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The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free Resources on the Internet
The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free Resources on the Internet
The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free Resources on the Internet
Ebook606 pages2 hours

The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free Resources on the Internet

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About this ebook

Do you like free? Of course you do. Well here is a riddle for you. What is over 500 pages in length and has hundreds of links and thousands of free resources in free information just waiting to be useful to someone who may have trouble making ends meet. The answer is The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to Free Resources on the Internet. The book is a Box set of the 8 books in the “In the Box series of Books. Each Book covers the best free resources on the internet in a particular area. The Books in this set include:
App Store in a Box: The Guide to Best Free Applications for Mobile Devices.
Book Store in a Box the Guide to reading and Listening to the Best Free Books on the Internet.
Entrepreneur in a Box: The Guide to the best ways to make money on the Internet.
Production Studio in a Box: A Guide to the Best Production Tools on the Internet.
Record Store in a Box: A Guide to the Best Free Music on the Internet.
Tutor in a Box: A Guide to the Best Free Educational Resources on the Internet
Video Store in a Box: A Guide to the Best Free Television and Movies on the Internet.
As always the author’s contact information is included in case there are any questions are problems. So buy your copy today.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherChris Mason
Release dateFeb 7, 2016
ISBN9781311097019
The Mega Box: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Free Resources on the Internet
Author

