As Twitter has experienced explosive growth recently, 752% in fact in 2008, with a total of 4.43 million unique visitors in December alone, the 3rd party apps have been flooding in to the web. Some are good, some are bad and some are just plain worthless and a waste of time. Which brings me to this list and overview of 10 3rd Party Apps for Twitter.
I have included my review and thoughts on the application itself. Please take time and add your thoughts on these apps as well.
Lets take a look at this batch of Twitter Applications
Twittervision
What is Twittervision?
A real-time geographic visualization of posts made using Twitter.
How do you get on Twittervision?
Post on Twitter. That’s it. No magic. It reads your location and grabs your user image from your profile. Your image and location have to be setup if you want your tweet to appear on the public feed and to be located on the map.
Is this a must have?
Hell no. It is more like left over MySpace trash that has floated away from the main heap of trash that is MySpace. Who cares in the end? MySpace is the dimly lit pickup Bar where pimple ridden teenagers troll for porno and pray for booty-calls, Twitter is the well lit daytime Coffee shop where grownups gather and have discussions and exchange ideas.
TweeTag
This one is pretty simple and can be a helpful little search engine. You type in a subject in the tag box and the search engine retrieves data from Twitter and places it on one of 5 tabs for indexing. The five tabs are "ALL", "LINKS", "QUESTIONS", "REPLIES" and "RETWEETS".
This little search engine can give you valuable information with just a few quick searches. Whether you are doing research or just trying to keep your finger on the pulse of the International News System, TeeTags can help. The current version only extends the search and indexing back over the past 24 hours, so nothing "tweeted" beyond that time frame will be available on the TweeTag system. They are currently looking to increasing the time frame.
Is this one a must have?
If you are doing anything with research involved, Yes. It is all on the site or you can grab the widget. You can install it on your iGoogle or Netvibes homepage or directly on your blog. Or you can follow TweeTag on Twitter but that wont really do anything for you.
TwitterFeed
The idea for this little birdie is to feed your blog directly to twitter, identi.ca or Ping.fm. But to do so you have to hand over your Twitter Info including your Password. Though this system could serve Bloggers and writers well I would suggest that you setup an isolated, fresh account is you are going to use this system. That way if it is compromised you haven't lost your main account.
To use this system you will also have to have an OpenId account in use that you will use to access this system.
Is all the trouble really worth it for the average Blogger or Tweeter to get this system to do your dirty work? Nope. You are better off creating your shorty url and crafting the language of the Tweet by hand. But there are those who have many many blogs and are trying to save time and some effort in the process. This system is for them. This system claims to be currently feeding 118,722 feeds directly to twitter.
TweetDeck
This App came with the highest recommendations of any apps to date. This system makes all of the Twitter world become suddenly manageable. You can control many aspects of the Twitterverse with this system. It also gives you many extra perks built into the system. Auto update of Tweets, URL shortening, TwitScoop column, TwitPic integration and a built in spell checker. In short this is a powerful tool.
If you have more than 10 people you are going to follow you will want an easy way to organise and control the way you see and interact with the Twitter system. It may not seem overwhelming at first, but soon after you gain friends on Twitter, conversations tend to move quickly.
Is this one a must have?
Yes. Again if you are following more than 10 people or you are planning on using the full potential of the Twitter system for marketing or personal use this is a great system to have in place. It is available for automatic installation in Mac OS X and Windows (Vista & Windows XP) by download and also for manual installation for Linux systems.
TwitPic
Though it is included in the TweetDeck application this can also be used as a standalone app. In simple terms this application allows you to post and share pictures on the Twitter system. If you follow the Public Time line on the website for TwitPic you can see, on a google map where and when pics are posted to Twitter. To use this system you have to sign in with your Twitter account.
Is this app a must have?
Well yes and no. If you plan to post pics on Twitter or share them with your followers then this is one of the simpler platforms on which to do it. You can post pictures to TwitPic from your phone, from the TwitPic API, or through the TwitPic site itself.
TwitterSearch
Twitter acquired Summize and added a new dimension to the Twitter platform which allows you to search the Twitterverse. Because this app is provided by Twitter the time line it covers is extensive and runs back beyond the standard 24 hour period. In fact during a test to see how far back I could go I found that I could see Tweets from as far back as 7 days. This search engine also shows you the trending of topics currently on Twitter.
Is this one a must have?
Why not. It is a great search tool and allows you to go back further in the time line than the previous search engine we talked about. The other plus - you don't have to download or sign in to use it.
TweetBurner
This is an interesting little tool which allows you to see the top URL's that have had activity on Twitter through out a day. It can be helpful to understand trending and activity and how your URL's are performing on Twitter.
A must have?
Nope, not really.
TwitterGrader
Cute and fluffy. That's about it. The grade means little and what defines the overall grade is not defined on the site so it's real value is unknown but the value of this site is not it's "cute fluffy get your grade" side, but it is the TwitterElite section. This part of the site gives you the top Twitter users with an overview of the Bio they have posted and the follower count that they have and the "Grade" they have received from TwitterGrader.
Must have tool?
Nope, but it can be fun to see your personal grade and then find allot of people to follow who might be of interest to you. Keep in mind, each person you add to your follow list probably improves there overall "Grade" but then, who cares.
TwitterCounter
This little app is included int he TweetDeck application, but you can use it as a stand alone also. It will give you a graph showing the growth of your Twitter Follower count as well as a prediction for the growth rate you will see over the following day and month. Or you can enter your own length of time for a prediction of followers.
