My Own Adventure

Webware is good for an Internet beginner with its well description on each category. It helps us to know why is useful and what we can expect to find on the websites they recommend. However, I'm impatience on those details, so I pick Web 2.0 Awards instead. I like it gives a brief summary on the websites they nominee rather than long reviews I saw on Webware. So, I'm interested in the category of Real Estate. The first prize on the Web 2.0 Awards goes to Zillow.com. But, I found their estimated market value is actually $5.000 lower than the real market price. The second prize goes to HousingMaps. However, I found this is useless for me. I like IIProperty, because I can manage my properties or be the agent for my rental properties. Even thought I need to pay for their premium services, it's still cheaper than working with an management firm or a realtor. As for the library, I like the KCLS Web Links. They are very useful. However, for patrons, they cannot bookmark their favorite websites in public computers. With del.icio.us added in, that would be a big help for them. Also, the KCLS could use PBWiki as a bridge to promote library programs, and the patron could leave their comments for current programs. For patrons who would like to keep a list of their favorite books, LibraryThing could be added in with My Account. We could add Google Maps in Find Your Library, so people not only get a direction from their houses to the library, they also can read the reviews about the library.

the labs of Google

The first service in Google Labs interested me is Google Reader since I have been using Bloglines for weeks. Compared with Bloglines, Google Reader can reflect actual color and link from the text. However, it's not easy as Bloglines in searching a site to subscribe. Bloglines is much more user friendly. The second one I was looking is Google Maps. This is fun to search an address especially for an organization. Other than giving a direction, it also provides an overviews on the details, reviews, photos and web pages of the destination. Guess it's time to say good-bye to Yahoo Maps and MapQuest. As for Google Trends, this might use for a research reference. It's good for analyzing the trend when comparing regions, cities, years, and countries with a chart. However, the information is not current enough.

Online Software

Google is marvelous! I love Google Docs. This is "WebMail 2.0!" Not only I can create a new document online, but I also can post it to my blog and in RSS. This is very cool. You know what!? For preventing the potential virus, my brother deleted all Microsoft applications from my computer. No matter what I say, he refuses to put Microsoft's back. From now on, I do not need to create a document in my email first. Google Docs is my saver. But wait! Not until I moved on Zoho, I felt I fall in love with its "WebMicrosoft applications 2.0" right away. See, I have to change what I have said earlier about Google Docs. Zoho is Chicka's real saver after all.