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[Twitter's new retweets stumble, but they're still coming (and it's good)]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/twitters-new-retweets-stumble-but-theyre-still-coming-and-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/twitters-new-retweets-stumble-but-theyre-still-coming-and-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/twitters-new-retweets-stumble-but-theyre-still-coming-and-it/#commentsFiled under: ,

There's been a flurry of news and views surrounding Twitter's retweet feature as it rolls out to more users this week. To sum up, limited introduction of the new feature was announced, then it was halted to fix some bugs, and now it's back on again. No big deal, but the user reaction to the new retweets has been so enormous and so polarized that Twitter founder Ev Williams saw fit to write a rare blog post on the subject.

The feature received heavy criticism from some users (including confused celebrities) who didn't understand that retweets will start appearing in your stream with the icon of the original poster. The words of someone you don't follow have always been able to end up in your stream as retweets, but now you'll see an icon, too. Don't freak out. If you see someone you don't like, you can go to that user's settings and block retweets from him or her. That's right: you have control over your retweet settings for individual users.

Ev's response in support of retweets includes two very strong points. Number one: formalizing retweets and showing the original poster's icon clears up any confusion about who wrote what you're reading. It also means you only see the message once, even if 17 of your friends retweet it, which makes for a tidier Twitter stream. Number two: the new system makes retweets trackable. You'll be able to click on tabs to see retweets by others, retweets by you and your tweets, retweeted. This wouldn't have been possible without formally coding the retweet process into Twitter.

This isn't a web-only feature: app developers already either support it or are working to make sure they support it soon. Some of them even have more elegant presentations of retweets than the web interface. In the meantime, chill out when you see a strange face in your stream. This is the new way of things on Twitter, and it's actually pretty cool.

Twitter's new retweets stumble, but they're still coming (and it's good) originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evan williamsEvanWilliamsretweettwitterThu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bump for Android: slick contact-sharing app not iPhone-only anymore]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/bump-for-android-slick-contact-sharing-app-not-iphone-only-anym/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/bump-for-android-slick-contact-sharing-app-not-iphone-only-anym/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/12/bump-for-android-slick-contact-sharing-app-not-iphone-only-anym/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bump, the impressive iPhone app that lets you trade contact info and other data by physically bumping two phones together, isn't just an iPhone app anymore. Bump for Android has arrived (so sayeth TechCrunch, at any rate), and it covers Bump's biggest weakness: you had to have an iPhone to use it. Between iPhones and Android devices, Bump now has the potential to become a common way of swapping contact info.

In addition to the Android launch, Bump also polished up its iPhone app. The new version, which is in the app store now, taps into Facebook to compare address books with your bumping buddies and see whether you have any contacts in common. You can also send either a message or a newsfeed post to yourself via Facebook when you bump someone new, so you can remember to get in touch with them later. These features haven't made their way to the Android edition of Bump yet.

[via TechCrunch]

Bump for Android: slick contact-sharing app not iPhone-only anymore originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbumpcontactsiphoneThu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tweetdeck back in the iPhone app store with new features, fewer bugs]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tweetdeck-back-in-the-iphone-app-store-with-new-features-fewer/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tweetdeck-back-in-the-iphone-app-store-with-new-features-fewer/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/11/tweetdeck-back-in-the-iphone-app-store-with-new-features-fewer/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Twitter fanatics were disappointed when the hotly-anticipated update to Tweetdeck's iPhone app was pulled from the app store due to bugs, but it's available again today. The upgrade is a big one, including some of the most important features of the Tweetdeck desktop version. The biggest deal might be Facebook integration, a feature that keeps Tweetdeck competitive with its main desktop rival, Seesmic (which has Facebook support, but has yet to launch an iPhone app).

In addition, Tweetdeck for iPhone now has video uploading via 12Seconds.tv, taking advantage of the video capabilities of the iPhone 3GS. It also uses the device's GPS for a "nearby" feature that lets you read tweets from folks in your vicinity. Although I take every opportunity to bash Twitter's trending topics, fans of that aspect of the service will now find it in Tweetdeck. One feature I won't bash, though, is the address picker, which lets you choose a contact from list so your @replies are without typos.

