Did you ever think that you would have to wait as long to check-out a free digital book from the public library as you do for a print version of the same title? Well, if you are as frustrated as I am, there are some good alternatives. Granted they may not be the latest best sellers, but who's had time to listen to every great book in the public domain or free stuff published online and don't even get me started on DRM (Digital Rights Management). Here are some great sites to get audiobooks that you can download to any mp3 player, including iPods.
AudioBooksForFree.com - Individual titles are downloadable for free, but you may also purchase entire sets on CDs/DVDs or preloaded devices.
LibriVox - is my personal favorite. They've just added their 1,000th book to their catalog. I subscribe using iTunes and automatically sync to my iPod for portability. They also provide RSS feeds to keep up with their latest news and new realeases.
openculture - Their podcast library includes audiobooks, free language podcasts, a music podcast collection (classical, jazz, and rock), and links to many more sites. I also subscribe to this web site with my RSS reader.
FSI Language courses - These courses were developed by the Foreign Service Institute and are in the public domain! This is not a pretty site, but it is easy to use. Spartan student texts are also available.
On the whole, these sites are easy to use and will provide you with worthy audio titles while you wait to be notified that your free Overdrive title is ready for download or if you don't want to fork out another $25 to $50 from a fee based site.
is the definitive online tool for home improvement assistance, including: maintenance, remodeling, electrical work, plumbing, wood projects, outdoor improvements, decorating home & garden, etc. The database also contains full text for many other related publications that help to supplement and support the unique full-text reference works and images from CPi. This resource is made available through its own specialized interface to make searching for information of interest as easy as possible.
includes more than 31,660 vehicles covered from 1945 to present; over 205,000 drawings and step-by-step photographs; approximately 75,000 technical service bulletins & recalls issued by the original equipment vehicle manufacturer; over 130,000 enhanced wiring diagrams for easy viewing and printing; specifications & maintenance schedules; Labor Time Guide & Estimator; AutoIQ; Quick Tips, a complete guide to vehicle ownership & maintenance; unlimited remote access and much more. New repair procedures and updates will also be added continuously. All of the content in Auto Repair Reference Center has been created by ASE certified technicians.
Picnik is a powerful photo editing tool that is online and really easy to use. There is nothing to download and it works on Macs, Windows, and Linux systems. Since I use all three operating sytems and I don't have to install in on my PCs, I'm really excited about it. Even better - it also integrates easily with Flickr and Picasa and other social networking sites. I've only used the free application, but there is a premium version that might offer the serious photographer more options.
