How to Start Investing in Real Estate as a Clueless Beginner

 Real estate investing can be a terrific method to generate monthly income, achieve financial independence, or simply supplement your income. Here are the steps you'll need to take to get from complete novice to investing in your first property.

Everyone wishes to earn money in a passive manner.

Others start a blog, while others start a drop shipping business. However, many people choose a more traditional source of income: real estate investing.

You're not alone in wanting to learn how to begin investing in real estate. In the United States, there are about 22 million rental properties. Individual real estate investors own almost 16 million of them, and the demand for rental houses is expected to continue to rise.

Should you, on the other hand, engage into real estate investing? Before you make that decision, you must first answer a number of questions.

Is Real Estate a Good Investment?

Real estate has long been seen as a sound investment. Home values in the United States have increased by 3.8 percent during 2018, compared to a 2.3 percent increase in general inflation. [3] [4] Real estate can also be used as a "defence" against inflation. You can raise rent every year while keeping your mortgage the same.

For every proponent of real estate, there is a vocal detractor who claims it is not worth the effort and that better returns can be found elsewhere.

Finally, for those who appreciate it, real estate is a terrific investment. If you enjoy learning new things, looking for bargains, researching properties, and collaborating with others, real estate could be a terrific investment plan for you.

Even if you like real estate, it may not be a wise investment at this time. You should wait if you aren't financially solid enough to pay for a down payment, closing charges, and basic repairs on top of your personal living expenses.

There are a plethora of investment possibilities available to help you build wealth. One of these is real estate. If you're planning for retirement and want to take your wealth-building to the next level, understanding how to start investing in real estate is a good place to start.

Beginner's Guide to Real Estate Investing

It will take a lot of planning and studying, but if you follow certain procedures, you will be able to conquer the learning curve and begin creating your real estate portfolio.

Step 1: Start learning

Know what to search for from other experienced investors before you go on Zillow and start browsing foreclosures. Real estate mistakes can cost you tens of thousands of dollars, if not more.

By learning from others who have gone before you, you can prevent some of those misfortunes. Reading real estate investing books, listening to podcasts, finding a mentor, and networking with other investors in your region are all good places to start.

Step 2: Set a goal

Determine what you want to get out of real estate. Are you seeking for a way to supplement your income while still working full-time? Do you want to be able to retire early if you work hard enough? Or do you want to start a company that will employ people?

Make a list of long-term and short-term objectives that you can manage. Having a clear understanding of your business and income objectives can assist you in selecting the best real estate investment plan and avoiding deals that will take up too much of your time or money.

Step 3: Choose a real estate investing strategy

Individual investors aren't limited to single-family homes when it comes to real estate investing. Choose the best plan for you based on your income and time goals.

Crowdfunding

Real estate crowdfunding is the most passive way to invest in real estate, and it's a good place to start if you don't have much money. Rather than relying on a single major investor, crowdsourcing allows large developers to generate funds through a series of smaller individual investments.

Individual investors can start investing in real estate with as little as $500 thanks to companies like Fundrise and EquityMultiple.

Hacking  homes

House hacking entails staying in a house while renting out sections of it, thus living for free or very little money. Because you'll be occupying the house, you won't need to put down a 20% deposit, making it easier to get started.

Renting out rooms in your home, purchasing a multifamily property and renting the other units, or renting space or rooms on Airbnb are all options for house hacking.

Flipping

Flipping houses is a fast-paced technique. Investors purchase a property at a low cost, renovate it, and resell it as soon as feasible. While it can be a profitable venture, you will need more capital up front to be successful.

Wholesaling

An individual, or wholesaler, discovers a deal and places a contract on the property with the seller using this method. They then look for a buyer for the property, which is usually another real estate investor, and assign the contract to the buyer at a higher price.

The wholesaler pays the buyer, and the seller pays the wholesaler, with the wholesaler keeping the difference. This is similar to a finder's fee.

The property hasn't had any modifications, additions, or even money invested in it. If you're adept at discovering deals, the profit is lesser, but the potential is higher. It takes a lot of patience, research, and networking to find investors who are looking for projects.

Single-Family Homes: Buy and Hold

Many people begin their real estate investing careers by renting out their primary residence once they have relocated. Treat your next house purchase as an investment if you aren't ready to invest right now but know you will in the future.

Lisa Harrison was relieved that she had decided to transform her home into an investment property.

"It lessens tension because you don't have to go through the process of looking for a home and bidding on it," she explained. "Also, you'll probably already have a mortgage on it, so you won't have to deal with that." But, for me, the best part about converting a present home into a rental is that you're already familiar with it. You're well-versed in all the peculiarities and how to cope with them."

The investor buys a single-family home, leases it out, and keeps it for a long period under this method. You can make it seem nicer with less expensive features than you would if you were flipping it, but you won't get as much money back as quickly.

