Cool Websites and Tools [December 18th, 2009]

Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory.

(1) QuranFlash – Quran, also spelled as Koran, is the Holy book of Muslims. There are millions of Quran readers on the internet but very few websites provide a proper reading experience. Most of the websites are purely HTML based and require you to browse or search through a large menu to go to the specific chapter. QuranFlash makes reading Quran smoother by providing all the content in an easy-to-navigate flash interface Read more: QuranFlash: Read Quran Online In Flash

(2) PhotoSwarm – is a tool for those who are really into taking pictures, especially professional photographers. It lets you create free photo website and then use it to showcase your photography quickly and easily. You can upload your albums and add galleries without a hassle. Read more: PhotoSwarm: Create Free Photo Websites

(3) Bing4Free – One of the things that Bing has better than Google is their collection of scenic images in their home search page. Now, you can quickly turn these bing images to background wallpapers with Bing4Free. This desktop app automatically downloads images from Bing.com as wallpapers. Read more: Bing4Free: Turns Bing Images to Background Wallpapers

(4) Showtime – is a cool app for the iPhone which helps you keep a track of your favorite shows on TV. What’s interesting here is that it isn’t an iPhone app which you need to download from the Appstore. Instead, it’s a web app created specifically to work on iPhone and iPod touch. Read more: Showtime: Track Your Favorite TV Show Air Times On iPhone

(5) Instantizer – They shut down the Polaroid factory, but if you want to bring that retro-style photography to the digital age there’s always Instantizer.com. This simple web application allows you to upload an image and turn it into a polaroid style image, complete with the psuedo-handwritten note of your choice. You’re even given a link to share with your friends for 24 hours. Read more: Instantizer: Turn Your Photo Into a Polaroid Style Snapshot

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These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed.

Tagged: cool web apps

Mark O'Neill

Mark O'Neill is the managing editor of MakeUseOf.com

xzd

Wow, thanks for mentioning QuranFlash. This truly shows that you’re an open minded person. I’ve been visiting your website for almost a year now and I have to say that you’re [Cool Websites and Tools] section is my favourite

aza

“Open-minded” or political agenda?

To show the Quran at the top of the list right before one of the most important holidays for Christians is insensitive, to say the least, and smacks of an deeep-seated political agenda. Would you do the same for Christian sites right before Ramadan or while showing a believers trip to Mecca?

I feel sorry that you chose to highlight only Islam, when the world has so many religions. Why when you feel the need to show your “diversity”, you only show Islam? A typical ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality.

Keep Makeuseof politics free. These kind of postings just make people hate each other.

music

I agree…This is a very insensitive post during the Christian holiday season. Imagine the scorn Muslims would lay on you for posting messages about Catholicism or Protestant views during Muslim holidays.

I agree with the other poster that this just creates tension and makes people fight. You should be more careful in your postings so it includes all…Diversity also means Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, and many East Indian and native religions.
http://makeuseof.com Kaly

Calm down everyone. It is just a book, and if you do not like it, do not read it. I have also added a Bible link as an alternative at the end of article.

http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/quranflash-read-quran-online/

Here you go, if you want to you can read Bible online: http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/ibible-read-entire-bible/

In the future I will be also adding online version of Torah (Talmud), and I already sense that we will see plenty of Jewish haters.

Jharel

Good grief, you’re just making everything worse with your editorializing.

Why would Christians be offended by the Torah when the contents of the Torah is contained in the Old Testament portion of the Bible?

At least look up Wikipedia before inserting foot into mouth…
http://makeuseof.com Kaly

I have never said that Christians would be offended by it.

I said “I already sense that we will see plenty of Jewish haters.”

There are lots of crazy fags out there.
Matthew

That’s idiotic, Jharel – if you were at all educated you would know that Islam is built on top of Judaism and Christianity and refer to both the Torah and the Bible as holy books as well.

Talk about someone needing to look at Wikipedia before getting foot-breath….

http://makeuseof.com Aibek

I don’t get it, what’s a big deal about, makeuseof is about usfel websites. We find a cool tool and profile it. What’s wrong about posting QuranFlash before Chrsitmas? I don’t get it.

Looking back at the archives I can see we profiled the iBible not long before one of the muslim holidays. In none of the cases we looked at whether it’s the right timing for a post or not. It was published because we just discovered that particular tool around that time. That’s all there is.

Sanjay

I too noticed Quran being highlighted (I searched for stuff on religions on the site and found these posts). I suppose all the adverse comments came because of the present charged political environment around the world.

But I take this opportunity to lodge a request. I have looked for a download that will play one or more of our Hindu religious text’s verses every time the PC is started. More important, it should be played out in sequence (e.g., say verse 1 – 4 the first time, 5 – 8 the next, and so on). If you ever find something like this, at least I will be very interested.

jak kendly

Amazing…websites tools are very nice and its make my work easy and interesting than before.

http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2384196
xzd

Well honestly, I never thought of it that way. I never meant to offend anyone with my post. So apologies for any inconvenience. I see lots of hate, racist and otherwise anti religion websites and I don’t see people making a fuss about it, so seriously, If you’re going to blame or criticize the poster for his links then you must be really narrow minded. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean any harm. Chill out :- )
Hammad

Thanks for the QuranFlash website. I am a Muslim and a regular visitor of this site. It is the first time i have seen a website related to Muslim faith and it is a excellent selection.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
Matthew

Gotta love those Crazy Christians who think that any mention of any relgion other than theirs is somehow an insult to them. You can’t talk about ANYTHING without these folks running up and whining about “keeping christ in christmas” and whatnot, complaining about “diversity” as if they’re some kind of minority that deserves attention, and any discussion of anything else suddenly becomes some anti-Christian conspiracy theory or political agenda. Sorry – not everyone thinks like you do.

Sorry folks, it’s not true. There are lots of holidays this time of year, and they’re all worth paying attention to, not just yours. Or mine. All of them. Happy holidays to ALL, not just one. No exceptions.