posted on March 14, 2011 by Nancy Messieh

Whether they are specialized sites searching for films, music or TV shows, or torrent results are accompanied by invaluable information including verification, each of these sites have something unique to offer. These sites don’t just make it easy to search for and find torrents, they’re a great resource for finding interesting files, movies and TV shows if you’re looking for something to keep you entertained.

TorrentButler

TorrentButler is a great torrent search engine if you’re looking for a film to watch, but don’t have a specific movie in mind. You can browse the latest, most popular, or the newest torrents from the homepage, and can limit the results to HD videos only. You can also browse films by a specific genre.


Each entry is accompanied by a plot summary, cast list, and a YouTube Trailer.


Clicking on the green Torrents button reveals the torrents available for download, accompanied by the number of seeds and file size, with two separate lists for High and Standard Definition.

If you want to see more info on each torrent, click the information button to the left and you will be taken to the torrent’s original page on The Pirate Bay.

EZTV

No list of bit torrent search engines would be complete without EZTV. If you’re looking for the latest TV shows on both British and American TV, EZTV is the go-to site to get your fix.


The home page is updated on a daily basis, with links to the latest torrents from the previous night’s TV lineup.


Searching for specific TV shows will take you to the show’s main page, where you can find the latest torrents, available from 6 mirrors including The Pirate Bay, BT-Chat and Torrage. With shows that have been on the air for several years, only the last 5 or 6 seasons are available on EZTV. Each show is additionally accompanied by a plot summary and the latest mentions in entertainment news.


f EZTV is down, as tends to happen every now and then, you can always keep up with them through their Twitter account.

Fenopy

Fenopy is a torrent search engine with eight categories of files. You can search for movies, music, TV shows, books, games, applications or anime.


Each torrent is accompanied by standard details such as file list, ratio of seeders to leechers, and file size.


Fenopy sets itself apart from other similar torrent search engines with a few special features. Where available, files are accompanied by previews, meaning you can hear a snippet of an MP3, listen to the audio from a video file or even preview a PDF before downloading the torrent.


In addition to previews, a large majority of the files are marked either as verified torrents, or alternatively as fake. With Fenopy you don’t have to waste your time downloading a file that turns out to be a dud. With Fenopy you can also choose to browse verified torrents only.

Coda.fm

For music buffs, Coda.fm is a great choice for searching for torrents. Browse the latest releases, popular artists, genres or search for the music you want to download. Like TorrentButler, Coda.fm is a good source for music if you don’t have any specific music in mind that you’re searching for.

Coda.fm makes it easy to discover new music. When searching for any given artist, it will list other similar artists that you might like. While the site does feature the latest albums, some of the artist pages do need updating to include them on the same page.
Albus are accompanied by a review, as well as torrent details such as the seeder/leecher ratio.
In addition, the entry is accompanied by a complete track list, artist bio and their other albums.

Cinema Torrents

Cinema Torrents is another solid choice for searching for films. Whether you know which film you want to download, or are looking for something interesting to watch, Cinema Torrents has you covered. The site has its own weekly picks, as well as a list of the hottest movies available for download.


The site isn’t just limited to the latest movies available, featuring films from the seventies and eighties as well. Each film is accompanied by its IMDB rating, Cinema Torrents rating, as well as other information just as rating and length, and a short plot summary.


Each film is accompanied by a list of available torrents, and at a quick glance you can also see the quality of each torrent, including DVD and cam, whether or not the torrent is verified and the seeders to leechers ratio.


Also be sure to check out the following posts:
Torrent Search Helps You Find Torrent Files Quickly & Easily
Top 6 Alternatives to Pirate Bay Downlaods
Top Torrent Search Engine for All Torrent Downloaders
What are your favourite bit torrent search engines? Let us know in the comments.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-bit-torrent-search-engines/

posted on April 5, 2011 by Steve Campbell

its alternatives have fallen by way of the courts it hasn’t been so easy to find quality torrents, especially ones that are rare to begin with.

Omega Torrent Search, or Torrent Omega, is one such way to reduce this. Before, if you were looking for a hard to find torrent file you used to have to visit every decent site you knew and search them one by one. With Torrent Omega, you save considerable time because the surfing you used to do by hand is done automatically for you using the website.

As you can see when you first head over to Torrent Omega’s website, the layout is pretty basic. You can type your query in the search box, which is the easiest way to find what you’re looking for, or you can click on the Search Cloud link to view a list of recent searches, or the Popular Torrents link to see a list of the most popular torrent queries.


When you run a search, Torrent Omega will search all of the popular torrent sites out there and display the results from each on a single page. From there you can compare, click through the link to go to a specific listing, or click the download arrow to directly download the torrent file.


