Dictionary.com is an old favorite of mine for quick reference while surfing the web. I often use it to decode exactly what the hell Tycho from Penny Arcade is talking about: I’m convinced he blogs with a thesaurus next to his iMac. The site was always very useful, if a bit slow, but it had become very dated looking and some would argue downright ugly over the past few years. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised today when I punched in the URL and found a nicely redesigned, clean interface. It still offers users the ability to search using dictionary or thesaurus modes, but now there is an intriguing encyclopedia feature as well. For power users they are rolling out new premium subscriptions for $19.99/month that will allow visitors to view the site ad-free and with enhancements such as color illustrations and word games. One negative note: the audio pronunciations that were once part of the free site are now only available with a subscription.

Feel like working outside the office today? Sounds like a good plan, but where to go? Starbucks costs money and the local library doesn’t have wireless access yet. Windows Live Hotspot Locator allows you to search for nearby hotspots so you can be sure you will have internet access before venturing into the great outdoors with your handy laptop. The service boasts 99 countries and 106,978 paid and free WiFi hotspots. If you desire a more specific locale, you can drill down with the Advanced Search, allowing you to specify certain categories (Airport, Bar, Beach etc). Once you submit your details, you will get a list of results organized by distance from your starting location and icons indicating whether they are free or paid access points. You also have the ability to view the results on a map in case you are not familiar with the area. I’ve got to hand it to Microsoft for this service. The site is attractive, not cluttered and highly functional. Imagine if they designed their operating systems this way!