Chris Mason

Be sure to check out my new store with my collection of digital puzzles available on itch.io.https://tarjan95.itch.io/Be sure to check out my line of T-shirts and other swag based on the characters found in my books at:http://www.zazzle.com/digital_attic_95Here is What people are saying about Ten Terrific Monsters Spot the Difference: Activity Book.Ten Terrific Monsters Spot the Difference Activity Book has ten Spot the Difference activities for readers of any age to enjoy. The ten pictures provide over 200 differences for the reader to find. Chris Mason, the author, came up with such a wonderful idea wrapped around adorable monster pictures, which is the perfect theme for any season, but especially now since Halloween is just around the corner. The illustrator, Vladimir Cebu, did a wonderful job of providing fun, creative, and very colorful pictures for readers to try to find all the differences between the set of pictures provided. The monsters aren’t too scary, so the pictures are fun to look at while trying to find all the differences. An answer key is found in the back of the book for each picture, so you can compare your answers to the answer key provided.I loved how much fun I had trying to spot all the differences between the set of pictures Chris Mason and Vladimir Cebu provided for their readers. Ten Terrific Monsters Spot the Difference Activity Book is one that can offer hours of enjoyment for readers of any age. I am an adult reviewer and I had so much fun seeing just how well I could spot all the differences in the pictures. Some differences were easy to see immediately, while with others you might need a little more time to spot the differences because the illustrations were so detailed. Overall, I loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone loving Spot the Difference activity books.5 stars Reader's FavoriteHere is what readers are saying about The Many Marvelous Mazes of P is for PhoenixLife is like a jigsaw puzzle; you have to see the whole picture, then put it together piece by piece!— Terry McMillanLife is full of many stressful obstacles. To help combat these unexpected events, a person must set aside time for themselves to relax and recharge to be able to continue to move forward. There is no better way to find rest and happiness than in the pages of The Many Marvelous Mazes of P is for Phoenix a Maze Book.A unique aspect of this book is that it features an alphabetic format. Each letter is connected to a word and is then associated with a maze. The puzzles are both fun and challenging. It will help your mind focus on an activity that doesn't cause any distress. A bonus includes the beautiful illustrations that you will find with each puzzle. I was amazed at how these beautiful backgrounds brought peace and calmness to my life.Chris Mason is a very talented author with a long list of intriguing books. Each one of his books contains a significant part of his loving heart. There is no other author like Mr. Mason's work; it's fresh, appealing, and will make you want to experience more of his writing talent.Suzie HousleyMidwest Book Review5 StarsHere is what readers are saying about Researcher in a Box.Reviewed By Philip Van Heusen for Readers’ FavoriteChris Mason has written and helped others write research papers for many years. In Researcher in a Box, he takes the time to explain what is expected and how to write the best essay possible. Chris focuses on elementary and secondary school papers. In this book, Chris reviews the basics of six different types of essays. Chris points out some important distinctions of each. After explaining the types of papers, Chris goes further and analyses the components of the paper. Putting the paper together in the proper order is very important. Many young students are tempted to cheat by copying straight from one of their resources. Chris reminds his readers to never, ever plagiarize. Speaking of research, Chris gives ideas on where to find research and, more importantly, how to analyze that research. I love his use of the website concerning the endangered tree octopus.Researcher in a Box is Chris Mason’s contribution to young students everywhere. He gives information to help students excel in papers they write for school. While Chris gives good directions to finding research material, I wish he had included Google Scholar. Nevertheless, I applaud Chris’ attempt. After writing papers for lower schools, I later wrote major essays for two undergraduate degrees and three master’s degrees. Chris’ advice is spot on. This book is elementary in its information, but most paper writers need things kept simple. He writes to meet the need. I have to wholeheartedly agree that there is a dearth of critical thinking in today’s society. When elementary and secondary school students learn how to develop academic papers, their experience will serve them well as they pursue college degrees5 stars Reader's FavoriteHere is what readers are saying about The 12 Days of Christmas Geek Edition.The book itself is very short, as you can imagine with it covering the twelve days of Christmas.The book is a very funny read and I love the author take on the original. In this version all of the original things the person true love gave them has been updated and changed for things that a geek would love to be given.Overall it was a nice little read, which I can imagine would be good for people to be given as Secret Santa for ChristmasGoodreads4 starsHere is what critics are saying about Maxine's Happy Trails:A Truck Story.Reader's FavoriteMaxine’s Happy Trails: A Truck Story by Chris Mason is an exciting book with a trucker slant to it that takes readers on an exciting journey along with the truck. The wheels on the truck go round and round all across the country, and the wipers go swish, swish. The reefers on the truck go hum, hum, hum, and the city horn goes beep, beep, beep all across the country. The air brakes go hiss, hiss, hiss and the doors on the trailer open and shut. The big horn on the truck goes honk, honk, honk, and the driver on the truck goes whistle, whistle all across the country.The story is delightful and will bring a smile to the faces of young readers as they get to know the truck closely. The illustrations are bright and colorful and they make the author’s words come alive. There is a lyrical quality in the words and that will make it enjoyable for young readers. It is a good book for interactive sessions in classrooms as it has action and adventure and can also be read out to children during bedtime. Children who love trucks and vehicles will find this book a fun read. It is a simple and lighthearted story and I like the way the author introduces the truck and its parts to readers, and gives it a personality of its own. This happy trail along with the truck all over the country is a fun joyride that will be memorable to readers.5 Star ReviewHere is what critics are saying about Ten Little Monsters Standing in a LineTen Little Monsters Standing in a Line by Chris Mason was a cute book. The book is similar to the song “Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.” Instead of monkeys, there are monsters waiting in line at the unemployment office. I chose to read Ten Little Monsters Standing in a Line with my 5-year-old daughter because the monkey song is one of her favorites. She sort of liked the story. She was confused as to why the monsters were in a line for an unemployment office. I had to explain to her what an unemployment office was and what it does. However, she did like the illustrations in the book. She thought the monsters were cute looking.I thought the book was different and also sort of liked it. I liked the idea of the cute monsters and that it would help kids to learn how to count. Mason covered all of the classic monsters in this book like Godzilla and the Blob. I