There is also an advanced page where you can de-select any of the torrent engines you do not wish to search, as well as set a maximum number of results per search engine. Lastly, there is a Links page that has resources to different sites based on several categories. There’s very little there at the moment, so if you know of any interesting links that should be listed there send them some!

Another good way to search for torrents, as provided by Justin back in September, is the aptly named Torrent Search, so I invite you to check out that service as well.

How Do I Download Torrent Files?

Once you locate and download the types of torrent files you’re looking for, you’re going to need a way to open them so you can begin downloading the actual files listed inside of them. In other words, you’re going to need a torrent client.
There are a lot of great torrent clients out there but for the sake of argument I’ll just give you my favorite one: uTorrent. I recommend uTorrent because it’s lightweight, easy to use, and overall it’s the best client I’ve seen.
You can grab a copy of uTorrent here. Once you become familiar with the application, you can start doing things that are a bit more tricky, like remotely controlling uTorrent downloads from your Android. You may also be interesting in learning how to speed up torrent downloads and using RSS feeds to download torrents automatically.

Conclusion

As I feel obligated to say this, I’d like to openly state that MakeUseOf does not condone the use of torrenting for illegal purposes. That is to say, we do not support the use of these websites and applications for the downloading of copyrighted works. Having said that, there are a lot of perfectly legal torrent files out there for you to enjoy, so go ahead and see what you can find.
Do you have a website or application that you’re partial to when it comes to torrenting? Feel free to share it with us in the comments!

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-rare-torrent-quickly-easily-omega-torrent-search/

This fall, I return to the classroom. Well, partially return to the classroom. I am going to be teaching Theater Arts this year, and serve as school principal. I've heard all the arguments over the years about administrators returning to the classroom to teach once in a while. The argument usually goes that administrators sometimes forget what it's like to face a classroom full of students. They need to return to the classroom once in a while as a refresher and reminder. There may have been times I've thought the same thing. After being in the role of an administrator for a few years now, I understand why that is not always possible. Still, I am both apprehensive and excited about the prospect of facing a group of students again. The apprehension comes from wondering whether my six years or so out of the classroom have made me forget all those little things every good teacher never seems to forget. The excitement comes from being able to forge teacher-relationships with students instead of administrator relationships, and there is a difference.

This year I want to try to maximize my professional learning by engaging in some of the following:

• Use Edmodo: I have been fascinated with the possibilities of this social media-like tool for over a year now. The teachers at my school all engage in its use. I look forward to using and learning about it from a classroom teacher's perspective. Edmodo did not exist when I left the classroom 5 years ago.
• Use Electronic Portfolios: Since Theater Arts is both performance-based and academic, I look forward to helping students assemble a "professional portfolio" demonstrating what they've learned from our class this year.
• Use Project-Based Learning: I used PBL sometimes 5 years ago, but I look forward to bringing it central to my classroom practice.
• Prove I Can Still Teach: I loved being a teacher. It was with some reluctance I even entered an administration degree program. Someone convinced me that I could have a greater impact on students in the role of principal.

Gs & LTEs: Understanding Mobile Broadband [Technology Explained]

Today, that’s not always the case. Mobile broadband is becoming ubiquitous in major urban centers, and usually available in towns of moderate population and near major transportation hubs. There are many different kinds of mobile broadband, however – and it’s not always clear how they work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mobile Broadband Basics

Although there are different technologies used to bring mobile broadband to you, there is one particular technology that forms the basis of them all – radio.

Your device receives signals from a nearby tower, and beams a signal back. Information is transferred in much the same way as it would be transferred between your home wireless router and a laptop computer with 802.11 WiFi, although the scale is obviously much different. Obviously, this means you’ll enjoy the prime advantage of all wireless communications standards – mobility. You can use your mobile broadband device while walking around town or visiting a friend’s house.
The disadvantages are present as well, however. Mobile broadband signals are subject to interference from obstacles and other signals. The power and frequency of the signal makes obstructions less of an issue, but it’s still there. Also, a reduction in signal quality might increase latency and will usually reduce bandwidth, so while mobile broadband may quote a certain maximum, your device’s ability to reach it will vary depending on your location.

