Download Squad

Tumblr is a new tumblelog service whose FAQs probably describe itself a nutshell the best: "To make a simple analogy: If blogs are journals, tumblelogs are scrapbooks." It has the look, feel and functionality of a stream-of-consciousness blog, instead of the typical structure and theme/agenda that the traditional blogging platform has (sidenote: can we really refer to an aspect of blogging as 'traditional' just yet?). Everything that doesn't fit in another online space or blogging platform is probably a sure-fire candidate for a tumblelog. I also like to think of it as a linkblog on steriods, offering easy linkage and embedding of video, pictures, conversations, quotes and more.

A carefully-chosen tool set reinforces this linkblog ideal, offering a streamlined experience that oozes the "everything you need, nothing you don't" philosophy. The signup process is dead-easy, and after choosing a theme and a few other settings, Tumblr offers a simple though eerily intelligent bookmarklet that does all the heavy lifting when sharing that Flickr pic or embedding a YouTube video.

For those who want some control over their tumblelog, Tumblr offers some key features above and beyond the simple point and click. Customization is present in just about all the right places. The themes are 100% editable, and the official Tumblr blog says even more themes are on their way, with a "hugely robust system" for really strutting your stuff. You can also chose to redirect your Tumblr blog to your own domain, with fairly simple instructions in the FAQs.

All in all this tumbellog/linkblog is a fairly simple concept with much greater implications, and Tumblr's executing is fantastic. I'm already hooked, and I've added a new bookmark and 'marklet to my tool belt. The service is free and, like so many other web 2.0 startups, will remain free, with the possibility of a more feature-packed premium offering debuting at a later date.

[via Leo Laporte's Twitter]