would have preferred for Mason to make them stand in a line that was geared more for kids, such as a cafeteria line or even a line for detention. The wording did not flow as smoothly as I would have liked, but it was still funny as to why each monster left the line. Overall, it is a nice book. Any book that helps kids learn to count in a new way is good in my eyes. If you like the monster classics, then this book might be for you.Reader's Favorite 4 star review.Here is what critics are saying about P is For Phoenix: An ABC Book of Legendary and Mythological Creatures.P is for Phoenix: An ABC Book of Legendary and Mythological Creatures by Chris Mason is an educational and informative book for children that not only teaches them the alphabet, but also gives them information about legendary and mythological creatures. The book makes teaching and learning fun, but also enhances young readers' knowledge and introduces them to creatures that existed in mythology and the role they played in cultures over the centuries. Learning the alphabet and about new creatures couldn’t be more interesting when children get to see the pictures of those creatures along with the descriptions. Readers can also check if their favorite legendary or mythological creature has been listed by the author.The illustrations are bright and colorful and they make the concept and the meaning of the book clear to young readers. It’s a good bedtime story book and parents and grandparents can read it out to their kids and grandkids. The book can also be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries. Mythological creatures have always been a part of world cultures and the author brings them to the fore with this book. Books like this are good for children to teach them new things and also to enhance their knowledge and vocabulary. The theme and concept are original and refreshing, and the author’s idea of teaching the alphabet this way is fun and educational.Reader's Favorite 5 star reviewHere is what the critics are saying about Ten Terrific Monsters: A Hidden Item Book.Willie the wolf finds himself stuck in the unemployment line with nine other monsters. He used to be a successful movie star but due to circumstances out of his control he finds himself now without a job. As it gets dark Willie and his friends leave and each one goes their own separate ways.As the group parts goes off to their own we are able to learn more about Willie and his friends in their own home environment. Each character features a special hidden item puzzle adventure. The beautifully created illustrations allow us to discover more about this delightful cast of characters.Ten Terrific Monsters: A Hidden Item Book by Chris Mason takes children into the world of Willie the Wolf. He welcomes readers into his space where there are nine other monsters, all waiting in a line at the unemployment office. Willie takes readers to different places and asks for their help in finding the hidden items with the help of answer keys. Whether they are with Boris the Blob when he is having dinner, or at Gabbie the Ghost's party, or the Amazon, or Willie’s home, readers will have a great time looking for the hidden items in these places.The book is original and unique and children will love searching for the items mentioned in the answer keys for each place. The illustrations are bright and colorful and make the scenes lively and vivid. It’s an excellent book for children to enhance their observation skills, and can be used for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries. The concept is excellent and the book not only teaches readers new words and new things, but also guides them on how to look out for missing items with the help of the clues given. Interactive books and books with a concept help young readers to develop and enhance their observation and thinking skills. It’s also fun searching for the items misplaced in the book and doing it together in a classroom or with friends.5 star review Reader's FavoriteWillie the wolf finds himself stuck in the unemployment line with nine other monsters. He used to be a successful movie star but due to circumstances out of his control he finds himself now without a job. As it gets dark Willie and his friends leave and each one goes their own separate ways.As the group parts goes off to their own we are able to learn more about Willie and his friends in their own home environment. Each character features a special hidden item puzzle adventure. The beautifully created illustrations allow us to discover more about this delightful cast of characters.TEN TERRIFIC MONSTERS: A HIDDEN ITEM BOOK is an exceptional book filled with a host of delightful characters. Each one offers their own special sparkle to make this book appeal to both children and adults. In this one book there is over one hundred items to search for in ten different scenes. This feature will allow children to practice their counting and eye coordination skills.Chris Mason has proven to me that he is a very talented author who is able to provide fresh and appealing ideas that can be very beneficial to the development of a child’s learning environment. Through the masterful illustrations created by Vladimir Cebu his words take on new meaning as these beautiful illustrations paint memorable scenes that is assured to delight both the child and adult. I highly recommend this book for it can be used as a tool to enhance any child’s overall learning development.Midwest Book ReviewHere's what people are saying about the In the box series of books.Your first and best investment should be one of Chris’ books before you spend countless dollars and hours on your areas of interest.Mike Rounds author of For the Clueless series of books.Tutor in a BoxReview by: proudparent on April 06, 2014 Smashwords reviewHow many times have you wanted to help your children with their homework, only to be stopped by not exactly understanding their homework, and feeling like an idiot. What do we all do....we go to the internet to find the right website to help them. Only problem is, you spend more than an hour looking at websites. NO MORE...Tutor in a box is perfect whether your child is in grade school, middle school, or high school. Not only does it cover all the subjects, it also does it for what grades your kids are in. This book has given you the perfect websites to go to for about the price of a gallon of gas! Leave it to a parent to develop this great idea. I guarantee you will become closer to your children when you work with them on their homework. This book might actually get your kids to start talking to you more instead of playing video games!!!!!!5 star reviewpurchased this book to gift for my nephew for this school year. This book is packed with so much information to help him and his mom with his homework. I am excited to see his results. Thank you for a great resource.Barnes and Noble5 star reviewRecord Store in a Boxby #10 The TruthReally helpful book. Saves a bunch of $$ Itunes review.5 star reviewReview by: proudparent on Aug. 29, 2014 Smashwords review.Impressive and free! You should have entitled it "how to get free music on the internet...for DUMMIES No, I like your title better, but you make it very easy with all the step by step instructions. Too many of us are computer illiterate, and don't know what is available out there that's free. Thank you Chris for your time in making this tutorial for those of us who didn't know.R. Phillips5 star reviewAnonymousJuly 27, 20143 starsBarnesandNoble.comUseful info. for radio and music lovers.GORDON | SEPTEMBER 28, 20144 starsKobo reviewIf you like music this book gives you great insight to different types . The internet has a lot to offer on the music sites and this book tells you where to get it great readD | SEPTEMBER 29, 20145 starsKobo reviewBook Store in a Box3 starsKobo review

