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[Think your browser history is private? Think again.]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/02/think-your-browser-history-is-private-think-again/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/02/think-your-browser-history-is-private-think-again/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/02/think-your-browser-history-is-private-think-again/#commentsFiled under: , ,

While it might not be news to some of our readers, more casual computer users might want to take note.

Pay web2.0collage a visit, and you'll learn just how easy it can be for a website (any website) to poke around and see what sites you've been visiting. The app limits itself to displaying polite websites, but it's safe to say it could just as easily display all the NSFW sites you've been visiting as well.

This isn't exactly a new trick. How web 2.0 aware are you? does the same kind of sniffing, comparing the sites you visit against a list of popular websites to see how savvy a surfer you are.

Both sites should serve as a reminder to everyone that unless you take steps to protect your privacy, there are sites on the Internet that will gladly help themselves to your data.

How can you prevent this from happening? I echo the suggestions from several Slashdot commenters and recommend using Firefox and the NoScript addon.

[via Slashdot]

Think your browser history is private? Think again. originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-historyonline-safetyprivacysecuritysniffingThu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter's follower and following pages get a big redesign]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/01/twitters-follower-and-following-pages-get-a-big-redesign/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/01/twitters-follower-and-following-pages-get-a-big-redesign/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/07/01/twitters-follower-and-following-pages-get-a-big-redesign/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you've been on Twitter over the past day or so, you may have noticed some big changes to the way the site shows users' lists of followers and followees. Instead of just showing names and icon, these pages now display more detailed information, including location and most recent tweet. All of the actions you have available for each user are collected into a compact drop-down menu, so you can mention, direct message, block, follow or unfollow the user quickly.

Several users have correctly pointed out that the new design makes Twitter look a lot more like an iPhone-optimized site. It's definitely an improvement in many ways, but there's one small quirk I have to take issue with: in the old layout, the appearance of the "direct message" link next to a username gave a quick visual indication of whether that user was following you. You can still figure this out by clicking the drop-down menu, but it's definitely not as efficient as before. On the other hand, the new design does a great job of showing who you're following when you browse another user's list.

Twitter's follower and following pages get a big redesign originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designfollowersfollowinglayouttwitterWed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Brightkite for Android is the best version yet]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/30/brightkite-for-android-is-the-best-version-yet/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/30/brightkite-for-android-is-the-best-version-yet/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/30/brightkite-for-android-is-the-best-version-yet/#commentsFiled under: , ,


A popular social network that has a strong following on the web and on the iPhone is now taking aim at the Android market. Brightkite, a slick little app that lets you check in at any location and share photos and notes with your friends, is available for free in the Android store as of this week. Current Brightkite users won't be disappointed with the Android version, and Android users will appreciate how it takes advantage of their device's location-based services.

The long-awaited app - there were reports over a year ago that it was in the works - takes advantage of Android's built in Google maps to let you visualize your friends' locations instead of reading them in a list. It also uses Android's notifications to alert you to any new activity in your friend stream. As an iPhone owner, I'm loathe to it admit it, but this looks even better than the iPhone version of the app. The maps, especially, are a great touch.

Brightkite for Android is the best version yet originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbrightkitemapsmobilesocialTue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Birdfeed: A slick Twitter client for your iPhone]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/birdfeed-a-slick-twitter-client-for-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/birdfeed-a-slick-twitter-client-for-your-iphone/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/birdfeed-a-slick-twitter-client-for-your-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Over the past year, there's been something of a gold-rush for Twitter clients on the iPhone. From Twitterrific to Twitterfon, Tweetie to the recently-launched TweetDeck, there's a bucketload of apps to let you use Twitter on the go. Today sees the launch of another challenger for space on your homescreen: Birdfeed [iTunes Link]: "A very nice Twitter client for your iPhone".

In trying Birdfeed this evening, it's clear that a huge amount of time has been spent on the application from the exceptional icons (similar in style to those in another Download Squad favourite-app, Things) to some smart touches. Here's just some that caught my eye:
  • a small dot in the 'Compose Tweet' button to show the presence of a draft
  • a super-handy 'home' button that takes you back to your original list of tweets when you're drilling-down in the options
  • the auto-loading of more tweets once you reach the bottom of the list
  • integration with services like Favrd.
It's worth noting that Birdfeed doesn't do absolutely everything you may see in other clients. However that's of little concern to me quite frankly, as it features all the options I need on the go. Birdfeed is extremely well designed, super-snappy and well worth the $4.99 price. I know, we're fickle here at Download Squad when it comes to Twitter clients. However if you're wanting a slick new Twitter client, Birdfeed gets our thumbs up.

