5 of my top free favs on the Internet
Probably one of the most misused and abused words in the English language today is the word “Free.” When you hear the word “free” what is the first thought that comes to mind? Probably phrases such as “What’s the catch?” “You can’t get something for nothing.” or “It’s probably a scam.” It’s a shame that because of gimmicks and fine line print offers that the word “free” only briefly excites us and then makes us suspicious. But every now and then an exception comes along that’s truly free-no strings attached, no hidden agendas. Here are 5 of my favorites:
Open Office: Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org) is a free and open source suite of office productivity programs that acts just like Microsoft Office . It supports Microsoft Office formats among others and supports over 80 different languages. Features include Writer (Microsoft Word), Calc (Excel), Base (Access) and Draw (Visio). A great free alternative for those who don’t want to give Bill Gates anymore money.
Hulu: Missed an episode of “The Office”? Have an urge to watch one of your favorite tv programs from the 70’s? Then Hulu may be your answer. Hulu is a website that offers commercial-supported streaming video of TV shows and movies from NBC, Fox and many other networks such as Bravo, PBS and Sci Fi. Boasting over 250 shows and 100 movies, Hulu also offers many episodes in high definition. Who needs a DVR with this free service?
AVG Anti-virus: If you are fed up with Norton Antivirus screwing up your computer, then AVG Anti-Virus may be just what the doctor ordered. Although AVG 8 Free doesn’t offer the rootkit or full spyware protection that the pay version has, its minimalist and easy to use interface combined with its effective protection against viruses and spyware, make this tool a must have for Windows users without paying a dime.
Pandora: Yes, radio has always been free. But with Pandora’s internet radio, you only have to listen to music that you like. Pandora is an automated music recommendation and Internet radio service in which users enter a song or artist that they enjoy, and the service responds by playing selections that are musically similar. Its deep library makes for an excellent means of discovering new music and can be an extremely quick addiction for the music übergeek.
Gizmo: If you’re looking to be king of the communications universe,-you’ll want to try Gizmo. It’s Skype-like software that lets you make free phone calls to other Gizmo users–and inexpensive calls to landlines and cell phones all over the world. It’s also a universal instant messenger. There are no monthly fees or setup fees and it also comes with free voicemail, and two-way SMS. A great way to save on money on your phone bill!
To learn about more free stuff visit: GRATIS: Free Stuff
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