Freeware

Everyone likes to get things for free, and free computer applications and software are no exception. So, what sorts of computer applications can you get for free? A whole bunch of them! So many so that I will only be able to barely scratch the surface of the offerings.

Google, the king of free applications, offers everything from free maps, email, calendars, blog space, and a ton more. The nice thing about their applications is that they are from a well known and trusted source, and that many of the applications can be tied together with other applications for ease of use (for example - GMail and Google Calendar).

There are also free, open source applications such as those offered by Mozilla. The most popular of which is the Firefox web browser. Firefox offers a solid browser that has many free applications users can add for a customizable web surfing experience.

Most people are familiar with Google and Firefox though. So, what other types of free software are available? There are free anti-malware programs such as Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition, free file transfer and sharing such as Bit Torrent, free office programs like Google Docs, and so very much more. PC Magazine recently had an article titled "The Best Free Software of 2010" that showcases some of the best free software that is available today. It includes everything from maps, conferencing, file sharing, security, networking, video, and quite a bit more.

Of course, as with anything that you put onto your computer, it is always a good idea to be careful with what you download. For every great free program, put out there by a trustworthy source, there are always the scores of others that will damage your computer, add spyware, or in some other way be dangerous or annoying. It's always best to do a little research first, and know what you are getting yourself into.

Web Mashups

Put two or more web applications together and what do you get? A web-mashup!

Part of how Web 2.0 is changing the way people interact with the Internet is in the creation of web-mashups. Want to know what there is to eat in a specific area? Try Foodio54. Foodio54 provides you with a list of restaurants within a radius (that you specify), of where you would like to eat. You can even tell it what type of restaurant you are looking for and have it exclude fast-food joints if you are in more of the sit-down type mood. You also have the option of subscribing to their site, which gives you the added bonus of Foodio54 learning about your eating habits and making personalized recommendations for you!

Or, maybe you are going on a vacation, and want to know the base price of hotels in a given area, what restaurants are nearby, if there are any landmarks, even how many and the locations of the Starbucks in the area. You could give HotelMapSearch.com a try. It will show you on a Google map right where these services are located.

These are just a few of the mashups that I found while on a web-site called Webmashups.com. They have lists of sites that utilize mashup technology, based on categories such as: food, music, sports, mapping, etc.

The Internet is getting a whole lot more interactive!