Continue reading Birdfeed: A slick Twitter client for your iPhone

Birdfeed: A slick Twitter client for your iPhone originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iPhoneTwitterTwitter-iPhone-ClientsMon, 29 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tweetboard turns Twitter into a comment system for your site]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/tweetboard-turns-twitter-into-a-comment-system-for-your-site/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/tweetboard-turns-twitter-into-a-comment-system-for-your-site/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/29/tweetboard-turns-twitter-into-a-comment-system-for-your-site/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The trend of using Twitter for absolutely everything doesn't show signs of stopping. Tweetboard, the latest hot Twitter add-on, inserts Twitter as a comment system for your website. Conversation on the site is posted (neatly threaded, of course) in an expandable sidebar, and a user's comments also post to their Twitter account. To make it easier for people who are reading these tweets outside of Tweetboard, there are two shorturls "posted.at" and "inreply.to," that give readers a little context and a link to view the thread.

Tweetboard's design is relatively inoffensive: it puts a tab off to the left side of your site with the number of tweets a site visitor hasn't read. Fortunately, it's a pretty small tab, so it's not completely annoying to people who don't care about Tweetboard. Once expanded, Tweetboard is laid out with tabs for all comments or just the current thread, and there's a space at the top to post your own comments.

Judging by the Tweetboard's quick jump to the top of Twitter Trending Topics when it launched, you're probably going to start seeing it all over the place pretty quickly. It's hard to tell right now whether it's going to be a momentary fad or a lasting fixture. I can see the quick setup and ease-of-use appealing to site owners, but users might not go for Tweetboard. Some people just don't want Twitter accounts, and some people who have Twitter accounts might prefer that you keep your comments on your own site.

Tweetboard turns Twitter into a comment system for your site originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>commentsintegrationthreadingtweetboardtwitterMon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FriendFeed introduces file sharing]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/24/friendfeed-introduces-file-sharing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/24/friendfeed-introduces-file-sharing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/24/friendfeed-introduces-file-sharing/#commentsFiled under: ,


Sharing pictures on FriendFeed is nothing new, but now it's just as easy to share other file types on the popular social network. You can either upload a file on the FriendFeed website, or email it as an attachment to share@friendfeed.com. The feature is intended for stuff like PDFs and spreadsheets, but you can also upload music files like mp3s and m4as.

Mp3s are playable and downloadable on the site, but there's a 3-a-day limit on the number of audio files each user can share. You can't upload movies, and limit on mp3s suggests that media files aren't the main focus here. Based on their blog post, FriendFeed mostly intends this feature for groups who use FriendFeed to collaborate and need to pass files around, and that's how the FriendFeed team has been using it internally.

FriendFeed introduces file sharing originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>file-sharingfriendfeedsharesocial-networkinguploadWed, 24 Jun 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[In Europe? Bing-powered Water Watch shows you where it's safe to swim]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/19/in-europe-bing-powered-water-watch-shows-you-where-its-safe-to/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/19/in-europe-bing-powered-water-watch-shows-you-where-its-safe-to/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/19/in-europe-bing-powered-water-watch-shows-you-where-its-safe-to/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


There are plenty of good reasons to use web-based mapping tools besides simply finding directions from point a to point b. For example, let's say you're taking a holiday to Cork and you want to know where the good swimming spots are.

Fortunately for you, Microsoft and the European Environment Agency have just the thing for you. The Eye on Earth Water Watch does exactly that for countless spots across the continent.

Find a suitable spot, click the water quality icon, and the Bing-powered map displays an overlay containing a Virtual Earth image as well as live webcams and user submitted photos (if available, of course).

There's more to it than finding a place to have a relaxing dip, of course. As Microsoft's Rob Bernard puts it, "Eye on Earth is a great example of how technology has the power to help governments, business and individuals understand what is happening to our environment. Eye on Earth provides people with information which has historically been difficult to find."