Combine all those features with details like a landscape keyboard mode and the ability to save drafts, and you've got a pretty solid version 1.1. If you've been using and enjoying Tweetdeck, this update should be some sweet icing on the cake.

Tweetdeck back in the iPhone app store with new features, fewer bugs originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12secondsfacebookiphonetweetdecktwitterWed, 11 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For the last few weeks I've been looking for a suitable RSS reader application for my iPhone. I've found myself frustrated with long-time favourite NetNewsWire (which currently lacks any of the Google Reader sharing options) and the Google Reader web UI. Much like every Twitter client out there, I've bought my fair share of RSS readers for the iPhone and after much testing I have finally found a new favourite: Reeder.

Reeder [iTunes Link] has all the relevant sharing options I've craved in one place - and best of all is stylish as hell. There's plenty of applications with custom user interfaces on the iPhone - some more successful than others - but Reeder balances the familiar with custom elements, and as a result the interface looks great when browsing (and reading) content.

If I had any complaints about Reeder, it's that the application lacks the ability to view your friends' shared items within the application, but given the sheer style and speed of the application it's a small oversight. If you're looking to pick up a copy of Reeder, the developer has dropped the price to $0.99 until version 1.1 ships - and available now on the App Store.

Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Google ReaderGoogleReaderiPhone RSSIphoneRssRSSTue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Balloons: launch a balloon from your iPhone, see who finds it]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/balloons-launch-a-balloon-from-your-iphone-see-who-finds-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/balloons-launch-a-balloon-from-your-iphone-see-who-finds-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/balloons-launch-a-balloon-from-your-iphone-see-who-finds-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you ever let a helium balloon float away when you were a kid and wondered where it eventually ended up, you already know what Balloons for the iPhone is all about. This cute little app lets you launch a virtual balloon with a message and a photo attached. Anyone with the app installed call pull down balloons near them -- Balloons uses the iPhone's location services -- and read messages.

I grabbed a few balloons to see what it was all about, and it was more addictive than I expected. My first balloon was an ad, launched by some marketer near my city (Boo! Hiss!), but then things started getting interesting. I caught a balloon that had drifted from London to Texas to Arizona, picking up new notes along the way. Balloons reminds me of the message-in-a-bottle feeling of the early days of the Internet -- "Hey, who else is out there?"

I tested the Lite version of Balloons, which is free. There's also a $2.99 version that adds the ability to track your balloons, in case you get really serious. TUAW interviewed the developer at this year's WWDC.

Balloons: launch a balloon from your iPhone, see who finds it originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>balloonshggiphonemessagesSocialNetworkingFri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter plans to cut the noise out of trending topics ... but how?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/twitter-plans-to-cut-the-noise-out-of-trending-topics-but-ho/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/twitter-plans-to-cut-the-noise-out-of-trending-topics-but-ho/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/twitter-plans-to-cut-the-noise-out-of-trending-topics-but-ho/#commentsFiled under: ,

Have you ever actually clicked on any of Twitter's trending topics? I don't want to sound like the old guy telling whippersnappers to get off his lawn, but trying to read almost any Twitter trend gives me a headache. There's so much spam with popular hashtags attached that even people who care about the trends aren't getting a great user experience. Twitter realizes this, and they're going to do something to cut down the noise.

The precise something that Twitter intends to do isn't really clear. Biz Stone's blog post is full of ambiguous language: "We're working to show higher quality results for trend queries by returning tweets that are more useful." It's not clear whether this means manually filtering trends in some way, or whether Twitter is introducing an algorithm to weight tweets by relevance. I think the average Twitter user is less concerned with the technical details, and more concerned with how effective this experiment will be at reducing junk tweets.

[via TechCrunch]

Twitter plans to cut the noise out of trending topics ... but how? originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>spamtrending topicsTrendingTopicstrendstwitterFri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BeeJive iPhone app gets AIM chatroom support, sort of]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/beejive-iphone-app-gets-aim-chatroom-support-sort-of/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/beejive-iphone-app-gets-aim-chatroom-support-sort-of/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/beejive-iphone-app-gets-aim-chatroom-support-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: ,

I once called BeeJive the best chat client for the iPhone, and for good reason: it supports several different chat services, offers push notifications, and has a user interface that makes chatting on the iPhone about as easy as it can feasibly be. BeeJIve just keeps getting better, too. The latest version, 3.1, now supports group chats in AIM ... almost.

