Tuesday 22 January 2008

Netvibes makes internet research no hassle


Once upon a time, after walking 60 miles, barefoot, t'nearest mill (aka commuting to an open-plan hanger office) my working day kicked off with 30mins, tops, immersed in Guardianunlimited's travel site...often I’d catch a piece on emerging destinations or stumble across Ryanair's latest flight path. Ooh, wasn't this systematic … me, a responsible editor, with the travel industry’s pulse pounding beneath my typing fingertips. Then, I just didn't know better.

In May-ish 2007 I logged into Netvibes. I worked it out (ok, so it's a repository for web feeds. Tabs per subject; live lists of headlines, per site, updating whenever web content updates. So, how do I add a feed that I want to view?) and went from ad hoc surfing - now and then striking gold - to being an utter know-it-all.

Pre-Netvibes, my view of online news was equivalent to looking across the Fenland horizon at a couple of trees, a tractor and a wind-beaten scarecrow - the occassional hawk gliding or hot-air balloon floating across the sky if timing was right. Post-Netvibes, I see from the top of the Empire States Building; high above, surveying a pulsing network of existence.

Headlines update alongside each other on one web page. It's invaluable for assessing the days/mths/year's travel trends, and comparing mainstream media against obscure networks or individuals’ blogs. My example ... I keep an eye on BBC News headlines alongside posts by a stranger who gave up the rat-race to live by the sea in Positano, Italy. Thanks to her, I've seen summer, autumn and Christmas on the Amalfi Coast, from my desk. Click for that blog: The Life I Chose

‘Thank you Netvibes’, for channelling constant streams of inspirational content to my hanger-office.

Add Sandwagon to Netvibes to see articles as they appear (see them without even looking). Sign in ,then copy my url and 'add content' to Netvibes by pasting it in.

Click for easy internet. Netvibes

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