roundup

Get your questions answered with these resources

The Web is arguably the best way to get your burning questions answered quickly. But finding online resources beyond search sites such as Google and Bing that will help you do that can be difficult.

Which services can you trust? Which will get you the best information? I've sifted through several question-and-answer Web sites, trying to find the most reliable services. Let's take a look.

Get your Q&A on

Ask Me Help Desk Ask Me Help Desk has an extremely active community that seems constantly willing to answer your questions.

When you get to Ask Me Help Desk, you'll need to first click on the category that best matches your query. So if you want to ask a question about business or technology, you'll have to click on either option. From there, you can ask any question that might be related to a particular topic on the site.

Since the site's community is so active, it's likely that you'll find a question that someone has already posed that's either exactly the same as yours or quite close. If you still want to ask your question, you can, but I found in my queries that finding the right answer was made easy by quickly searching the site.

I asked several questions to see how the site performed on different topics. I asked how many dog breeds there were (about 400, according to the top answer), looked to see if anyone knew what HTTP stood for (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and more. In almost every case, except for a medical question for which I'm still awaiting an answer, the question was already asked, and the answer was available on the site.

Ask Me Help Desk is a great service that will let you access answers for free. I just wish registration wasn't required to ask a question.

Askville Amazon's Askville is another take on the many question-and-answer sites on the Web. But unlike most of the other services, which allow you only to ask a question, Askville, which is free to use, will let you input details about your question to get a more desired response.

I found that when I used the detail option in my queries, I received the best response. I was able to ask the community a better question. For example, instead of asking how many dog breeds there were, I used the detail option to also ask Askville users how many terrier breeds are currently recognized by the American Kennel Club. It worked: there are 27 terrier breeds recognized by the AKC.

Askville's biggest issue is its design. It doesn't have a simple, easily navigable menu system like many of its competitors. Unfortunately, the site's front page is dominated by an enormous logo, a huge search box, and random questions that most people probably won't care about. A sleeker navigation pane would have been preferable. Besides that, I like Askville. The answers I got were generally informative. And thanks to such a large community, many of the questions you might ask are already on the site.… Read more

Swine flu apps you'll want on your iPhone

The H1N1 Influenza, better known as the swine flu, is a real concern for just about everyone this year, making keeping up to date on the latest news paramount.

But considering we're all so busy, remembering to visit government Web sites can be difficult. Installing some basic apps onto your iPhone isn't. Check out some of these apps that will keep you abreast of all the latest news about the swine flu.

Swine Flu apps CDC News Reader If you want the latest and most up-to-date information on the swine flu, CDC News Reader is probably a good place to start.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides all the latest information available on the swine flu. And since it also provides information on other outbreaks the organization is tracking, you're likely to find some of the best health data of any app in this roundup. For 99 cents, it might be worth it.

H1N1 Cases by State If you want daily updates on how the swine flu is spreading, H1N1 Cases by State will fill you in.

H1N1 Cases by State automatically downloads daily all the new instances of swine flu in each state in the U.S. When you click on a new outbreak, you'll be brought to a page detailing it. You can also see how many deaths have occurred because of the outbreak. For 99 cents, it's not a bad app to have with you when you need some updates.… Read more

Online task managers to organize your life

Organizing your life is much easier in theory than practice. And although there are several ways to go about it, including using Outlook, online task managers might be your best bet. Whether you want it built into your existing social networks or you prefer something you can surf to during your day, I've picked some nice services. They're not perfect for everyone, but you should find at least one service that satisfies your needs.

Task managers

Gmail Tasks If you don't want to waste time with different sites to track your tasks, try out the Gmail Tasks.

When you click on Tasks in Gmail, a small box is displayed allowing you to quickly jot down notes about what you need to do for the rest of the day. When you complete a task, simply check the box next to the item and it will cross it out. Tasks also lets you add sub-head items, set up due dates, and more. It's a great service for those who want a convenient, yet powerful task manager.

Nozbe Nozbe is a powerful task manager that should help you find all the functionality you already enjoy in Outlook.

After you sign up for Nozbe (you'll need to choose between a free plan or several paid options, which cost up to $149 per month depending on the number of users you have), you'll immediately find a full-featured task manager that goes far beyond a simple to-do list. The app lets you create a project, add tasks, and determine their importance. For multi-user projects, you can decide which person in your group should tackle each task.

