24 Things You Can Do with the Web
December 22nd, 2009 · apps, lists, music
Pencil makes it easy to create UI mockups.
17. Make diagrams and UI prototypes. Okay, so not everyone is a software developer, but just in case you are, and you’re interested in using a tool that lets you mock up UIs for free, then give Pencil a try. It’s a Firefox plugin (or can be a standalone desktop app if you want) that gets the job done (for free) when it comes to making UI mockups.
These last few are all cool things you can do with your phone. Even if you don’t have a smartphone, many of these are doable, just as long as you have a Twitter account or text messaging.
18. Stream live video from your phone. Do you have an Android phone? Then you can do one of the coolest things possible: Broadcast video from your phone. Just download Qik or Ustream from the Android Market and give it a go. LifeHacker has some articles talking about both the Qik app and the Ustream app. I hear the iPhone can’t quite do streaming yet, but maybe there’s hope for it in the future. In the meantime, Android users with a decent mobile connection can have fun!
19. Search on the go. Google is everywhere, and besides letting you create your own website, forward incoming phone calls, and create documents, there’s one more thing that we use Google for: search. If you need to Google something and you’re not by a computer, try using Google SMS from your phone. Just text 466453 and see what happens. If you don’t have a text plan and/or just want to find the address of some restaurant, then try GOOG-411. Dial 1-800-GOOG-411, and say the name, city, and state of what you’re looking for, and Google will not only give you the address, but they’ll also connect you to the business for free. The next time you’re on vacation somewhere and want to find the nearest pizza shop in the area, don’t be afraid to give this a try.
20. Get notified when someone mentions you on Twitter. If you’re a Twitter user, you’ll notice the frustrating fact that there’s no easy built-in way of getting notified for when someone mentions you. Sure, you can get an email if someone direct messages you, but for Twitter mentions, you have to manually go to the site and check it yourself. There are smartphone apps that can do this for you as well, but what if you don’t have a smartphone, or what if you just want an easy way to get notified? Try out Twext.me. It’s exactly what you think it is: If someone mentions you on Twitter, you’ll get a text message about it. Plain and simple.
21. Keep a portable to-do list. Remember The Milk is an online to-do list used to keep track of whatever you want. Not only do they have an Android app and iPhone app to let you keep your to-do lists on the go, but for those with lower tech mobile devices, you can have Remember The Milk text you when a to-do list item is due. You can even add items to your to-do list if you send a Twitter message to rtm. (Just in case you didn’t follow: You can send text messages to Twitter, and you can send Twitter messages to rtm. Therefore, from your cellphone, you can send a text message to rtm via Twitter to add items to your to-do list.)
22. Keep track of events and meetings. If you use Google Calendar, you can get reminders of upcoming meetings and events in your calendar. Not only can Google email you those reminders, but you can get text messages as well. It comes in handy if you’re on the go and you lose track of time while in your busy day.
FuelFrog has a simple interface for recording your mileage.
23. Know instantly when your site goes down. Don’t you hate it when your website goes down, and you find out from one of your friends or customers? Rather than being the last one to know, sign up for Are My Sites Up. Are My Sites Up will periodically check your website and notify you instantly (via email or text message) when it goes down. They’ll also let you know once it comes back up.
24. Record your gas mileage on the go. Do you want to keep track of your car’s gas mileage? Would you rather record it instantly after every fill-up instead of saving receipts and waiting to do it at home? Then give FuelFrog a try. FuelFrog is a nice and simple site that lets you keep track of your mileage, and you get to see a handy chart for how your mileage has been doing over the course of several fill-ups. For on-the-go recording, just send a Twitter message to FuelFrog, and it’ll automatically be added to your account.
A lot of the stuff I listed is obvious to the average Web user, but maybe in the future, I’ll post some new things I learn as well. Happy Holiday, and enjoy the rest of 2009!