[via Softpedia]

In Europe? Bing-powered Water Watch shows you where it's safe to swim originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bing-mapsEEAenvironmenteuropeswimmingvacationFri, 19 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aviary launches Falcon, web-based image markup tool]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/17/aviary-launches-falcon-web-based-image-markup-tool/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/17/aviary-launches-falcon-web-based-image-markup-tool/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/17/aviary-launches-falcon-web-based-image-markup-tool/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Falcon and Talon
Aviary has added a new tool to its suite of online image editing applications. The company is calling Falcon an "image markup editor" as a way to differentiate it from Phoenix, which is Aviary's online "image editor."

Basically, Falcon was designed to power the new Talon Firefox add-on I mentioned last week. It offers basic image editing tools without all the bells and whistles found in Phoenix. The utility is less than 90k in size, which means it loads much faster than Talon, letting you edit images found on the web or uploaded from your desktop almost immediately. Today Aviary released it as a standalone tool that will work in almost any web browser.

Falcon doesn't support layers like Phoenix. And the tools are all much simpler to use, which could make Falcon attractive to anyone intimidated by fuller featured image editors like Phoenix, or Photoshop.

Aviary launches Falcon, web-based image markup tool originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aviaryfalconimage-editingWed, 17 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[10+ super geeky ways to use Twitter]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/10-super-geeky-ways-to-use-twitter/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/10-super-geeky-ways-to-use-twitter/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/10-super-geeky-ways-to-use-twitter/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Using Twitter doesn't have to be a shiny, web 2.0 experience if you don't want it to. There are plenty of ways to tweet like a true geek - from your command line to your Excel worksheets. Who needs an Adobe-air powered client? Not you!

If you've got another geeky way to tweet, share it in the comments!
PowerShell to Twitter, PoshTweet, or Out-Twitter - Sure, PowerShell provides an easy-to-use scripting environment that is also flexible and powerful, but why not use it to do something really useful like announce your breakfast menu?

Twoogie - I'm not sure which was cooler - Stephen J. Cannell yanking the sheet of paper out of his typewriter, or Doogie Howser, MD clacking away on his PS2 to complete another journal entry. We'll go with Doogie, since someone has wrapped Twitter up in a Neil Patrick Harris-approved applet for us (Not really. In fact, it might eventw piss him off a little.)

Hide it in SpreadTweet - Elliott Kember caused quite the ruckus when this little gem appeared a couple months back. Not really "certified geeky" since it only hides your activities visually. Your transmissions can, of course, still be logged by Big Brother.

Continue reading 10+ super geeky ways to use Twitter

10+ super geeky ways to use Twitter originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geekytwitterTue, 16 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[With Unite, Opera 10 becomes both a browser and a content server]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/opera-unite-10-private-file-cotnent-media-sharing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/opera-unite-10-private-file-cotnent-media-sharing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/16/opera-unite-10-private-file-cotnent-media-sharing/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Everyone had a bit of a chuckle when Opera coyly announced that they were about to "reinvent the web," the other day. I certainly had my doubts. After all, we had nothing to go by other than a bright red background, a little cloud, and some comments buried inside HTML code.

While I'm not certain I would call what Opera has done with Unite (version 10 of its browser) a reinvention of the web, it's certainly a clever, inventive twist on the run-of-the-mill web browser.

So what is it?

Unite sits in Opera's side toolbar and adds various server features to the browser. By default it includes file, media, and photo sharing, a web server, chat room, and "fridge" for storing notes. There are no additional Unite services available yet, though it's safe to assume that community-produced options will start appearing soon (developer resources are listed here).

You configure your sharing options - choose a base directory, set access permissions - and Opera provides a URL you can provide to your friends. Sure, there are hundreds of websites we already use to share media, leave each other messages, and chat, but Opera Unite lets you do it with a single registration and without uploading any of your content to a remote server.

Unite's sharing pages render just fine in other browsers, so you friends don't have to be running Opera. As with previous Opera releases, it's available for Windows, Linux, and Mac.

The browser itself hasn't changed - it's still Opera 10, love it or hate it. The new Unite functions are very clever and do add a certain amount of cool factor. It will be interesting to see if the new features can increase the size Opera's fan base.

Take Unite for a spin and share your thoughts, or have a look at the gallery (work in progress)!

