After a long invite-only beta, and a recent general-public release, Pownce has finally released their full-blown API that allows 3rd-party applications to post to the Pownce service. Back in our initial run-down of Pownce, the lack of a complete API was one of our major criticisms of the initial launch, and the basic Pownce API that's been around for a fair while merely allowed 'reading' of API data, not the 'posting' of updates. This meant you had to use either the mobile or Pownce websites, or the Adobe Integrated Runtime application, which some of us are less than fond of.

For better or worse, competitor Twitter has always stayed ahead of Pownce with a more comprehensive API (something that in our opinion made the Pownce/Twitter debate a one-horse-race until now) and now that Pownce is fully open to the developer masses, it'll certainly be interesting to see what applications appear. Talking of which, the first that we've seen is a rather handy 'Pownce it!' bookmarklet for quickly and easily sending links to your Pownce account. Sweet!

Pownce developer Leah Culver, apologizing for the delay to the API, says "We've taken great care to provide the best experience for developers". Given Twitter's continuing instability, it'll be interesting to see developers put the Pownce API through its paces, and see whether Twitter's instability will eventually begin to undermine the API-headstart that's attracted so many users (not to mention developers) to the service.

[Tip of the hat to Download Squad alumnus David Chartier for pointing out the bookmarklet]