Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[40+ awesome free Windows apps you can download in 2 seconds]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/07/40-awesome-free-windows-apps-you-can-download-in-2-seconds/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/07/40-awesome-free-windows-apps-you-can-download-in-2-seconds/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/07/40-awesome-free-windows-apps-you-can-download-in-2-seconds/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Depending on your internet connection you might be able to download a lot more (or a lot less) than 1Mb in two seconds - but calling this a post about apps under a meg just isn't quite as much fun!

No, you don't really need to pay too much attention to an application's hard drive footprint any more. After all, when you can buy a 1.5Tb drive for less than $150US, what difference does a few megs here or there make?

On the other hand, it's amazing to see what some developers are able to accomplish with a very small amount of code.

There are a ton of great, free applications that have been created in less than 1Mb - I didn't fully realize just how many until I started putting this list together. This is by no means a complete list, so if your favorite got overlooked make sure to share it in the comments!

Continue reading 40+ awesome free Windows apps you can download in 2 seconds

40+ awesome free Windows apps you can download in 2 seconds originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1MbefficientlightweightportablesmalltinySun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[7 free Windows 7 tweaking utilities]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/29/7-free-windows-7-tweaking-utilities/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/29/7-free-windows-7-tweaking-utilities/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/29/7-free-windows-7-tweaking-utilities/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


If you're running the Windows 7 RC, chances are good that you're the kind of user that likes to monkey around with settings and tweak your OS. While you can go the DIY route and hack your registry and run your mouse ragged clicking through various control panel screens, there are a number of good, free apps available designed to simplify tweaking.

Pro tip: if you run one of these apps, use their built-in checkpoint creator before committing changes or create a system restore point yourself - just in case something goes awry.

Here are five - go ahead and add your picks in the comments if you don't see your favorite listed!

EnhanceMySe7en (pictured above) - One strike against EM7 is that you must install it. On the plus side, it's 32 and 64-bit (native). On the minus side, it uses 65Mb memory when running. On the plus side, it comes with a free frogurt!

Joking aside, EM7 is absolutely packed with options. Apart from tweaks covering every nook and cranny in Windows 7, the program also includes CCleaner-like registry and disk cleaning tools, a shortcut creator, fast access to many built-in Windows utilities, and much, much more. It's a beast.

Continue reading 7 free Windows 7 tweaking utilities

7 free Windows 7 tweaking utilities originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 29 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>performanceregistrytweaktweakertweakingwindows-7Fri, 29 May 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[15+ programs you don't have to miss when you switch to Linux]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/20/15-programs-you-dont-have-to-miss-when-you-switch-to-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/20/15-programs-you-dont-have-to-miss-when-you-switch-to-linux/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/20/15-programs-you-dont-have-to-miss-when-you-switch-to-linux/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Two years ago, the small business where I work would never have considered selling Linux systems. When it comes to computers, the vast majority of our customers are only familiar with Windows. Trying to sell them an Ubuntu system would have been similar to what Sisyphus experiences with his boulder.

Times have changed, however, and now it's a bit easier - especially since I can demo a system and show that they'll be able to do many of the same things even with a different OS powering the computer.

Common Windows applications that are available for Linux
My average customer wants to do a few key things with their system and not much else - download music, chat, send email, store digital photos, and play some casual games. Many of their preferred Windows programs are also available for Linux.

Limewire - Just because you're switching operating systems doesn't mean you have to give up downloading music. Limewire is built on Java and is available for Linux.

Picasa - Most of us have digital cameras by now, and many of us have hundreds (if not thousands) of digital photos. You may have grown to love Picasa on Windows, but you won't have to give it up if you switch.

Skype - Keeping in touch with family members is important. Doing it for free? That's a bonus, and Skype will let you do that, even on your new OS.

