Hamachi

July 20, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, A piece of software, Technology

What is it?


Hamachi: It's a zero-configuration virtual private networking (VPN) application. It essentially gives you a LAN over the Internet.

(Warning: This is a more technical one, but for you entrepreneurs with remote associates this is solid gold).

Hamachi

Who makes it?

Applied Networking Inc.

Why is it the killerest?

Hamachi is to VPN what Skype is to VOIP. It's a simple, clean, VPN application, that just works. Astounding really especially when you compare it to the horrible commercial VPN alternatives out there.

Solid support for Windows, passable versions for Linux and Mac (OS X).

Best of all - Hamachi is free.

What could be improved?

In the vast majority of cases this does indeed work (worked perfectly for me) but the support forums do have some pleas for help. With 3,000,000 users though - that's to be expected. (Incidentally, the support forums really do appear to be helpful.) Mac version doesn't have a GUI (yet).

How much does it cost?

Astoundingly Free

Rating?

Reviewed by Carson McComas

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Yahoo! Music Unlimited

July 7, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, Fun, Technology

What is it?


Yahoo! Music Unlimited[*]: A flat out, too-good-to-be-true, $60/yr, all you can eat, on demand, music candy store.

Yahoo! Music Unlimited

Who makes it?

Yahoo!

Why is it the killerest?

If you are tethered to your desk for most of the day and enjoy music, this service is a life-changer. I reviewed Yahoo's Launchcast music service a year ago. A month ago, I finally upgraded to Unlimited and haven't accomplished a single thing since.

Not really, but here's what I love:

  1. You have to use a special Yahoo! player. I wasn't thrilled about the idea of another media player on my computer, but this thing is amazing. I don't use it to catalog my music (still use iTunes for that) but I do use it with this service, and it's positively amazing. It uses Windows Media Player as it's guts (transparently) and it is very impressive. It's polished and does a brilliant job of reading my mind and making it easy to run around like a wildman inside the candy store.
  2. It keeps all your ratings from Launch and lets you use them to find music you like.
  3. You can share a song you like via link with a friend (fellow subscriber) over email or IM.
  4. It still has the Launch radio built in as part of it. And the best part? You hear a song you like - 2 clicks later you're on the song or album page. Listen to the song again, or the whole album. Any time.
  5. If you want to buy a song, (a la iTunes) it's only $0.79.
  6. You can put any music locally on your machine.
  7. You can make playlists.
  8. You can run it on up to three computers at a time.
  9. I've finally, almost, after repeated, near-intravenous listening - gotten enough of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy. (Does that make me craaazzaay?)

What could be improved?

It doesn't work with the iPod. But this isn't Yahoo's fault, it's Apple's.

It doesn't have every single song ever created. Again, not Yahoo's fault (it's typically the label's fault) but it's a bummer. That said: with over a million songs, 90% of what I look for, I find. It's amazing really.

You can't burn CDs without paying (duh) or take it with you (although they have a service ("take it to go" tab) that allows that too, for $10/mo).

How much does it cost?

$60/yr or $7/mo - start with a free trial .

Rating?

Reviewed by Carson McComas

[*] The links above are affiliate links. Should you wish to follow them without supporting this site (fine!), or if it just makes you feel yucky, please use this direct link instead:  http://music.yahoo.com/ymu

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