5 Easy Ways to Generate Passive Income with Your Car

 You won't have to modify your schedule or lifestyle if you choose to pursue these chances. You'll be able to drive your car normally while also earning some extra cash.

Some businesses will compensate you for your mileage data. This is a simple way to earn some passive cash with your car if you drive a lot and don't mind selling that information.

1. Tapestri

Tapestri is a location data broker that works with big companies to assist them understand consumer shopping behaviors. They accomplish this by selling the anonymized location data of all app users.

You're already handing out your location data if you use Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Waze, or a million more apps. (When you downloaded and activated the app, you gave your approval.)

Tapestri is an app that you install and then forget about. That is all there is to it. As you travel about town with your automobile, it records your location history. You don't have to interact with the app in any way, and simply leaving it installed will earn you up to $25 per month, every month.

I earned a little more than $5 in the first ten days of using the app, and I couldn't care less if Target wants to know I work from home all day.

2. OnMyWay

OnMyWay is a data collection app that helps people avoid driving while distracted. You can acquire a link to download the app by going to the website and entering your phone number. You'll get $10 just for downloading it, plus $0.05 per mile driven without texting.

Although you won't get paid in cash to your bank account, PayPal, or Venmo account, you can use your profits to buy in-app discounts or shop at obscure stores like Hollywood Sensation or Jordan Lash. These are coupon codes that advertisers have purchased, and they range in value from $10 to $100.

3. Mobilo

Mobilo is a smartphone software that aims to eliminate distracted driving by paying users with points rather than cash. Your phone's Google Maps or another GPS app will be activated by the app. You'll earn points if you drive faster than 12 mph for at least two minutes.

Every minute you don't use your phone, Mobilo will give you one point. Every time you use your phone while driving, you'll lose a point. Your points can be exchanged for Mobilo, a new cryptocurrency. Mobilo will be accepted as a method of payment in the future by insurance companies and others who prioritize safe driving, according to the business.

The sole thing you can buy with the cryptocurrency as of February 2020 is Mobilio Airbag, which will help you if you get into an accident while riding with Zipcar or Share Now. You can use Mobilio Airbag to pay the damage cost Zipcar or Share Now will charge you if you buy it 30 minutes before your ride and don't use your phone throughout the journey.

4. Getaround

Getaround is a car sharing app that allows car owners to connect to people who need to rent a vehicle. According to the company, you can use it to earn hundreds of dollars per month as long as your car meets its requirements:

• Model year is 2010 or newer
• Has fewer than 125,000 miles
• Seats a maximum of 8 passengers

To get started with Getaround, create a free account, including details like the dates your car will be available as well as a pick-up and drop-off location. After a 30-day free trial, you’ll pay a one-time fee of $99 and a flat fee of $20 per month to continue to use the app.

A Getaround representative will install Getaround Connect, a device that allows renters to locate and unlock your car. You’ll also receive a digital key so you can access and unlock your car from your phone any time you’d like. Additionally, your car will carry a $1 million insurance policy when you rent it out.

You can read more about the company and how it works in our Getaround review.

5. Turo

Another car-sharing app is Turo. According to the company, if you own a car registered in any state except New York, you can utilize it to make $500 per month or more. Your vehicle must also meet the following requirements according to the platform:

• Be no more than 12 years old
• Have 130,000 miles or fewer
• Doesn’t exceed $150,000 in value

To join Turo, establish an account and then select "List Your Car." Enter information such as the make, model, and license plate number from there. Include information such as the size of the trunk and whether your vehicle has features such as a built-in GPS or leather seats.

Turo will recommend a daily charge for your car, but you can set your own price. How much of the rental payments you get to keep depends on the insurance coverage you choose.

Here’s an overview of your options.

• Standard Plan: The standard plan provides liability coverage as well as physical damage protection. You'll also get 70% of the cost of your vacation back.
• Premium Plan: If you choose the premium plan, you will receive 65 percent of your trip revenue. This plan is similar to the basic one, but it additionally includes wear and tear as well as the loss of rental income.
• The basic plan does not include coverage for wear and tear or loss of rental income. Turo will cover 20% of the first $3,750 in car damage expenditures and then 100% beyond that. You'll get to keep 85 percent of the cost of your trip.

Standard Plan: The standard plan provides liability coverage as well as physical damage protection. You'll also get 70% of the cost of your vacation back.

Premium Plan: If you choose the premium plan, you will receive 65 percent of your trip revenue. This plan is similar to the basic one, but it additionally includes wear and tear as well as the loss of rental income.

The basic plan does not include coverage for wear and tear or loss of rental income. Turo will cover 20% of the first $3,750 in car damage expenditures and then 100% beyond that. You'll get to keep 85 percent of the cost of your trip.

30 Tricks You Need to Know About!

 

1. Buy PC games direct from Twitch

Twitch now lets you buy and download games direct from the pages of many of its partnered streamers. Titles include Broken Age and Titan Souls, and purchases are made via your Amazon account.

