BlockCAD

BlockCAD is a free program for building virtual models with Lego-like bricks. You can save your models, save pictures of them, or reuse a complete model as a part in another model.Everything can be controlled with the mouse, but it's also possible to use the keyboard for most of the commands, making 'routine building' more effective, and there is a minimum of text involved, to make it easier for children. Download BlockCAD for free from http://web.telia.com/~u16122508/proglego.htm

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Podcasts

If you havent heard of podcasts, then you're missing out on a huge range of news and entertainment available for free online. A podcast is like a radio show - usually recorded by amateurs in home studios (but in many cases they sound like professional shows) and made available for free. The difference between downloading a normal audio file and a podcast, is that you can subscribe to podcasts - this means that when a new "episode" of a podcast is released, your podcast software will detect and download it for you automatically. So if you like to catch up on the day's news, listen to comedy, political opinion, fan's thoughts on current tv shows, sports and so on, get into podcasts! The easiest way to get started is to download Apple's free iTunes software from http://www.apple.com/itunes/ It's available for Mac and PC. Once you have the software installed, you can browse to the iTunes store within the program to search through popular podcasts on a wide variety of subjects. Podcasts can be synchronised with your iPod too, meaning you can listen to your favourite show while you travel to work. And if you're feeling adventurous, there are dozens of online tutorials that teach you how to create and distribute your own podcasts.

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MacAppADay

If you're a Mac user, then this December, MacAppADay is your free source for apps for your mac. Throughout December, each and every day, the website http://macappaday.com/ will give away 5000 copies of a popular mac application. All you have to do is remember to visit the site each day from the 1st December. And there’s a bonus on New Years Eve!

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Find that show!

Looking for a TV show? Check out the list at http://www.findthatshow.com/ which includes links to watch episodes from each show on sites like YouTube.com

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Music Theory for Songwriters

Music Theory for Songwriters is a website aimed at songwriters and covers the basics of music theory such as chords, notes, scales and so on. If you've ever thought about writing music, check this site out at http://chordmaps.com/

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Internet Slang Dictionary & Translator

So u think u need sum hlp translating txt speak so u can be a l33t h4x0r? The Internet Slang Dictionary & Translator at http://www.noslang.com/ will help you translate "those weird acronyms your kids use; things like lol, idk, rotflmfao, bbiab, and those stupid alternate spellings like kewl, dood, ur, and thanx. We hate those, and have made it our life's goal to educate people about proper grammar." Check it out.

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News at Seven - Automated News

News at Seven is a completely automatic news system that uses the digital character "Alyx" from the computer game Half-Life 2 to read news stories to you. These stories are gathered from news feeds across the web, and the system also finds related video, images and blogs. All of the presentations use text-to-speech technology, so the episodes are completely automatic and no humans are involved. While the system is rough around the edges at the moment, the future for the idea looks promising. Check it out at http://www.newsatseven.com/

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So you wanna work in movies?

Oliver Stapleton (BSc) has set up a web page at http://www.cineman.co.uk/ that explains most of the roles involved in feature film production, and gives advice based on what strengths you feel you have. The page is kept up-to-date by submissions from industry professionals and includes some useful links. 

PriceSpy

Looking for computer parts to upgrade your system? Check out http://www.pricespy.co.nz, which indexes computer products from a number of online computer stores around New Zealand, allowing you to find the part you need at the best price.

Wordorigins.org

Did you ever think that Ring Around The Rosie makes reference to the Black Death of the Middle Ages? Or that the whole nine yards refers to the length of a machinegun ammo belt? Or perhaps that Eskimos have 500 words for snow? If so, then you have been taken in by a linguistic urban legend. Like classic urban legends, these linguistic legends are popular and pervasive. Wordorigins.org is devoted to the origins of words and phrases, or as a linguist would put it, to etymology. Check out http://www.wordorigins.org

Diet Television

Diet Television is a newly-launched website that offers "unbiased opinions from experts and from people just like you" on more than 47 different diets. Best of all, the site is completely free. Check it out at http://diettelevision.com/

finetune

finetune is a free online music service that allows you to enter an artist name and listen to music from that artist (and artists similar to the one you entered, right from within your web browser. You can also create a share playlists of your favourite songs. Check out http://www.finetune.com/

Chocolate facts

The chocolate chip cookie was discovered by accident when Ruth Wakefield (an American) was preparing chocolate cookies.  She neglected to melt the lumps of chocolate first, thinking they would melt during baking but they didn’t. You can find out more about chocolate, including it's origins and how it's made, at the California Academy of Sciences web page at http://www.calacademy.org/naturalhistory/chocolate/chocolate.php

Micro-sculptor

WIllard Wigan is a micro sculptor, creating amazing works of art at minute scales. Painstakingly fashioned from gold, specs of dust, precious gems, droplets of glue and paint along with numerous other materials including eyelashes and spiders webbing, his art is well worth checking out at http://www.willard-wigan.com/art.html

Learn Chinese

The Chinese-Tools.com website (http://www.chinese-tools.com/) is offering a free course in Mandarin Chinese. The course comprises 40 online lessons which cover reading and  writing Chinese, and come with examples and exercises. The course audio is in mp3 format. Check out http://www.chinese-tools.com/learn/chinese

Firefox 2

Firefox 2 is now available for free download from http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/. New features include improvements to tabbed browsing, automatic spell checking when you enter data into forms, and improvements to customisation and security. You can also download dozens of free extensions to the browser that enhance it's functionality from https://addons.mozilla.org/

First Aid Myths

We all know some remedies for common ailments that have been passed down through the ages, but some of them have no effect on conditions, ailments, or illnesses of the human body. If you try any of these myths, you may run the risk of having an adverse reaction or the opposite result of what you would like to happen. So here are ten classic emergency fixes that definitely won’t do in a pinch: http://ririanproject.com/2006/10/25/10-useless-or-even-dangerous-first-aid-myths/

What you'll wish you'd known

Paul Graham is an essayist, programmer, and programming language designer. In January 2005 he wrote a speech entitled "What you'll wish you'd known" to be given at a high school, however the authorities there vetoed the invitation. In his speech, Paul says "I'll start by telling you something you don't have to know in high school: what you want to do with your life." You can read the whole speech at http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.html

Test your broadband speed

Many of New Zealand's Internet Service providers are now offering "full speed" accounts - broadband connections that are as fast as your connection to Telecom will allow. If you'd like to test your current connection to see what sort of speed you're getting, check out http://www.nzdsl.co.nz/module-Speedtest.phtml