There is a site Vixy where you can easily convert and download videos to your computer. All you need to do is copy the URL of the video on YouTube and paste it in the text field on the site. Vixy's system then resolves and converts the video and allows you to download it. Not only that, there is a range of options of formats in which to download the video.

• AVI - Compatible with Windows
• MOV - Compatible with Mac
• MP4 - Compatible with iPod and PSP
• 3GP - Compatible with Mobiles

Sometimes you may only want to download the audio portion of a video (for example, the song from a music video). For this, you can select the last option which converts the video into only MP3(audio) format. In this way, you can download the song from a video to your computer.

Another site which can be used to download YouTube videos is Tech Crunch. The only thing is, the videos will be donwloaded in .FLV format.

I have also included links to websites where you may buy any of these products! Make your friends more jealous of you than anyone else in the world. I have listed websites to buy these items from as well. These products are legal in most places but, if you select something you would like to buy, please look up state laws about the buying and use of that product.

It is your responsibility to follow the law and I will take no responsibility if you do something wrong with one of the items I will show you where to buy. Please comment this article with opinions or suggestions! Thanks for the feedback!

1. A Laser

   
   
   We've all seen 007's watch, that red laser can cut through anything it needs to. Now in our developed world we have technology that does better; lasers in any color of the rainbow. They are so visible in daylight you need to wear protective glasses just to look at the beam.
   
   Although they cannot fit inside a watch yet, these military grade burning lasers are only the size of a pen but can cut like a knife, light things on fire, and have their beam be visible any where you point it; hundreds of miles away! Although many places sell these lasers, to get ones with power, beauty, and the ability to make you the feel like a ninja, you have to go to a place rightfully called WickedLasers.
   
   
   
   If you for some reason require a laser that does not look as nice on the outside but works just as well and has a beam just as bright, a laser that is not visible to the naked eye, one that turns on with a unique key, or one that is yellow or orange go to LaserGlow. Both these websites are great.
   

2. Lock Picking Tools

   
   
   Most of us don't care to use our shoulder to break through locked doors, and many doors cannot be broken. Here's where these tools come into play. You can buy little metal skeleton keys called picks to lock pick doors.
   
   Don't have the skill needed to pick the lock? Buy a lock pick gun which does it for you or a lock picking training device. If this isn't your thing and you already have access to a key get a key mold kit which comes complete and ready to duplicate any key you've ever seen. All these items can be found at the lock picking section in The Spy Store.

3. A Tracer

   
   
   Admit it. You've watched a lot of Hollywood in your lifetime and from 007 to StarWars films have had many scenes where people trace each other with small gadgets they slipped onto each other.
   
   Thanks to Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) this is now no large feat to do. You may buy a small box, less than half the size of a cigarette box which you can then stick, using the built in magnets, onto anything you want to trace. Then you can monitor the position of whatever you happened to be tracing all the way to Hong Kong.
   
   Some of these GPS trackers can be found at this website.
   

4. Intrusion Gear

   
   
   Any good undercover operative can enter any facility. Even without permission. Apart from lock picking, which is for the patient man, you can get in like a ninja or like Jackie Chan. These websites will sell you anything from fire department forcible entry tools, to grappling hooks, to metal rope ladders, to suction cups.
   
   Although the suction cups are not meant for climbing, some one-handed cups can hold up to 75 pounds so with a couple cups and a lot of creativity you should be ready to go. Check out Ninja Gear at Tbo-Tech. Find Locksmith Equipment at The Spy Store.

5. Biometric Security

   
   
   Security using your one-of-a-kind body is the best there is. Although things like voice recognition, palm, hand and fingerprint scanning, iris and retina reading, hand vein imagery, facial 3d modeling verification, and DNA testing security devices are harder to buy as they require you personal information, what you need it for, and a price quote these high end security devices were too cool not to be included on my list.
   
   Here's where you can buy some of these from well known brands such as Panasonic.
   

6. Secret Surveillance: Audio and Video

   
   
   Here's where the word "spy" comes from. Using these gadgets you may record audio and visual data within a large radius, or though a specific device such as a phone. You can do all this without being detected using special equipment.
   
