Basically, this tool is targeted at those who analyze and share the web such as researchers, power- web users, PR firms and big businesses.

After downloading the toolbar and completing the very helpful tutorial on the website you’ll be able to highlight portions of the webpage, add sticky notes to it and then save it to your profile. It also allows you to convert the webpage along with all of your notes into PDF format so you can e-mail it to people to see your thoughts about the page.

It’s really easy to set-up and use. Within ten minutes I had a PDF webpage saved and was familiar with the toolbar. It will work on multiple browsers including IE, Firefox and Chrome; all of which have their own tutorial to meet the needs of the user.

To learn more watch demo below:

WebNotes is not the only app for annotating web pages, other such tools that we profiled on MakeUseOf include RoohIt, iCyte, Ibrii, Markkit, AwesomeHightlighter and some more.

Check out WebNote @ www.webnotes.net (by Dean Sherwin)

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• MiddleSpot: Visualize, Group, Annotate and Share Searches
• iCyte: Highlight Text On A Webpage & Save It Online
• RoohIt: Instant Online Web Page Highlighter
• Markkit: Highlighting Text in Pages Made Simple
• AwesomeHighlighter : Highlight and Share Webpages

You can also install the Xmarks  plugin and bookmark, rate, tag or write reviews about sites in you visit.

Features:

• Research sites, see how popular they are and discover similar sites based on the data from hundreds of millions of user bookmarks.
• Browse similar sites, browse related topics, read user reviews and see site ratings.
• Data collected from thousands of Internet users who have installed popular Firefox Xmarks bookmark manager plugin.
• Research and find popular sites in any language or country.
• To write reviews, rate and tag bookmarked sites in your browser, install the Xmarks browser plugin from the site.
• Free, no registration.
• Similar tools:  SimilarSites and SimilarWeb.

Check out Xmarks @ www.xmarks.com

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• SimilarWeb: Discover Similar Web Pages When Browsing Web
• YourVersion: Scans Web for Stuff You Find Interesting
• Wolfram Alpha Google: Adds Wolfram Alpha Search Results Next To Google’s
• Wize: Find Top Recommended Products By Features
• WhichBook: Online Book Suggestion Tool

To put it simply, it measures things like how many teens (12-18) have a Facebook profile, or how many adults between 18-35 have a broadband connection, who buy more online: women or men, what percentage of patients check for health on Internet, the actual number of adults playing video games and so on.

It’s one of the biggest free public research sources whose findings and reports are heavily cited by most mainstream publications and technology blogs all accross the web. All of their content is available online or downloadable in PDF format for free from their site, for personal non-commercial use. Users can browse reports by type and by publication year.

They have their own experts for different technology topics (social networking, broadband, web 2.0) whom you can contact by email, to ask questions or inquire about posted reports.

Features:

• Non-profit free public research source for technology trends in US.
• Focuses on how internet affects people lives.
• View all the content (reports, statistics, presentations) for free online or download in PDF format. For personal use only.
• Contact experts on different technology topics.
• Browse reports by type (presentation, dataset, commentary, media mention) and by publication year.

Check out Pew Internet & American Life Project @ www.pewinternet.org

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• Best Of Wikipedia: Read Interesting Wikipedia Articles
• ZipSkinny : Zip Code Finder
• Zinepal: Online Ebook Creator
• Ziipa: Web 2.0 Directory
• ZAPReader : Practise Speed Reading Online

Enter iCyte. It is an add-on for your browser that lets you highlight text on a web page and save only the highlighted portion, annotate it, add relevant tags and save it online. You may also organize these bookmarks into separate projects and share them with others.

To get started, install the browser plugin and get yourself an account. When you are at a webpage that has something you need for later, you may highlight a specific part or the whole webpage and click on iCyte button in your browser toolbar. Next you have to add the bookmark to an existing project or assign it to a new one. Then enter tags, optionally add notes and hit Save button.

You can then access all your bookmarks from your online account, organized by projects and by tags. All the bookmarked pages are archived on site’s servers, so you won’t have a problem of broken links.

