Online applications: what’s new for 2012?

We may talk about the future, but in fact, it is almost here. We are days away from a new year, and web innovations keep multiplying. It isn’t possible even to mention all the tools that promise to appear during 2012, but here are some of the websites that have what it takes to become new stars in the online universe. 

Organize your trip online

Hipmunk is one of the most attractive options for organizing a trip for business or pleasure. The site has a browser that will find all the flights to your destination and order the search results according to price, flight duration, time of departure or arrival, airline, or number of stops. You can perform a multi-flight search for a more comfortable and convenient schedule, and you can search hotels by destination. 

Vertical social networks

Besides Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, hundreds of social networks are oriented to specific audiences. One of these is Fiction City, designed for those who work in the arts. Artists’ development has always demanded great effort and dedication, and many talented creators have been unable to find an environment that would nurture their commitment.

Fiction City, a social network that will bring artists to the public, was created to respond to this problem by providing a space where they can present their work. Through the creation of a multimedia forum that allows them to integrate audio, image, text, and video, exhibitors will be able to attract the attention of artistic and corporate support. Peers or network members nominate artists to participate in the initiative’s projects. Currently, with the support of Argentinean mobile company Claro, Fiction City is conducting a competition featuring more than 1500 musicians, already eliciting more than 680,000 votes from the online community.

Online opportunities 

Go shopping, organize a vacation, buy a car, or purchase insurance. All this can be done through Overstock. This online sales site offers an enormous variety of high quality products, including home decoration, clothing, pet accessories, books, electrical appliances, vacations, and vehicles. Of course, its greatest appeal is huge discounts. As the name indicates, Overstock offers major brands and dealers a cost-effective way to dispose of inventory, selling remainders at reduced prices, making the platform an alternative distribution channel that benefits both manufacturers and consumers. 

Whenever we think, “It’s all been done,” and that nothing new can be expected from the Internet, an innovation appears that breaks the rules. The Internet surprises us every day with applications that make our lives easier, and there is no doubt it will continue to surprise us during 2012.