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    The Mega Box - Chris Mason

    APP STORE IN A BOX

    A Guide to the Best Free Applications for Mobile Devices on the Internet

    By Chris Mason

    ~~~

    Copyright © 2015 by Chris Mason; All rights reserved

    Although this is containing original work by the author, this publication makes extensive use of public domain information, such as tables, web links, and other database related material which is not included in the declaration of copyright.

    We interpret public domain to mean that this work is in the Public Domain, meaning that it is not subject to copyright. Users are free to copy, use, and redistribute the work in part or in whole. It is possible that current copyright holders, heirs or the estate of the authors of individual portions of the work, such as illustrations or photographs, assert copyrights over these portions. Depending on the nature of subsequent use that is made, additional rights may need to be obtained independently of anything we can address.

    Contact me at digitalattic95@gmail.com

    A Digital Attic Publication

    Dedication

    This book is dedicated to my wife Maxine who has been so supportive of my writing. I love you, sweetheart, you keep on trucking and I’ll do the same.

    What’s in this Book

    The book features the best in completely free apps. Sometimes two applications will have the same name. The author will always choose the one which is free and has less features as opposed to the one that the reader would have to pay for. I will always be referring to the free app in this book. I hate filler so I only put the very best apps in this book.

    Free and Legal

    As a writer, the author understands how hard it is to create a creative work so I am against piracy. For this reason, all app were either downloaded from Google Play or iTunes to ensure they were legal and just with all the books in the in a Box series of books free means free all resources have a free component.

    What’s in a Name

    Since several mobile applications have the exact same or very similar names under App Name The author put the exact name of the application (app) and if two or more apps had the same name such as Deal or No Deal the author included the name of the developer as well.

    How the Apps got rated

    First off I did not count the number of ads or if an app has some annoying bug or even the occasional crash. I rated the app on the following

    No mobile application received this low rating.

    There is a good app in here somewhere but Howard Carter was unable to help me find it.

    Applications that received this rating were average. The application did its desired goal but was no unique or special and lacked polish.

    Applications that received this rating were special in some way. The application in question either had something unique to offer, was put together well or was just plain fun to use.

    The applications that received this rating had it all. They all were well put together and were the complete package when it came to having both style and substance.

    Not Rated

    The author did not think he spent enough time with the application for one reason or another to be able to rate it objectively.

    The Wonderful Wide World of the Disclaimer

    The author/publisher will not be held liable for any damage to any hardware software including loss of sanity that arises from using this book. The author is not affiliated with any designers, developers or makers of the applications featured in this book.

    All names, logos, characters, and all copyrights are the properties of their respective creators and companies. The internet is a fluid entity the websites and their content can change with little or no notice. All apps and websites were up and working as of 2/26/15. I have tried all apps either on a smartphone with an Android operating system or one with an Apple operating system.