2. Discover new NHS apps

The NHS has created a beta website to recommend digital tools for improving your health. So far it has approved just one - myCOPD - and is still testing others, but it's a great way of seeing which apps are built on solid medical evidence.

3. Find out who owns UK land

Want to know more about that patch of land up the road? Click its location on this map to see details from the Land Registry, its potential for agriculture, the risk of flooding and any planning restrictions.

4. Insure yourself with a chatbot

Sign up to Kevinsured and you can ask chatbot Kevin to cover you against fraud, theft, scams, fakes and more when you're buying on sites such as Cragslist and Gumtree. It's free to use and you're protected up to the equivalent of $100 (£80).

5. Lighten up your emails

The Emotional Labor extension for Gmail scans your emails to make your messages more friendly. Created to be more satirical than useful, clicking the smiley face adds exclamation marks, informal greetings and 'lots'.

6. Get Alexa on your television

Amazon's digital assistant Alexa is now available on the Amazon Fire TV Stick, allowing you to launch apps, control content and search on your television using your voice. To find out more about Alexa, turn to our FAG on page 36.

7. See how far you can travel

Click anywhere on this map and layers of colours will show how far you can drive from that location within a set period of time, taking into account congestion, public transport and round-trips. You can add up to five destination markers for specific route information.

8. Build the highest tower

This tricky game from Guinness World Records invites you to build the highest tower possible. Click the screen to make individual blocks fall but be careful: should one misplaced brick fall, it's game over.

9. Stream SoundCloud with iOS

You've long been able to stream music from SoundCloud to your Chromecast on Android, but not in the iOS app. Now, subscribers to SoundCloud Go+ can benefit on both platforms.

10. Shout about web content

This Chrome extension and iOS app lets you save and share web content. When you see an article, PDF, video or image you like, simply tap the Shout button. You can also organize the items into lists, which you can make private or public.

11. Download NASA software for free

NASA's 2017-18 software catalogue is packed with tools that the space agency uses to explore the universe. It's complex stuff, but you can download any program for free.

12. See a map of movie locations

This map shows 82 homes in the UK that have appeared in movies, including Harry Potter and Batman. You can search by location and genre, and the website pinpoints the various spots. You can see a Street View image too.

13. Watch video previews in Netflix

Netflix's spruced-up interface uses real-time video to let you watch previews of shows as you're browsing. These deliver a short synopsis of a programme and can be viewed via game consoles, smart TVs and Roku devices.

14. Play a classic synth in your browser

Hop online and try this interactive simulation which recreates the layout of the 1984 vintage Roland Juno-106 synth and lets you play around with its analog sound.

15. Look at Tube map rip-offs

Henry Beck's famous London Underground map was conceived in 1931 and has inspired many copycats and parodies since. This map uses the classic design to list 300 imitators. using the stations as links to each example.

16. View Roman inscriptions

There are thousands of Roman inscriptions across the UK, and this map lets you find many of them. Click markers to see drawings of each one, along with details of where and when they were found.

17. Check house market fluidity

Wondering how long houses take to sell in your area? Enter a postcode into this tool and it uses data from Rightmove and the Land Registry to give you an estimate. It also shows the difference between asking prices and the eventual sale price.

18. Create a bee friendly garden

The ecological importance of bees is well known, but populations have slumped. This tool lets you look up the flowers in your garden to see how bee-friendly your patch is, and discover which plants can help it become better for pollinators.

19. Check hygiene ratings

Just Eat is now dishing out Food Standards Agency hygiene information for tens of thousands of restaurants. Before ordering your grub, click the Info tab on the eatery's page to see a rating and find out when it was last inspected.

20. See and hear London species

Download the Deep Listener app and head for Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in London There you can embark on an augmented-reality ecological expedition that lets you see and hear London plane trees, bats, parakeets, azure blue damselflies and reedbeds.

21. Switch from songs to videos

 Subscribers to YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium can now switch from playing audio to watching a music video without interrupting the tune. The feature works for five million tracks.

22. Report fake news on Instagram

False content can be flagged for attention on Instagram by launching the app, tapping the three-dot menu and selecting Report and Its Inappropriate. Tap False Information and the report will train Al to watch out for similar content in future.

23. Calculate the chance of rain

This weather calculator warns if rain will ruin a wedding day, but its Met Office data can also be used to predict the dampness of future events. Enter a date and region to see a percentage chance of rainfall.

24. Get your podcast on Spotify

If you're a podcaster, Spotify for Podcasters lets you share your audio with audiences and provides a discovery and analytics dashboard to view average listening times, total listeners and episode streams.

25. Keep score of the rugby

Keep up with 2019 Rugby World Cup - running till 2 November - via Google News. View the scores of past games, see upcoming matches, watch highlights via YouTube and check the latest news and tables.

