The tool provides a bookmarklet which you drag and drop onto your browser toolbar. Whenever you come across a suspicious short link, click on the bookmarklet to view the URL it points to. You may even preview links directly on the site.

Features:

• Preview URLs behind shortened links.
• Preview links without going to the website they point to.
• Browser bookmarklet provided.
• Quick and simple to use.
• Similar tools: Real-URL, Untiny, PrevURL and LongURL.

Check out Unhid @ www.unhid.co.cc

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Unhid: Reveal URLs Behind Short Links

• Untiny: Extract the Original URL Behind The Short URL
• Real-URL: View Real URL Behind Short URL
• SHUURL: Make “Safe” Short URLs
• Unshortn: Easily Unshorten Links
• TinyPaste : Quickly Get Shareable URL for any Text

From the page:

Map URLs are long. For example, the actual Google Maps link to San Diego looks like this:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=San+Diego&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.957823,56.513672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=San+Diego,+California&ll=32.730108,-117.170563&spn=0.128233,0.220757&z=12

Try tweeting or texting this – not a lot of fun. An Xm.my URL of San Diego looks like this:

http://xm.my/3W6r

The application is easy to use and there is no sign up. To create a short map link, simply choose a location on a map by entering its address or dragging the marker to desired point, add a name and then click on “save map” button. That’s it!

Xm.my also allows you to add your Flickr photos to maps and provides ready made airport code maps. For example, San Francisco International becomes http://xm.my/SFO, London Heathrow is http://xm.my/LHR.

Features:

• Create short map links.
• Quickly share map links on Twitter, Facebook or Delicious.
• Option to add your Flickr photos to maps.
• Provides ready made airport code maps.
• No registration needed.
• Similar tools: MapOf.it and Remapr.

Check out Xm.my @ www.xm.my

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Xm.my: Create Short Map Links for Any Location

• Zipdecode: Visualize Zip Code Location as You Type
• ZCmap : Zip Code Lookup by City or State
• SpotCrime : Get Crime Reports for your Neighborhood
• MapaList: Map Address List on top of a Map
• Dial Directions: Driving Directions on Your Mobile

Feature:

• View real URL behind shortened URL.
• Quick and simple.
• Similar tools:  Untiny, PrevURL and LongURL.

Check out DeTinyIt @ www.real-url.org

Got Tech Questions? Ask Them on MakeUseOf Answers!
Real-URL: View Real URL Behind Short URL

• Untiny: Extract the Original URL Behind The Short URL
• Unhid: Reveal URLs Behind Short Links
• SHUURL: Make “Safe” Short URLs
• Unshortn: Easily Unshorten Links
• TinyPaste : Quickly Get Shareable URL for any Text

Untiny is useful service that lets you view the original URL behind the short URL, so even if the shortened URL is blocked you can still access the original URL it points to.

You can extract original URL by visiting the website or installing its Firefox add-on onto your browser. Alternatively you can extract the original URL directly from the browser’s address bar simply typing “http://untiny.me?url=” in front of the short URL (Ex: http://untiny.me?url=http://tinyurl.com/cfoep8)

Features:

• Extract original long URLs behind short URLs.
• Supports over 100 most popular URL shortening services.
• Extract the original URL from the website or directly from the browser’s address bar.
• Use Untiny as Firefox add-on, GreaseMonkey Script, browser bookmarklet, Google Talk bot or Mac client.
• Similar websites: PrevURL and LongURL.

Check out Untiny @ www.untiny.me

Got Tech Questions? Ask Them on MakeUseOf Answers!
Untiny: Extract the Original URL Behind The Short URL

• Unhid: Reveal URLs Behind Short Links
• Real-URL: View Real URL Behind Short URL
• SHUURL: Make “Safe” Short URLs
• Unshortn: Easily Unshorten Links
• TinyPaste : Quickly Get Shareable URL for any Text

SHUURL will come in quite handy for checking suspicious short links.

Features:

• Quick and easy service for making short urls.
• Shows where shortened URL is pointing to.
• Safety guide key to tell you whether the URL you are about to visit is safe or not.
• No sign-up or registration needed.
• Similar websites: LongURL and PrevURL.

Check out SHUURL @ www.shuurl.com ( by Srikanth AD from The Next Web )

Got Tech Questions? Ask Them on MakeUseOf Answers!
SHUURL: Make “Safe” Short URLs

• Untiny: Extract the Original URL Behind The Short URL
• Unhid: Reveal URLs Behind Short Links
• Real-URL: View Real URL Behind Short URL
• Unshortn: Easily Unshorten Links
• Shrink Your URL’s With Google’s Goo.gl