So, we might just have to find other methods of searching for and downloading files like television shows or movies from the interweb. I have been using a website called www.RapidShare.com for a while now to trade files with friends who don’t know what FTP is. Now, I found a neat search engine that will let you search what other people are uploading!

In the past, I’ve shown you a Rapidshare search engine but this new one is even better. It’s called RapidShare123 and is located at http://www.RapidShare123.com. RapidShare123 collects Rapid Share downloads from sites, forums, blogs and portals. Don’t have something to search for? Come on, all you need to search is a little bit of imagination – and if you don’t have any of that, RapidShare123 lists the most recent search terms on their homepage.

In the past, we have showed you how to make use of your Rapidshare account with some free Rapidshare tools that you should definitely check out if you haven’t.

Enough shameless promotion, let’s take a look at how RapidShare123 works.

After browsing over to their website, you will see a big old search box followed by a big blue Find button to find rapid share downloads. That’s all there is to it! I decided to type in something that would not bring up copyrighted materials for this article but hey, you can do whatever you want. I tried and I tried but all of my searches kept returning copyrighted information. I won’t download the actual file but I will walk you through how it works.

I settled down with the search term Simpsons and got a lot of results.  Some times RAR files are broken into multiple files. This is denoted by the “part01″ before the file extension. Using this search, I try to stay away from them but your results may vary. I hit the link 7 items down for The Simpsons Season 19 Episode 10.

That took me to another page that returned this information:

It has the actual Rapid share download link as well as its file size. Click the link to start the download. Below, it lists the most recently downloaded files through their service. The site was just recently released so this info should improve over time. Long story short, RapidShare123 is awesome and can be used to kill some time searching for keywords and then watch what you get. It is almost like looking through someone else’s files.

Do you use a RapidShare search engine? Is yours better? Then, you should definitely share it with us in the comments!

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Use Rapidstack To Find Favorite Rapidshare Download Links (14)
• Use SkipScreen To Bypass Rapidshare Advertising Waiting Screens (14)
• Top Torrent Search Engines for All Torrent Downloaders (23)
• Three Ways to Find Open Registration on Private Torrent Sites (10)
• Rapidshare – Easiest File Sharing (5)

The solution is to put the files online and provide the potential recipients with the download link. But what do you do when you don’t have your own webspace?

You turn to online file sharing websites. There are dozens. Here is a selection of the most convenient ones. They don’t require signing up for an account and provide different options.

File Savr

At File Savr you can upload files of up to 10GB. There is no public file library, but files may not be considered private as the file name may be guessed. There is no time cap on how long items will be stored, the only limitation being that they must be downloaded on a regular basis.

File Dropper

It may not really be the fastest, but along with File Savr it is definitely one of the most convenient free file hosting tools currently on the market. It allows any file type of up to 5GB in size to be uploaded. Files are available publicly and anyone can browse the file database at File Dropper. Files are stored for as long as they are being downloaded.

RapidShare

This is certainly the most popular file hosting destination. While it allows for only 200MB, it provides the possibility to upload up to 10 files simultaneously. Unfortunately, the total sum of files may not exceed 200MB in the case of multiple uploads.

share1t

Straight forward file sharing of up to 100MB per file. Unlike all previous hosts, share1t clearly states for how long file will be available: it’s 15 days of inactivity, then the file will be deleted. After a file was uploaded you can copy the URL, have the link sent to an eMail address or copy the HTML or BBCode to embed it on a website or forum. Very convenient!

Wikisend

The file limit with this host is 100MB and the default lifetime is 7 days. A download link and forum link will be provided. Furthermore you can set properties for the file before and after uploading (after only with an account). You can change the file name, increase the lifetime to up to 90 days, add a description and protect the file with a password. The latter is unique among the file sharing hosts mentioned in this article.

We have previously covered ways to upload and share files online.

Will introduced the Top Free Hosts To Store Your Files Online.

Tim wrote about 4 Easy Tools For Sharing Large Files Over The Internet.

David found another 3 Simple Ways To Send Big Files Over The Internet.

Finally Karl explained how to Use SkipScreen To Bypass Rapidshare Advertising Waiting Screens.