26. Use Gmail's new dark mode

To use Dark Mode in the Android Gmail app, set your entire device to the dark theme or open Settings in Gmail and select Theme, Dark. The app also darkens on Pixel phones with Battery Saver enabled. On iOS, go to Settings, Dark Theme.

27. Tour the Palace of Versailles

This stunning tour of the majestic French palace includes 18 online exhibitions and 3D models of rooms and objects, as well as a SteamVR app that has reconstructed 3D models of objects from 2D images.

28. Follow topics on Twitter

Rather than trying to keep up with the latest news by following individuals on Twitter, you can now follow topics instead. Search for a subject (there are more than 300) and choose Follow in the results.

29. Remove Facebook shortcuts

Facebook now lets you manage its navigation options in the Android and i05 apps. Tap and hold an icon (such as Marketplace or Watch) to remove it from the shortcuts bar or turn off the notification dots.

30. Search The Guardian records

The Guardian News & Media Archive's records relate to its online presence from 1995 until 2009. Use terms such as "guardian online" for written descriptions of documents, but you'll need to make an appointment and visit the paper's London office to view them.

List of 6 of Top-Rated Copy Paste Jobs Sites India 2022

All of the sites mentioned in this article accept payments on a timely basis. We urge that you only apply for jobs through a reputable site such as the ones indicated below

1. Fiverr

Fiverr is a fantastic site where you can earn a good amount of money each month by doing copy-paste jobs.

The nicest thing about Fiverr is that, unlike other platforms, the process of selecting you for selling does not take long. To acquire work proposals from clients, you must first create a gig. You will almost certainly receive a work proposal if your gig appeals to them. As a result, everything hinges on how successfully you marketed your gig on the site.

You can even let your friends or acquaintances know about your gig so that you can get a suitable work quickly. Many clients on Fiverr are looking for freelancers that can perform copy-paste work. So, get your hands dirty with this incredible platform and create a captivating gig.

From the dashboard, you can also learn how to create a fantastic Fiverr gig. It will assist you in the greatest way possible.

2. Clickindia

Are you looking for a copy-paste job but can't seem to locate one that will pay you well? If you're seeking for an answer, ClickIndia is the place to go.

It is a capable classified site where employers post free and paid ads to discover qualified individuals for open positions. On the other side, the platform benefits job searchers by making it easier for them to discover a position that matches their skills.

Before you are hired and begin working for an advertiser, you must first authenticate the advertiser's account. If you do not receive payment for the job, ClickIndia will not be held liable.

3. Guru

Guru is a website where you may find dozens of online copy-paste jobs. The best feature about the platform is that you can make an account for free and search for jobs that match your qualifications. Isn't that exactly what you wanted?

The method of advertising a job on this site is simple, so whether you're an employer or a freelancer, you can easily submit a job and outsource your freelance work.

As a freelancer, you must apply suitable filters to whatever task you seek. For example, if you're seeking for copy-paste employment, all you have to do on Guru is apply for a filter that lists copy-paste opportunities. It will just provide you with information.

4. Flexjobs

Are you looking for a rewarding job? Flexjobs is another great site for finding online copy-paste jobs without having to pay a daily fee. If you're looking for remote work, part-time jobs, or freelance opportunities, Flexjobs is the place to go. It will also allow you to collaborate with top-rated organizations such as Apple, Dell, Microsoft, Salesforce, PWC, and others.

Despite the fact that it is a free platform. You can, however, upgrade to the premium version to apply to several jobs. You must pay $24.95 every month to purchase its subscription. The platform's main feature is that it offers all users a 30-day money-back guarantee as well as personal customer service. How cool!

5. OnlineWorksIndia

It is one of the real copy-paste work sites that allows many people in India to earn enough money to cover their daily costs. Working 5 to 6 hours per day on OnlineWorksIndia will earn you anywhere between Rs.10,000 and Rs.20,000 per month.

Are you considering using this platform to make money as well? To do so, you must pay Rs.1000 in joining costs, which are refundable if you decide not to continue. After you pay the joining costs, you will be assigned copy-paste job for 6 months or possibly longer. It means that for a Rs.1000 registration fee, you can earn anywhere between Rs.60,000 and Rs.1,20,000 in 6 months. Isn't this a great deal?

6. MegaTypers

MegaTypers is not a platform for freelancers. Instead, it's a network that connects thousands of people across India with attractive job opportunities from a variety of employers, brands, and government agencies.

This platform is great for anyone who want to make money online doing copy-paste jobs. This site offers complete data input and copy-paste tasks. The best aspect is that you will be paid promptly at the end of each month. The payment is made in the first week of the following month via UPI or direct deposit into bank accounts.