Continue reading 15+ programs you don't have to miss when you switch to Linux

15+ programs you don't have to miss when you switch to Linux originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 20 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>linuxlinux-switchwindows-alternativesWed, 20 May 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A big list of ways to make Tiny URLs]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/19/a-big-list-of-ways-to-make-tiny-urls/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/19/a-big-list-of-ways-to-make-tiny-urls/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/19/a-big-list-of-ways-to-make-tiny-urls/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With all the URL shortening sites that have been popping up lately -- and even services that let you make your own -- I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at the link-shrinkers we've covered in the past here at Download Squad. Some of them are legitimately useful, while some of them are complete novelties that you'd only break out as a joke. You'll also have to forgive some of our references to getting Rickrolled -- it was a legitimate concern back then! So, without further ado, here's a big list of ways to create very small URLs:

NSFW.in is designed for sharing links that are Not Safe For Work. Its unique feature is a warning page, in case the person you're sharing your link with doesn't want to see it after all.

Bit.ly is still one of the best link shorteners around. It scores points for tracking the traffic to your shortened link, and letting you see if anyone else has made a bit.ly link to the same URL.

U.nu is a fairly recent entry with a super-short base URL, and the added bonus of generating links that are easy to read out loud to someone or type out from scratch.

Continue reading A big list of ways to make Tiny URLs

A big list of ways to make Tiny URLs originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 19 May 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>link-sharinglinksservicesharingshorturltinyurltruncatorurl-shortenerwebTue, 19 May 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[40+ great open source apps & games to trick out your new Windows install]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/18/40-great-open-source-apps-and-games-to-trick-out-your-new-windows/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/18/40-great-open-source-apps-and-games-to-trick-out-your-new-windows/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/18/40-great-open-source-apps-and-games-to-trick-out-your-new-windows/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This weekend I finished setting up a fresh triple-boot install on my MSI laptop. With my operating systems ready to go, the time had come to start reinstalling applications. While it wasn't a conscious decision, I noticed that the majority of my apps were Open Source - so I decided to keep the ball rolling.

Even if you haven't just gone through a reformat, these are great applications and well worth installing. If you have, then hopefully this list will provide you with a solid base of programs to get you started with your fresh, new Windows install!

Web Browsers: Chromium, Firefox
They excel at different things, so I install both browsers by default. Chromium is great for all-purpose surfing, while I use Firefox and my favorite extensions to tackle my daily web-based work.

Office: OpenOffice.Org, Sumatra, PDFCreator
For lightweight PDF reading and creation from any Windows app, Sumatra and PDFCreator are solid options. OpenOffice.Org, well, it's the name to beat in open source suites.

Continue reading 40+ great open source apps & games to trick out your new Windows install

40+ great open source apps & games to trick out your new Windows install originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 18 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserfile transferFileTransferfossgamesIMmaintenancemediaofficeopen-sourceOSSpdfsocial networkingSocialNetworkingstallmanutilitiesMon, 18 May 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten Tumblr themes that rock]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/17/ten-tumblr-themes-that-rock/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/17/ten-tumblr-themes-that-rock/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/17/ten-tumblr-themes-that-rock/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One of the best things about Tumblr as a blog platform is how easy it is to try out new themes on your Tumblog. There's a wide selection of built-in themes, some of which are excellent, and many more that you can find elsewhere on the web and plug in with a quick copy-and-paste. Just go to http://www.tumblr.com/customize, turn on custom HTML, and plug in the code for your chosen theme, which you can usually find at the designer's page. Here are ten of my favorites to get you started:

Gallery: Tumblr Themes that Rock

Not QuiteJuveniliaSunday EditionBox FactoryRoboturner

Ten Tumblr themes that rock originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 17 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designthemestumblrSun, 17 May 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aporkalypse Now: Where to get Swine Flu info online]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/02/aporkalypse-now-where-to-get-swine-flu-info-online/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/02/aporkalypse-now-where-to-get-swine-flu-info-online/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/02/aporkalypse-now-where-to-get-swine-flu-info-online/#commentsFiled under: ,

Forgive us for laughing at a potential pandemic, but this swine flu hysteria is getting a little bit out of hand. Taking proper precautions is one thing, shutting down schools, wearing masks that don't do anything everywhere and banning pork (that isn't contaminated and doesn't spread the disease anyway) is just silly.