What is your favorite file sharing host?

Image credits: svilen001

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Using Pando To Send Huge Files Across The Web (16)
• Use SkipScreen To Bypass Rapidshare Advertising Waiting Screens (14)
• Use Rapidstack To Find Favorite Rapidshare Download Links (14)
• Search Popular Rapid Share Downloads Easily with RapidShare123 (36)
• Rapidshare – Easiest File Sharing (5)

Well I don’t know about the later (I tend to skip browsing these types of sites) but when I am downloading files using a free account on RapidShare I can tell you I hate staring at the screen for those 30-50 seconds before I can continue and start my download.

I have walked away from the machine to come back a few minutes later only to find out that my download had expired and I had to start all over again!

I know I mentioned that popular file sharing site called Rapidshare but I am also talking about MegaUpload, Zshare and loads of others.

Now I found this great service that gets added to your FireFox by browsing over to Skipscreen and clicking the link to “Add to FireFox”.

Take a look at the video below for a detailed explanation of how SkipScreen works. Or continue on for my ‘how to’.

When you first arrive at the SkipScreen site you will see this screen:

Simply click the button that says ‘Add To FireFox’.

(First and foremost you need to be running Firefox for this to work, so I don’t want to keep getting questions on why it doesn’t work in Internet Explorer or Safari.)

You will be taken to the Firefox add-ons page. Here you click on the same ‘Add To FireFox’ button and this time you will see this screen:

Click on Install Now. You will see your progress followed by this screen:

You know the drill – hit the Restart Firefox button and you are now loaded and ready to go.

Now to give it a shot.

Normally I go to download a free RapidShare link and I have to wait to click my link and then wait some more. Now I simply click my link and continue on with what I am doing and SkipScreen does its magic. When my file becomes available it grabs it and starts my download.

I visited this Rapidshare link to grab a copy of Windows Mobile 6.5 for my ATT Fuze.

The screen I got looked like it normally does but on closer inspection it has a green banner at the bottom that says this:

I continued on to open another tab and after a short while of browsing I saw this pop-up:

This is awesome! I don’t know if it violates the TOS from any of the big download companies but it is making my life MUCH easier!

Anyone else have any tips or tricks on downloading what we want faster – without paying a premium? Hit us up in the comments!

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Use Rapidstack To Find Favorite Rapidshare Download Links (14)
• Search Popular Rapid Share Downloads Easily with RapidShare123 (36)
• Three Ways to Find Open Registration on Private Torrent Sites (10)
• Rapidshare – Easiest File Sharing (5)
• OneSwarm Makes P2P File Sharing Private And Personal (11)

Yup, you can now search for what you want and download it. I have used Google to find Rapidshare download links before but this site called RapidStack is just oh so much better!

Rapidshare does not maintain a directory of the files it hosts. It relies on users trading URL’s and bloggers posting them. But now this amazing site does what was impossible before.

(Just a FYI, I was not able to get to it using www.RapidStack.com due to some DNS issues but http://RapidStack.com works just fine!).

Let’s check it out. I will start off by saying there is no logging in, signing up or fancy options. But it does its job VERY well. I mean there is nothing else you need to do other than have a set of keywords that you want to search for. If you know the file name that you want, that will make it even easier.

You navigate your browser on any platform over to the site and type in a keyword just like any other search engine. I typed in Simpsons. I was looking for Sundays first High Definition Simpsons episode. I hit enter and got back this screen:

It took me about 40 seconds to get to 30% and about 2 minutes to get my full listings. But in all fairness their servers are getting bombarded by traffic from all the people catching on! You can jump in as soon as you see the first listing appear. Next to the title you will see how many Rapidshare links it found and in smaller text where they were snatched from.

Hit that “Extract Links” button.

You will then get a list of Rapidshare links to get each of your files. In this case the 6 files all make up a spanned rar archive that when combined and extracted – it will give me what I want!

You can copy and paste those links into your browser one at a time or even into a word editor that makes active web links from URL’s. Or, better use Linkrr to convert list of texh URLs to clickable links with a single click.

I have used a multiple file downloader for inputting long lists of URLs and it returns a page with clickable links. But when I went to grab the link for the site my Firefox told me that they have hosted malware in the past 90 days so I will not be sharing that link with you now.