Students who are wanting to make a living and cover their daily expenses frequently use the platform. It allows you to earn anywhere between Rs.10,000 and Rs.18,000

Best Free Flickr Alternatives

 With Flickr downgrading its free 1TB storage to a distinctly ungenerous 1,000 pictures, now is the ideal time to find an alternative home for your photos. we eye up the best online photo-storage services.

1. Google Photos 

Once upon a time. Google Photos was part of the ill-fated Google+ service. Now, spun out as a standalone app, it's a near-faultless photo-focused storage service that offers users unlimited storage for free.

First, a note about that 'unlimited storage'. There's no such thing as a free lunch: if you take advantage of its infinite space, Google will cap your image resolution to 16 megapixels and 10130p for videos. If you're a home user uploading snapshots from your phone or budget digital camera, it shouldn't be a problem. But if you want your high-res photos stored in all their original glory, you'll be limited to 1SGB across all Drive services, including Photos.

Google's paid-for storage upgrades are good value -100GB costs just £1.59 a month, and more options are being rolled out under the new Google One plan which shares storage across Photos, Drive and Gmail, and can be shared with family members.

The layout is uncomplicated, whether on the web or the identical smartphone app. With its spacious overview, viewing, uploading, sharing, and editing is effective and intuitive. When you open a photo, the viewing experience remains faithful, with no rogue pixelation or downgraded resolutions. And that big old Search bar is clever enough to find all your photos of, say, a field, without you needing to tag them.

Google Photos' crowning glory is the Assistant. Tucked away on the left-hand sidebar, and also under the Create tab at the top of the screen, there's a media editor that's smart enough to tweak a photo's lighting, add filters, animate still images, and cut videos into GIFs. Once you're happy with the results, press Save to store Al's handiwork (don't worry, it won't overwrite the original). You can also use the Assistant for your own creations, including animations, collages, and films.

2. OneDrive

Microsoft's OneDrive -our preferred cloud-storage service for some time - is a simple tool that integrates well with both desktops and smartphones. Sign up for free to get 5GB storage plus Microsoft Office Online, which includes Word and Excel (Office 365 subscribers get 1TB of storage for free). However, it lacks Google Photos' pin-sham focus and elegance of use.

The sidebar's Photos hub lets you explore all pictures chronologically. The menu across the top lets you view them by Albums, Tags, and Places. Select a photo to unlock an array option, including edit, share and embed.

A nice touch is OneDrive's album creator, which automatically collates your photos based on the date they were taken. As a 'smart' cloud-storage solution, we were also impressed with OneDrive's ability to cleverly recognize and tag themes, including people, animals, sunsets, cities, and much more (weirdly, even lndoors' and '#meetingrooms' had their own tags).

3. Shoebox

If you'd rather keep your data away from the internet giants, stash your photos in Shoebox. It offers Android and iOS apps, and browser-based uploads - although, if you're using Windows or Mac OS, the desktop app is a smarter choice because the website doesn't always load properly. Syncing is immediate, and the Search function reads metadata, so you can quickly find pictures based on times, dates, and specific locations.

The "forever free" plan offers unlimited photo backup, though image resolutions are capped at 10.6 megapixels. That's probably fine for home users because phone cameras generally hit 8 to 16 megapixels - and it's tough to spot the difference without zooming right in. But it's not suitable for serious photography enthusiasts.

4. iCloud 

There's barely a cigarette-paper's difference between Apple's iCloud and OneDrive - our recommended general cloud storage service. Both offer 5GB for free and syncing is quick and simple. But the old-fashioned iCloud doesn't categorize images, which forces you to create and manage your folders. It all comes down to price: if you're an iPhone owner wanting a massive 2TB storage and don't need free Microsoft Office, then iCloud's £7 a month is good value.

5. Dropbox  

Once the cloud-storage king, now struggling against its better-equipped rivals, Dropbox suffers the same problem as iCloud: lack of file-type organization. Files and photos are lumped together, leaving you to sort everything out yourself. Free users only get 2GB storage, though images aren't downgraded or capped. But we appreciate the File Explorer integration, which, like Windows' local OneDrive folder, makes uploads quick and easy.

6. Canon Irista

Irista, from the top camera brand Canon, gives free users an uncommonly generous 15GB just for signing up, which is tempting in a sea of 1GB and 5GB offers. Sadly, it's let down by an inconsistent service: syncing across devices is slow, uploading is slow, and we struggled to add even modestly sized pictures without receiving error messages.

Best NASA's amazing New Tricks From Internet

 

1. Explore NASA's amazing library

NASA's new online library offers a vast cosmic collection of 140,000 images, videos and audio clips from the last 100 years. This means you can view and download stunning copyright-free photos of Saturn and Mars, see Neil Armstrong on the Moon and take a peek at space launches, the Milky Way and phenomena such as the Northern Lights and solar flares.

