Ten invisible but wonderful single-job web utilities
One of the marvellous things about the web is that there’s a hidden ecosystem of incredibly helpful, one-trick utilities that are there when you need them.
Until you do need them, they are invisible. When you need them, they are a revelation. Here is my top ten lit of current super-useful utilities.
1, Investigating spam phone calls
Who Calls Me is a nondescript website that you never hear anyone talking about. It’s not sexily designed, there’s no wizzy AJAX scripting and it’s not the talk of Twitter. It does one job and it does it very well. And that job is to help the public uncover who is calling, leaving messages and sending spam texts to your phone.
The scenario: your phone rings. You answer, but there’s no one there. It happens again. Instead of ringing it back, you google the number to see what it is. Invariably, that will take you to a Who Calls Me page where dozens, if not hundreds of people would have noted their own experience, usually leading to an answer.
2. Checking sunrise and sunset times
The light/dark/light forecast at a glance
3. Searching for a postcode
Know the street but not the postcode? Find it easily with this look-up tool.
4. Calculating your salary
Put in your salary and it will tell you exactly how much tax, National Insurance and take home pay you can expect.
5. Comparing international shoesizes
No, it’s not the most important thing in the world but when you need it, you need it.
6. Identifying obscure birds in your back garden
The RSPB are here to help with their wonderful bird-identifying tool.
7. Finding out local shop opening times
What times are your local stores open to? Aggregated and served to you on a shiny platter.
8. Checking motorway traffic flow
Filter by motorway and junction to see where hell is hanging out today
9. Seeing how crap your broadband really is
The difference between the advertised rate and reality is depressing
10. Finding that lost manual for your suddenly-temperamental appliance
This is US only but such a great idea it deserves to be here. Put in the product code and up she comes.
Bowling pony from the deepfrozen on flickr
By Dom Waghorn, Head of User Engagement at 
August 26th, 2009 at 9:46 am
cool