Group chats are a great feature that I'm sure Beejive will fully implement soon, but I'm not a fan of the way they work now. To start a group chat, just click the plus button and add multiple contacts. So far, so good, but here's where things get sticky: the only option is a private chatroom. You have to invite contacts to allow them in.

There's also no control over the name of the room. It's just Beejive plus a random string. Also, you'll want to turn notifications off if your room is very active, because having your phone beep or buzz for every message in a fast and furious chat is a wee bit obnoxious.

I know these are all minor quibbles, but it would be great to have a separate "start group chat" button, with the ability to create and name a public room. For now, though, I'm not complaining too much when an already-excellent chat client adds a useful feature it didn't have before.

BeeJive iPhone app gets AIM chatroom support, sort of originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aimbeejivechatchatroomgroup chatGroupChatIMiphoneFri, 06 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook Chat gets XMPP, catches up with AIM, Google Talk and MSN]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/facebook-chat-gets-xmpp-catches-up-with-aim-google-talk-and-ms/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/facebook-chat-gets-xmpp-catches-up-with-aim-google-talk-and-ms/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/facebook-chat-gets-xmpp-catches-up-with-aim-google-talk-and-ms/#commentsFiled under: ,

Facebook Chat has been a bit slow to catch on. Since it's been relegated to being opened from the web in a Facebook Tab, it hasn't been able to compete with chat services that have their own dedicated clients, like AIM, MSN and Yahoo. Although some third-party apps - like Adium - have made the extra effort to support Facebook Chat, it's not widespread. That's about to change, though, when Facebook adopts XMPP and becomes compatible with tons of existing chat apps.

XMPP is most famous as the protocol behind Google Talk. That means any chat program that currently includes Google Talk will be able to include Facebook Chat too. Facebook, like Google, is starting out in the chat market with the advantage of huge pre-existing contact lists - for Google, it was your Gmail contacts, and for Facebook it's, well, Facebook. If you've ever wished you could just automatically add all of your Facebook buddies to your favorite IM program, you're in for a treat.

[via GigaOM]

Facebook Chat gets XMPP, catches up with AIM, Google Talk and MSN originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AIMchatfacebookgoogle talkGoogleTalkIMjabberxmppFri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Digg's homepage will display trending stories for user voting]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/diggs-homepage-will-display-trending-stories-for-user-voting/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/diggs-homepage-will-display-trending-stories-for-user-voting/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/diggs-homepage-will-display-trending-stories-for-user-voting/#commentsFiled under: ,

How can a Digg story make the front page without making the front page? Digg is about to show you, by placing some highly-active stories on the homepage for 10 minutes at a time before they have enough diggs to be there. By putting these trending stories up front, Digg intends to have a higher volume of users digg or bury them, as a sort of filter to decide what belongs on that coveted high-traffic front page.

"Activity," in terms of getting a story to trend, doesn't just mean diggs. It also means comments, favorites and shares. Because these trends will be gone in 10 minutes if they don't survive the voting process, Digg has started a Twitter account to announce new trends and give more users a change to vote on them. Stories will only show basic information, to cut down on bias in the voting.

Let's have a little vote of our own: do you think putting Digg trends on the homepage is a good idea?


View Poll

Digg's homepage will display trending stories for user voting originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>diggfront pageFrontPagehomepagetrendsvotingThu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Thumbs down! Firefox users can now "dislike" posts on Facebook]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/thumbs-down-firefox-users-can-now-dislike-posts-on-facebook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/thumbs-down-firefox-users-can-now-dislike-posts-on-facebook/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/thumbs-down-firefox-users-can-now-dislike-posts-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: ,

You might have seen the various petitions on Facebook to add a "dislike" feature to the site, to complement the "like" option in the News Feed. Well, Facebook hasn't listened. However, if you're a Firefox user, you can add a thumbs-down feature to FB with (what else?) a Facebook Dislike add-on.

It sounds kind of silly to keep track of your own dislikes, but it turns out that the extension feeds them into a database, so they'll be visible to anyone else who has it installed. The dislikes blend in seamlessly with the Facebook News Feed, appearing right below regular likes. It looks as if the members of those pro-dislike Facebook groups should be downloading Firefox and checking this extension out.