From the homepage, you can check out the latest uploads and browse the most popular images and videos. If you want to download the files, there's a variety of resolutions on offer and NASA says you can freely embed them in your own websites and projects. There are also filters to help you narrow down your searches by year and content type, while the list view provides a description and creation date for each result.

NASA has clearly put a lot of time and effort into the site, right down to mobile versions for browsing on the go. You can even see technical info for individual shots, such as the exposure and lens used. As a space-based resource, it's out of this world. images.nasa.gov

2. Play another newly discovered Dizzy game

Back in the Eighties and early Nineties, twins Philip and Andrew Oliver were arguably the most prolific programmers of 8-bit computer games, and they've recently rediscovered several previously unreleased games on dusty disks tucked away in Philip's loft. The latest is Mystery World Dizzy, originally made for the NES console and now free to play online within a Flash-enabled browser. You help Dizzy gather objects to solve puzzles while avoiding obstacles and collecting stars. Use the cursor keys to move left, right and jump; X to chat and pick up or drop objects; and the spacebar to see your inventory. You can also play Wonderland Dizzy, which the Olivers found in 2015 and Dreamworld Pogie which was discovered earlier this year.

3. Netflix videos to Windows 10

Being able to download Netflix content to an Android or iOS device has revolutionized long journeys and now you can do the same in Windows 10. Netflix is allowing certain movies and TV shows to be saved to your PC or laptop using its official app for Windows 10, which means you can watch content anywhere without an internet connection. You can also choose between standard-and high-quality video. You'll find downloadable content by heading for the hamburger menu at the top of the app, and anything you save will be stored in My Downloads. The app costs 79p, on top of your Netflix subscription. Neflix has also changed how you rate shows and films, ditching the star-ratings for a thumbs-up and thumbs-down system. Your viewing habits and behavior will be analyzed to help Neflix recommend other content that it thinks you'll enjoy.

4. Decorate your selfies with Sprinkles

A fun new camera app from Microsoft lets you liven up your photos by automatically adding stickers, emoji and captions. The iOS-only app, called Sprinkles, uses facial-recognition techniques to overlay decorations such as hats and moustaches, apply objects relevant to the picture's location, guess the subject's age and even suggest celebrity look-alikes.

5. Share temporary stories on Facebook

Facebook has added a Snapchat-style Stories feature to its mobile app. This lets you create and share collections of photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours, and view those created by your friends, which appear in bubbles above your News Feed. To create your own, tap the camera in the top-left corner or swipe right and hold the button to shoot up to 40 seconds of video or snap a photo. You can add animations, text and graphics, and post by pressing the arrow and selecting Your Story.

6. Send Instagram messages from your Desktop

Instagram has updated its Windows 10 app to let you share photos and videos by direct message. Although there's still no way to make public posts from your Desktop, a quick click of the messaging icon lets you share a photo from your computer. You can also grab a live picture from your webcam. It's certainly a step in the right direction and we reckon we'll see the feature extended in the near future so you'll be able to post directly to your Instagram feed, too.

7. Save mobile data when using Twitter

Twitter has launched a pared-down version called Twitter Lite that makes it easier to load the social network on your phone or tablet if you have a slow mobile network, expensive data plan or limited storage. As well as reducing data usage by up to 70%, it lets you preview images and videos before loading them.

8. Play a duet with your computer

Whether or not you're an accomplished pianist, Google's intriguing new experiment in artificial intelligence will be music to your ears. Al Duet lets you play a tune by clicking the onscreen keyboard or pressing keys on your physical one, then picks up on your melody and works out a musical response so it can play along. This creates a duet with your computer and, although it's seldom perfectly in tune, it uses the power of neural networks to improve over time.

To do this, the online app has learned scores of melodies, including keys, rhythm and timing. Built by Yotam Mann in collaboration with Google's music and art project, Magneta and Creative Lab, it can also be used with a MIDI keyboard if you want to take things to another level.

Al Duet is fundamentally about machine learning and pushing the technology to ever greater heights. In that sense, it complements other Al musical experiments such as The Infinite Drum Machine, which lets you play around with endless drum-sound combinations, and Giorgio Cam, which cleverly lets you capture a photo to generate the lyrics of a song.

9. Create cat-filled artwork

As if the Internet didn't have enough cats, this feline generator adds a bunch more. Draw a cat in the left-hand box, then click the 'process' button and the software will sift through 2,000 stock images of moggies to fill in your outline. Some results look very strange indeed and many users are already saving and sharing their images on social media. But the experiment isn't just confined to cats: you can do the same thing for building facades, shoes and handbags. The tool makes great use of TensorFlow, the open-source software library for machine Intelligence, and we have to tip our hat to Christopher Hesse for creating these highly addictive image-to-image demos.

