Websites I Frequent (Part 2)

I will admit that these [NOUNS] I [VERB] posts originally started as easy filler for the weekends, something that if it gets skipped, it’s no big deal. But I’d like to think that they also provide a small window into my interests and hobbies. And if they destroy your productivity (as they often have mine), well, I regret nothing.

Anyway, here’s Part 2. I’m sure I’m forgetting some websites somewhere.

  • io9 – An awesome blog about science, science fiction, and futurism. Inevitably crosses over into nerd culture, and always a fascinating read.
  • Kotaku – Hey look, a gaming news blog! Can you guess why I stopped reading this one? That’s right, it’s because technology moved on faster than I did! For a while the Editor in Chief lived the Denver area; I saw him at a Skate City once.
  • Lifehacker – A website filled with cool little tips and tricks to improve your life and productivity. “Life hacks,” if you will. Fascinating reads, but I’ve let the backlog build up enough that I don’t know where to jump back in (I’m having the same problem with Gizmodo and io9 right now).
  • Mother Jones – Another liberal-leaning political magazine, but this one seems less overtly biased. True, their coverage skews progressive, but the articles feel more balanced and less reactionary.
  • Neatorama – Another aggregator of cool, fascinating stuff on the Web. Kinda like Boing Boing, but with less of a tech/geek slant. Awesome conversation starters.
  • Rock, Paper, Shotgun – When I stopped reading a lot of the other gaming blogs above, I kept reading this one. It focuses primarily on PC gaming of all kinds (casual, hardcore, indie, you name it). Since I have a pretty beefy laptop (at least according to the standards from five years ago), I could much more easily keep up with the times. Plus they’ve been around since 1873. That’s prestigious!
  • Slashdot – News for nerds. A great way to stay abreast of a bunch of tech happenings in quick-to-read form. Seems a little slower to update after big stories break, as it’s more of an aggregator, posting links and summaries/commentary.
  • Techdirt – Much like Slashdot, but with a more opinionated editorial style (kinda like how AlterNet compares to Mother Jones). Big on copyright issues and pointing out the stupidity of those in power.
  • TIGSource – The Independent Gaming Source is a great site for finding both known and relatively unknown indie game gems. Often has interviews with creators, as well as preview and development writeups. A lot of indie games are free, so their TIGDB is a great resource to have some fun.
  • Topless Robot – No, it’s not softcore mech-on-mech porn. It’s another nerd culture website. Often has interesting commentary, and of course listicles. Owned by the same parent company as Westword.
  • Unreality – More nerd culture. This one has kinda fallen off the active list, but it is funny when they link other websites on my list (like Cracked).
  • The Verge – This one sits near Ars Technica in my mind, as a tech news hub. In fact, they often cover similar events from slightly different viewpoints. A lot of the longer reads are also fascinating.
  • ZDNet – Very much an industry-focused view of tech news, but it can be good for getting updates without too much opining. After all, industry folks often use technology different than the end user, and the difference in perspective can be interesting.