    The Two Flavors Apps Come In

    In this ever shrinking world where everyone has gone mobile people are starving for more and more; applications (apps) developers are churning out thousands of apps a day for mobile devices. Whether the reader has smartphone or tablet, the apps will come in two main flavors either IOS (Apple) or Android (Google). Is one better than the other? Yes and no; The author likes the Google Play store better (The user signs in once and stays signed in yeah).However, Apple has iTunes U as well as the fact that even though Google charges less to put an app in their($25 to Apple’s $99).Many apps on iTunes are not on Google Play. I tried to only review apps available in both markets.

    The In the Box Series of Books Goes Mobile

    For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Chris Mason and I write the In the Box series of books. These books showcase the best completely free websites.Each one of the books in the series focuses on a specific type of media. So featured in this book is the best free apps for phones are tablets in each category. I tried to make these mobile lite versions of my books look and feel similar to their full-size counterparts (when applicable if the reader likes a section why not look into buying the full-size versions at iTunes Barnes and Noble, Smashwords or Kobo.

    The Sad Truth about Apps

    There are two very sad but very true truths about most Applications.

    A. Most apps suck. There is a big app boom going on now where anyone and everyone is trying to make money making applications for cellular phones and tablets. Similar to what caused the great video game crash of 1984; in where thousands of subpar and inferior games were being made for the then giant Atari 2600 Video computer system (VCS).Every designer and company from Purina (Makers of dog food) to 20th Century Fox (the film company) wanted to milk this cash cow and therefore far superior game developers such as Activision got lost. The author will illustrate using the following scenario. A dad walks into a Toys R Us Christmas of 1983 with $25 in his pocket. He sees Pitfall by Activision for $20(the game his son wants) and then sees that he can for the same amount of money pick up two games at $10 dollars apiece in the bargain bin. This dad not knowing that there is a difference in video games and thinking it’s a better deal and that he will be a hero in his son's eyes buys the two inferior games at the 2 for $10.This same dad is then shocked and dismayed by the fact that his son on Christmas day is sad, upset, and grumbling to his self and at the Atari about not getting Pitfall as he asked and how these games suck. The dad feeling like a fool and not wanting to admit he screwed up blames Atari and the rest they say is history. For this reason, I will not put every clone app on the list and the list of apps may be small but I as the author thinks they are cream of the crop and worth a look.

    B. Not every great free website has a corresponding app so this book by its very nature will miss a huge number of awesome free websites.

    Record Store in a Box Mobile Edition

    There are many different music services and apps and just like their big brother websites. These applications come in three flavors. Straight radio stations, Discovery music services, and direct select music services.

    Radio Apps

    This category is exactly what it sounds like these apps give you access to radio stations up and down your dial and across the United States.

    I Heart Radio

    This is an awesome app giving you access to most of the radio stations in the United States The app’s easy layout, great selection of stations and having an app that allows the user to play I Heart Radio through the car radio via USB gets the App 5 stars.

    Live 365

    There’s nothing special here. The app seems a watered down version of the awesome website. Nice layout and user interface.

    Check out the Live 365 website for one of the largest selections of genre-specific radio stations (Such as Irish Heavy Metal).

    Tune In

    Similar to I Heart Radio this covers most of the radio stations in the United States and features one of the author’s favorite radio stations Martini 105.3. A station I heart radio does not seem to carry.

    NPR One

    A great app to listen to National Public Radio.

    Discovery Radio apps

    These applications don’t let the user pick the station more like the genre (love songs, 60’s music, Broadway) the point is to let you discover good music.

    Accuradio

    This awesome app has a great interface, great genre selection, and unlimited skips; as well as a good song rating system and the ability to ban songs, artists and finally mix stations,

    Calm Radio

    Good app for listening to relaxing music. Good selection of music. The downside may be the long and numerous ads.

    Jazz Radio

    As the name implies a good collection of channels playing the various types of Jazz can be found here.

    Pandora

    I never did like Pandora. They select music based on the music qualities (tone, rhythm, pitch).So if you choose the Beach Boys you may only hear California Girls then go hours without hearing another Beach Boys tune but hear music like the Beach Boys. On a Brightside, Pandora has an excellent Barbershop Quartet channel.

