My Internet Fab Five

Posted on by Jacky Hackett

A simplistic and basic top five to say the least, but they provide a strong foundation for my overall toolkit I rely on daily:

  1. Facebook:  My preference tool for communicating with people I know personally.  I was skeptical when I began using Facebook, I really only signed up to get a feel for what all the cool kids were doing these days.  I found an immediate use for the tool in my daily internet life.  Time is a commodity that no one ever seems to have enough of.  This is where I find Facebook useful for short burst of communication with family and friends.  Granted it is not personal or intimate by any means but often it is all I have time to accomplish.
  2. Twitter:  Tool  of preference to communicate with the people I don’t know, but wish I did.  Twitter is a great space it keep up on topics of interest or educate yourself on topics you are lacking knowledge.  You can choose to be completely passive and just consume information if you prefer.  You can push information in your area of expertise and you can interact with others.  At times it feels like trying to drink from a fire hydrant.  The information gets pumped out so fast, it is hard to consume.  Something I have yet to master.
  3. Google Calendar:  Google calendar saved my marriage!  Kidding.  Kind of.  This is the best tool any household.  A shared online calendar with everyone’s schedule in one place.  It comes complete with email reminders, text reminders, and is even accessible from your PDA.  I can even overlay it on my Outlook calendar at work.  This really has been a stress saver coordinating family logistics, especially with a husband that travels as much as mine does.
  4. Google Reader:  Well I suppose any reader will do.  I used to love Bloglines, I tried out Google Reader and just never went back.  I preferred the mobile interface, and the easy access from my Gmail account is a bonus.  I love the one stop shopping for my online reading; blogs, news, preferred topics, sites etc.
  5. Amazon:  If Amazon doesn’t sell it then I don’t need it.  Seriously!  I hate shopping, I have no time for shopping, no patience for shopping.  I have been using Amazon almost as long as it has been around.  The Amazon Prime my friend gifted me makes this site even more invaluable to me.  The speed of delivery amazes me every time.
Honorable Mention:  Google Alerts

If only I could find a task list to round out these basics. 

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    • 4 thoughts on “My Internet Fab Five”

    1. Great list. I love your observations about each tool and how you've made the tools work for you.

      I especially love what you say about Twitter. "Tool of preference to communicate with the people I don't know, but wish I did." Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to crash the cool kids' party, but I love that I have learned just as much from the people I don't know as the people I do know.

    2. Do you use Tweet Deck? I still have not really fully gotten the hang of Twitter, but I am trying. I wish I could get onto FB easier, but with no access at work, and work being a bear lately, I have no desire to log on at home. I have actually been liking Cozi more than Google Calendar lately, but not sure which way we will go, right now I am still using both to evaluate. What about Blogger? Or blogs in general?

    3. Mollie In reference to the cool kids, I feel the same on Twitter at times. I love too that I can just search a topic and get some great content.

    4. Jill I don use Tweet Deck, I still just stick to Twitter. Though I do use Yoono too. I will have to check out Cozi. Blogger does the trick, though I am currently taking a look at WordPress to see if that has more to offer. So many tools, so little time!

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