service posts

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Web services, Yahoo!, Open Source, Social Software, web 2.0

Clarke lets you update FireEagle from within OS X

by Nik Fletcher Sep 29th 2009

Yahoo's FireEagle project has long been a great (albeit under-used) service to let you share your location with other websites. Services such as Dopplr, Brightkite and many others can all update & read your location and use the service to display location-based data.

On the iPhone, there's plenty of free applications that update FireEagle such as yofe, but what if you're working on a desktop or laptop computer? That's where Clarke comes in handy -- a small, open-source utility for OS X that runs in your menu bar, it'll figure out where you are based on the Wi-Fi networks around you.

In earlier versions of Clarke, the updates were based on Skyhook Wireless' database -- the same used by the original iPhone to triangulate your location -- however the utility was recently updated for Mac OS X Snow Leopard and now uses the OS' built-in Core Location system to figure out where you are when run on the newest big-cat.

A free download, developers can also grab the source code over at Github, and the application also lets you easily view nearby data from Flickr, Google Maps, OpenStreetMap and Yahoo Maps.

Tags: core location, CoreLocation, FireEagle, location, location services, LocationServices, os x, OsX, service, social, Yahoo

Filed under: Utilities, Features, Web services, Lists

A big list of ways to make Tiny URLs

by Jay Hathaway May 19th 2009

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.

Tags: link-sharing, links, service, sharing, shorturl, tinyurl, truncator, url-shortener, web

Filed under: Internet, web 2.0

MyGads remembers your wife's birthday

by Cory Bohon May 19th 2008

Besides having a funny name, MyGads allows you to remember things that you might not always have the answer to. This web 2.0 service allows you to input information that you want to remember later, then when you need the information, you can either send the service an instant message or text message from your phone with a keyword to retrieve the information.

For instance, if you want to remember "My Birthday," then you could create a statement similar to "My Birthday - 12/06." You could then text or IM MyGads to retrieve the birthday. This service has unlimited uses and might just get you out of a sticky situation, say, remembering your anniversary or wife's birthday.

Tags: instant messaging, InstantMessaging, MyGads, service, text messages, TextMessages, web 2.0, Web2.0

Filed under: Business, Design, Developer, Finance, Internet, Web services

FreshBooks gets API'd

by Chris Gilmer Jun 28th 2007

FreshBooks rolled out their API yesterday, a little early it seems as they were outed by TechCrunch.

FreshBooks is an online tool that users can create, send and manage invoices, track time and accept payments with. This new API will allow developers and businesses to integrate the FreshBooks billing platform into a variety of services and solutions they may offer, allowing for a little streamlining to take place.

The FreshBooks API support materials include an update blog, scripts, samples and examples. There is also a forum to guide developers along the way in creating their timers, planners, and widgets.

Gallery: FreshBooks

Tags: api, billing, business, developers, finance, freshbooks, platform, service

Filed under: Internet, Blogging, Web services, Social Software

Wetpaint's wiki widgets

by Chris Gilmer Feb 7th 2007

Wetpaint has entered the widget market like so many other companies seem to be doing lately. Wetpaint is an online hosted service that lets users create their very own blog/wiki on their topic of interest, than connects you to others that have the same interests. DLS covered the news of Wetpaint opening to the public last June. Their service has upgraded and has now added the ability to embed widgets into a webpage with an easy edit button. The widgets can be anything from a calendar to YouTube clips. The new widget service stems from increasing customer demands to have more customization abilities. Business customers have been another target for the company. They have been using Wetpaint's wiki service to build community sites. Wetpaint makes it easy for customers since there is no code involved. The service is free to users, and has no cap on storage limits.

Tags: blog, hosted, service, wetpaint, widget, wiki

Filed under: Developer, Internet, Text, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Productivity, Open Source

Zend and Google mashup in PHP

by Ryan Carter Dec 26th 2006

The Zend PHP framework will now play nice with Google Data in a collaborative effort that puts the elves to shame. The component built by Google and Zend lives in the top level and not under Zend_service, which makes it more accessible and is mostly because the Gdata service is a protocol of its own, not merely a service wrapper. Google's component isn't the first to be included and follows the likes of Amazon, Yahoo, Flickr, and others to allow PHP developers to use data much easier through the Zend framework.