With Unite, Opera 10 becomes both a browser and a content server originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>opera-10serveruniteweb-browserTue, 16 Jun 2009 04:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Find inspiration with Ideas]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/15/find-inspiration-with-ideas/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/15/find-inspiration-with-ideas/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/15/find-inspiration-with-ideas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

IdeasJohn Watson, the man behind the many fun photo-related web applications at BigHugeLabs was feeling a little down last week, and in response he produced yet another web app. But this one is a little different; while his other web apps often provide inspiration as a by-product of other actions, Watson's latest site, dubbed Ideas, is intended as a source of inspiration as a primary focus.

When you visit Ideas, you are presented with a large search box, beside which sits a button that simply states, "inspire me!" Type in a word, and the site will present you with a series of sets of information that is somehow related to the word entered. If you're feeling bereft of ideas for even a word to enter, a few examples are provided such as love, beauty, sorrow, yes, red, winter, home, africa, kiss.

Depending on the word you enter, Ideas may or may not be able to find examples of the following types:

  • Famous quote
  • Creative Commons licensed photos from Flickr
  • Color swatches from COLOURlovers.com
  • Songs from Last.fm
  • Related words from BigHugeLabs.com
  • Videos from YouTube.com
  • Listings from Etsy.com
  • Bookmarks from Delicious.com
  • Article from Wikipedia.com

What a great way for creative people that are looking for a little boost in the inspiration department to start with a specific word and serendipitously follow a trail to something that may well inspire them.

Find inspiration with Ideas originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>color swatchescolor-swatchesColorSwatchesinspirationjohn watsonjohn-watsonJohnWatsonphotossearchweb applicationsweb-applicationsWebApplicationsMon, 15 Jun 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Checkmycolours.com spots color gaffes in your web designs]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/checkmycolours-com-spots-color-gaffes-in-your-web-designs/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/checkmycolours-com-spots-color-gaffes-in-your-web-designs/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/checkmycolours-com-spots-color-gaffes-in-your-web-designs/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If there's one thing I've learned from watching the front page of Delicious, it's that designers love to bookmark things. More to the point, they love handy web tools that help them with their creative work.

One more tool to consider adding to your arsenal is Checkmycolours. Drop a URL into the box and press the check button, and you'll receive an exhaustive analysis of page elements and their contrast ratio and brightness/color difference. You can view the complete report or switch to an error-only view to focus on potential problems.

No, an automated checker isn't a substitute for years of design experience and an eye for what works, but this can definitely be a helpful reference point.

Here's a shocker for you - Checkmycolours.com passes their own tests with flying...oh, never mind.

Want more great color tools? If you missed it, Dolores put together a fantastic roundup of 10 great online color apps.

Checkmycolours.com spots color gaffes in your web designs originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colorcolor-schemedesigntesttestingThu, 11 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mixero's "reducing the noise" tagline appears to be ironic]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/mixeros-reducing-the-noise-tagline-appears-to-be-ironic/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/mixeros-reducing-the-noise-tagline-appears-to-be-ironic/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/mixeros-reducing-the-noise-tagline-appears-to-be-ironic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's an entire class of Twitter clients that focus on filtering "noise" from Twitter by allowing you to group the people you follow, so you only have to read what you want. Tweetdeck is the most popular of these, and Mixero is a new one that looks like it could be big. The problem this kind of client solves is entirely artificial. In fact, I'd say there's a very good chance that the people clamoring for groups and fllters are "social media marketing gurus" who follow huge numbers in hopes of getting more follows in return.

Marketers buy and use apps too, in a big way, so I'm not blaming Mixero for being smart enough to have a built-in target audience. Mixero is chock full of features, and lets you customize groups six ways from Sunday, but the tradeoff is a UI that makes "reducing the noise" sound a bit ironic. I don't mean to single out Mixero, but I'm increasingly starting to think of these widescreen Twitter apps as "business class." If you don't treat Twitter as a business, and you still prefer them, we'll have to agree to disagree. That's the cool thing about Twitter, though: we all get to use it our own way.

But the popular refrain "there's no right way to use Twitter" only applies up to a point. If you're just using it for marketing, and you're following as many people as possible, you may have discovered the elusive way to do it entirely wrong. If you're not a marketer, but you're following so many people that it's not enjoyable for you without "reducing the noise," you may need to stop worrying about "Twitter etiquette" - which seems to be mainly dictated by marketers looking for mutual follows, anyway - and unfollow some folks until you find a happy number.

