52 Incredibly Useful Sites The Full List

Here's our entire collection of the best, most practical Websites, arranged by category.

Robert Strohmeyer

Sunday, April 25, 2010 06:00 PM PDT

You know all about Google's smorgasbord of Web tools, but have you tried Measy, Topicfire, or Yammer? While a few big names seem to dominate the Internet, the Web continues to flourish with a never-ending stream of incredibly useful new sites and services.

PCWorld's editors never stop scouring the Internet for the best and most creative new ideas we can find. Here are 52 phenomenally cool Web services that you may not have heard of, but definitely need to try.

For a more detailed look at our choices for the most useful sites on the Web, see the stories listed below.

• 16 Productivity-Enhancing Websites
• 13 Terrific Sites for Managing Media and Sharing Files
• 13 Top-Notch Web Services for Business and Communication
• 10 Great Shopping, Dining, and Travel Websites

Business

• GenBook: Allows clients to schedule appointments with your company
• Huddle: Helps your workgroup manage projects, and offers online storage
• JobSpice: Generates attractive online résumés
• Phonebooth: Provides phone services
• Stacks: Organizes tasks by person and project
• TextFlow: Simplifies document collaboration
• Yammer: Gives workgroups a private microblog
• Zoho: Offers a large variety of cloud-based apps

Communication

• FaxZero: Sends no-cost, ad-supported faxes
• Foursquare: Broadcasts the locations where you and your pals "check in"
• Meebo: Connects to multiple IM services
• Sobees: Coordinates various social networks
• Tatango: Distributes texts to small groups

Dining

• Nutrition Data: Details the content of food at restaurants and in recipes
• OpenTable: Makes reservations at restaurants

File Sharing and Storage

• Dropbox: Gives 2GB of storage and syncs files
• Drop.io: Creates anonymous drop boxes
• Humyo: Provides 10GB of free storage
• Livecage: Allows live audio and video streaming
• Live Mesh: Syncs files and gives remote access
• Qik: Streams video from your smartphone

Media

• Animoto: Assembles stunning slideshows
• Citrify: Supplies quick photo-editing tools
• CutMP3: Trims any song to ringtone length
• Eventful: Lists happenings in your area
• Grooveshark: Provides diverse music and social features in a slick interface
• Librophile.com: Offers downloadable audiobooks
• Pixorial: Presents easy-to-use video-editing tools

Productivity

• Bubbl.us: Offers simple mind-mapping tools
• Evernote: Captures ideas, notes, or audio
• LogMeIn: Gives you remote access to your PCs
• Mint: Syncs with your financial accounts to help you monitor your budget
• Passpack: Manages all of your online passwords
• PearBudget: Tracks your income and spending
• Proxify: Gives you anonymous access to regionally blocked content
• Smart.fm: Provides free online courses
• Speedtest.net: Assesses your Internet connection's download and upload speeds
• Springpad: Supplies templates for organizing your personal data
• Stickybits: Links digital data to physical objects
• Teux Deux: Groups your weekly tasks by date
• Topicfire: Aggregates news in topics you choose
• TwitPay: Lets you raise funds via Twitter
• Wakerupper: Makes calls to rouse or remind you
• Zip Code Lookup: Shows the right code for mail

Shopping

• Droolr: Lists the hottest gadgets
• Filler Item Finder: Digs up useful but cheap items on Amazon for meeting the free-shipping amount
• Measy: Gives quizzes to narrow down choices
• RetailMeNot: Provides store coupon codes
• TheFind: Ferrets out obscure products

Travel

• GasBuddy.com: Reports current local fuel prices
• SeatExpert: Shows the best seats on any flight
• Sit or Squat: Indicates the closest clean restroom