Nozbe lets you upload notes to supplement tasks. You can also attach files, images, or documents. Like many of the other services in this roundup, Nozbe will let you send tasks through Twitter. You can call in updates via Jott. You can even manage your Nozbe account from your iPhone. That kind of availability might pull some from Outlook.… Read more

Fun and games with Opera 10 widgets

If you've just started using Opera for the first time with the release of Opera 10 (download for Windows|Mac), you're probably looking to add some widgets to your browser. But finding exactly what you need might take some time. That's why it's best to start with Opera's "Fun and Games" widgets. They're perfect for those times at work when you want to forget about the day and just zone out for a few minutes.

Fun and games with Opera

25 Square Puzzle If you enjoyed Lights Out, an electronic puzzle from the 1990s, you might like 25 Square Puzzle.

Unlike Lights Out, 25 Square Puzzle wants you to turn lights on. As you start clicking on different blocks in the game, you'll find that based on the block you click, other lights will turn off. You'll need to find the right combination to get all the lights on in as few clicks as possible. It's much harder than it sounds. Try it out.

Basketball Basketball is an extremely simple Opera widget, but it's also quite fun once you learn how to play.

Basketball places a basketball hoop to the left of your screen and a ball underneath the hoop. At the top of your screen, you'll find a scoreboard. The goal is to score as many points as possible within the allotted time. To do so, you'll need to click on the ball at the right angle to "shoot" it into the hoop. It's a tough game to get used to, but once you do, you'll probably find yourself sneaking games when no one is looking.… Read more

If you're an entrepreneur, it's time to get social

Whether you're creating the next Facebook or you have a patent on three-tiered umbrellas, you're an entrepreneur. But finding funding for your idea, getting some advice, or even just talking to people in your same situation can be difficult. Social networks designed specifically for entrepreneurs aim to help you achieve your goals. Check them out.

Go social, entrepreneur

Cofoundr To sign up for Cofoundr, you'll need to input a work or school e-mail address. That's annoying, considering many people have ideas that they've yet to start, but it's not a deal-breaker.

Once you do sign up for the site, you can immediately input all your personal information, including where you're from, what the focus of your business is, and more. Based on those responses, Cofoundr will match you with other entrepreneurs in your area. If you want to share your idea to see if investors will give you some much-needed capital, Cofoundr's Ideas page will help you out. But perhaps Cofoundr's best feature is its member-search option, which allows you to find people based on their expertise. Whether you're looking for a venture capitalist or strategy executive, the site will provide it. It's a nice service.

Entrepreneur Connect Entrepreneur.com's Entrepreneur Connect is a fine way to connect with other business owners. But unlike many of the apps in this roundup, Entrepreneur's service provides access to a wider array of companies.

When you first get to Entrepreneur Connect, you'll find that you don't need to waste your time registering. Instead, you can jump right in and start networking with other entrepreneurs. The site's "Make Connections" feature is especially useful. You can input certain criteria you're looking for in a connection and it will find people matching those items. The site also has some active groups for every industry represented in the social network. Entrepreneur Connect is a neat service. Try it out.… Read more

It's time for fantasy football: Tools to help

After several months of waiting, fantasy football is finally back. Football fans all over the U.S. are gearing up to take on friends as they compete to find out who has what it takes to capture this year's crown.

To achieve that goal, you'll need the right tools. That's where we come in. Check out these tools for the fantasy football player.

Get your fantasy on

League creation

CBS Fantasy Football If you're looking for a full-featured fantasy product, check out CBS Fantasy Football.

After you sign up for CBS Fantasy Football, you can either join a public league or create your own private league for free. The app makes it easy to find players, you have the option of online and offline drafting, and customizing your league takes just seconds. When you finally create your league, you'll find everything from expert advice to draft kits. The service has some really nice features. (Disclosure: CNET News is published by CBS Interactive, a unit of CBS.)

ESPN Fantasy Football ESPN Fantasy Football features everything you'd want from a fantasy service.

After you sign up for the free Fantasy Football on ESPN, you can opt to join a public or private game. From there, you can rank you players, research those that will provide the best chances of helping your team, and more. Thanks to ESPN's wealth of information, you can research any stat you want. Playing in the ESPN league is simple and fun. But I had one issue with ESPN's service: the company's "Insider" offering, which provides the best information on players, will cost you $3.33 per month for access to it. That's a bummer.… Read more

Tools to keep your kids safe online

Although some of us remember life before computers and the Internet, there's a new generation of children who don't. From an early age, they're on PCs, playing games, and in many cases, learning about the Internet.

That's why it's so important to safeguard your children while they're surfing the Web. The Internet can be a scary place, but these resources will help keep the bad stuff away:

Glubble Glubble bills itself as a family "social network" and browser. Although I'm not entirely convinced that it's a social network, it does do a fine job of ensuring your kids stay safe online.

