suite, as the timelines are quite broad. What’s unique here is that it’s collaborative (one of the things that’s been missing from conventional genealogy suites), it’s web-based, and it appears to be free. That being said, I’m sure that the truly exploit its functionality, one will want to upgrade; it’s in Beta, and I don’t see any pricing options yet…so who knows?
Initially, I guessed this was yet another blogging site, but their blurbs are pretty good:
Stories about our life experiences help make us who we are. Collect the big and little moments of your life and organize them with OurStory’s easy-to-use timeline. Tell your stories at your pace, whenever you have a few minutes, from any computer.
Sadly, one of the first things that enters my mind when I see cool new sites like this is: “Okay, will this site still be around in two years? Will I dump hours into a great new “timeline,” only to find out that the company’s gone bankrupt?” It’s a fair question - but at least they offer the option to print out your timelines once they’ve been done.
As I was reading the list of features, I remember thinking, “Wow, I’m surprised Apple didn’t include something like this in iPhoto.”
Check it out.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
I’d like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas (or specific equivalent). May the season find you with family, friends and happiness.
Thanks to 4to40.com for the Santa link. 
“Clear” up your voicemail
Have you ever thought: “Ya know, my voice sounds like absolute garbage in my voicemail greeting…just like everyone else”? Take a hint from us, and give this a shot.
Skype is offering free “SkypeOut” until the end of the year, as identified on their site:
Free calling within the US and Canada.
But remember, you can make free calls within the US and Canada to both landlines and mobile phones until the end of the year. It’s really easy; there are no contract fees, no line rentals. All you need is Skype and a phone number you want to call.
SkypeOut lets you make calls via Skype to regular landlines, and given that the connection quality is higher than your normal phone connection, you’ll find that your voice will sound ever-so-wonderful when recorded on your voicemail system.
It’s also an excellent way to record messages left for you and distribute them online.