[via CNET]

Thumbs down! Firefox users can now "dislike" posts on Facebook originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-ondislikefacebookfirefoxthumbs downThumbsDownThu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Now finally available - ubiquitous media sharing with Orb for Mac]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/05/now-finally-available-media-sharing-with-orb-for-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


It was pretty exciting news at Download Squad to hear Orb, the "sort of software version of Slingbox," was available for Mac. Orb allows you to broadcast your media to any device that has a web browser. After downloading Orb to your "always on" Mac with a high speed internet connection, you can access all your photos, songs, TV shows, and videos from any device with a browser and media player.

After downloading the app, Orb indexes your media and then prompts you to either log in to mycast.orb.com, or create a log in if you don't have an account. After you log in you can see your dashboard and all your media goodies.



Though my songs appeared immediately, my photos did not. There are various feed settings you can play with and channels to explore. Also, with a simple drag drop interface you can share your media with your friends via email, SMS, widget on your blog, or a public URL.



Checking it out from my home computer is one thing, but would it work on other devices? Success! I was able to access my media from my Dell PC.

A note for iPhone owners: The esteemed and indefatigable Jay Hathaway noted that he received errors when he tried to download the free version of OrbLive for the iPhone, which he tried from both his iPhone and his iTunes account on his Mac. There are 3 flavors of Orb available for the iPhone: OrbLive free, OrbMedia ($4.99) and OrbLive ($9.99)

Note to Orb: Please update your landing page to include PC and Mac, ok?

Now finally available - ubiquitous media sharing with Orb for Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneMacmedia sharingmedia streamerMediaSharingMediaStreamermobileOrbThu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Waveboard: Google Wave client now available for iPhone]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-google-wave-client-now-available-for-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-google-wave-client-now-available-for-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/waveboard-google-wave-client-now-available-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

You may have already figured out that you can use Google Wave in Safari on the iPhone, but now there's a better alternative. Waveboard, one of the early attempts at a desktop Wave client, now has an iPhone app. The Waveboard app will run you 99 cents, but it's a much faster way to check your Waves than loading them up in the built-in browser.

Waveboard basically gives you the same thing you get on the mobile web version of Wave, but also adds some additional features. You can shake your device to logout and reload your Waves, and push notifications are apparently coming soon. It sounds like right now is the time to jump on Waveboard, in case future features come with a higher price.

If you have 40 seconds to kill, and you want to see Waveboard in action, check out the demo video after the jump.

[via TechCrunch]

Continue reading Waveboard: Google Wave client now available for iPhone

Waveboard: Google Wave client now available for iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google waveGoogleWaveiphonewavewaveboardWed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter officially adds Spanish-language support]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/twitter-officially-adds-spanish-language-support/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/twitter-officially-adds-spanish-language-support/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/twitter-officially-adds-spanish-language-support/#commentsFiled under: ,

To butcher a quote from Spider-Man: with global power comes global responsibility. Now that Twitter has caught on around the world, it has to start supporting its many, many users who speak languages other than English. Spanish is the latest language to get official support from Twitter, announced in a blog post by Biz Stone. Appropriately, Biz wrote his announcement in Spanish.

In case you didn't study español in high school, here's the gist (Thanks, Google Translator! Thanks, high school Spanish teachers!):

Earlier this month, Twitter invited volunteers to translate the site into more languages. Biz thanks the volunteers who worked on the Spanish translation and explains that you can now change your language in Twitter's settings panel, or on the Twitter.com front page in the bottom right corner. He goes on to recommend some Spanish-speaking users to follow, including celebrities like NBA star Manu Ginobili.


Spanish is Twitter's third language, after English and Japanese.

Twitter officially adds Spanish-language support originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>languagespanishtwitterWed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Amazon affiliate links now post to Twitter in two clicks]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/amazon-affiliate-links-now-post-to-twitter-in-two-clicks/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/amazon-affiliate-links-now-post-to-twitter-in-two-clicks/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/04/amazon-affiliate-links-now-post-to-twitter-in-two-clicks/#commentsFiled under: ,

In an email to members of its Amazon Associates program, Amazon.com started promoting Twitter integration for affiliate links. People have been posting Amazon links to Twitter for just about as long as Twitter's been around, but now it's an insanely easy two-click process, using the toolbar on any product page. This is good news for Associates, making Twitter a viable place to pick up some extra clicks and sales.