Ridiculous or not, with all the buzz about H1N1 on TV, Twitter and from hypochondriac friends and family, distilling the correct information can be difficult.

Thus, we present the Download Squad guide to Swine Flu '09:

Official Agency Sites:

CDC H1N1 Page -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (located in Atlanta, holla!) is a great source for H1N1 information for individuals and communities. The site is frequently updated and links to other world agencies and organizations. You can also check out the CDC's mobile site for news on the go, and check out the assorted CDC Twitter feeds.

PandemicFlu.gov -- This site is maintained by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and aggregates information from the CDC, WHO and other organizations.

World Health Organization -- The UN's World Health Organization (WHO) has a dedicated H1N1 site with media information, latest news and official WHO reports. The WHO also has a Twitter feed.

Food and Agriculture Organization -- Similarly, the UN's FAO is focussed on background information on H1N1, and is monitoring the situation.

Miscellaneous News Sites:

Swine-flu.Alltop.com -- Alltop's mashup of H1N1 information includes not only agency sources, but major news coverage from sources like the New York Times and USA Today, as well as social streams from places like Twitter, WordPress.com and other social networks.

Open Directory Project -- The Open Directory Project has some resources if you're into accessing the Internet a la Yahoo! in 1996.

Maps

Google Flu Trends -- Google Flu Trends, which is still in development is tracking swine flu cases in the US and in Mexico

HealthMap.org -- HealthMap.org has a color coded map (using the Google API) that is frequently updated and shows outbreaks and cases all over the world.

Ushahidi -- Social powered site Ushahidi has a Swine Flu outbreak map too.

Google Maps -- This user-created Google Map is frequently updated and includes more specific outbreak information, easily viewable by location.

Videos, Podcasts and others:

Swine Flu Podcasts from the CDC (iTunes link) -- The CDC has produced a series of podcasts for information and sensible tips for preventing the spread of infection. Video versions (iTunes link) are available too.

iPhone app (coming soon) -- According to Tech Crunch, an iPhone app tracking the Swine Flu is on the way. Now this is just getting stupid.

Muppets: I couldn't resist. Some of my favorite, "wash your hands" themed Sesame Street sketches. Check out Gordon #1 and freakadelic Big Bird in clip one!

Aporkalypse Now: Where to get Swine Flu info online originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 02 May 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cdchealthpandemicswine fluSwineFluSat, 02 May 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Four ways to start torrent downloads remotely]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/20/four-ways-to-start-torrent-downloads-remotely/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/20/four-ways-to-start-torrent-downloads-remotely/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/20/four-ways-to-start-torrent-downloads-remotely/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Today's cat: starting torrent downloads on your computer from a remote location!

The first two options require 1) your home machine's address and 2) a forwarded port on your router. If you're on a dynamic IP connection like me, a DDNS updating service like Dyndns.org makes finding your machine much easier - it gives you an easy-to-remember, permanent address likemycomputerathome.dyndns.org. Not too sure how to set up port forwarding on your router? Check out PortForward.com for help with just about any brand or model.

If you'd rather not mess around with port forwarding and dynamic dns, you might want to try setting up Hamachi or Comodo Easy VPN on your machines. Either one will provide you LAN-like access to your main computer with minimal fuss (apart from installing and configuring a new program).

Or you could skip the zero-config VPN software and check out the last two options after the break - neither of which require you to know your home system's address or change any router settings.

Now let's get started!

Using Your Client's WebUI (pictured above)

uTorrent, Transmission, and Deluge all offer a web-based control panel for their clients. Getting remote access is as simple as opening the appropriate port on your router and then opening the right address in your web browser.

For uTorrent, you may need to download the webui.zip from their forums and save it to your %appdata%\utorrent folder.