    The user is only allowed 36 hours of free music a month and then must either pay or wait till the 1st of the next month.

    Slacker Radio

    Sorry to say nothing special here; just your average app.

    Spotify

    With one of the best music websites on the web. Spotify has one of the worst apps with a limited music selection and a horrible user interface the app is a real disappointment.

    Music ranges from mainstream to indie to just plain weird (The Dukes of Hazard) The user selects the music with user control being a top perk. A must check out in the author’s opinion.

    Songza

    Similar to Musicovery thus music service groups its music by the mood you’re in but also has genre and decade selection if you wish to select that way, the app also has a search box for artist search as well as a thumbs up thumbs down rating system. The app also seems to let the user the unlimited skips.

    Rdio

    Typically app will pick an artist the listener likes and the app sets up a radio station with that artist plus similar artists.

    First, the author likes then when the user asks for an artist the user gets to listen to the artists, However, the limited number of skips loses the app a star.

    Soundwave

    Think of this app as the mobile version of Blip.fm but with fewer songs but a high social media component to it.

    Mad Genius

    Not Rated

    Podcasts

    Podcast Republic

    A very well organized directory of podcasts can be listened to here.

    The author loves the podcast The Stuff You Missed in History Class.

    Stitcher

    This app features different podcasts than the shows on Podcast Republic.

    Book Store in a Box Mobile Edition

    E-Books and the Necessary Tools

    All Recipes

    A great mobile recipe book.

    iBooks

    This is the iTunes book reader.

    To get a large selection of free books to download type

    Free books in the search box.

    Lone Wolf

    The app gives the reader access to the Lone Wolf series of gamebooks. These books are similar to the Choose Your own Adventure Books.

    Not Rated

    Mentel Criminal

    A Choose your Own Adventure Type of book according to the description.

    Could not rate book because it was not in English and I cannot read Spanish but the presentation looked impressive.

    Not Rated

    Oodles books

    This app is similar to the Gutenberg Project; most of the books are classics in the public domain. Unlike the GP. The books look like books (The books have covers and descriptions. The books are also not read in the application but instead or downloaded to your default e-book reader

    I did not test this with iTunes but with Play books, the process was as follows: First I selected a book, clicked download. The book was then downloaded and put in my downloads folder. Then I went to the downloads folder and clicked on the book and it was then put in my library in the Play Books app.

    Overdrive

    This app gives you access the millions of e-books, audiobooks and movies free via your device from the thousands of libraries that are part of the Overdrive network around the world.

    Play Books

    This is the Google book reader

    To get a large selection of free books to download type

    Free books in the search box.

    The Darwin Awards

    A well done application featuring the best of the Darwin Awards.

    The Goot E-book Project

    This is the app for Gutenberg Project. Good selection of e-books can be read here.

    Needs an e-book reader to work.

    Wattpad

    A place to go to get thousands of books and not just classics free.

    Audio Books

    Librivox

    A great collection of free audiobooks as well as audiobooks for sale.

    Old Time Radio

    This app lets you listen to many shows from the golden age of radio.

    Overdrive

    This app is great it gives you access the millions of e-books, audiobooks and movies free via your device from the thousands of libraries that are part of the Overdrive network around the world.

    Video Store in a Box Mobile Edition

    I am sure you will probably notice the mobile applications for network stations like NBC, CBS and ABC are not listed that is because all of those apps the author tested require the user to have cable to use them and cable is not free so those apps are not here. For those TV junkies when it comes to good free TV and movie mobile applications it’s like a wasteland. I am aware this is self-serving but check out Video Store in Box for a full buffet of free TV and movie options plus so much more.

    Independent and Mainstream Movies

    The applications listed in the following table feature some of the best in independent and mainstream movies.

    Classic B Movies

    Good selection of older B movies can be found here.

    Crackle

    Crackle’s App is as awesome with a good collection of movies and TV show that change often.

    Freebox

    A bizarrely disorganized collection to put it mildly.

    XBMC Cinema

    This is hands down best app for those seeking movies. A decent selection of movies can be found here. The app also has a

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