Features:

• Web page highlighter for highlighting and saving text from any webpage.
• Annotate and add tags to your bookmarks.
• Access bookmarked pages online in your account.
• Organize bookmarks into separate projects.
• Share bookmarks and collaborate with other people.
• Browser add-on available for Firefox and Internet Explorer 6/7.
• Sign up for an account and install the browser add-on.
• Fore more info watch demo video.
• Similar tools: Ibrii, Markkit and AwesomeHightlighter.

Check out iCyte @ www.icyte.com

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• WebNotes: Easy Web Markup & Annotation Tool
• MiddleSpot: Visualize, Group, Annotate and Share Searches
• RoohIt: Instant Online Web Page Highlighter
• Markkit: Highlighting Text in Pages Made Simple
• AwesomeHighlighter : Highlight and Share Webpages

You can customize the columns by adding or eliminating one or more columns according to your need. You can also save and share these tables(or squares) with others.

Features :

• Facts organized as a table of items and attributes
• Easy comparison between different items of same category
• Customizable, hence you can see only those items or features you are interested in
• Source of information mentioned in the blocks
• You can save and share the squares

Check out Google Squared @ www.google.com/squared (By Abhijeet from Jeet Blog)

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• Wolfram Alpha Google: Adds Wolfram Alpha Search Results Next To Google’s
• Goofram: Search Google and Wolfram Alpha at the Same Time
• CompareGoogle: Compare Caffeine vs.Google Results
• BlindSearch: The Best ‘Which Search Engine is Better’ Test
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks

Moreover it provides you with two additional buttons. First is to show or hide the Wolfram Alpha results from the page. And the other one is a link that opens in a new tab and shows full search results from Wolfram Alpha.

Features:

• Get Wolfram Alpha search results in Google.
• Options to show or hide the Wolfram Aplha results.
• A quick link to redo the search in Wolfram Alpha, in a different browser tab.
• Enable or disable  Firefox Addon with just one click.

Check out Wolfram Alpha Google @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/12006 (via Webware) (by Srikanth AD from Firefox Ninjas).

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• UnifiedSearch: Unified Search Engine Comparison Tool
• SemantiFind: Cool Suggestion Tool for Searching on Google
• Search Cloudlet: Google Tag Search
• Kosmix: Get Everything On One Search Results Page
• Identify: Get Information About Anyone on Social Sites

So when you need more information on the subject and see related images or videos to better grasp the topic go to Navify.com. Navify is a new web service that makes Wikipedia better. It lets you browse each Wikipedia article along with relevant images (from Flickr) and videos (from YouTube) in one place. Similarly to Wikipedia you can anonymously contribute to content by adding more images and videos.

Features:

• Browse Wikipedia articles with relevant images and videos in one place.
• View related articles on the sidebar.
• Anonymously leave comments and add related images, videos for each article.
• Share articles on Twitter, Facebook or by email.
• Similar sites: AgainButSlower

Check out Navify @ www.navify.com (via TechCrunch)

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• Wikiwix: The Ultimate Wikipedia Search Engine
• Wiki: Search Only Encyclopedia and Wikipedia Type Websites
• VisualWikipedia: A Visual and Interactive Interface to Wikipedia
• TrendingTopics: View Hot Wikipedia Topics & Trends
• SmartWikiSearch: Wikipedia Similarity Search Engine

Just install the Firefox add-on, go to any profile page like twitter.com/glennjones and press on the Alt+ifor Windows or Ctrl+i if you’re using Mac. Next you should see a brief personal summary and links to the person’s existing social profile pages.

As you can see finding anyone online is that easy these days. So next time when you share information about yourself somewhere on the web make sure not to include the stuff you would not want others to find out.

Features:

• Find information on anyone online with one click.
• Aggregates person’s profile information from various social networking sites.
• Requires Firefox browser.
• Free, no sign up needed.
• Also see Earlier MakeUseOf article on websites to find people on the Internet.

Check out Identify @ http://lab.madgex.com/identify/

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• Wolfram Alpha Google: Adds Wolfram Alpha Search Results Next To Google’s
• Unlinker: Quickly See Full Images Behind Links or Thumbnails
• SiteLauncher: Launch Favorite Websites with Simple Shortcuts
• SearchBastard: Firefox Advanced Search Add-on
• OpenItOnline: Open Files Online

As I mentioned, the set of tools is comprehensive and could be used not only by students but by any professional who needs to formulate the right strategy to solve a problem and document that strategy online.