Continue reading Four ways to start torrent downloads remotely

Four ways to start torrent downloads remotely originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bittorrentdelugeremotetorrenttransmissionutorrentMon, 20 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DLS Interview: 'Posterous' Co-Founder Sachin Agarwal]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/06/dls-interview-posterous-co-founder-sachin-agarwal/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/06/dls-interview-posterous-co-founder-sachin-agarwal/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/06/dls-interview-posterous-co-founder-sachin-agarwal/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Posterous

There are many ways to share your content online with family and friends. From Flickr to Facebook to MySpace, YouTube and Twitter, there's no shortage of ways, or platforms, to express yourself via words, pictures and videos. Several months ago I was introduced to another of these type of sites called Posterous.

At Posterous, much like these other sites, you can post words, pictures and videos via email from whatever device you happen to be using -- be it iPhone, iPod Touch, Blackberry or desktop computer. At first, I was a bit skeptical about how Posterous would distinguish itself from the other sites and platforms I use regularly.

However, once I started using Posterous and had my own page, I was quickly impressed with its simplicity, its design and its usability. Soon it became my site of choice for posting images on the go from my iPhone and may very well replace Flickr as my photo site of choice in the near future.

Recently, I talked with Sachin Agarwal, one of Posterous' co-founders, to get all the latest info on the site, how it came to be and where its going.

CHRIS ULLRICH: First off, let's talk a bit about your background. Where did you grow up, go to school, work and develop the skills to do something like Posterous?

SACHIN AGARWAL: Garry and I both went to Stanford and majored in Computer Science. When I graduated, I worked at Apple on Final Cut Pro for 6 years which was all the way up to starting Posterous. I was building the real-time playback engine and effects architecture.

That didn't have a direct impact on the formation of Posterous, except that we're definitely Apple people at heart, and we want to be the Apple of blogging. We want to make the simplest, most beautiful site out there, and make it accessible to the masses.

CU: When did you first have the idea for Posterous, how is it put together and when did it first go live?

Continue reading DLS Interview: 'Posterous' Co-Founder Sachin Agarwal

DLS Interview: 'Posterous' Co-Founder Sachin Agarwal originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingemailphotosposterousMon, 06 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Talking Open with Adobe's Dave McAllister]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/03/talking-open-with-adobes-dave-mcallister/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/03/talking-open-with-adobes-dave-mcallister/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/04/03/talking-open-with-adobes-dave-mcallister/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Being "the guy" in charge of open source and standards at a company more known for its closed source products is a job I don't envy. Adobe's Dave McAllister, however, is a man that loves that kind of challenge and that's exactly the role he plays.

Dave's involvement in Open Source pre-dates the creation of the term itself. As a key member of the Silicon Graphics team in the early 1990s, he was involved in key OSS projects like OpenGL. McAllister also co-founded Cassatt and helped develop pioneering cloud computing solutions based on 37 open source projects.

When he was hired on by Adobe in 2006, McAllister went right to work, sitting down for a meeting with his new CTO and asking "When can I Open Source the Flash player?"

That hasn't been fully possible yet, due in no small part to the presence of technologies within Flash that Adobe must license from other vendors - like the h.264 codec. Flash player's foundations - things like the SWF, FLV, RTMP, AMF, and FlashCast specifications - are all published.

The Flex SDK, Blaze DS, and ActionScript virtual machine are also fully open source, and Adobe grants full patent use on all these things, which allows developers to go wild and produce cool things like the Pushbutton Game Engine. "If we can't open source the code," Dave told me, "we will open how it was built."

Continue reading Talking Open with Adobe's Dave McAllister

Talking Open with Adobe's Dave McAllister originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adobeopen-screenopen-sourceFri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 Facebook apps you might actually want to install]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/31/10-facebook-apps-you-might-actually-want-to-install/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/31/10-facebook-apps-you-might-actually-want-to-install/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/31/10-facebook-apps-you-might-actually-want-to-install/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Facebook apps are pretty controversial, as far as developments in the world of social networking. When they first arrived on the scene, some people rejected them as ugly and useless, while others loaded their profiles with as many apps as they could find. I admit, I was in that first camp for quite a while. But, while I'm still disappointed with Facebook apps in general, I also have to admit that we've come a long way since the days of pirates versus zombies and throwing virtual sheep at one another. Here are 10 Facebook apps that I think represent the best of Facebook:

Integration With Other Social Sites

1) Dopplr: Where Next?