The new version of the Zend framework is out (version 0.60) as of last week, so go check it out when you get done going through your stocking one more time. The new framework has many bug fixes and features as you might expect, but that is why you can download it and have fun yourself.

Tags: aggregation, data, framework, Google, PHP, service, Zend, Zend_Gdata, Zend_Service

Filed under: Internet, Blogging, Web services, Social Software

Cingular to offer MySpace client

by David Chartier Dec 18th 2006

Reuters is reporting that Cingular is set to announce a new partnership with MySpace today, offering a paid Java-based client on their phones with access to the popular social networking site. An extra $2.99/month will bring photo sharing, email checking, blogging and friend searching to about 90 percent of Cingular's handsets in the coming weeks. Video, strangely, won't be featured at the service's launch (strange because of Cingular's big push into video services as of late), but is said to be on its way some time in 2007.

Given that plenty of other social networking sites like Facebook and Vox offer mobile access and even download clients for free, this venture rubs me the wrong way. On the upside, however, MySpace is where I spend roughly .3 percent of my time (hey I have an account for the same reasons as everyone else: marketing myself), so I'll be happy to hang on to my $2.99, thankyouverymuch.

Tags: cingular, client, facebook, fee, fees, java, myspace, service, vox

Filed under: Internet, Features, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm, Productivity, Web services, Google, Freeware, Social Software, Unix

Google issues major overhaul to Google Reader

by David Chartier Sep 29th 2006

Google has announced what is quite possibly the largest update to Google Reader since its inception, bringing an entirely new UI, more keyboard shortcuts, new bookmarklets and a whole lotta results from user feedback to the table. Overall, as a Google Reader fan for some time, I am pleasantly surprised by this wholly positive and usable update, but it isn't without a few confusing quirks.

The first and most noticeable update is the radical change to Google Reader's UI, bringing it more in line with the tried and tested UI of many other online readers, but still with much of the Google engineers' unique genius baked in everywhere. Above you can see Reader has adopted the typical folder/grouping system on the left, while headlines can be listed on the right.

Tags: app, apps, features, freedbacking, google, google reader, GoogleReader, reader, rss, service, services, ui, update, updates

Filed under: Internet, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Productivity, Web services, Commercial, Freeware, Social Software

Porchlight - bug tracking made simple for small teams

by David Chartier Aug 15th 2006

If your software or web design project is struggling through the fog, let Porchlight show you and your team the way. This web-based project management and bug tracking service offers user-specific milestone and project tracking, so members of your team only need to see the tasks that matter to them. Email updates and RSS feeds for projects, as well as a subscribe-able calendar for upcoming milestones are but a few of the appealing features for this project management app targeted towards software and web nerds alike. Check out more screenshots after the bump, try out the service for free or check out Porchlight's pricing to see if a plan fits your needs.

Tags: bug, bugs, design, porchlight, projects, service, services, tracking, web, web 2.0, web design, Web2.0, web20, WebDesign

Filed under: Internet, News, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm, Web services, Google, Yahoo!, Social Software

OSNews writer reviews Flickr and Picasa Web Albums

by David Chartier Aug 10th 2006

OSNews writer Adam Scheinberg has written a review of two popular photo sharing services, Flickr and Picasa Web Albums, on his blog. Apparently, enough of the OSNews readers liked the review so much that they pressured him into posting it to OSNews, which made me think there just might be something to it.

To be honest, I think he does a good job of reviewing both services objectively, so I don't want to ruin his conclusion. I personally am an iPhoto and Flickr user since I'm on Mac OS X, but I've heard great things about Google's Picasa, and I've poked around with Web Albums since Google released an uploader app and iPhoto plugin for Mac OS X.

Check out Adam's review of the two big-hitters and see what you think. You might even learn something new about these services.

