Even Easier Online File Conversion

It seems like every time I write about one program or web site, someone comes along and launches something that does the same thing...only better.

First I wrote about the $30 MP3-to-WMA converter, then along came the online Media-Convert, which did the same thing (and more) for free (that is, letting you convert file formats to your heart's content). I also posted about saving web videos, thanks to a lengthy collection of tips from Cnet.

Well it's a new work week, so forget about all those sites. Here's the competition.

First up is Zamzar, which, like Media-Convert, handles images, music, video, and document files but has some major advantages. First, it's actually pretty. Media-Convert is so ugly, it's actually difficult to use. Zamzar also lets you convert five files of the same kind at once, provided you're going to and from the same type (all JPEG to GIF, for example), which saves time. Media-Convert actually has more formats supported, but it's pretty rare that you might actually encounter some of those additional file types. For daily use, Zamzar is my new favorite. As my buddy Mark McClusky says, zip zam!

Second: Putting the tools in that Cnet article to shame is Vixy.net, an online Flash video converter that is a one-click method to convert any online movie into an AVI, MP4, or MOV file. Just paste the URL of the movie into the box on the Vixy home page and click Start. That's it! Previous methods required multiple steps or left you with an FLV file to deal with, a poorly supported video format. Vixy even lets you extract the audio only out of a web video, if that's what you're after.

Both are totally free and have definitely earned places in my Bookmarks folder. Give them a try today!