Features:

• Use ready-made thinking maps templates.
• Make a new thinking guide from scratch.
• Print them as and when required.
• Customize: add or change text, shapes, images etc.
• Work in groups on the same thinking guide.
• Free registration.

Check out ExploraTree @ www.exploratree.org (via Webworkerdaily) (by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog)

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• Notefish: Simple And Effective Online Note Taking App
• Luminotes: Your Personal & Free Online Notebook
• ZAPReader : Practise Speed Reading Online
• xThink Calc: Online Calculator for your Drawing Pad
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks

Luminotes mainly focuses on simplicity but that doesn’t mean they don’t emphasize on portability. You can download your notebook as a  standalone file or easily share it with your friends & family online.

Feature overview:

• Easy to use online notebook.
• Create multiple notes and link them to each other.
• Attach images and other files to your notes.
• Various word processing options like bullets and numbering.
• Search within your entire notebook or a single note.
• Invite your friends and share your notes with them.
• Keep track of all the changes you make to your notes.
• Get updates through RSS feeds.
• Download your notebook as a standalone file.
• Import notes from other software.
• Similar tools: Springnote, ÜberNote and Notefish.

Check out Luminotes @ www.luminotes.com (Contributed by Tehseen Baweja from Ijaar.com)

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• Notefish: Simple And Effective Online Note Taking App
• Writer : Distraction-free Internet Typewriter
• WordCountTool: Tool For Counting Words in Text
• WebSourceIt : Which of The Two Spellings is Right?
• Sort My List : Online List Sorting Tool

As you can see in the above screenshot, it provides a cool diagram which links the main term internet to various sub-terms which are relevant and could be of interest to those who are looking for information on the internet. And if you click on any other term in the map, it further delves into describing that and opening up another similar map. Certainly, a useful research tool.

See demo video below:

Check out Visual Wikipedia @ visualwikipedia.com (Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog)

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• Navify: A Better Wikipedia (with Images & Videos )
• Zipdecode: Visualize Zip Code Location as You Type
• ZCmap : Zip Code Lookup by City or State
• Yahoo Go: Yahoo Apps on Your Mobile
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks

1. the traditional, linear text based search results on the left,
2. a thumbnail view of those same results on the right.

You can pan and zoom your search results like you would on any web map. When you find that you want to save you can add it to a personal workpad. You can optionally share your workpads for collaborative research efforts with friends and colleagues.

Features :

• Useful search engine for collaborative research.
• View results broken into two areas, screenshots and text results.
• Place cursor over a screenshot to see corresponding text result highlighted.
• Zoom-in on your search results like you would on an online map.
• Customize text size, zoom settings, change screenshot layout etc.
• Group and save individual or multiple results in workpads.
• Add personal notes to results.
• Share and collaborate on workpads with others.
• Also see: Tafiti and Diigo.

For more info check out slideshow tutorials below:

Check out MiddleSpot @ www.middlespot.com

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• WebNotes: Easy Web Markup & Annotation Tool
• iCyte: Highlight Text On A Webpage & Save It Online
• RoohIt: Instant Online Web Page Highlighter
• Markkit: Highlighting Text in Pages Made Simple
• AwesomeHighlighter : Highlight and Share Webpages

You can use CityMelt in two ways :

First – Search and find particular town or city and get information such as population, size, demographics, education, weather… etc about the place. All provided information supported with statistical and graphical data.

Second – Find a city matching your criteria using 25 sliders on the left sidebar. CityMelt will only show you the places that match your choices. This is definitely something many people will find very useful.

Features overview:

• Find information about any city, town or village in the US.
• Database lists over 50,000 US villages, towns, and cities.
• Search for particular town to get a detailed profile.
• Statistical charts and graphs included as well.
• Integrated Google Maps map.
• No signup or registration needed.
• More features are to be added soon.

