Broken links are so annoying. Suppose you email a link to a Time magazine feature, "50 Best Websites 2008." The original URL (web address) looks like this:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1809858,00.html

Because the address is a little long, your friend may get a broken, unusable link instead:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,
1809858,00.html

Thanks to TinyURL^TM, broken links can be banned forever! TinyURL is a free, web-based tool that allows you to create permanent "tiny" URLs for your link. The new URLs redirect the viewer to the original web page. The basic TinyURL for the article looks like this:

http://tinyurl.com/5jgc8o

You can also create a custom name for your new link, or give your recipients a preview of the original link, just so they know it isn't a virus or spam. Since spammers often use aliases for their websites, you should always exercise caution if you get an email with a TinyURL--or any link, for that matter. Because of this type of abuse, some social networking websites have restricted the posting of TinyURLs. Before you click a link within an email, make sure it is from someone you know for a legitimate reason and doesn't sound too generic.

TinyURL.com is definitely one of the coolest tools for helping you share your online discoveries. And, it's one of Time's "50 Best Websites 2008."

TinyURL.com