   
   
   These Microphones and cameras can be smaller than the nail on your pinky finger and can be on constantly or activated by sound or motion. You can even get cameras that see in the dark or mikes which can pinpoint sounds a hundred feet away.
   
   To be able to monitor your targets with precise accuracy and secrecy go to the audio or video site at The Spy Store.
   

7. Virtual Secret Surveillance

   
   
   Ever wished you could know every single thing somebody did on a certain computer? And all their passwords? Well, this is now possible. Using simply a small plug-in device, the size of a nickel, between a person's keyboard (even a wireless one) and their computer, you can see hundreds of pages of text that they type no matter what it is. You can monitor every single button they press on their keyboard. No software is involved in this process; you simply set a password on the device and plug it in.
   
   When it has been recording a good deal of time you can take it out and plug it into your own computer enter the password and Viola! You can see everything they've typed. If you do not want to have to retrieve the device you can have what it has recorded sent to a website, email, or FTP server.
   
   This device can be left in for years on end. You may also buy software that does exactly the same thing and at the same time records the person's screen.

8. Self Defense

   
   
   Now that your going to be a real spy your going to need some serious protection. On the website below you can buy anything from Martial arts and ninja weapons, to police batons, to stun guns and tasers disguised as cell phones (just like James Bond), to pepper spray disguised as lipstick, to handcuffs and thumbcuffs, to blowguns which shoot tranquilizer darts 200 feet using only your breath. These are mostly non-lethal weapons but always use the utmost caution.
   
   
   
   For some real butt-kicking power check out the following website.

9. Counter Equipment

   
   
   Of course, now that you have bought the necessary accessories and become a double O, you have made enemies, use these gadgets to prevent them spying on you. They have bug sweepers to see that no one is spying on you through your Phone, fax, or computer, or with hidden microphones and cameras. Also in stock are anti-tracers so as to jam, and not to be tracked by, GPS.
   
   If you want to protect your computer from spies, buy a Government Grade Computer protection program which will save you from stealthy spy programs monitoring your computer. You can find them all on the websites below.
   
   Did you know that no matter what you delete on your computer, even "permanently" is never really gone? No matter what you do, even if you are a good programmer and delete the cache, the 1's and 0's are still there in a non-accessible piece of your hard disk. This information is kept there for the government to see. If you are paranoid or simply want to get something off your computer forever, so as to not be haunted by it, you can get the software you need today.
   
   If you have information on a person spying on you it is possible to find out who the person is with their living address, email address, telephone number, or car license plate.

10. Other Really Cool Equipment

    
    
    Here are some other cool necessities. On these websites you can find a USB SIM card reader which will allow you to see anything on a person's phone, even deleted items such as text messages, simply by plugging in the SIM card. You may also find some hand-held lie detectors and generic versions of previously listed spy equipment.
    
    
    
    Also the website below is most likely the best spy website in existence! It has the widest selection of high tech gadgets anywhere including cell phone jammers and REAL X-RAY GLASSES that see through clothes; they are most likely illegal but still interesting.
    
    The glasses cost a ton but the camera costs only one tenth the price. Check it out you'll be impressed.

Other Cool Websites:

Here you can buy a lot of really cool gadgets, shirts, and many forms of caffeine that any true geek would love.

Here you can buy anything from radioactive uranium, to dangerous chemicals, to meteorites, to Van De Graff machines and Tesla coils, to lab equipment, to rare substances, to X-ray machines, to phosphorous items, to cloud chambers, to the strongest magnets in the world than can lift 800 pounds and only the size of your fist!

I hope you enjoyed this and found it interesting. Use your powers for good, for with great power comes great responsibility (yes I just ripped off Spiderman).

While I have submitted different articles and pictures, I like the idea of a quick and easy way to put my music out there, and Loudio lets me do this. It's kind of like test marketing. I can see what people like (or not) by the number of comments and views, just like when I write an article. Also, when I get a musical idea, it's usually spur of the moment. Most all of the stuff I do is improvised with no so called “title.”

