Freeware Web Services - Try Now!

As I stumble through StumbleUpon I do a lot of del.icio.us bookmarking - these three services are among them and they all three are freeware. We have a free file converter, freeware spambox, and a virtual typewriter on the boards today.

First off, You Convert It takes audio, document, video and units of measure, converting them into other file formats via email. You simply enter your email address and insert up to 5 files at a time. I had some killer soundbytes of wind chimes in Mp3 format that I wanted in WAV for an add-on in Thunderbird email. Five files were ready to download in my email box 1 minute later. I imagine the video file formats are just as useful. Has anyone tried You Convert It? What did you think?

Second, we have Spambox. This little goodie will give you a temporary email address for one hour to one year, and the time can be extended. You get the emails, but the company's that get your temporary email address don't get your real address, (and here's the point) can't spam or sell your real email address. No hidden agenda with Spambox, it's freeware, and the system is set up in many countries.

Last of all is DarkCopy, with it's ebony black screen and it's green print - meant to take you back to the days of a typewriter, before we had all these icons and formatting tools to pay attention to. The purpose of DarkCopy is to give you somewhere to write, and concentrate on writing. It also gives you the option to save as file, or go full screen (to go half screen again wave your mouse up in the top right hand corner). It has a built-in spell checker and lets you focus on the task at hand. Try it next time you're fiddling with the fonts, procrastinating on your writing.

Miro: Freeware Worth Big Bucks

When I found Miro I thought I'd hit gold. This is Freeware??? I still think that. I downloaded it because it would play almost every video format and had already run into my share of non- Freeware answers for non-compatible video extensions. I refuse to put QuickTime on my computer, although Miro plays it.

I soon learned that Miro was much more than a video player - as of today, it has 4583 Channels, all free. And a discriminating search. For example, "tech tips" and "technology tips" will bring up very different listings. I found segments on "Gimp", a freeware Adobe photoshop; ZDNet segments and CNET shows. I don't watch TV at all but I try to get to my technology programs on Miro once a week. You can watch UTube on Miro, too.

Miro has many advanced features: email to a friend, automatic download, automatic removal ( you choose when) - you can see programs in HD, and you can give Channels star ratings, they'll give you recommendations. But watch out for this: Miro can use all your available disk space if you have too many shows or don't tend to housekeeping.

This open video platform is from the non-profit Participatory Culture Foundation (it used to be called the Democracy Player). They have downloads for Mac OS X, Windows and Wountu. Besides a well-rounded player, we have protection of free speech in Miro.

For other articles, see:

Rob Safuto - a video on Miro

Bill Mullins - an article about Miro

Slacker: Freeware Radio

Slacker is many things that we'll barely touch on in this post, but its' freeware radio deserves PCWorld's #1 choice as best freeware product in their recent edition spotlighting the best for free. I had never heard of it, although I was an avid fan of MusicMatch before it was sold to Yahoo! by Dennis Mudd, founder of Slacker.

Slacker sports nearly 100 genre stations, and somewhere around 10,000 artist stations that play the best of the chosen artist mixed with related musicians. Best of all, you can define your own custom station. If this isn't enough for free, then look into these options: choose whether you like new or older material, or if you want new music and artists introduced - a little bit to a lot. If you hear something you don't like, ban it from your station forever...you can do this six times an hour. Pick whether you want a DJ or not. and you may hear 2 commercials an hour, but I haven't so far.



I had a favorite radio station that never talked or played a promo over a song. This radio station didn't play the same song in a 24 hour period. Best of all, it played a wide variety of songs by my favorites, but all that is gone now. My favorites have one token song played.

Slacker has 50 artists in my custom list and it sounds remarkably like my old favorite station except for the lack of commercials - I say my ears don't get a rest because 12 minutes of commercials are not coming on per hour. It's music, Music, MUSIC!

I'll fault them one, though, and that is this: Slacker starves you for your favorite artist. You hardly ever hear them. I say it's because they want you to buy their premium service. At $7.50/month get ad free radio, skip as many tunes as you want, and save tracks to your personal library, where you can listen to them as often as you like. There's also the Slacker Portable Radio from $199 to $299.

To read more about Slacker:

http://archive.laptopmag.com/Features/Interview-with-Slacker-CEO-Dennis-Mudd.htm?page=3