Let us know what you use to search and find your Rapidshare downloads!

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Search Popular Rapid Share Downloads Easily with RapidShare123 (36)
• Use SkipScreen To Bypass Rapidshare Advertising Waiting Screens (14)
• Multi-protocol Downloader KCeasy Handles Gnutella, Ares and OpenFT File Sharing (14)
• 3 Alternative Rapidshare Download Managers (26)
• Transmission, The Lightweight BitTorrent Client (11)

But that certainly doesn’t mean that other search engines can’t do a decent, if not better, job and this list has been compiled for just this reason.

So check out this catalog of awesome alternative search engines that are certain to help you search faster and more efficiently on that World Wide Web.

Music & Video

MP3Realm

If you’re one of the countless people today who gets their music digitally, then MP3Realm is for you. The site features a basic search for MP3’s as well as song lyrics.

MP3s can be streamed, added to playlists and of course downloaded. The advanced search option also lets users browse MP3’s by genre (a ton to choose from) or by artist.

TuneFind

I’m sure that some part of all of our lives has been spent in front of the television and I always manage to find a song that catches my fancy no matter what I’m watching. That’s where TuneFind comes in; the site is dedicated to providing users with the names of artists/song titles that have appeared on their favorite television shows, and even movies.

You can even reverse look up artists, to see which films and shows their music has been featured on.

MuviBee

A site dedicated to the best of both worlds, MuviBee lets users search for music and music videos (via YouTube) that might be associated with the song. The site proves to be versatile and certainly unique, providing users with Top 10 Charts from iTunes, the US, UK and Germany as well as direct links to Amazon and iTunes if you should decide to purchase music you like.

ClipBlast

ClipBlast features short videos from a variety of mainstream sources, including Hulu, TBS, BBC etc. The site is easy to use and loaded with enough content to keep you busy for hours.

Blinkx

Blinkx is another quality video search engine that collects results from hundreds of video/television providers and incorporates them into your search. The site also lets you browse videos from a myriad of topics.

If, by the way, you’re having trouble with videos that are limited to region, like Hulu, then try out some of the neat solutions we’ve covered here at MUO.

Files & Others

Rapidshare1

Rapidshare has become a premium site for uploading and serving content for hungry web users. It’s natural then to expect a site devoted to searching for files on Rapidshare, and Rapidshare1 is it. The site is dead simple and all you need to get going is something to look for.

Filestube

Filestube takes Rapidshare1 to another level by aggregating its searches to include several other networks including MegaUpload, YouSendIt, Filefront etc. Searches can also be filtered by file type which adds more convenience to the engine.

FileSnatcher

Another good site, FileSnatcher lets you look for files on a few different file sharing networks, including Badongo, Mediafire and 4shared.

Recipes & Cooking

Cookstr

As the name implies, Cookstr is for the wannabe-chef in all of us. The site is clean and intuitive and searching is simple. What I like best about Cookstr is the wide range of search filters that they offer, some of which include searching for recipes based on chef, author, skill level, holiday, course, cost and much more.

Keep in mind that the site is still in beta and Cookstr will be adding a “menu-search” feature as well as helpful tips/techniques as the site develops.

RecipeZaar

RecipeZaar is another excellent website for searching up quality recipes for your next meal. Users can also search for ‘cookbooks’ which are a collection of another user’s recipes. Also, recipe results feature ratings and nutritional information.

Fun

Tickex

Trying to buy tickets online? Well then check out Tickex, the site that collects search results from multiple ticket providers for concerts, sporting events and theatre. Searches can be made by venue, country, event, city etc. The site also provides direct links to retailers to simplify your experience even further.

Quotiki

Looking for something clever to say in your next argument? Try out Quotiki, a quotation search engine that has collected some of the wisest and shrewd idioms the world over.

WhatsOpen

WhatsOpen is a young site, but its concept is awesome. They let users see what stores, malls and shops are currently open in their neighborhood and how long they’ll be open. As I’ve mentioned, the site is rather new and the working locations are still limited to a few key cities in the US of A, but rest assured new locations are being added as the site grows.