Mixero's "reducing the noise" tagline appears to be ironic originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessmixerotweetdecktwittertwitter-clientsThu, 11 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Don't blame Twitter for trending fail, blame dumbass Tweeters]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/dont-blame-twitter-for-trending-fail-blame-dumbass-tweeters/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/dont-blame-twitter-for-trending-fail-blame-dumbass-tweeters/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/11/dont-blame-twitter-for-trending-fail-blame-dumbass-tweeters/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Plenty of blame has been placed on Twitter for so-called failings in trending topics. Yesterday, Anna at Jezebel had enough of #urahoe, saying it was "Proof Of The Stupidity Of Twitter Trending Topics." Yep. That particular trend is a fine showcase of idiocy - despite the spelling, those messages were definitely not referring to gardening tools. Just ask Pimpbot.

Wait, what's the complaint, anyway? That trends used to provide some kind of deep insight into the collective consciousness of the Internet? Well, the Internet called, and it said it wants to screw around and play dumb games like #3wordsaftersex and #robotpickuplines. Yes, even I've engaged in the odd game of hash-tag.

When the Jezebel post says "Thanks, Twitter, for bringing us first #liesgirlstell, and now trending topic #urahoe," what they really mean is "Thanks, Twitterers."

Twitter is the arena. We can't blame them for the combatants who show up to the 140-character battles of wits completely unarmed.

If you're trying to use Twitter as a tool, there are plenty of good search apps out there. Retweets are another good way to find out what people are buzzing about.

But trends? Forget it. The fact is that Twitter is overrun with social white noise, and that's not their fault. It's ours.

Don't blame Twitter for trending fail, blame dumbass Tweeters originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>twitterwhite-noiseThu, 11 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is the Twitpocalypse nigh?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/10/is-the-twitpocalypse-nigh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/10/is-the-twitpocalypse-nigh/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/10/is-the-twitpocalypse-nigh/#commentsFiled under: ,

2147483647. You might recognize it as the maximum value of an integer in several programming languages, or the highest score you can get in a lot of video games, or a number that pops up when you get a database error message. Well, Twitter's numbered tweets are fast approaching 2147483647, and, although I'm sure Twitter's databases are properly configured, a site called Twitpocalypse is speculating that some Twitter apps won't be prepared, causing them to stop working when they can't access tweets beyond the magic number.

According to the site, the Twitpocalypse is scheduled for June 14th at 4:46 PM GMT. Will this affect the most popular Twitter desktop clients? Unlikely. However, some third-party Twitter web services could break. There's no telling which ones, and the owners of the sites still have a few days to get their databases ready. Twitpocalypse.com compares this phenomenon with Y2K, and I think that's accurate: it will pass with very few, if any, problems.


Is the Twitpocalypse nigh? originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2147483647databasestwitpocalypsetwittery2kWed, 10 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitter finally verifies verified accounts rumor]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/06/twitter-finally-verifies-verified-accounts-rumor/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/06/twitter-finally-verifies-verified-accounts-rumor/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/06/twitter-finally-verifies-verified-accounts-rumor/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In response to a lawsuit by famed baseball manager Tony LaRussa, Twitter has decided to speed up the process of launching those verified accounts we've been hearing buzz about for the past few months.

In a post on the Twitter blog, Biz Stone asserts that while there's no way Twitter's going to pay off LaRussa after their support team got rid of the impostor, they're going to keep this kind of thing from happening in the future by adding a special badge to the accounts of notable people whose identities they can verify.

Because of the resources required, this is going to roll out slowly, starting with "public officials, public agencies, famous artists, athletes, and other well known individuals at risk of impersonation." Businesses won't be included in the initial test.

There's no launch date specified yet, but Twitter has begun to answer the sticky question of how they plan to verify the accounts. Apparently, a link to a Twitter account from the celebrity's official website is going to do the trick.

Twitter finally verifies verified accounts rumor originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biz-stonelawsuitstwitterverified-accountsSat, 06 Jun 2009 17:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Grooveshark introduces music sharing plugins for Facebook and Wordpress]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/05/grooveshark-introduces-music-sharing-plugins-for-facebook-and-wo/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/05/grooveshark-introduces-music-sharing-plugins-for-facebook-and-wo/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/05/grooveshark-introduces-music-sharing-plugins-for-facebook-and-wo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Grooveshark is my favorite quick way to listen to a particular song online. With an extensive library, easy sharing and embeddable widgets, it's a powerhouse in the music sharing arena. It's only getting better, too, with the recent addition of a Facebook application and a Wordpress plugin. The Facebook app lets you share songs directly to your wall, and the Wordpress plugin lets you quickly put together a playlist widget for your Wordpress blog.