It's bad news if you hate product spam, though. Get prepared for a whole mess of folks starting up spammy Twitter accounts to take advantage of the new feature. Also get ready for well-intentioned friends who don't grasp Twitter etiquette to post some product links here and there. I'm not predicting a big storm, just a new minor nuisance.

The messages don't auto-post to your account, they just redirect you to Twitter.com with a pre-filled tweet. The text before the product names seem to rotate, and it includea stuff like "Great deal on," "Check out," and "Just saw on Amazon." I guess that'll make people who post frequent product links look a little bit less like spammers.

Amazon affiliate links now post to Twitter in two clicks originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>affiliateamazonAmazon associatesAmazonAssociatessalestwitterWed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Twitter List goodies: official list widgets!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/more-twitter-list-goodies-official-list-widgets/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/more-twitter-list-goodies-official-list-widgets/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/03/more-twitter-list-goodies-official-list-widgets/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Now that the new Lists feature has rolled out to everyone and become a big part of Twitter, the microblogging service has taken the logical next step and launched list widgets. That means you can embed a live version of your favorite Twitter list anywhere on the web. It doesn't even have to be your list, actually: if someone else has a favorite that you enjoy, you can make a widget of that, too.

Like the List-to-RSS solution I wrote about recently, list widgets allow you to follow a list without following everyone on it. Widgets also make it very easy to customize the appearance of your lists, as well as a bunch of other options. Live auto-updating is included - or you can set how often it loads new tweets - and you can also control the number of tweets that appear at once. Don't want to show avatars or hashtags? That's fine too, there are some checkboxes that will take care of it. This set of features makes widgets a great way to share your favorite Twitter content outside of Twitter.

[via TechCrunch]

More Twitter List goodies: official list widgets! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>list widgetslistsListWidgetstwitterwidgetsTue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Clicky is Google Analytics all grown up]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

ClickyClicky is a new web analytics package that is looking to give the current king of web analytics, Google Analytics, a run for its money. Like any site tracking service, you create an account, insert some code into your pages (or if you are using one of the popular blogging platforms, simply install the relevant plugin), and watch as Clicky gathers statistics for your site in real-time.

The service sets itself apart by being very well designed and easy to read, but also by including extra related features, like the ability to include your FeedBurner statistics, tracking Twitter statistics, and providing an integrated link shortening service based on its related domain name clicky.me.

The free version of Clicky is ad-supported, but a Pro version is also available.

A few of Clicky's more obscure features need a Pro account to use. For example, with a pro account you can set up Twitter searches for your brand name or URL, and then see how many mentions you are getting.

Clicky is Google Analytics all grown up originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brand namebrand-nameBrandNameclickygoogle analyticsgoogle-analyticsGoogleAnalyticsmMon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Seesmic beta is the first Twitter client to support lists]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/new-seesmic-beta-is-the-first-twitter-client-to-support-lists/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/new-seesmic-beta-is-the-first-twitter-client-to-support-lists/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/new-seesmic-beta-is-the-first-twitter-client-to-support-lists/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Seesmic might not be the best Twitter client, but it is the first to support the new lists feature. Users who sign up to Seesmic's mailing list can get access to the latest beta version of the Adobe AIR-based desktop client, including lists. List support is not complete yet: you can view your own lists and add people to them, but you can't see which lists have added you. It looks like you can create a new list, but you can't, yet -- if you check Twitter's web interface, you'll see your list isn't really there. These features are coming sooner than later, though, and this limited support is enough for Seesmic to call "first!"

I like the idea of lists in a Twitter client, but Seesmic really seems to be taking the kitchen sink approach to development. Last time we wrote about it, Facebook Page integration had just been added. There's a good chance you'll find one killer feature in Seesmic, whether it's pages, lists, or something else, but there'll be a bunch of other features that you don't need. Seesmic's strength is in being the first or only client to implement some of its features, but I think it's spreading a little thin in trying to be a top-flight client for both Twitter and Facebook.

Meanwhile, Seesmic's competitor in the "widescreen," AIR-based Twitter arena, Tweetdeck, is lagging behind on lists. Techcrunch reports that Tweetdeck plans to introduce the feature soon, though, with "extensive" integration.

