The Top 100 Websites of 2013
Every year we take a trip around the Internet to compile a list of classic sites—and some undiscovered ones you may have missed. Here are the links you should be bookmarking.
Undiscovered: Apps
Compfight
Sometimes you need a perfect image, and while there are plenty to be found online—you don't always have the right to use them. Compfight has a great Flickr-specific search that will find not only the right image, but one with a Creative Commons license so you can use it anywhere and with the right attribution. It'll also check stock image sites, if you've got a budget.
Haiku Deck
Got a big presentation to make? Haiku Deck allows you to create a quick and easy slide deck online (or via an iPad app). The goal is to make the presentation engaging, not an informational overload, and Haiku Deck has the goods to make it happen. It eschews all the tools that might lead you into the realm of overdone PowerPoint.
BestBequest
Wish you had a digital safe-deposit box for all your important electronic documents? Not just your work files, but important documents like estate docs? With BestBequest you build an "estate archive" of your belongings and where they should go. You fill in the interview portion, create future correspondence to go out to people as far as two decades from now, and the site will take care of things by mailing docs or video messages for you when you're no longer around.
Draft
Modern word processors aren't that different from 20 years ago—they still conform to a printed-page paradigm, even on screen. The modern Web app for word processing—like Draft—knows better. Draft is quick and easy, saves to services you use daily (like Dropbox, Evernote, or Google Drive), and offers simple document collaboration.
MyDirectives
You're not going to live forever. Even if you're healthy as a horse today, why take chances about tomorrow? MyDirectives lets you set up an advance medical directive online and stores the info securely. It's available to you, your family contacts, and emergency personnel. The site uses the Universal Advance Digital Directive™ or uADD, which is used around the world. Make sure people know what you want before you go.
PolicyBuddy
Have you noticed the trend in ensuring your safety with Web apps this year? PolicyBuddy is in the same vein: it stores your insurance policy documents online for free, so you can get to them anytime—especially after catastrophe strikes.
Postable
Too lazy to buy a card, write on it, stamp it, and trudge to the post office? Of course you are. But Postable means you can mail personal greetings without that hassle. Fill in the card online and Postable takes care of printing and mailing. Cards are $2 each plus postage (46 cents). Perfect for get-wells, thank-yous, and, of course, the holidays.
Speek
Want a quick way to set up a conference call? Speek has a website and mobile app that makes it simple for anyone. Create a link (speek.com/YourName) for participants to join the call: no bridge numbers, no PIN codes. You get five attendees free, or unlimited attendees, file sharing, and call recording for $10 per month.