10. See how far you can travel

Rather than finding out how long it will take you to get to a particular location, TravelTime Maps shows where you can travel to within a set amount of time. Type in your location, select a mode of transport - be it train, car, bike or your own two legs - and indicate how long you've got (between 15 and 90 minutes). The tool will then calculate your boundary and you can tell it what you'd like to do, such as visit a museum, cinema or coffee shop. It will list the destinations within reach, taking into account the time constraints, and give you the option to get directions. You can also set up multiple starting points and perform another search from each destination, which is particularly handy when you're planning a whistle-stop tour of an area or want to find a spot to congregate with friends.

Best 6 Free Online Calendars

 What better way to start planning for the New Year than with a new calendar that syncs across all your devices? we organize the best cross-platform calendars and puts them in order.

1. Microsoft

Microsoft

Embracing Windows, Mac OS, smartphones, tablets and the web, Microsoft's Outlook is the king of cross-platform calendar apps (with a slice of email thrown in). And while Microsoft's Office 365 subscription gets you the full Outlook software, we found the free Windows Mail offers near-identical tools without the need to stump up the annual charges. All you need to get started is a personal Outlook account.

Most calendar apps have a dull interface - there's not much you can do with a grid of numbers, after all - but Outlook is clean almost to the point of understatement across all platforms, with slim, color-coded agendas neatly occupying the generously proportioned boxes assigned to each day.

Creating calendar events is as simple or as detailed as you need it to be. The basics let you set a name, description, date, and time. Then, if required, you can go ahead and include any of Outlook's optional extras: add a location, invite a pal, attach a file, or set reminders that ping notifications to whatever device you're using.

You're also free to change which 'calendar' this event is tied to because one of Outlook's best features is its ability to pull multiple calendars together. So, if you're running a Google or Apple calendar on the side, add it to Outlook and view it alongside your others. Calendar apps from Evernote, Facebook, Wunderlist, and Meetup are also supported, while Microsoft lets you add schedules for nation-specific holidays and your favorite sports teams, automatically displaying forthcoming games and even updating once the score comes in.

2. Google Calendar

Google Calendar

Google Calendar is perfectly balanced for personal and professional use. Dig into this distraction-free calendar and you'll find a bounty of clever features, such as switching time zones and deploying Find A Time to scour your agenda and prevent clashing appointments.

Who said calendars need to be boring? Switch to Schedule view and the calendar's smart enough to add stylized boards to forthcoming events based on themes or locations. Got a dinner reservation? Google pulls up a photo of the restaurant, while birthdays display your contacts' photos.

The smartphone app also lets you schedule reminders, out-of-office responses, and goals. This excellent feature reminds you to take some 'me time' for the important things in life. Set your goal and the app locates the best time based on other calendar events, adjusting as it learns your habits.

3. TimeTree   

TimeTree

TimeTree is a mobile and web-based calendar that's earned itself an Editors' Choice stamp in the Google Play Store. Not only does it let you escape the clutches of Microsoft and Google, but it's also happy not to reinvent the wheel, displaying large, spacious boxes that let you quickly see events without squinting and scrolling.

Create a new calendar and give it a purpose - Family, Work, Groups, and so on. After choosing who or what your calendar is for, you can add a cover image, a color, and a description. These personalization options are such a simple addition that we expect TimeTree's more famous competitors will nab the idea soon.

The focus of the calendar is on sharing, so once it's set up, just fire off a link to anyone who needs to see it - all they need is an email address. The developers are promising to introduce a Weekly View soon.

4. Any.do  

Any.do

Combining tasks, to-dos, and calendars, Any.do is almost the ultimate cross-platform time-management app: not only is it available on smartphones, but also smart speakers: and not just Windows, but wearables, too. Oh, and don't forget browser extensions. There's no true web app yet, but it's on its way, and as soon as it's available, Any.do will be a serious contender for our coveted Gold Award. One to watch.

5. OneCalendar  

OneCalendar

OneCalendar is more collator than the calendar, seamlessly pulling together all your other calendars -from Google to iCloud, Facebook to Office365 - into a single app. Best of all, it features offline support and stores all your data on your device, keeping it more secure than cloud-based alternatives. If you use Windows, Android, iPhone, or iPad, there's much to recommend here. However, with no web application, Mac OS users need to go elsewhere.

6. Cozi   

Cozi

Cozi is, strictly speaking, a family organizer. Don't let that put you off, though. This multi-platform calendar has been around for yonks - it shows in its creaking design - but it's got unique extras such as shopping lists, meal planners, to-dos, and a journal. A

Best New 10 Websites From Internet (Weekly Update)

 

1. Vodafone Digital Parenting

vodofone.co.uk

The Internet is intimidating enough for adults, let alone kids, so we're pleased to see Vodafone helping parents keep their children safe in the digital age. For several years, the telecom titan's Digital Parenting magazine has highlighted potential dangers on the web. Originally found at vodafonedigitalparenting.com, the new, streamlined hub is a goldmine of tips for you and your family, from how to help kids spot fake news to managing screen time. For a fun flavor of the updated site, for a modern reimagining of the classic fairytale.