What It Does: Displays your upcoming trips from the excellent travel-centric social network Dopplr on your Facebook profile.

Why You Need It: Because telling people where you are by manually changing your "current town" on Facebook is passé and a waste of time when you have Dopplr. With this app, friends can easily see when you're leaving town and when you're getting back.

2) Upcoming

What It Does: Integrates your Facebook events with local events from Upcoming. Lets you add events and view events from either site.

Why You Need It: You're using Facebook to create, browse and confirm events anyway. You might as well make sure you don't miss anything because you forgot to check both sites. Upcoming also suggests events in your area, so you might find out about a cool opportunity that would have otherwise passed you by.

Continue reading 10 Facebook apps you might actually want to install

10 Facebook apps you might actually want to install originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appsbestfacebooklisttop10Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Regator crawls the blog trash to find blog treasure]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-regator-crawls-the-blog-trash-to-find-blog-treasure/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-regator-crawls-the-blog-trash-to-find-blog-treasure/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-regator-crawls-the-blog-trash-to-find-blog-treasure/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Regator is a portal to the hand-curated blogosphere. There's an awful lot of crap out there on a lot of worthless blogs, but Regator sends actual human beings with editorial experience out to find the stuff worth reading in the blogosphere.

In this interview from SXSW, Grant finds out some things you might not have known about Regator. For example, it's so selective that its rejection rate is above 80%! All that, and it's still run by three people out of one house. Extreme bootstrapping and quality blog content, all in one place!

SXSW 2009: Regator crawls the blog trash to find blog treasure originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogsinterviewsregatorvideoTue, 17 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Nova Spivack talks Twine and the semantic web]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-nova-spivack-talks-twine-and-the-semantic-web/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-nova-spivack-talks-twine-and-the-semantic-web/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/sxsw-2009-nova-spivack-talks-twine-and-the-semantic-web/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Twine is a service that lets you track your interests and discover new content that you care about, based on the bookmarks of the other 100,000 users who use it. On top of that, there are a million people who just read Twine every month, which means it's on track to be bigger than Delicious soon. Learn more about the human-curated web straight from Twine's Nova Spivack at SXSW.



SXSW 2009: Nova Spivack talks Twine and the semantic web originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookmarksinterviewsemantic-websxswtwineTue, 17 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Chromium on Linux progressing, screenshots inside]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/google-chrome-on-linux-progressing-screenshots-inside/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/google-chrome-on-linux-progressing-screenshots-inside/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/17/google-chrome-on-linux-progressing-screenshots-inside/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ubuntu users (or users of a Ubuntu-based distro) who have been waiting patiently for the chance to play with Google Chrome, there's now a dead simple way for you to do it. Thanks to the PPA (personal package archive) for Chromium daily builds team, getting the pre-alpha Chromium browser running on your system is about as painless as it can be at this stage.

You'll need to add repositories, of course. They are (substitute jaunty or hardy if needed):
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/chromium-daily/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/chromium-daily/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main
Once they've been added, running sudo apt-get install chromium-browser in a terminal window will take care of the rest. After the package has finished installing, just type chromium-browser [enter] to fire it up.

While it's still in its early stages, Chromium on Linux runs as it does on Windows - fast and smooth. Some important features aren't working yet, like the tab and bookmarks bars and options menu, but nearly everything else is. Incognito, history, download manager, and the new tab view are all functional, and every web page I tested rendered beautifully - and fast.

Check the gallery after the break for screenshots from my CrunchBang install.

Continue reading Chromium on Linux progressing, screenshots inside

Chromium on Linux progressing, screenshots inside originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphachromiumgoogle-chromelinuxweb-browserTue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Blinging your blog with JS-Kit]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-blinging-your-blog-with-js-kit/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-blinging-your-blog-with-js-kit/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-blinging-your-blog-with-js-kit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Chris Saad tells Grant how JS-Kit works as an advanced commenting system for your blog, including stuff like OpenID and Facebook Connect. But it's also more than that: it provides widgets for comments, ratings, polls and chat across a network of 600,000 blogs. Basically, JS-Kit is an all-purpose system to cross-pollinate your comments and other info across sites in the network. These aren't all small sites, either: I Can Has Cheeseburger and Jetblue are some of the well-known sites that are on board with JS-Kit.

