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Posts with tag ajaxlaunch

Filed under: Audio, Web services

ajaxTunes: Ajaxy music player widget

ajaxTunesajaxTunes is a new product from Michael Robertson's ajaxLaunch (also known as Ajax 13, also responsible for ajaxWrite, ajaxXLS, and ajaxSketch) that lets you stick a little music player on any web page, similar to Flash MP3 Player but, of course, with Ajax. The player is attractive and works as advertised, but the ajaxTunes web site does a very poor job of explaining how to use it with your own playlists and music. The instructions are on this page and require you to code your own playlists in XSPF, an open XML playlist format. ajaxTunes also comes with a "music locker" service that gives you access to some 40,000 tracks from independent (read: uknown) artists. ajaxTunes isn't as customizable as Flash MP3 Player, but if Flash isn't your thing (and Ajax) is, it might be worth checking out. Update: Reader Kim points out that ajaxTunes does use Flash, which makes that last sentence pretty much moot. Thanks, Kim.

Filed under: Office, Web services

ajaxXLS: Web-based spreadsheet from ajaxLaunch

ajaxXLSMichael Robertson's ajaxLaunch is trying hard to keep up the buzz from the launches of its web-based word processor ajaxWrite and drawing app ajaxSketch, and today it's launched ajaxXLS, a web-based spreadsheet app. ajaxXLS looks promising, and will no doubt look familiar to Excel users, but having spent a few minutes with it I can already tell ajaxXLS is far from finished. In fact, it's downright hard to use and seems like it would be infuriating to anyone trying to switch from Excel. Some of its issues might just be due to high opening day user load, but much of it just seems buggy or incomplete. Here's hoping Robertson can turn ajaxXLS into something usable; at present it's uninspiring.

Filed under: Text, Office, Web services, Freeware

An in-depth look at ajaxWrite

extreme tech reviews ajaxwriteThe criticisms are, in part, the same problems you find with any web-based application. Namely, keyboard shortcuts don't always work (or get implemented), browser-specific technology (in this case, Firefox 1.5), and of course some folks raise security issues with the whole ajax thing... But Extremetech gets very specific in criticisms of ajaxWrite, which we mentioned earlier. It's a top-to-bottom review of the service, and the results aren't great. Then again, I see all of the ajaxLaunch stuff as being more proof-of-concept. Why it isn't ajaxLaunchBeta is beyond me. After all, Beta is the new black. All ajaxWrite makes me want is Writely to emerge from the Google merge.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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