Store your home inventory list online using StuffSafe
The problem with insurance is that you are never prepared for the time when you need to make a claim through your insurance company. We often fail to keep an inventory list up-to-date and, even if we do, if you suffer from a major natural act (such as water damage), your paper-based inventory list may be destroyed. How would you make a successful claim when everything was lost in the flood?
StuffSafe is an online system that enables you to create an inventory list of your household items and keep them updated. As it is account based, you won't need to worry about other people accessing this data and, better still, as it's online it's always safe even if your home computer is damaged. As long as you can remember your password, you can access the contents from anywhere at any time.
StuffSafe link.



Well, I suppose the title got you hooked, at least. I don't understand 'social networking'. Although I have an account on LinkedIn, and occasionally use the site to contact old business contacts, I'm not a massive fan of something like Facebook, unless you're 17 and find it interesting to show all your friends photos of you on the lash, at Glastonbury or other real-life event. Why they need to see these things? When was there a time where we felt compelled to share our social life with people who weren't even involved in the event? Bizarre.
The problem with any website is getting the layout as professional-looking as a DTP generated magazine. It's very difficult and there are so many inconsistencies across web browsers, particular on older computers. What looks good on Firefox 2 may look poor on Internet Explorer 6. Believe it or not, there are still a fair few people still using the old IE.
Who needs software when you can run either your business or home applications, online? We recently stated that Soho Online would enable you to run your office suite, online, without having to install Microsoft Office. Even better, it has support for Office 2007, which is lacking in some commercial off-the-shelf applications. Well, now you can design, create and host your own website, without even leaving your web browser.
When the MacBook Air was released, people complained that they didn't believe a 80GB drive enabled enough storage space to manage their apps, music, data files and photos. However, if you're clever, you could use a media server to store your music and then simply share the music with the laptop. If you wanted to save drive space, avoid installing large applications and do your work, online. For instance, there are online photo editors, data storage tools and more.
Only a few short years ago, designing your homepage required you to master something like Adobe Dreamweaver. Although it's not overly complicated, the interface is enough to put off most novice web developers. This is why tools such as the Mac-only Rapidweaver have been a revelation. They enable you to take an existing template and then populate your site by inserting important information, such as your contact info and logo. Publish and you have your own professional website.
We've written about the use of portable applications both here on this Junky and on vnunet.com on numerous occasions. You can use portable applications to take your favourite desktop tools on the road, either installed on a USB stick, your iPod or an external drive. Find any PC, connect your USB stick and you can use these apps without having to write personal information back to the host computer. Ideal for anyone who has to use another users PC, an Internet cafe or on a hotel PC.
Storing your files online isn't a new idea. Even way back in 1995, files were downloaded from FTP sites, rather than a website. Even your free homepage is, effectively, a site where you could upload and download files. As long as you can remember your login/pass (or change it to something memorable), you can login, upload, then download from another computer. However, both Microsoft and AOL have attempted to make this a seamless process for novice users by offering free 5GB worth of storage, along with tools to enable you to backup your data.
There are an increasing number of online media portals where you can stream and watch videos, clips of films, sporting highlights and various creative and humorous home-made videos. Sometimes though, you may come across a video that you want to share with others or store on your PC or, perhaps, locate a video you have been searching for, such as an old music video you used to own on VHS cassette. Most of these online media portals operate with a view-only policy.
The other day we featured the