THE INTERNET CAN be a weird and wonderful place at times, but how can you make it work for you?
Well, just look at all of these resources out there that can actually have a major impact on your life – and they are all absolutely free. Prepare yourself:
1. Expand your reading of some classic literature – Project Gutenberg
With over 46,000 free e-books to choose from, Project Gutenberg is a massive collection of freely available books to download or read online – and it has a wide and varied selection. For the audio book equivalent, check out LibriVox.
2. Learn a language – Duolingo
This excellent website and app allows you to learn a language online, with a step-by-step process that is intuitive and easy to use. It even has Gaeilge amongst its many, many language options. That’s why tens of millions of people use it to learn a new language from scratch.
3. Sleep better after using a screen – F.lux
This app for your computer and iphone/ipad makes the color of your screen’s display adapt to the time of day – warm at night and like sunlight during the day. It takes out the horrible bright white light on your screen after dark – so you can sleep better straight after using it.
Get it. Get it now right here. Especially if you use your device at all hours. The strange hue of the screen will seem weird at first, but your eyes will be thankful for it once you get used to it. See also – Twilight for Android users.
4. Edit photos with no download or signup hassles – Pixlr
This online web application allows you to edit photos and add effects to them as well. It’s also available on Android and iOS as an app – so you can work on your images offline as well as on. It’s more basic than Photoshop and other software, but it more than makes up for that in accessibility.
For other free photo software, check out GIMP and Get Paint - but they will require a download to work on your desktop computer.
5. Get inspired by the world’s greatest minds – TED Talks
TED talks are everywhere online – and for good reason. The aim of the organisation is to provide short talks on interesting topics by qualified people. They can’t go over 18 minutes, so the message is always concise and often inspiring.
6. Relax yourself with the sound of pelting rain – Rainy Mood
We probably don’t have much need for it here in Ireland, but Rainy Mood gives you a calm and relaxing background noise of stormy and rainy weather. Pretend you’re curled up under a blanket on a horrible days. *closes curtains to block out sunlight*
7. Watch some of the finest documentaries out there – Documentary Heaven
This free site sources feature length documentaries from around the web and compiles them for your viewing pleasure all in one spot. Some have been taken down from the Youtube source because of copyright, but there is still a fine treasure trove of free docs here. See also - Top Documentary Films, which does a similar job.
8. Record and edit audio like a pro – Audacity
Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder that anyone can download easily here.
9. Embrace your musical side – IMSLP
The International Music Score Library Project does exactly what its name suggests – provides free sheet music that is fully downloadable to everyone.
10. Save those great articles you were reading for later – Pocket
This app has one simple mission – it allows you to save what you are reading or watching for later, and return to it even when you don’t have an internet connection. When you’re bored and can’t get online, Pocket is there for you.
11. Remember your passwords, every time – Last Pass
Everyone struggles remembering their multiple passwords for all their online accounts. LastPass remembers your passwords for you, and stores them away from view of anyone else. It signs you in to things, basically. So no more clicking that ‘forgot your password?’ button in frustration.
12. Get some more sweet music into your life – Last.fm
There are so many ways to get music legally online for free – like Youtube, Spotify, Grooveshark and Soundozer among others. Last.fm recommends music to you based on your listening profile – allowing you to discover more new stuff as you listen.
13. Get a free Harvard education online - EdX
This is not affiliated to TedX talks – it’s something completely different.
EdX offers interactive online classes from some of the world’s best universities, colleges and organizations – and it’s absolutely free. MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, and many other universities are all involved to give you some seriously high quality information, all at your own pace.
14. Keep all those lists methodically organised – Evernote
This simple app allows you to take detailed notes on your phone and have them waiting for you on other devices. A lifesaver if you’re an avid note-taker.
15. Sort those documents with zero difficulty – Libre Office
Libre Office is a free documents solution that covers a wide array of tasks. Think of it as an open source, and free, version of its Microsoft namesake.
16. Give the gift of your trivia knowledge – Free Rice
It’s simple really. You go on the site to answer trivia questions – and for each answer you get right, the site donates 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program.
It has donated over 97 billion grains of rice so far – so there are certainly worse things we can be doing when we’re procrastinating around on the internet.
