Stacks of information is online for free - some of the key sites are listed here.
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| OandA |
www.oanda.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| OandA review: Simple and accurate currency conversion. Offers lots of other features as well, but the quick currency converter is right there on the front page. Been going (and used by us) for many years. |
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| 1901 Census |
www.census.pro.gov.uk
Rating: 3 Stars |
| 1901 Census review: Fully searchable information from the 1901 England and Wales Census. Look up relatives and view the actual forms they submitted. There is a 75p charge to view each page (min charge £5). This site has been extremely busy since the launch was hyped on the BBC and in the newspapers, we have only managed to get on for brief periods - you may wish to leave it for a few days. |
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| Cancer Research UK |
www.cancerresearchuk.org
Rating: 5 Stars |
| Cancer Research UK review: Information on cancer and details of how to get involved with a wide range of events, fundraising or volunteering. You can also donate online. Useful advice on healthier living with information, interactive games and advice. |
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| Big Issue Lists |
www.bigissuelists.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Big Issue Lists review: The magazines sold on the street have done a tremendous amount for homeless people around the UK, although the plethora of free magazine falling out of newspapers can't have helped demand. Here, though, is another good idea - How to do stuff lists. For example, how to write a CV, how to test drive a used car, and old favourites like how to organise a wedding. There are also lists around debt, alcoholism and homelessness. Good value - all the lists are £3 or under. |
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| Royal Mail Postcode Finder |
www.royalmail.com/quick_too...
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Royal Mail Postcode Finder review: As well as the postcode and address finder linked to here, the site also includes the ablility to trace Recorded Delivery letters and to calculate the postage cost of items based on class and weight. |
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| MyVillage |
www.myvillage.com
Rating: 3 Stars |
| MyVillage review: Local portal for London boroughs and serveral other cities around the UK. Basically a local hub for services, cinemas, restaurants, businesses and other information. Somewhat ill-organised, and lacking content in many areas, but essentially a good site. |
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| Google Answers |
http://answers.google.com
Rating: 5 Stars |
| Google Answers review: Google provide lots of additional services beyond their excellent search engine. A good example is 'Google Answers', which allows you to post questions for qualified researchers to investigate. You say how much you are willing to pay (from $2 up to $200, charged to your credit card) and they will come back with a response. If you have any queries you can request clarification, and the researchers seem desperate to maintain their high review ratings, so will make sure they get the answer spot on. If you are not satisfied with an answer you can request a refund. Note: Google manage all the transactions, not the individual, although you can award a tip if you are particularly impressed. |
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| IndianDoctors |
www.indiandoctors.co.uk
Rating: 2 Stars |
| IndianDoctors review: Fairly desperate-looking site providing a few links which I imagine may be useful for doctors, but overwhelmed by adverts (which take a good while to load before you get a chance to look at anything else), and more general links. Hopeless in Netscape. |
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| BBC Life Expectancy Calculator |
www.bbc.co.uk/health/tools
Rating: 4 Stars |
| BBC Life Expectancy Calculator review: So you want to live for one hundred years? Answer the BBC's lifestyle questionnaire and their calculator will give you an estimated life expectancy, as well as loads of health tips. Also includes a body mass index calculator to determine your ideal weight. |
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| UpMyStreet |
www.upmystreet.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| UpMyStreet review: Detailed local information, including transport information, crime rates, property prices, local repair people, and links to local government sites. Lots of useful information, though can be a little slow (thanks to the pop-ups). Demographic and social profiling by area is particularly interesting. |
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| Click Motors |
www.clickmotors.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Click Motors review: Online car fault diagnosis plus a busy forum for discussion and posting of your faults for others to advise. Also a general top tips section and suggestions for servicing/repair locations. Good site. |
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| BT Phone Directory |
www.bt.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| BT Phone Directory review: Not publicised much, but BT have put the complete UK phone directory online. And not just phone number either - addresses are included for both individuals and businesses. |
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| UK Online (Government Services) |
www.ukonline.gov.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| UK Online (Government Services) review: An increasing amount of government information and advice is now available online. Through this UK Online portal you can access information ranging from pensions advice, to tax self-assessment to the latest military spending plans. |
