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Readability
November 1st, 2009
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It is becoming harder and harder to find the content you want online. No, it’s not because search engines are lacking (they aren’t). It’s because websites decide to plaster all sorts of distractions around their content, sometimes even putting ads smack in the middle of an article. What can we consumers do to fight back?
Readability. I’ve used this wonderful little bookmarklet to block out all of those unnecessary distractions. One click and it formats the page’s content into a very easy-to-read layout, sans everything that isn’t necessary. Give Readability a try!
What It Will Take to Beat the iPhone
October 30th, 2009
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Developers, developers, developers.
They’re what makes or breaks a phone, even entire platforms.
Think about it: if you have a smartphone, odds are you rely on its apps for everything. Otherwise you would have bought a regular phone.
What if I wanted to switch to another platform? Now I need to find replacements for all of those apps.
It comes down to developers. If they see the iPhone and the App Store as the best way to get their apps on the most devices, they’re not going to write apps for another platform. It’s a waste of resources for them.
If the iPhone continues to be the premiere platform, it will grow exponentially in the face of Google’s, RIM’s, Palm’s, Microsoft’s, and all the other platforms.
This introduces a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum: I have an iPhone and I want to switch to the Verizon Droid. I want all the apps that I rely on to be there. But they won’t be there unless there is significant demand, which there won’t be until I switch.
By simply getting there first, Apple has basically guaranteed themselves first place in the smartphone market. Not only that, their platform has hundreds of new apps released every single day. Hundreds of more reasons a day to stay on the iPhone, and not switch to another smartphone.
Robert Scoble also has something to say on this subject.
App of the Week: Tweetie 2
October 29th, 2009
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The anticipation of Tweetie 2 was astounding. Twitter was flooded with tweets from many users saying, “I can’t wait for Tweetie 2!” and “OMG TWEETIE 2!!!!.” Then Tweetie 2 was available for download in the App Store.
If you aren’t familiar with the first version of Tweetie, it was widely considered to be one of the slickest iPhone Twitter clients around. The major problem was that it was a little light on the features side compared to competitors. Tweetie 2 fixes that. With an even better user experience than the first time around, Tweetie 2 also manages to pack in the features. My favorite feature? The ability to refresh by scrolling past the top of the list and holding it for a second. For a complete list of features, check Atebits’s site. Download Tweetie 2 on the App Store!
Monitter
October 28th, 2009
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I’ve used Monitter to keep tabs on NASA’s Ares 1-X launch throughout the morning. What is Monitter? I’m glad you asked.
Monitter is a way to do real-time Twitter searches. You can add more columns to the default three, which enables you to track different searches.
Monitter supports Twitter search operators, such as ‘from:’ and ‘to:’. A complete list of operators is available on Twitter’s site.
Monitter is great for keeping tabs on Twitter conversations. Check it out!
Firefox Population Surpasses that of the United States
October 28th, 2009
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Up next: India.
Over the past two months, Mozilla has been hoovering up new users with reckless abandon – nearly 4 million people per week. At 330 million, the projected number of Firefox users has actually outstripped the population of the United States (which is currently around 305 million).
via Congrats, citizens of Mozilla! Firefox population surpasses that of the United States.
The Master List of New Windows 7 Shortcuts
October 28th, 2009
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I know what you’re thinking: you just got your hands on a shiny new copy of Windows 7, either with a new PC or as a standalone boxed copy. Now that you have the latest and greatest, how can you use it to maximize your workflow efficiency? By using the keyboard, of course.
Windows 7 adds loads of great shortcuts for switching between apps, moving windows around your screen, moving them to another monitor altogether, and much more. Here’s a quick-reference master list of the best new Windows 7 shortcuts.
It’s Official. Google Wave to Get Its Own App Store
October 27th, 2009
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Neato! This is exactly what Google Wave needs if it wants to become a mainstream communication tool.
With an app store specifically for Google Wave however, the potential for something as great, if not greater than the iPhone App Store is a distinct possibility. Already, independent software developers have built and tested Wave applications that handle such tasks as teleconferencing, videoconferencing, and multiplayer gaming, but while the Apple App Store sells software only for the iPhone and Touch, a Wave marketplace could stock in-Wave applications, along with desktop applications, browser extensions and a world of devices, from laptops, phones, tablets and more with built in Wave support.
Google Voice Offers Voicemail Without a New Number
October 27th, 2009
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Google Voice now allows you to use its amazing voicemail service without changing your number:
Your voicemail will be routed to Google’s servers, transcribed and sent to you by SMS or email, if you’d like, and accessible from your Voice web page (or playable in Gmail). It’s a similar offering to what services like YouMail have been offering for some time for phones of all kinds, but with seemingly unlimited transcription and storage space. You’ll also be able to set up custom greetings for each caller to your voicemail.