Learning the Language – 3G, 4G & Beyond

Radio may be the basis of all mobile broadband, but it’s rarely referenced by that antiquated term (this is the 21st century, after all!). Instead, exciting new abbreviations have been invented.
Most common among these are 3G and 4G. These terms represent new standards of wireless technology set down by the International Telecommunication Union. In the case of 3G, the standard calls for a peak data rate of at least 200 kbit/s.  According to ITU standards, 4G technology requires a 1 Gbit/s connect for devices like smartphones.
If you own a 4G device, this fact might have you scratching your head. After all, you can buy 4G capable devices right now, but they don’t offer bandwidth anywhere near 1 Gbit/s. That’s a great point, and it’s true that those devices don’t actually meet the original requirements of 4G. The service is substantially quicker than 3G, however, so the 4G label is slapped on as a marketing tool to make it easy for consumers to know the difference. The ITU has officially stated that it has no problem with this.
An acronym that’s recently become popular, and will be only more common in the future, is LTE. This stands for Long Term Evolution, and it’s used because it’s a standard that is being revised over time with the goal of meeting the 4G standard set down by the ITU (the technical name for this is 3GPP Long Term Evolution). Arguably, the term 4G LTE is a bit of an oxymoron – compliance with 4G standards is the goal of LTE, but it’s not there yet.

WiMax – The Underdog

The prevalence of the terms 3G and 4G LTE are due to their adoption by some of the world’s largest mobile networks. With hundreds of millions of smartphones already in the world, it’s no surprise that the marketing of companies like Verizon Wireless are capable of keeping these terms in the public mind.
There is another important mobile broadband technology, however, and that’s WiMax. This is a standard developed by the IEEE, the same body responsible for the 802.11 b/g/n standards and also wired communications such as FireWire. Currently, WiMax can achieve about 40 Mbit/s in optimal conditions.
WiMax has been used in various locations across the globe as a means of providing mobile broadband to laptops and even desktops. Here in Portland, Oregon, consumers can subscribe to Clear Wireless, which provides wireless broadband Internet that is intended for us both at home and around town. WiMax is also sometimes used in areas where wireless deployment is more cost effective than and nearly as reliable as wired communications, such as the American Midwest and Great Plains area.
Although quick, WiMax is not compatible with 3G/4G LTE, so it’s unlikely to become dominant. You’ll need different modems to use WiMax and 4G LTE with a mobile device. This can be a bit confusing for consumers, because WiMax provides like Clear often refer to their service as 4G as well.

Conclusion – The Remaining Constellation

Currently, 3G/4G and WiMax are the most popular forms of mobile broadband communication. However, there are other standards. Other, less common standards include iBurst, HiperMAN and WiBro. These are a viable option in some regions of the world.
Although I hope that this has provided a good introduction to mobile broadband as it exists today, I want readers to come away with one lesson – don’t be seduced by the terminology. The label slapped on a service – be it 4G LTE or WiMax – doesn’t guarantee the service’s speed. As 4G LTE itself proves, companies can and do play fast-and-loose with the standards.

Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/gs-ltes-understanding-mobile-broadband-technology-explained/

HTTPS Everywhere: Fend Off Firesheep With Freebie from EFF and Tor Project

Since the state of  Missouri passed a law banning teacher use of online social media communications with students, states and districts across the country are stepping up their examinations of social media and its place in schools. Social media in general, and Facebook in particular has become the tool of the boogeyman and predator to lure children to do things they wouldn't do otherwise. In usual fashion, politicians and policymakers react in knee-jerk fashion to stories of teachers using Facebook and other social media in improper and illegal ways to implement bans and regulations. The whole problem with this approach is that it is the equivalent of taking a sledgehammer to kill a fly.

Truth be told, those who have the inclination to prey on our children, are going to prey on our children, and this includes teachers too. For the sake of disclosure here, I will admit my own reluctance in "friending" students, both current students and those I've taught who are now adults. At this point in my experiments with the social media, I haven't connected with either type of student. Still, the idea of "forbidding connections" made through social media is clearly an exercise in jousting with windmills. It will not resolve the problems it's trying to resolve. Those who engage in predatory behaviors towards children are going to do so, and banning social media isn't going to to stop them.

Then the question is, "What can policymakers and school leaders do instead?" "How can we address these growing number of cases where teachers engage in inappropriate behavior using social media?" Perhaps we should begin by thinking differently. Here's some suggestions to think about:

• Treat improper contact and communication with social media the same way we would improper text messages or phone calls. Do we ban text messaging of students because a teacher sends an improper message to a student? Do we forbid teachers from calling students because a teacher uses the phone to engage in an improper conversation with a student? When a teacher engages in an improper and unprofessional conversation with a student, it is the interaction that is the problem, not the medium on which that interaction took place. Banning the medium might take away one of the avenues for that interaction, but it ultimately fails to address the problem.
• Focus on the real problem. Policies that focus on the medium rather than the real problem are doomed to failure. In some ways, those who push social media bans do so because they can appease their conscience. They did something. Never mind that the actions they took fail to address the real problem which is: we hire and have individuals in our schools who seek improper relationships with our children. Perhaps instead of stamping out social media in the schools, we need to look closely for warning signs that there are individuals in our schools who abuse the role of educator to prey upon children. Maybe we need to pay closer attention to our screening processes. Social media isn't the problem. It's a fabricated boogeyman that deflects administrators from taking on the real difficult problem of shepherding those out of our schools who engage in inappropriate relationships with our students.
• Pay attention to warning signs. Those who seek improper relationships with children often indirectly and directly broadcast those intentions through their interactions with the children they teach. While we certainly do not want to make teacher-student relationships absolutely sterile, we can, as administrators, scrutinize those who are in our schools, and who seem to cross the line between being a professional and being too-familiar with students. For example, a teacher that might be crossing the line might be spending an inordinate amount of time with a student, or they might be speaking with a student at a level that is too familiar. Administrators can do a great deal at preventing inappropriate relationships by being observant regarding the interactions teachers and staff have with students.
• Educate Staff. This is especially important for young staff; those closer to the ages of the students they teach. They need to understand the importance of teacher-student boundaries and the severe consequences of crossing those boundaries. Staff needs to understand that social media, if used to maintain a professional relationship with students, can be used effectively. They need to know what it looks like to be too familiar with students, and what a professional relationship looks like.

Recently, a colleague suggested I try a web site called Symbaloo. Symbaloo is a visual interface that allows users to create what are called "Webmixes." A "Webmix" consists of content gathered from around the web. Each web site in a Webmix is represented with a tile and an icon, either selected by the user or derived from the web site. It is basically a tool to organize web sites and web services on one page. Users can share their Webmixes through social media or by URL.

Sometimes the simplest iPad app  is the most powerful. That has sometimes proven to be true for the desktop as well. Recently, I stumbled upon one of those "powerful, but simple" apps when I started using the Web 2.0 App and iPad app Simplenote. Simplenote is exactly what its name implies. It offers users the ability to take notes, and apply a simple tag to those notes for organizational purposes. Then, the note is accessible from the iPad, the web, from the desktop, and from smartphone. The desktop access to Simplenote is through an application called ResophNotes (which is downloaded from here), and there are a few Android apps that sync with Simplenote as well.

Simplenote Web Interface

The premium subscription for Simplenote makes the app ad-free, and adds other features as well:

• unlimited third party app usage (allows use of apps such as the Android apps)
• Dropbox syncing
• creation of notes by email
• read notes or share them as RSS feed

Simplenote isn't a replacement program for Evernote. It is a much simpler application that focuses on just taking notes. It gives users an environment to take simple notes and share them with others. Once you've installed the iPad app, third-party Android app, the ResophNotes desktop app, you have access to your notes anyplace you might be. Through Dropbox syncing, and that access expands even further.

iPad Simplenote Interface

Simplenote lives up to its name. While Evernote offers the same ability, it might be just a be more complicated for some administrator and educator tastes.. If you want a simple note taking app, Simplenote is the application for you. (To get started, set up a free account at the Simplenote Web Site.)

Next week, I will be presenting to a group of educators in my district on the subject of "Must-Have iPad and Smartphone Apps." I did a blog post a short time ago, and that list hasn't change much, but there have been a few additions and deletions, mostly due to suggestions of those in my Personal Learning Network. Below is my current list of must have iPad apps that I will be sharing next week. Keep in mind I have not included content specific apps. Only those general apps that I find myself using as a part of my job and in my professional learning.

Must-Have iPad and Smartphone Apps Presentation

My two favorite tools for engaging and connecting with others are Twitter and Blogging, which will be the main focus of a training session I will be sharing next week. With Twitter I have connected with educators as far away as Saudi Arabia, India, and Australia. In my "Life Before Twitter" these kinds of connections would have been impossible. This is quite a contrast from my first classroom where I did not have a phone. The only connection to the world beyond those four walls was the intercom system, which sometimes worked and sometimes did not. Now, with Twitter, I can message other people who share my interests no matter where they are. And Twitter has also enabled me to connect with leaders in education that I would not have been able to network with in the past.

Blogging has served to accentuate the connections in my professional learning network in many ways. First of all, after reading my blog posts, others have freely shared their own ideas, thoughts, and comments with me. This makes posting to a blog a two-way or many-way conversation, with others giving me feedback and ideas. Secondly, with blogging, I have found myself engaged in our international conversation regarding education reform and educational issues of the day. It is through these exchanges that my own passion for public education is kept alive.

There is a global conversation occurring about education and we only need to engage a few tools like Twitter and blogging in order to be a part of it.

Here's my Prezi for the presentation next week.