Glubble lets you upload content like photos, videos, or special moments for your family to see. But where it shines is in controlling what your kids can do on the Web. All the sites they can browse are approved by you. Whenever they go to different sites, it's recorded so you can see what your kids are up to when they use the computer. Glubble provides your kids with several activities, including games and puzzles. It's a nice app for both the family and the children.

Kido'z Kido'z is an Adobe AIR application that safeguards your children as they browse the Web. But unlike normal browsers, Kido'z determines what your kids can and cannot view.

After you download Kido'z, you'll be brought to a page showing icons for a handful of popular franchises for children, including Mickey Mouse, Dora the Explorer, and others. When you click on one of those options, you'll be brought to the subject's respective Web page within the app. You can click around as you would if you were using Firefox. Kido'z works well and it will help keep your kids safe from some of the Web's dangers.… Read more

Behind 10 eyebrow-raising App Store rejections

Frustrated programmers have highlighted what they believe to be double standards, strange policies, and flip-flopping among Apple's App Store guards.

Several developers whose applications have been rejected from the store, which hosts third-party software developed for the iPhone and iPod Touch, have published their correspondence with Apple.

Apple's rejections of apps accused of infringing a patent or copyright make sense to most industry insiders. But some App Store rejections have raised quite a few eyebrows.

In an attempt to highlight--and perhaps make some sense of--a few of the more questioned rejections, I've compiled a list of those that caused me to scratch my head.

The shock starts here

CastCatcher

CastCatcher Internet Radio was enjoying its placement in Apple's App Store until the company decided to release version 1.3. The new iteration was rejected by Apple for a strange reason.

Apple wrote in a letter to CastCatcher's developer, Amro Mousa, that the application's update was rejected because it transferred "excessive volumes of data over the cellular network." Mousa was a little perplexed by Apple's decision to suddenly deny the application access to the store, considering that the new version of the app didn't transfer more data than previous, approved versions. Worst of all, Mousa said, his app was using the same amount of data as competing streaming-radio applications.

Current status: Eventually, Mousa and Apple were able to reach a middle ground, and new versions of the application were allowed into the App Store. CastCatcher 1.4.4 is currently offered in Apple's store for $1.99.

Eucalyptus Eucalyptus, an e-book reader app, was denied access to Apple's App Store after the company found that it allowed users to read the Kama Sutra. The ancient book on sexuality was downloaded from Project Gutenberg, which the app used to acquire books.

In a letter sent to Eucalyptus developers, Apple said that the app was denied because it gave users access to "objectionable" material. If the developers removed the Kama Sutra from its book listings, Apple would have allowed the app into the Store.

Current status: After having some discussions with Apple, a Eucalyptus developer wrote on the company's blog that Apple had relented and would allow the full version of the app, Kama Sutra and all, into the App Store. It's currently available for $9.99.

FreedomTime

In a political statement, a group of developers created an application called FreedomTime, to count down the days left until former President George W. Bush has been out of office.

The app featured President Bush on an analog clock as it counted down until President Barack Obama's inauguration. When users clicked on the President's body, it played so-called "truthisms," clips from speeches President Bush had given about leaving office.

Apple rejected the application on the grounds that it was "defaming, demeaning, or attacking political figures." That's an App Store no-no, evidently.

Current status: FreedomTime is still not available in the App Store. In its place, a Web site has been built to countdown the number of days former President Bush has been out of office.… Read more

Go social with these Wordpress plug-ins

With the help of plug-ins, you can extend the functionality of your Wordpress blog far beyond what's available to you when you add it to your server.

One of the best ways to get the most out of your blogs is through social plug-ins. These simple plug-ins can be added to your blog to help you connect socially with both your readers and their friends. They offer a fine way to build traffic to your site.

Go social with your blog

Add to Facebook If you want to make it easy for readers to syndicate your content to Facebook, Add to Facebook is the plug-in for you.

The plug-in provides a simple option at the bottom of each post, called "Share on Facebook." When the reader clicks on that link, they're immediately delivered to their Facebook page, showing a thumbnail of the image in your blog post, as well as the beginning of your post. If Facebook followers click on that link, they'll be delivered to your page. It's a neat utility. And it's a great way to share content through social channels.

Digg Digg Although its name might suggest that Digg Digg is a way to get readers to share your content with the popular social news site, it's much more than that.

Digg Digg allows you to add voting buttons to your blog. You can add a TweetMeme retweet button, a Yahoo Buzz button, and a "Submit to Reddit" option, along with your Digg button. The plug-in also allows you to decide where to place those buttons. You can choose the top, bottom, left, or right of your post.… Read more