2006 February 23

I’m frustrated. Utterly frustrated. I don’t think I’ll be able to make the seven days, seriously. I thought that Yahoo! would be a great substitute, but that’s turning out not being the case. Googlefasting is painful.

I had to catch myself a few times - but rewriting a few of my default utilities has pretty much stopped me from inadvertently launching into a Google search. Here’s the problem: I know where I sit for certain terms in Google, and I know how well Google works with headlines - so I know what I’m looking for, and what I can always count on finding within Google… but the other search engines I try are not even in the same ballpark - let alone, the same league.

On a positive note, I’m discovering features I like in other search engines. Like, Yahoo! will show you a preview of a map (static image) when you search for an address. That’s nice. I like that. I’m also getting recommendations for other engines I’ve forgotten about or had never heard of before - including from people who think I’m insane (for other reasons).

Avoiding Google’s software is easy enough - but avoiding its search is like research suicide. For all the services that Google enables, 99% of what “we” use is its search engine. You don’t realize how often you use Google until you stop yourself from using it. Some might say I’m slapping Google in the face for doing this - but I’d argue the opposite.

I need Google - and I’m proving it to myself in the most maddening way.

I just got this email from Skype (it's legit). Thought I'd pass it along here just in case (a) you weren't already a Skype user, (b) you're not on the email list, or (c) you didn't see the email yet.
Sometimes not all of the people you want to talk to are on Skype. That's why we have SkypeOut, a pretty cheap way to call landlines and mobiles around the world at local rates. What's more, we're giving away 10 minutes of Skype Credit today to anyone who would like to try SkypeOut for free. We're nice like that.
You can claim 10 minutes of Skype Credit today and try SkypeOut for free. Hurry, you need to claim your free credit before midnight tonight. If you're in the USA, you'll find a “Get a free Skype gift” button on your account page. Hurry. You need to click on the button before the offer expires tonight, then, `hey presto', your account will be topped up with the extra credit. It's our little gift to you. We hope you like it.
Don't worry if you're too late to claim your gift. We'll be offering SkypeOut Gift Days throughout February and March, so keep checking back on our blog, where we'll post details as the next one is approaching.
You might also want to take advantage of our PayPal promotion. When you spend a minimum of $10 on Skype services using PayPal, we'll give you an extra 120 SkypeOut minutes and 3 months Skype Voicemail for free.

Yeah, you can make $5 for free today - so long as you have a cell phone. I detailed it in last night's Lockergnome report on TextPayMe. To paraphrase, TextPayMe allows you to send and receive money using SMS on your mobile phone. Just for signing up for a free account, they’ll give you $5. So, if you already have a cell phone today, there’s nothing to lose - and everything to gain. It’s potentially a killer service because it’s so easy to use and quick to learn (and who DOESN'T have a cell phone these days!?). They give you a few scenarios to consider before you get an account: “Split your restaurant bills right then and there; Pay your team or club dues anywhere and anytime; Pitch in real money instead of IOUs for a shared gift; Settle your roommate’s rent and utility bills on the spot.” They even recommend using the TextPayMe service for Craigslist transactions. Try it! Sign up for free to score $5 - and they're currently running a promotion where (if you get 36 referrals before the middle of March) you can get a free Xbox 360. All that on top of a service that is long overdue.