Tags: comparison, feature, features, flickr, osnews, picasa, reiew, service, services

Filed under: Audio, Business, Internet, News, Windows, Web services

Napster considers selling itself

by David Chartier Aug 7th 2006

It appears that Napster might be ready to say uncle, ZDNet is reporting. The company has stated they "do not have our heads in the sand regarding an M&A (merger and acquisition) transaction", which is more or less a nice way of saying they just might be licked. Over the march quarter their 512,000 strong subscriber base fell 7 percent as they transitioned to its free website model, but excluding 4,000 university subscriptions, their number of paid subscribers actually grew 26 percent year-over-year.

An analyst from Stifel Nicolaus & Co also cited in ZDNet's article said "Napster's still trying to find a working business model, which is bad from an operating standpoint", also noting that they see an increased likelihood that the company would sell, especially since the possibility came straight down from management.

Either way, things don't sound so good for the renegade-come-legit digital music service. Also of note is their website; it might be the fact that I'm on a Mac, but their site seems dishearteningly bare these days. not even a remnant of the hip Flash site they built when they offered the web-based free model. I guess time will tell what happens to the music libraries of all those subscribing users.

[via iLounge]

Tags: business, buyout, napster, sell, service, site, software, subscribers

Filed under: Internet, Web services, Social Software

Should hot new web services offer a public sandbox?

by David Chartier Aug 5th 2006

Steven Frank, founder of Mac software company Panic Inc., certainly thinks so, and I agree. With the slew of new web apps that are being introduced almost on a daily basis, it's becoming a pain to create a registration for each one, verify, then jump back in to finally start playing. Not to mention this process completely breaks that initial 'ooh, a slick new [insert service here]!!' excitement.

I think it would be great if these hot new web 2.0 startups would offer a public, no-registration-required sandbox to further boost their convenience and cool factors, but what about you, DLS readers? Are we splitting hairs here, or might this be a good idea? Sound off.

Tags: app, demo, demonstration, public, register, registration, sandbox, service, web, web 2.0, Web2.0

Filed under: Fun, Games, Hardware, News, Windows, Macintosh, Windows Mobile, Apple, Microsoft

Microsoft Zune

by Ryan Carter Jul 24th 2006

By now you've probably heard about Zune, the new Microsoft iPod killer reportedly out later this year. Possibly you saw this on Engadget, or this on Microsoft-Watch, maybe somewhere else. But what does it all mean?

First, Microsoft is way behind the eight ball. Apple has such a lead in this market that, at this point, it really isn't funny anymore. This may be a classic "tortoise and the hare" story if Apple sits on their laurels and Microsoft comes up with a killer device. In my not so humble opinion, however, neither of these two things will happen. Microsoft's device may have some advantages to Apple's little white player, but there is no way that it will completely uproot the iPod Universe. Apple has done a good job of embedding the iPod into our popular culture, and it's clear that the company doesn't make a habit out of doing nothing. Apple's agile business strategy, led by some of the brightest minds of our time, is on the offensive.

Ultimately, it will be interesting to see what Apple shakes the grape vine with next. I am a little worried for Apple in the gaming department, since Apple isn't a major player at this point, and it's one place Microsoft has a clear advantage. What is going to help the next iPod stay ahead of Microsoft's Zune initiative?

Tags: apple, business, DRM, game, games, gaming, ipod, microsoft, music, service, strategy, zune

Filed under: E-mail, Web services, Google

Gmail For Your Domain reviewed

by Jordan Running Mar 29th 2006

Awhile back Google started beta-testing Gmail For Your Domain, a hosted e-mail service that lets you use Gmail's slick webmail interface for e-mail addresses from your own domain name. It's still a closed beta, but a blogger at Science Addiction managed to get his domain on the list (go here to try for yourself) and has written a review of the service (if the site is down from Slashdotting, the author has a mirror here). Beta testers get 25 free 2GB e-mail accounts with all of Gmail's standard features including spam blocking and Gmail chat, plus an easy administration panel, e-mail lists (i.e. alias addresses for whole groups of users), color scheme and logo customization, and a few more bits and bobs. The author says that setting it up is painless and the experience is satisfying. He also says that the interface hints that Gmail For Your Domain will include some form of paid service. No word yet on when it will be available to the general public.

Tags: domain, e-mail, email, gmail, google, hosted, service

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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service posts

Clarke lets you update FireEagle from within OS X

A big list of ways to make Tiny URLs

MyGads remembers your wife's birthday