A Word About Loudio

If you have been in the Triond community for any length of time, you no doubt have heard of Loudio. If you have not heard of it, then check it out. The content you submit does not necessarily have to be music , it can be just about any kind of sound (Podcasts, sound effects, and so on). There are a lot of categories to choose from for you to place your content, and just like writing articles, it's good to be able to either “specialize” in one category or genre, or be versatile, and cover several areas. For example: I love blues. While I don't consider myself a “blues player,” I am able to put my version of blues on the site. Who knows. Someone just might like it. I just recently submitted a spooky “Phantom of the Opera” sounding piece I titled “Dracula Meets Pink Floyd.” I have had 1,060 views in four days! (Only 9 Cents). That tells me one of two things:

1. Either people like the music, or:
2. People are curious about the title.

So, just as with articles, audio content should be creative in both the title, and the quality of the content. Without hurting any feelings, I must say this: Lot's of people want to be heard, seen, or noticed. Face it, you are probably one of them. It makes a person feel appreciated. We all have an ego that needs to be fed, however, as with many things this is all relative. What one person thinks is the “greatest thing,” another person may think is “junk.” Who knows, there just might be someone out there that loves “Japanese Punk Rock,” or “ Hillbilly Bongo Music.” There are many different levels of quality on Loudio, and this allows both the “pro” musician, and the “ novice” to be considered equal. So get out there and listen with an open ear (and open mind).

In closing this article I wish to thank some Triond writers: Jupiter King for support, comments, and submitting my music to stumble upon.com, and Nearly Anonymous for some cool guitar ideas. Also, for all of those who have taken the time to check out my music on Loudio.

Pandora tops my list as the site for new music. It's an internet radio service, but before you role your eyes (I know there's been a lot of bad internet radio), it's backed by The Music Genome Project which has already analyzed a massive selection of popular and indie music. Each song in the MGP is analyzed for over 400 musical attributes. Pandora takes this information and uses it to make suggestions for new music you may enjoy. You simply tell them a song or artist you enjoy listening to and they do the rest. Rating songs thumbs up or thumbs down allows Pandora to further understand your taste in music. Two great things about this service: 1. They explain why they choose any song for you to listen to which can equip you with an incentive as to why you like the music you like. 2. Clicking on any song title, album title, or artist name brings you to a page in the MGP where a vat of knowledge awaits your wallowing.

Liveplasma - Originally, Live Plasma was Music Plasma. Now they've added movies or something to it. I'm not sure; I only use it for its music suggestions. The scope of the music spectrum Live Plasma covers is considerably more limited than Pandora's - sticking to top 40 and indie bands with a larger niche, but it's still useful. Live Plasma generates a map of similar artists around one artist you submit. The suggestions span several genres and the more similarities between two artists, the closer they are in the map. Every artist name is clickable with limited information. The larger the orb, the more influence in popular music they hold.

Cnet's Mp3 - In its heyday (turn of the century), was the ultimate new music site. Artists submitted mp3s to the site and selected what restrictions would be placed on individual files. There was no restriction to the library size each artist held and some artists had their entire collection available for download. It covered many genres and nearly every sub-genre of the time. There were charts for every genre and sub-genre. That Mp3.com no longer exists after Cnet bought the site in 2004. Now mp3.com stores a mediocre collection of mp3s (most of which must be streamed at low quality).

Allmusic Containing a wealth knowledge on many artists, All Music first functions as a reference to answer questions like... Who performed this song? or How many albums does this artist have? But the similar artist section on the main artist page is a great resource to finding good and very similar artists.

Musicovery created by those who created Music Plasma, and is an interesting combination of the Music Plasma map system and internet radio. Listeners click their mood somewhere on a grid to have a map of music created for them. The map is fully navigable and features a limited form of pick and play.

Epitonic is not the best at updating and probably not winning an award for navigability, Epitonic does store a limited selection of independent artists and very few genres. Most of the artists on the site are worth looking at and you could learn a little something about some lesser known genres. It's kind of in an old Mp3.com format. Kind of.

Indie torrent - I really shouldn't even include this site in this list since its invite only, but I had a membership once. Everything on the site is bit torrent and it's heavily policed. It's a rather elitist club, but if you get an invite, check it out, then send me one. It's all user submitted, and whatever trend is running through the site is usually what you'll find, but the site is (poorly) search-able.

Finding nearly every song at the known universe

There is a giant number of songs out there at the World Wide Web. And there is Deezer! This site (formerly known as Blogmusik) has a tremendous database of them. In the search field you simply type in a song name and the music is on the way. Best thing all about is the possibility to store playlists from your favorite songs, so you can lean back and listen. Unfortunately there is no way to download these songs for "offline" use, but keep on reading, in the last paragraph i´ll show you a site where you can!

Finding the song that fits your mood

Say, for example, you search for a song that is relatively unknown. You keep searching and searching...but nothing to listen to. So you likely get angry about that. Thats wonderful! Because with Musicovery you´ll find exactly the appropriate song for your angry (and happy) feelings. Simply click on the panel that is showing on the left side. You can choose how the song should sound, more calm or energetic, positive or dark. Of course you also have the choice on different music genres and even the time from where the song should come to your speakers. Test it for yourself, it´s worth it!

Finding the song that´s ready for your hard drive

Last but not least i will show you Skreemr. As mentioned in the first paragraph this is the site where you can download songs. Basically it´s a search engine that permanently crawls the web for new MP3´s on webpages, blogs and so on. At the search results page you will be presented with a list of songs that you can directly listen to AND download with the link provided. Enjoy it.

Is this legal?

For the first two sites mentioned here, namely Deezer and Musicovery, i can say it´s legal because you can´t download the songs but only listen to them. Skreemr should be legal as long as you are just listening to the songs directly from the website, but if you download one to your hard drive it could be illegal!

1. You shouldn't even think of doing this, but for completeness' sake text files are loaded onto iPods in Disk Mode for use in tests and exams.
2. The free program TrailRunner allows you to plan your workout and set timing goals from the convenience of your iPod. Compatible with Nike + iPod.
3. Can't find your subway map? Check your iPod!
4. Live in the US? I don't. But if you do, you'll probably have to tip your waiters every time you go out. If it's too hard for you to work out the tip, make your iPod Nano, iPod Video or other colored iPod a regular dinner companion.
5. Are you a polyglot? Would you like to become one? Learn a language!
6. During a blackout, you're bound to want light. Now your iPod can provide that shining glimmer you need!
7. Hate telemarketers? They are now invading more than just your dinner time - using the iTrip FM transmitter clever marketers can broadcast messages in a traffic jam, car park or anywhere else with a bunch of FM radios.
8. Enjoy geocaching? If you own a Macintosh computer, you can export the descriptions (and the coordinates, etc.) to your iPod.
9. What's in store for you? MystikBall knows thinks it knows!
10. Like singing in the shower? The iPod Shower Dock is for you! It's a little waterproofed case that takes your iPod away from your eyes and the shower's water so you can just flick a switch and sing along. Released in January, you can find it here.

Popular Artists

At Loudio, there is a list of popular artist. At Triond, you might find them on the hot content list. You can leave comments to communicate to popular or favorite artists and maybe learn a little bit more about them and their creation. If you are a popular artist yourself, maybe you will get some fans that will buy and download your music.

Why I Think Loudio Is So Great

You might not ever get rich at Loudio, but at least you will get something. Loudio is not a record company, but it is a publishing service which is another way to get recognized and get paid for what you do. I think Loudio is great for signed and unsigned artist because it is another great way to be heard in music. At Loudio, you can sell your music and other types of audio creations. Loudio is a place where you can hear something new and different. If people like your audio creations, they just might donate money by buying and listening to your creations. Loudio is also a great place for people that are looking for new talent.

Another reason why I think Loudio is so great is because you don't have to be a star to be on the Loudio page. They allow you to be free with your creations. Loudio gives everyone a chance.