SXSW 2009: Blinging your blog with JS-Kit originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogscommentsinterviewjs-kitsxswvideoMon, 16 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Catching up with DataPortabiity]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-catching-up-with-dataportabiity/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-catching-up-with-dataportabiity/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-catching-up-with-dataportabiity/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Grant Robertson catches up with the Data Portability project to see what they've accomplished in the past year. Turns out it's quite a lot. Internal governance mechanisms are in place, so the project can go forward and get more sites on board with its vision of interoperability and user control of data. If you don't know what Data Portability is and does, this video is a good primer.

SXSW 2009: Catching up with DataPortabiity originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dataportabilityinteroperabilityinterviewsxswvideoMon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Meet the small business web with Shoeboxed, Freshbooks, Outright and Batchblue]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-meet-the-small-business-web-with-shoeboxed-freshbook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-meet-the-small-business-web-with-shoeboxed-freshbook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-meet-the-small-business-web-with-shoeboxed-freshbook/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Download Squad's fearless lead blogger, Grant Robertson, has got his hands full in another interview from SXSW. Grant gathered a group that represents everything you need to run your small business or freelance practice, from tracking your expenses, to invoicing clients, to managing your contacts. Check out this interview to learn more about what Shoeboxed, Freshbooks, Outright and Batchblue can do for you.

UPDATE: Check the comments on this post for some excellent clarification from Ben Curren of Outright about how all these services work together. Thanks, Ben!

SXSW 2009: Meet the small business web with Shoeboxed, Freshbooks, Outright and Batchblue originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batchbluefreelancefreshbooksinterviewoutrightshoeboxedsxswMon, 16 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: Rudder is not Mint, here's why]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-rudder-is-not-mint-heres-why/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-rudder-is-not-mint-heres-why/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/16/sxsw-2009-rudder-is-not-mint-heres-why/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Grant talks to the team from Rudder, a new financial-tracking service that sounds a lot like Mint.com. The Rudder guys tell him how they distinguish themselves from Mint by focusing on planning for the future instead of tracking the past. Learn about the cool features that let Rudder turn finances into a game that you play with yourself. Can financial management seriously be fun? Find out in this video.

SXSW 2009: Rudder is not Mint, here's why originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>financesfinancialinterviewmintruddersxswMon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: building web communities, Threadless-style]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-building-web-communities-threadless-style/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-building-web-communities-threadless-style/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-building-web-communities-threadless-style/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Threadless is more than a t-shirt company, as Grant Robertson found out when he chatted with Jeffrey Kalmikoff. Jeffrey explained how Threadless works, and how they've managed to build a community of nearly a million people who submit and vote on awesome new shirts. And that's just registered users, not including the thousands who just use Threadless to buy the hottest new designs. Stay tuned to Download Squad for more interviews straight from our team at SXSW.

SXSW 2009: building web communities, Threadless-style originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>communitydesigninterviewssxswt-shirtthreadlessvideoSun, 15 Mar 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[SXSW 2009: talking about blog-fueled search with Lijit's Micah Baldwin]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-talking-about-blog-fueled-search-with-lijits-micah-b/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-talking-about-blog-fueled-search-with-lijits-micah-b/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/03/15/sxsw-2009-talking-about-blog-fueled-search-with-lijits-micah-b/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Download Squad's Grant Robertson has been interviewing up a storm down at South by Southwest. He just hooked up with Micah Baldwin of Lijit to talk about how blogs and trusted friend networks can lead to more relevant, more personal search results. The biggest surprise to me was that Lijit isn't supported by Wordpress yet. Micah's encouraging everyone to email Automattic and get them to change that.

SXSW 2009: talking about blog-fueled search with Lijit's Micah Baldwin originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interviewlijitmicah-baldwinsxswvideoSun, 15 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST