I’ve been asked to review this site, so here we go…

WebHosting Choice is - essentially - a directory of web hosts. What makes this site unique is that it is not only a directory of web hosts, but a directory of web hosting plans. WebHosting Choice contains the following:

• Advanced Search: Advanced Search allows you to choose specific plan details… not just a few details, but ALL details. You can speciy maximum monthly cost, minimum disk space, minimum bandwith, maximum setup fee (no one else does the setup fee), pop emails, ftp accounts, subdomains, mailing lists, databases, uptime guarantee, features such as webmail, php, chopping cart, installed scripts, and payment options. …the most complete search I’ve found…

• Host Directory: The Web Host Directory contains a listing of all of the hosting companies that are listed on this site, and lists how many plans are available for each company. This is just a simple list, but it get the info out there.

• Plans Directory: The Plans Directory is set up by feature. For instance, you can look at plans that are unix hosted, plans that are Windows hosted, plans with no setup fee, plans that offer streaming audio/video, plans that offer PHP, etc… Once you select the feature, you get a list of all plans from all hosts supporting that feature.

• Submit Host: At the time of this review, the submit page was not working, generating a fatal error.

• Reseller Web Hosting: This links directly to hostgator.com

• Learning Center: The Learning Center contains information on quick start with webhosting, a comprehensive FAQ about web hosting, information on how to avoid scams, how to register domains, and so on…

One interesting thing that is not linked to from the main page are reviews of the hosts. One can click through the Host Directory, and on the main page for each host, click the link to the reviews.

WebHosting Choice has a love of hostgator.com (affiliate link), linking to Hostgator at the top of many pages (”We recommend Hostgator”).

All in all, I’d say that WebHosting Choice is a great place to do some research, especially if you’re new to hosting.

(This review has been compensated.)

Turns out there’s an interesting idea out there.  Ecotourism.  Basically, ecotourism is ecologically sustainable nature/culture based tourism that supports local communities. I did some looking around at a Hawaiian Beach Rentals website, recently, and apparently this ecotourism thing is the new “in” way to vacation.

I did a little looking, and decided to look around on Maui Vacations.  Some of the properties look really nice, and apparently they are all ecotourism friendly.  The way I understand it is that this website lists eco-friendly resorts and rentals.  These places aren’t the cheapest in Hawaii, but it looks like they are all bang on for the buck.

Sure, this post is a compensated endorsement/review, but you know my policy… I actually have to be wiling to do business with a company before I post about them in a positive manner.  The Maui Vacations website, along with their Hawaii travel blog, is going on my bookmarks list for when I finally get ready for my Hawaiian vacation (courtesy of ad revenue).

(This post was a compensated endorsement/review for the linked website(s).  As with all positive compensated endorsements, I am actually willing to do business with this company, and am willing to recommend the links to others.)

LinkWorth offers many products in their repertoire:

• LinkAds: LinkAds is the standard text-based ads we’ve all come to know and love.  LinkAds, however, is keyword based, as opposed to content-generated like Google and Yahoo.  Payouts are based on per-ad basis.
• LinkWords: LinkWords are a keyword-based, dynamically generated advertising system.  Each page is scraped, and advertisements are linked to specific keywords within the content.  When a visitor mouses over a lnkword keyword, an ad pops up.  Payouts are based on CPC (Cost-Per-Click), like Google, Yahoo, Etc… (This program is contextual, and is not compatible with Google, Yahoo, etc… as other LinkWorth programs are.)
• LinkPost: LinkWorth has joined the paid post rage.  With LinkPost, advertisers can pay bloggers to post about their products and/or services.  Like all paid post systems, the review is entirely up to the blogger.
• LinkedInTxt: LinkedInTxt, at first glance, appears much like LinkWords; however, site owners sell the keyword-based links, themselves.  For instance, if you have a strong keyword on your site, say “automotive maintenance”, a buyer can purchase a link from that keyword.  You then manually link to the purchasers website from that keyword.  Payment is on a per-link basis.  Think of this as selling links within content.
• LinkBB: LinkWorth’s answer to billboard ads.  A publisher sells a billboard ad on their website.  Purchasers will select the keyword, and provide the publisher with an HTML page.  The publisher then links the chosen keyword to the HTML page.  The advertisement displays as a separate page, but is completely contained on the publisher’s site.
• LinkDir: Publishers pay LinkWorth to submit their website to multiple directories including the famed DMOZ.
• LinkART: Publishers write an article and post it to the LinkWorth system.  Once approved (and paid for), LinkWorth will submit the article to mutiple article sites for the publisher.
• Traditional text link ads: Sell traditional text links where the buyer selects the text and link.  Like other text link systems, the publisher selects where to place the link, and can offer placement on just the home page, the entire site, or only on specific sub-pages.  The traditional way to make money online by selling text links.

LinkWorth is - as I stated before - a competitor of TextLinkAds.  LinkWorth has a decided Web1.0 feel to its website, and new members may find it a bit hard to navigate.  To be honest, I still get lost from time to time.  The LinkWorth dashboard, however, lists everything at a glance, and a very large link at the top of the page appears to alert you of pending links for you to review and approve or decline.  The methods for placing ads and links on your website are also quite clunky and old-school.  No spiffy AJAX interfaces, or WordPress plugins, here.

LinkWorth is a great marketplace to use instead of - or in addition to - TextLinkAds.  Link prices are set entirely by the publisher, and the publisher has complete control over what he (or she) offers on their site.  Visit linkworth.com and check them out.

(This has been a compensated review, however the opinions included are my own.)

Although I am being compensated for this review (loudlaunch.com), I honestly think Data Deposit Box has something.  They’ve only just launched - their press release is dated February 13th, 2007.  They cite the growing list of data loss reports, and specifically mention Johns Hopkins University and Hospital’s issue of losing backup tapes containing payroll data on over 50,000 workers, and medical information on some 83,000 patients.  I have to admit, I, myself, watch the news to see what boneheaded company is going to lose their data, next.  I have a low margin of worry that - eventually - someone will lose my data.

Personally, my family has been affected by data loss.  Merril Lynch, some years ago, cancelled and re-issued the visa cards my parents hold, due to data loss.  The cards were cancelled as soon as ML realized they were affected, resulting in nearly a week that neither of my parents could make purchases (the cards were linked to their Cash Management Account (much like a checking account)).  ML’s excuse?  Apparently some backups of customer data were lost.  Although the backups were later found (or so I hear), ML had to react as if they had gotten into the wrong hands.

Data Deposit Box has a unique business model.  They’re charging by the gigabyte.  Two dollars per gigabyte, to be exact.  That’s a surprisingly decent amount.  DDB is also offering the strongest encryption in the game: 448 bits.  Yeah, more than twice as strong as standard web encryption (which is 128 bits).  Combine that with a unique encryption key, and you’ve got a pretty secure file.

Data Deposit Box’s other big draw is the automation of the process.  Backups are continuous - files are backed up immediately, whenever they change.  DDB supports versioning (recovering older files), remote access (web), file sharing (secure web links), idle time backup (backups pause automatically while you’re working), and advertises speed… Only the changes to a file are backed up, not the entire file.  Combine that with their touted flexibility (laptops, workstations, servers, network shared, removable storage, etc…) and you have a heck of a system.

Online data backup, secure and reliable* Data Deposit Box appears to be not only the newest player in data backup, but one of the best options, particularly for small business (I know all of my business data will fit in a single gigabyte). Check ‘em out. (*Link text was obligatory, therefore, the sentence reads strangely.)