Student bodies

NET GAINS

The current generation of students couldn't put together a revolution on a roundabout. It's beers, jobs and parties these days, interests which student sites are all too eager to serve. Student Magazine (www.studentmagazine.com)is a typical example, the hazy aim of which appears to be budget hedonism. There are features, MP3 files, reviews of music, films and games, but none of this is particularly well-written or laid out.

The designers of the attractive site Juiced (www. juiced.co.uk), on the other hand, look as if they've managed to get out of bed before lunchtime at least once this year. Its stylish set of features, fashion, reviews and sport has relatively little oriented towards students.

Student World (www. student-world.co.uk) is the sort of site parents would want their student children to visit. This resource site is not just for students, it says, but graduates and academic staff too, which probably accounts for its earnest feel. Undeniably useful are the links for leisure, education, computing, finance and shopping.

However, for some high jinks try Nownet (www. nownet.co.uk). Presided over by a boozy image of the comedian Johnny Vegas, this thoroughly male site is, in fact, not nearly as devil-may-care as its attractively seamy graphics might suggest. As well as all the usual music, gigs and sport information, the site has a link to the Guardian archive and sections on time and financial management. Good, messy fun.

Get organised

www.PlanetAll.com

Pity the poor old Filofax. Not only has its various electronic successors taken off but now we have on-line organisers. More to the point, the ability of Web-based organisers to synchronise and share data with electronic, hand-held sets is making on-line diaries and address books increasingly attractive. There are various organiser sites, each offering much the same core features. Planet All is one such, and besides an address book and calendar, the site also prompts you to provide personal details in order to put you in touch with other users.

Yahoo Connected Office is much the same again (connected.clubs.yahoo.com/office). Its stand-out feature is the ability to create group access to a single diary or address book, to grant to whomever you want.

The Daily Drill sells itself as being less dry than its rivals, enabling you, it says, to bring a bit of humour to your diary (www.dailydrill.com).