Check out Citymelt @ www.citymelt.com

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• PadMapper: Easy Way To Search Craigslist For Rental Property
• MyApartmentMap: Find Affordable Places to Rent in US
• ForSaleByTXT: Inquire On Selling Homes Via SMS
• Dwellicious: Delicious For Real Estate Bookmarks
• DoorFly: Find The Best Realtor

Features

• Create comprehensive multimedia timelines with pictures, text and videos.
• Search and view public timelines created by other users.
• Embed timelines on other webpages.
• Free and easy to use.
• Similar websites: Circavie and Timetube.

Check out Timerime @ www.timerime.com ( Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog )

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• TimeTube : The Timeline for Youtube
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks
• Wolfram Alpha Google: Adds Wolfram Alpha Search Results Next To Google’s
• WebNotes: Easy Web Markup & Annotation Tool
• VisualWikipedia: A Visual and Interactive Interface to Wikipedia

Hence Kosmix could serve as an easy multiple site search tool when you are looking to gather comprehensive information about a particular product or something else.

Check out Kosmix @ www.kosmix.com ( Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog )

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• Wolfram Alpha Google: Adds Wolfram Alpha Search Results Next To Google’s
• ZabaSearch: Search People by Name, Address & Phone Number
• Yauba: Anonymous Search Engine
• Yahoo Glue: All Search Results On One Page
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks

Adding a note is easy. You can easily add text, images, web pages and also drag and drop notes. You could also drag and drop notes from one project to another. Also color and tag your notes. The tagging feature is particularly useful when it comes to searching through tags. And lastly, you can easily clip webpages through a Firefox addon which it provides.

Features

• Web based note taking and research tool.
• Organize your notes by color and tags.
• Drag and drop notes easily.
• Search different public notes
• Firefox addon to easily clip through web pages

Check out Notefish @ www.notefish.com ( Contributed by Abhijeet from Jeet Blog )

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• Luminotes: Your Personal & Free Online Notebook
• Sort My List : Online List Sorting Tool
• Scanr: Scan, Copy and Fax Using Your Cell Phone
• Penzu : Free Online Diary Site
• NoteSake : Share Lecture Notes Online

For instance, if you search for Obama, you’ll get all Obama ralated videos mapped on a time line. Similarly, you can search for any recent scandal and you’ll get the whole picture. Quite handy. Furthermore, it differentiates more popular videos by making them appear bigger. Users are also able to restrict the timeline to specific time period.

Go to TimeTube @ www.dipity.com/mashups/timetube

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• Vizzl: YouTube, Ebay & Amazon Visual Search Tool
• TimeRime: Online Timeline Maker
• oSkope: Visual Search for eBay, Youtube, Flickr …
• ZuiTube: Online Videos For Children
• Yuscano : Skim Through Popular Youtube Videos

Tafiti Featues

• Search in News, Web, Images, Books, and RSS feeds.
• Shelf: located on the right side of the screen and provides a place to store associated search results.
• Add labels to shelf stacks, forward stacks by email, post stack to your Windows Live Space.
• Modify search results and save them in your shelf stacks for later reference.
• Visualize all of the items in any of the shelf stack.
• Visualize search results in a search tree.
• To run Tafiti you need to have Microsoft Silverlight (Free)
• Learn more on Tafiti help page, OR check video below.

Tafiti Video demo:

Check out Tafiti @ [www.tafiti.com]

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• Vizzl: YouTube, Ebay & Amazon Visual Search Tool
• VisuWords: Visual Dictionary and Thesaurus
• oSkope: Visual Search for eBay, Youtube, Flickr …
• HealthVault: Collect, Manage, and Share Health Records
• Zillow

Features

• Categories: Auto, Communication, Computer, Electronics, Entertainment, Food & Recipes, Health, Home, Money, People, Science, Travel
• HowStuffWorks types: View explanations, images, videos, expert reviews, opinions
• Subscribe (via RSS/ email) to updated from different categories

Visit HowStuffWorks

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• ZentaoGuitarLessons: Free Electric Guitar Lessons For Newbies
• Yedda : Ask Questions. Get Answers.
• Yahoo Answers: Biggest Q&A Community on The Web
• Xmarks: Discover Popular Sites Based on Users’ Bookmarks
• WonderHowTo: Huge ‘How to’ Video Search Engine