So there you have it readers, 13 awesome search engines for you to play with. Questions, comments, suggestions? Then drop us a line in the comments and share your thoughts with fellow MUO followers.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Free MP3 Downloads: 7 Websites That Make It Really Easy (20)
• 3 Best Sites For Alternative Music Lovers (15)
• Yahoo Searchmonkey Expands with Playable Music Tracks (3)
• Welcome To The Future Of Online Search (5)
• Use Rapidstack To Find Favorite Rapidshare Download Links (14)

But what I hate most about this file sharing service is that – being one of the pioneers in the file sharing business – almost everybody uses Rapidshare and you can find almost everything there.  So we just have to grit our teeth and accept it as it is.

Or do we?

I’ve searched the web and actually found quite a few Rapidshare download managers which can overcome Rapidshare limitations (or at least some of the limitations) but not each and every one of them can be used ‘conveniently’ – some of them are not in English, some others are spyware, some can’t be downloaded.

So, here are only three slightly better-than-the-others choices which will make your ‘rapidsharing’ life easier. All for Windows only unfortunately. I wasn’t lucky enough to find anything for other OS’s. But no worries, you can still check out cool Rapidshare tools that we covered earlier.

Let’s assume that you already have the Rapidshare location of the file you want to download (if not, look at this Rapidshare search engine to give you a headstart). Therefore all that is left to do is to download the file conveniently with one of these tools:

1. RapGet

The first recommended app is RapGet. This is a small standalone Rapidshare download client – only around 200KB – which can help you download multiple files from Rapidshare if you have the Premium Account. But if you use the free account, it will download one file at a time, and automatically wait a specified period of time before attempting to download your next file.  So just enter all your Rapidshare URL’s and it will download them all for you one at a time.

Besides that, RapGet also supports 60 other file hosting services such as MegaUpload, Box.net and others which work similar to Rapidshare. All you need to do is enter your file hosting account login information.

2. RapidHarvest

If you are longing for a Rapidshare download manager with scripting ability, then maybe you’ve just found the solution.

You can add multiple links to be downloaded by using menu File –> Import –> From Text. This feature is very convenient for those who use Rapidshare regularly, as many of the large downloads are chunked into smaller files.

3. Rapidme

Rapidme is an all-in-one Rapidshare tool. You can share your links which you submitted on Rapidshare, Megaupload.com, and Sendfile.com. Rapidme also lets you search, rate and add links.

But even though Rapidme has no spyware, no adware, and is 100% free to use; it’s ad supported. It’ll show an advertising banner on the lower part of the window.   So it’s up to you whether that bothers you or not.

If you know any other unknown but good Rapidshare download managers, or know similar apps which work under Mac or Linux, please share them using the comments below.

Did you like the post? Please do share your thoughts in the comments section!

New on MakeUseOf ? Get cheat sheets and cool PDF guides @ www.makeuseof.com/makeuseof-downloads/

• Use Rapidstack To Find Favorite Rapidshare Download Links (14)
• Use SkipScreen To Bypass Rapidshare Advertising Waiting Screens (14)
• Transmission, The Lightweight BitTorrent Client (11)
• Top 3 Reasons Kazaa Lite English Is Better Than Kazaa (8)
• The Best Free File Download Managers for Windows (36)

Rapidshare, the world’s biggest (over 30 mil.files) and fastest file hoster. Currenty storing more then 360 terrabytes(360.000 GB) of data and growing. Users mainly use it to conveniently share files with other users. After you upload files to the system for people to download it they need to know link to the the file(which is known to you only). So you simply share your link with anyone you want to.

If you are in frequent need of such service then go through simple sign up process,to open a free account. Account area has simple admin interface for managing all uploaded files. There are 2 types of accounts; free and premium. While you can do allmost all basic stuff with free account, premium account has some extra useful features like parallel file downloads option and unlimited hosting of files even if they haven’t been downloaded once in the last 30 days. Premium accounts priced between 3 EUR to 79 EUR. If you are using free account you are required to wait on average 25 sec. before download starts after file has been selected.

To sum up, I give this service thumbs up and think it is more convenient then Yousendit which we reviewed eariler.

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