New Media Picks Of The Week: Sharewood Picnic 19

Here is another great basket of new media resources, software and articles that I'd like to share with you. Feel free to test, try and share these little gems with your friends, they are my Sunday little present to you.

Photo credit: Mark Wagner

This is what I have found:

1. Music file sharing


2. Online Mainstream TV watching via P2P software


3. New interactive music finder and player


4. Screencasts show you how to make an effective podcast


5. Personal online photo album


6. Academic citations made easy


7. Best CSS resources reviewed


8. Best Ajax applications reviewed


9. Bypass that damn firewall (without losing its protection)


10. Advanced social bookmarking with the del.icio.us toolkit

Enjoy!

1. Blubster
   
   
   Blubster is an easy-to-use file-sharing service that makes music files (.mp3 and .OGG) available to users via their decentralized network. Offering an online "Hot List" of friends, a built-in browser and media player, this music-only service allows the casual user to download files with "100% anonymity" using UDP transport protocol on their MP2P (MANOLITO P2P) protocol. It also speeds file transfers by selecting the fastest source of a file, allows users to specify bitrate and file sizes, and enables downloads from multiple machines simultaneously. However, some universities have warned against Blubster with fears of "spyware", the "inability to uninstall" the software, and that it can cause "system and network instability".
   http://www.blubster.com/v2/shots.html
   





2. PPLive
   
   The free PPLive software allows users to view online TV programs using P2P software and Windows Media Player. The platform can download stream data from different connection nodes and will automatically find the nearest nodes for download. It supports various stream data files, including .mms, .asf and others and operates with minimal system requirements and a low CPU utilization. The site contains easy-to-follow installation and viewing instructions, including a listing of channels offered.
   With P2P technology, everyone becomes a broadcaster without the cost of traditional streaming. The more users are online, the faster the programs can be loaded. PPLive is a Shareware , and no registration is required.
   http://www5.pplive.com/...
   





3. Indy
   
   Indy makes it easy for you to find great new independent music. Indy is an interactive cross-platform program for finding new music through a personalized radio station. Download the software, and as it plays independent music, users can rate each song on a 1-5 scale. It then determines what types of music you prefer and continues playing tracks suiting those preferences. The software doubles as a promotional tool for unsigned bands also, allowing musicians to submit .mp3 files to be circulated on Indy, and provides a link to all participating musicians' websites while the tracks are playing. Also, as Indy does not stream its music, all tracks are downloaded into folders so they can be transferred to an iPod, .mp3 player, or burned onto a CD. Available for PC or Mac.
   http://indy.tv/
   





4. ScreenCastsOnline
   
   This website contains downloadable and streaming screencasts to give you tips and hints in using mostly Mac-based, and Web-based applications. Among them screencasts about making an effective podcast. Episodes include: 1.)how to record with Garageband, 2.)creating a site to host it, 3.)how to promote your podcast on iTunes.
   http://www.screencastsonline.com/
   





5. FotoTime Products
   
   A personal online album, FotoTime is a venue to upload photos and video to the web for viewing by friends, family, coworkers, or others. FotoTime provides several tools to organize materials, including groups and subgroups, photo order, size and use of text and html to describe albums. Users can also customize their albums with thumbnails, backgrounds, transitions and captions. The software supports Macs, Java and ActiveX uploaders, the upload from cell phones or email, and by using the FotoAlbumPro software. Users can also use the images to have them printed on mugs, t-shirts or other media. FotoTime is available free for a 30-day trial.
   http://www.fototime.com/pages/products
   





6. Rapidcite
   
   For students having trouble with proper academic citation, RapidCite offers a method of producing a properly-formed works cited page without using a handbook. Suitable for MLA, APA or Chicago formats, users input the work's information (publication, author, edition, etc.) and RapidCite sends you an MS Word document for use in your paper. Free to use.
   http://www.rapidcite.com/
   





7. The 10 Best Resources for CSS
   
   CSS has capabilities that web designers cannot achieve using HTML alone, but using the platform can be difficult due to the vast possibilities it allows. This "article" lists several sites offering tips, suggestions and tutorials on how to use CSS more effectively for any site.
   http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/...
   





8. Top 10 Ajax Applications
   
   Ajax programming techniques have recently generated lots of buzz for good reason: they can be used to create interesting browser-based applications that do things many thought impossible with typical web browsers. Dan Grossman of "A Venture Forth" touts the benefits of using Ajax programming techniques to create interesting browser-based applications formerly thought impossible. Focusing on innovative, interactive, free applications, Grossman discusses 10 (actually 18) of the finest Ajax-produced material the web has to offer. He returns with another 14 in a follow-up article.
   http://www.aventureforth.com/2005/09/06/top-10-ajax-applications/
   





9. HTTP-Tunnel Client
   
   
   HTTP-Tunnel functions as a SOCKS server and lets you use your online applications while behind a firewall, but still providing protection against spyware, ID theft, hackers and encryption. It functions as an intermediary, with your computer sending information to the HTTP-Tunnel Client, which sends it to the intended destination and back, effectively bypassing the firewall. This software also allows you not be monitored at work, school.
   http://www.http-tunnel.com/...
   





10. Absolutely Del.icio.us
    
    
    del.icio.us is a social bookmarks manager. It allows you to easily post sites you like to your personal collection of links, to categorize those sites with keywords, and to share your collection not only between your own browsers and machines, but also with others. An exhaustive list of tools for using "del.icio.us", constantly updated.
    http://pchere.blogspot.com/2005/02/absolutely-delicious-complete-tool.html