The Facebook app, in particular, is the easiest way to share music on FB that I've run across so far. In addition to publishing a song to your profile, you can also select individual friends to share it with. With over 10 million songs in Grooveshark's database, it's likely you'll find whatever song you're looking for.

Grooveshark introduces music sharing plugins for Facebook and Wordpress originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiofacebookfacebook-appsgroovesharkmusicsharesongwordpressFri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Digg's latest business move: digg it, or bury it?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/04/diggs-latest-business-move-digg-it-or-bury-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/04/diggs-latest-business-move-digg-it-or-bury-it/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/04/diggs-latest-business-move-digg-it-or-bury-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Digg recently introduced a new advertising program that allows its advertisers to buy ads on the front page that look like stories and appear in the regular Digg "river" of content. The catch is that the ads can be dugg or buried, and the results will affect how much it costs the advertisers to keep running their content. Comments from Digg users on the new system are already split, so let's take a look at the pros and cons.

PRO:

This is great! If I see an ad I don't like, I can bury it. It's satisfying to have some control over the kind of advertising I see on a site, and this will lead to the most annoying ads and advertisers getting buried right off the site. Plus, seeing ads that fit in with the Digg layout is more tolerable than traditional banners or animated garbage.

CON:

Are you kidding? Not only will the ads pollute the river and be confusing to casual users, but Digg wants me to do the work of deciding which ads are the best and worst? Sounds like a scheme to attract more advertisers. I mean, who wouldn't want to buy ads that millions of users will not only see, but interact with by voting? If I bury something, it's already too late: I've seen the ad. Plus, these cheapskate advertisers won't even have to pay a designer.Ridiculous.

What do you think, Download Squad readers? Are the new Digg ads going to be a winner, or fall flat?

View Poll

Digg's latest business move: digg it, or bury it? originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsdiggThu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Realtime event tracking with Almost.at]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/03/realtime-event-tracking-with-almost-at/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/03/realtime-event-tracking-with-almost-at/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/06/03/realtime-event-tracking-with-almost-at/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As people discover that social sites can be pretty decent news sources, especially when it comes to event coverage, I think we'll start seeing a lot more projects like Almost.at. Almost.at uses text, photos, videos and links from sites including Twitter and Flickr to show as-it-happens coverage of everything from concerts to conferences to breaking news stories. Right now, for example, a Phish concert, the E3 expo and a missing Air France flight are all being covered.

Almost.at's three column layout and automatic refresh are nice, but the site goes beyond what you see on its web display. You can add usernames to an event on Almost.at, so others can see and follow people who are at the event, and you can also download a standalone Almost.at browser for OS X. If you're interested in a particular event, it beats opening sites and search results across different tab and refreshing them manually.

Realtime event tracking with Almost.at originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almost.atflickrnewsreal-timerealtimesocial-networkingtwitterWed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Google devs chuck email, chat, lifestreaming into blender, create Wave]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/28/google-wave-combines-email-im-social-media-office/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/28/google-wave-combines-email-im-social-media-office/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/28/google-wave-combines-email-im-social-media-office/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


As if Google apps weren't useful enough already, a team of their developers have taken the wraps off a new project that will provide a major injection of realtime functionality.

Dubbed Wave, Google is positioning the new app as a kind conversation and collaboration system, a logical evolution of communication akin to the jump from mail to email, telephone to chat, or blogging to microblogging. They describe a wave as "equal parts conversation and document, where people can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more."

Create a Wave, add people to it, toss in some gadgets, feeds, and photos, and mix with a rich text editor. You'll see new content in near-real time as your friends add it, and you can even hit the rewind button and watch your Wave evolve from scratch. Wave's power will come from its extensibility and ability to integrate with existing activity sources like GMail, Facebook, and Twitter.

Wave is built on HTML5 and the Google Web Toolkit. What's more, the team plans to make the source code powering Wave open source to encourage developer involvement in the project's continued growth and evolution. If you'd like to get involved, head over to the Wave Developer Blog for API information and a look at what you can build with Wave.

[via Official Google Blog ]

Google devs chuck email, chat, lifestreaming into blender, create Wave originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 28 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google-wavelifestreamopen-sourceOSSrealtimeThu, 28 May 2009 15:00:00 EST