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| Companies House |
www.companieshouse.gov.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Companies House review: As well as guidance and advice, online searches for company details can be made from 7am to 10pm. |
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| Tate Modern |
www.tate.org.uk/modern
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Tate Modern review: Standing beside the Thames across from St Pauls Cathedral, the converted Bankside Power Station provides a magnificent home for the Tate's collection of modern art. Dali,
Picasso and Warhol are among the artists featured. The website includes a full catalogue of works and visiting information, as well as information on the other Tate galleries around the country. |
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| What Is? |
www.whatis.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| What Is? review: What is a 'byte'? Or a 'LAN'? This site aims to answer these technology-related questions. Includes the basics and more advanced stuff which we won't go into here. |
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| Artcyclopedia |
www.artcyclopedia.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Artcyclopedia review: Slightly confusing layout, but underneath is an excellent site which provides links to online images of great works of art. Allows searching by artist, period, or movement. |
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| Encyclopędia Britannica |
www.britannica.com
Rating: 2 Stars |
| Encyclopędia Britannica review: What once took up yards of shelf space can now be searched and viewed online. Unfortunately only very basic searches are free, thereafter payment is required. Also features pop-ups of the type which spawn another window when you close them, and banner adds. Subscription or advertising please, not both.
Very Although initial searches are free, additional detail requires subscription. |
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| Dooyoo |
www.dooyoo.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Dooyoo review: User opinions site featuring reviews on matters as diverse as the best Trade Union to join and the latest mobile phone technology. Attempts by users to achieve 'premier opinion' status seems to result in overlong, sales-blurb reviews, but essentially a good site. The internet is ideally suited to this sort of information sharing, and we are pleased to see a well-populated UK opinion hub. |
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| Dictionary.com |
www.dictionary.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Dictionary.com review: Online dictionary and thesaurus, sadly with a somewhat America language bias. Signing up for their word of the day brings a mailbox full of new and interesting words, including examples of usage. Would be interested to find a British equivalent, but in the meantime this is an easy URL to remember. |
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| Who Owns Scotland |
www.whoownsscotland.org.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Who Owns Scotland review: We've been watching this site grow for a couple of years now. Writer Andy Wightman has been collating information on the owners of all of Scotland. It's still work in progress, but it does provide an excellent insight into the domination of the great landowners, especially in the west. The map functionality requires a download from Adobe (explained on the site), and this only works in Internet Explorer. |
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| Doctor Greenfingers |
www.doctorgreenfingers.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Doctor Greenfingers review: Gardening website following a hospital theme. Unique navigation system makes finding the right information occasionally difficult, but this is part of the fun. Accident & Emergency department for urgent queries should be open 24/7, but current closed due to shortage of medical staff. Promising site which will improve with more content. |
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| PetSmiles |
www.petsmiles.com
Rating: 3 Stars |
| PetSmiles review: Pet portal, featuring advice, breed information, stories, jokes, jobs wanted and offered working with animals. Much of the site covers animals needing a new home. Some areas not well populated, otherwise a well-run site by people obviously passionate about the area. |
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| NetDoctor |
www.netdoctor.co.uk
Rating: 4 Stars |
| NetDoctor review: The hypochondriac's dream. Spend hours finding out how ill you are, then potentially determine a suitable treatment. |
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| How Stuff Works |
www.howstuffworks.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| How Stuff Works review: The title is fairly self-explanatory. Marshall Brain has put together articles ranging from 'How your heart works' to 'How email works' and 'How time travel will work'. Great site. |
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| Bartleby - Great Books Online |
www.bartleby.com
Rating: 4 Stars |
| Bartleby - Great Books Online review: Entire texts of great works online. Ranges from encyclopedia to Aesop's Fables and Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. Some Pop-up ads. |
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| Volcano World |
http://volcano.und.edu/
Rating: 3 Stars |
| Volcano World review: There are volcanoes erupting all over the world right now. This site not only has details of historical eruptions, but up to date reports from volcanologists on eruptions going on at the moment. Not the best organised, or most attractive site, but the quality on information makes up for that. |
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