2. Digital Spy 

digitalspy.com

Digital Spy has been racking up the hits for almost 20 years and its new, distraction-free design makes it even easier to get the hottest takes from the showbiz world. The site caters for telly addicts and movie buffs, serving up a diet of accessible news and reviews that, being a UK site, is less glossy (and gossipy) than US counterparts. There's a major focus on big names like Doctor Who and Star Wars, but you'll also find light-hearted consumer-technology news and the ever-popular Digital Spy forums. Just be warned that clicking the Now TV link in the navigation bar whisks you to a portal where every slice of content is sponsored by Sky's internet TV service.

3. Virgin Active  

virginactive.co.uk

After gorging on mince pies and Quality Street over Christmas, the new Virgin Active website may be your next port of call. It's a simple redesign - as toned and energetic as a gym-bunny - with a search bar dominating the site, as videos of active folk dash across the background. Just enter your location to discover your nearest Virgin Active and everything it offers (did someone say 'spa'?). Clicking the Active News link, however, is literally a pointless exercise: it's an About Us page with a few ads for services - you'll need to provide your email address for the 'Workout Wednesday' tips.

4. My London 

mylondon.news

Mirror publisher Reach has merged local online titles Get West London and the Croydon Advertiser to create a city-wide news site: My London (presumably, that's your London, too). Given that's a broad remit, you can, thankfully, narrow down your search to specific areas of the capital, or by topics including Comedy, Sports and Events. Peppered among general news stories are magazine-style human-interest pieces including the 'secret' Star Wars store and hidden pauper's graveyard. However, not everyone will agree with its tagline: 'Best. City. Ever'.

5. Royal Pharmaceutical Society  

rpharms.com

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has a fine 178-year history of representing pharmacy professionals, and its new website dispenses (haha!) with the sterile whites and blues of its predecessor in favour of a rainbow carousel and personal photographs. Explore the most respected journals and find out the latest causes supported by the RPS. Elsewhere, the About Us page is a well-stocked treasure trove of information, including details about the society's museum. If this is a profession you're looking to get into, you'll find heaps of advice.

6. Dales Rocks  

The Yorkshire Dales is one of the UK's best-loved locations, and the Dales Rocks website unearths its stunning stories and sets them in stone. There's an emphasis on geology, but the text is written by a schoolteacher so the language is clear and easy to understand - even if you don't know your cyclothems from your Late Carboniferous. Dig around to uncover the history of rock formations and the finest walks across this National Park. The interactive map is worth a wander, too, charting areas of geological interest, with links to the relevant information on the site.

7. The Pulse

The Pulse, from the Women Leaders Global Forum, asks you to join the conversation'. Looking like a weird strand of DNA, this interactive site tracks over 10,000 real-time Twitter chats every day, focusing on empowering women in leadership roles. Drag, zoom and rotate your way through each element of this surreal design to read what people are really talking about when it comes to women's impact on topics such as community and power. A pop-up box displays other Twitter users' reactions to the tweet, but we found it difficult to actually join the conversation; there's no way to tweet those featured on the site.

8. Look Like Love

looklikelove.co.uk

Giving young British designers a leg-up, Look Like Love sells unique products from some of the country's top emerging artists and graduates. As you'd expect, it's an attractive website and as minimalist as a Scandinavian bedroom. If any of the limited editions catch your eye, draw your mouse over the image for a close-up look, then add to cart: checkout is straightforward and secure. Every hand-crafted piece - you'll find cushions, ceramics, and homewares -entices conversation, although the prints might be a little avant-garde for those with more traditional tastes. We may not know art, but we know what we like.

9. Pyjama Fairies 

pyjamafairies.org

Fairies do exist - and they craft pyjamas and surgical gowns for poorly children undergoing surgery. These colourful garments are designed to help make unnerving stays in hospital just that little bit more bearable. The website isn't the slickest of the charities we've covered recently - website navigation is almost solely confined to drop-down menus, while the home screen is dedicated to showcasing the good work the charity does for children. Donations and a shop are housed on the site, as well as an 'Order Now' page where parents can get the magical jim-jams for their poorly youngsters before visiting hospital.

10. Epic Games Store 

epicgames.com

Having conquered the world with its juggernaut battle royale shooter, Fortnite, Epic Games is gunning for the Steam Store. Hi-res images and videos do a dandy job of showcasing the latest games - it's worth exploring each title to see key details like minimum PC specs and the game's social-media accounts. Checkout is quick using credit card, PayPal or Amazon Payments. Future plans are promising - including two free games a month and better revenue shares for developers - but it feels rushed: the storefront is as barren as an offie on New Year's Eve, and there isn't even a search bar. If you're aiming to abandon your Steam library, you may have to wait a while yet.