[via ReadWriteWeb]

New Seesmic beta is the first Twitter client to support lists originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaseesmicseesmic desktopSeesmicDesktoptwittertwitter listsTwitterListsMon, 02 Nov 2009 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Confused about Google Wave? Now you can read the bleeping manual.]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/confused-about-google-wave-now-you-can-read-the-bleeping-manual/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/confused-about-google-wave-now-you-can-read-the-bleeping-manual/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/confused-about-google-wave-now-you-can-read-the-bleeping-manual/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Wave is an innovative new communication tool, but part of innovation is that it's not always intuitive to use. Early adopters have been jumping into Wave with little guidance on how to take advantage of all its features. I guess you could watch the 90-minute Wave video, but that's not exactly a quick-start guide.

Well, there's a saying almost as old as computers themselves, and it goes: RTFM. Read the, um, flippin' manual. Now Google Wave has a flippin' manual that you can read, but it's not from Google: it's from Lifehacker's Gina Trapani and Adam Pash. Sounds a lot better than "watch the frickin' 90-minute video," eh?

Gina and Adam's guide is quickly making the rounds on the web, being promoted by the likes of Mashable. I'd like to add Download Squad's endorsement to the list. The Complete Guide to Google Wave is a straightforward, well-organized volume that goes a long way toward demystifying a new and complex tool. It's available to read online for free, but you'll be able to buy it as a DRM-free PDF soon, and in print in January.

Still don't have Wave? Go throw your name in the hat for Download Squad's Great Google Wave Invite Giveaway.

Confused about Google Wave? Now you can read the bleeping manual. originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam pashAdamPashbookgina trapaniGinaTrapanigoogle waveGoogleWaveguidelifehackermanualSun, 01 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The great Google Wave invite giveaway!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/the-great-google-wave-invite-giveaway/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/the-great-google-wave-invite-giveaway/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/31/the-great-google-wave-invite-giveaway/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you haven't heard of Google Wave yet -- a) wake up! and b) watch this tech demo. It's long, but if you're a nerd, or someone who uses the Internet a lot, you'll find it more exciting than the latest Harry Potter film. And at only 80 minutes, it's not a potentially-bladder-exploding endurance event, unlike the bespectacled wizard wannabe.

And with that said, the goodies: Download Squad are giving away Google Wave invites. We're going to start giving away invites whenever we have them to give away and today, to get the ball rolling, we've got 20 up for grabs! If things heat up, we'll scrounge under the couch cushions until we find more!

Wave is just starting to pick up steam, with more gadgets and gizmos and robots appearing every day. With reports of Google Wave server federation (the ability for anyone to run a Wave server) coming soon, and the sandbox walls being torn down, now's your chance to get in on the action.

Continue reading The great Google Wave invite giveaway!

The great Google Wave invite giveaway! originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>giveawaygoogle waveGoogleWaveinvitewavewave invitesWaveInvitesSat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google Wave coming to a server near you: YOURS.]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/google-wave-coming-to-a-server-near-you-yours/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/google-wave-coming-to-a-server-near-you-yours/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/30/google-wave-coming-to-a-server-near-you-yours/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Google Wave
If you were hoping the title meant I had gotten wind of some kind of Microsoft-sponsored sabotage, I'm sorry to disappoint you...

Even though there are thousands and thousands of Google Wave users now, it seems like the number of available invites isn't keeping pace with demand. I barely mention Wave, and yet I've still had people hounding me on Twitter for a spare invite. They're even being sold on eBay, for crying out loud.

While I don't have any to give out, I do have some encouraging news. Those of you who want access might not have to wait for Google to pony up more invites.
TheNextWeb is reporting that Google could well be on the verge of announcing the federation of Google Wave. Yep. You may just be running your very own Wave server on your own hardware sometime soon.

Google's been talking about Wave at eComm Europe. They've demoed a terminal-based wave client and and hinted that the Wave sandbox environment will be opened up later today to allow federation. The Wave protocol code is already available for developers to tinker with.

Will today be the day Google opens up the floodgates? We'll keep you posted.

Google Wave coming to a server near you: YOURS. originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>federationgoogle wavegoogle-waveGoogleWaveself-hostedFri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST