Zeus of the ‘NetReviews of the Coolest Sites on the Net

As more and more TV shows, movies, and original content become available online, it’s going to be increasing harder to find the programming you’re looking for.  Which is why I think in 2-3 years time (when the majority of LCD TVs become internet capable) Clicker.com is going to be huge.  They are positioning themselves to be the directory/search engine for all online video programming.  So as people start watching online programming on their internet capable TVs (possible even in 3D), they are going to want to be able to quickly find what it is that they want to watch (directory).  And if they’re not sure exactly the program but say want to watch something funny, they are going to want to be shown a list of relevant options (search engine).  This is the future need that Clicker is already addressing, today.

Judging from the management team (the CEO is former Ask.com CEO Jim Lanzone) and its VC backing, this site has the potential to become a huge online brand and resource.  Personally I think online programming (movies, TV shows, user generated content, as well as original programming) is going expand and grow exponentially in the coming years.  But make no mistake; the reach of the internet into every aspect of our lives is an inevitable evolution that will bring about opportunity for an unprecedented shift in power, from the few to the many.  The game is changing from the old-school push model, to the 21st century pull model, where people engage in and watch whatever they want, whenever they want.  Clicker has aligned themselves to make that transition easier.  Evolution.  It’s a beautiful thing.

I know I’m a little behind on blogging about this site, but I thought I would still share it for those who might not have heard yet.  Launched last month on Dec. 8th Vevo.com is a website that’s dedicated entirely to music videos.  So instead of having to search through hundreds or even thousands of duplicate videos on YouTube, with Vevo there is only one result for each music video from that particular artist.

I definitely like the look of the website, and also the fact that there is only one result per video per artist.  The search filter features are nice as well, and make finding a particular video very easy.  All in all I think this site is going to carve out a pretty nice little niche for itself.  So after checking out this site the next time you want to watch a music video which site would you go to, YouTube or Vevo?

Hope everyone had a happy New Years!  I have a feeling 2010 is going to be a good year.  But of course many things, mainly the economy, still has a ways to go.  And unfortunately whenever the economy goes south, crime rates usually increases as a result, and 2009 was no different.  So if you’ve ever wondered what crimes (and how many) have occurred in your city or neighborhood, you may want to check out this cool site.  The site is called CrimeMapping and according to them their goal is to “provide the public with valuable information about recent crime activity in their neighborhood.”  Seems simple enough, but it’s actually quite an ambitious task.

Using a GIS platform to display the crimes on a map, the site right now has information from roughly 100 cities mapped out (the map itself is pretty cool) from all across the U.S.  They use easy to decipher symbols for each of the various crime categories, like Arson, Burglary, Vandalism, etc., so you can quickly tell what crimes were committed at a particular location.  The overall look and feel of the website is really sleek and the navigation and map itself is very intuitive, which I like a lot.  I think CrimeMapping has the potential to be a very powerful resource for the public.  So what do you guys think, would you use this site?

This self-described “computational knowledge engine” can give detailed information on any number of (objective) queries, and can do so just as quickly as any search engine out there today.  The difference is however that instead of ten blue links, users receive the information, or answer, they were looking for.  This sites name, WolframAlpha.com, may be obscure but I believe in the next decade it will be anything but.

The potential uses for this type of technology are limitless.  I think this site and its technology is the first step towards the ultimate goal of ambient findability.  Forty years from now when we look back at the early days of the information age and technology boom, I think that WolframAlpha will be on the short list of important technological advances that changed the course of history.

I’ve used this site several times myself and it’s been a nice little money saver.  Now to some RetailMeNot.com may seem slightly on the unethical side, but hey you have to figure that the big online retail stores take websites like this into account.  At least that’s how I rationalize it.  (Actually for those who need a clear conscience, it appears that they will remove the coupon and discount codes if the retailer requests it.)  However judging from the sites popularity, I’m guessing the people who have been using it so far shared my sentiments.

The site is very easy to use and navigate.  Just type in the URL of the site you are looking to make a purchase on and it will take you to that page with the list of all the coupon codes.  It’s that simple.  So next time you want to save some money pay a visit to RetailMeNot.

If you’re like most people then I’m sure you’ve browsed through online classified sites, such as Craigslist or Backpage, looking for a good deal on one thing or another.  But I’m sure a lot of people out there have the same worry I do.  Can I trust the people selling this stuff?  Are they being honest when they say it’s only been “slight used” (I know they’re probably not but still…).  And on the flip side, I’m sure sellers are thinking, can I trust these people who want to come look at whatever it is I’m selling?  Unlike Ebay where there usually isn’t a physical exchange of the product, with Craigslist there usually is.  This can be a scary and sometimes dangerous thing.  So what can be done to help make these types of online classified sites safer?

Enter ListSafer.com.  Seeking to make these marketplaces safer, ListSafer has created a platform where both buyers and sellers can create profiles where they can upload photos, as well as post ratings and reviews on the other users that they buy from as well as sell to.  I think this is an interesting concept that could start to catch on pretty quickly, especially for those people who use Craigslist or Backpage frequently.  I wouldn’t be surprised at all if ListSafer badges started popping up on these and other online classified sites in the near future.

Alice.com Shopping Just Got Easier

I don’t know about you but shopping for things like toothpaste, trash bags, and laundry detergent isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.  In fact I don’t think it’s anybody’s idea of a good time.  Luckily now the tedious task of shopping for life’s little necessities just got easier.  Alice.com (still in beta) is a website devoted to selling smaller ticket items, like shampoo, toilet paper and contact lens solution.

If you’re like me the first thing you were probably thinking was, the shipping cost is going to make it just as expensive as if I went to the store and bought it.  But Alice has got you covered.  Shipping to your door is completely free!  So what are you waiting for, get your shop on!

This site definitely fits the category of a cool website. Now it doesn’t hurt either that I’m a big trance/house/dance fan (which is what the two default videos and playlists are set to). However this site, called Ibizaah! (a fitting name) would still be cool even without those default settings just because of its simplicity. The sites creator Miguel Hernandez said he created the site because he “was annoyed at having to switch between windows when trying to keep the music going at a party.” Problem solved.

Ibizaah not only plays trance and house music but using the ‘Search Videos…’ will play any music video on YouTube. So say you wanted a Pop music mix you could have Beyonce and Shakira’s ‘Beautiful Liar’ on the left and Britney Spears ‘Toxic’ on the right playing simultaneously. How cool is that.

Did I forget to mention this site is free? Yeah it’s completely free to use. So next time you’re throwing a party at your pad, impress your friends and be your own deejay!

Just wanted to write a quick post to let everyone know that you can follow me on both Twitter and Facebook to receive updates of all my latest posts.  If you follow or friend me you will also get tweets and updates with links to cool websites I come across that don’t make it onto the blog, but are still cool or interesting and that I think are worth passing along!

If you would like to suggest a site that you have come across or that you started and run yourself, feel free to email me at admin@zeusofthenet.com or send me a tweet @ZeusoftheNet.  Look forward to the suggestions!

With the proliferation of social networking sites on the Internet these days, I figured why not blog about a site that’s helping to add to that proliferation.  I actually heard about Ning.com a while ago, but was just recently reminded about them again so I decided I would go ahead and share the site with you.  Basically Ning is a cool site let’s you create as well as join new social networks.  You can join any social network that either your friends or fellow Ningers have created, and they work in a very similar manner to Facebook or MySpace.  The main difference is that you only have to create one profile and you can either join other social networks or can start your own with the profile you created.  It’s pretty simple to join, you just have to give your name and email, then a password for your login and that’s it.

There are many ways this site could be used, from personal to professional, for businesses, and pretty much everything in between.  Currently there are social networks for Rottweiler lovers, Shakira fans, and of course Women’s Tackle Football.  So check out Ning and yours could be next!