In this hungry web world, dating sites are nothing new, but for this new kid on the block, their change in focus has transformed them into something new and refreshing – WooMe.

Instead of sorting through a massive pool of users, themed sessions are controlled by management, but created by the users who sign up for them. Each session has a designated number of spots, which assign one minute per person. After that, you move on. If you connect and want to talk more, a private message will facilitate further communication. So unlike any other dating site, you are finding people to interact with, instead of finding people to date. You may find the one though…

As said, you get one minute to exchange pleasantries over webcam, and then you can choose between graciously rejecting the hopeful or ask for a private message. You get five free one-minute sessions before you have to pay to get in touch further with your chosen date. It also has a social networking side to it; you’re not totally expected to be dating but can make friends this way too.

Session topics range from singles looking to mingle by geographical area, all the way to folks trying to find babysitters or nannies. You can also scope out who has signed up to be a part of the session before you throw yourself in the mix. To help schedule the sessions, users can set a time when they want it to start. In order to aid users in remembering they have signed up, users can set up a 10-minute e-mail alert, but there are also plans to add SMS and IM reminders (via a bot) to help users get a ping before a session is about to begin.

Are you shy, and don’t want to be seen? In addition to video, users can also opt for voice chat correlates with whatever picture they have associated with their WooMe account.

WooMe intends to make the majority of their money via advertising, which is where some cool advertising techniques come into play. As users join sessions, the service keeps track of what they are interested in, and will attempt to serve up contextually relevant video ads while users are waiting to connect to someone, which is after every minute.

For this one of a kind internet-dating site, I think it will definitely become quite a hit, despite the overabundance of dating sites already. This one adds unique features that stand it out from the rest, and that is very important these days.

So are you ready to be wooed?

I have to admit, I am a major pack rat. I have old computers, screens, lamps, desks, fans, etc… You name it, I probably have it. I went to my closet to retrieve a simple Ethernet cord, and I guess my closet could not take the stress anymore and everything fell out onto the floor. With that, I went on a search to see what I could do about all this junk I have. I thought about a yard sale, and I thought about simply setting it all outside by the dumpster in frustration, but I stumbled across something even better!

Instead of collecting dust, (or falling on top of you in my case), rent it out to others! Zilok gives you an online place where you can rent out or easily find items you will only need for a short time. The creators hope to make their site the one-stop online shop for locating anything you need on a temporary basis. They are definitely on the right track.

The site is like a Craigslist for rentals, showing available items in your area, but it also assists in the rental process, giving you the tools needed to set up terms and facilitate the transaction online. It is as simple as using Zilok search to find someone in your area offering a particular product for a daily rate for a certain amount of days. If that meets your needs and budget, all you have to do is send in a rent request, wait for an acceptance from the lender, and then set up a time and place to meet and pay for the item.

Want to rent an iPhone? Try it out for a few days and see how you like it? No problem! Why someone would rent out their iPhone is beyond me, but more power to them. Zilok provides the rental agreement, so all you have to do is arrange the exchange of the item being rented, pay any sort of potential deposit, then return the item, and pay for the rental. You could potentially create your own version of Netflix by renting out your DVD collection. There are endless possibilities.

Honestly, I like the idea, but I think, as this site gets more popular, misuses will be inevitable. This new startup will change the habits of consumers. Now everyone can put their stuff up for rent, and rent anything they want to anyone around them. You already buy and sell your belongings on the internet. Why not rent them out if you really do not want to sell it, but at a risk of course.  

The service is free. I am sure you have some items lying around you probably don’t use. I am going to start gathering up some items from my closet…

If you’re interested in creating a cool flash website, then look no further. Just click here. Merely visiting the website itself is intriguing.

I thought to myself, “If I could make anything as cool and creative as their site, then sign me up!” So, that is what I did; I signed up. However, I signed up for the invitation and, sadly, I cannot tell you detailed information about it. But, I can briefly tell you what it has to offer.

Wix is a free flash design tool. It claims to allow users to create Flash-based websites without any programing skills, and to publish those sites anywhere on the web. The output can also be created into a widget and published on social networks. How cool is that?

Sadly, that is all that is known of this new Israeli startup. I have been waiting on my invitation for some time now, but I am sure it’ll be worth the wait. In the meantime, check out these other cool website builders which are all great: Synthasite, Weebly, Jimdo and Google Page Creator.

Each of these are great for creating nice websites. However, if you want to build a flash site, you’ll have to wait on Wix, as none of the services above have such a feature.

Do you have a box, bag or file full of receipts? Financial experts say you should keep your receipts for years but why? The more you get, the more overwhelmed you become when you go to look for a specific receipt to return something. The way I shop, I can just forget about it. However, Shoeboxed is a site that can offer some assistance in finding where your money is going and allows you to keep track of all of your receipts, paper and online.

Shoeboxed enables you to scan in paper receipts and send email receipts to your personal Shoeboxed account. Then it will all be neatly placed in a helpful summary of the items you purchased and where your money is going. It is less cumbersome than Quicken software and less expensive as well, Shoeboxed is free.

You can make friends on Shoeboxed and you can share what you have been buying with them. You can also browse through your friends purchases (if they let you). Shoeboxed encourages you to “flaunt” what you have bought. I’m not sure how helpful this is to users but I am assuming that it can help you make an educated buying decision if you see that several users have purchases a similar item. You don’t have to worry about your personal information being on Shoeboxed because they do not ask for it. Shoebox promises that they will never ask for your important numbers (S.S.N, C.C’s, or bank accounts) and this is a mandatory feature. Users probably wouldn’t use Shoebox if they did. I do not see myself personally using Shoebox because I don’t have time or a scanner. However, it is a pretty cool idea and can be useful for those who take full advantage of it.You can also try these ideas:

QuickBooks Simple Start Edition 2006Travel Receipt Organizer by Master Manufacturing

Are you stressing out over the upcoming holidays? Does the thought of a house full of family members with hungry bellies have you searching for a “how to make a huge dinner?” Or are you an avid camper always looking for innovative ways of making it in the wilderness? Chances are, everyone wants to learn how to do something and there is a helpful Website that is tackling these problems and is taking the Internet by storm.

Instructables, called ‘The World’s Biggest Show & Tell’, is a Web-based platform that allows individuals to post their own “How to’s” about their favorite topics or something that they specialize in. Once users show off what they want to instruct, other Instructables users can leave comments on what they liked or offer improvements, and ask questions of the poster.

Instructables is cool because it gives a chance for everyone to be a specialist, enabling users to promote their quirky trick, family dish or money-saving tip.

The main Instructables page shows featured how-to’s, popular how-to’s and contests where you can sometimes win a lot! Right now, Instructables is running a contest where you can win a laser cutter that is worth over $15,000. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_XMmVPd3Fs[/youtube]You can also be a part of the various groups that put you in contact with other people with similar interests.

I think Instructables is a cool site. User-driven Web content is currently very popular and in my opinion, Instructables will stay around for a long while. Check out Instructables.