Should this tool be in your arsenal?
It can be a handy prediction tool and again can give the user some enjoyment and smiles to see that they should expect to have (according to TwitterCounter) 224,062 followers by the close of the year as it predicts that I will. (I will have to keep track of this prediction) The value of this tool actually comes in when you add the TwitterCounter Badge on your blog or site. People can see how many followers you have and if you know how to manipulate code, they can become a follower of you on Twitter directly from the badge.
That ends out list of 10 Twitter App's - do you have an app that's not listed here? let us know about it!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Oil Futures Slide while Gas Prices Continue to Climb
January 23 2009
Oil futures fell this morning as demand continues to remain low, stockpiles continue to rise and the severity of the Global economic downturn continues to be realized. Crude oil for March delivery fell to $42.63 a barrel during the electronic trading period.
All of this as gas prices continue to climb. One month ago the average for regular grade gasoline was at $1.66 a gallon. Now as the demand remains low and oil prices continue to trade at prices well below where they were the current average cost of regular grade is at $1.82 a gallon nationwide and $2.06 on average in California. With Hawaii at an average of $2.49 and Alaska at an average of $2.57 per gallon.
*The averages shown are established by GasBuddy.com
Oil futures fell this morning as demand continues to remain low, stockpiles continue to rise and the severity of the Global economic downturn continues to be realized. Crude oil for March delivery fell to $42.63 a barrel during the electronic trading period.
All of this as gas prices continue to climb. One month ago the average for regular grade gasoline was at $1.66 a gallon. Now as the demand remains low and oil prices continue to trade at prices well below where they were the current average cost of regular grade is at $1.82 a gallon nationwide and $2.06 on average in California. With Hawaii at an average of $2.49 and Alaska at an average of $2.57 per gallon.
*The averages shown are established by GasBuddy.com
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Circuit City Liquidation Sale
Here we go. Circuit City announced on Friday Jan 16th that they will be Liquidating all merchandise and closing all of the remaining stores.
They have posted the following information in regard to the sales, some of which are to start on Saturday Jan. 17th.
Liquidation Sale dates:
Liquidators will start arriving in our 567 stores across the U.S. over the weekend, and closing sales will start as early as Sat., Jan. 17. Closing sales will run as long as it takes to sell existing inventory, but are expected to wrap up by the end of March. When the liquidation sales are completed, the stores will be closed.
Clearance Sale Pricing:
There will be clearance pricing, but specific discounts are not being announced. All sale prices are at the discretion of the liquidator. Prices are non-negotiable and all adjustments must be approved by the liquidator’s on-site managers.
Gift Cards:
Customers holding Circuit City gift cards may redeem them at full value at our stores during the liquidation sales. Once the stores are closed and the company is out of business, the gift cards will have no value.
Extended Warranties:
Circuit City Advantage Protection Plans (extended warranties) have been backed by third-party independent companies for more than 15 years and as a result, are not impacted by Circuit City’s closing.
Modification to the Return Policy:
Customers can return products they purchased prior to Jan. 16 for a 14-day period for exchange or refunds. All other terms of return policy are in force. When closing sales begin on or around Jan. 17, all sales will be final.
In short, this weekend is the best time to get those electronics you want at below normal pricing. After this weekend you will have to settle for what is left behind. I know of a new TV and home theater sound system that I have been looking at for months that just might be making its way home with me today, of course that is if the price is right.
They have posted the following information in regard to the sales, some of which are to start on Saturday Jan. 17th.
Liquidation Sale dates:
Liquidators will start arriving in our 567 stores across the U.S. over the weekend, and closing sales will start as early as Sat., Jan. 17. Closing sales will run as long as it takes to sell existing inventory, but are expected to wrap up by the end of March. When the liquidation sales are completed, the stores will be closed.
Clearance Sale Pricing:
There will be clearance pricing, but specific discounts are not being announced. All sale prices are at the discretion of the liquidator. Prices are non-negotiable and all adjustments must be approved by the liquidator’s on-site managers.
Gift Cards:
Customers holding Circuit City gift cards may redeem them at full value at our stores during the liquidation sales. Once the stores are closed and the company is out of business, the gift cards will have no value.
Extended Warranties:
Circuit City Advantage Protection Plans (extended warranties) have been backed by third-party independent companies for more than 15 years and as a result, are not impacted by Circuit City’s closing.
Modification to the Return Policy:
Customers can return products they purchased prior to Jan. 16 for a 14-day period for exchange or refunds. All other terms of return policy are in force. When closing sales begin on or around Jan. 17, all sales will be final.
In short, this weekend is the best time to get those electronics you want at below normal pricing. After this weekend you will have to settle for what is left behind. I know of a new TV and home theater sound system that I have been looking at for months that just might be making its way home with me today, of course that is if the price is right.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Economics question here
Well lets call it simple math.
I heard someone on CSPAN radio yesterday talking about how the original $350 billion should not be looked at as an expense but as an investment. Because he stated, that is what it is. He went on to say, We fully expect to get a return on the investment.
Another individual also speaking on the same subject at the same press conference when asked how high of a return the American people should expect to see on the "Investment" that they the taxpayers have made = Well, he said, significantly less than 100% and significantly more then 0
now here is my question
If we are to expect significantly less than 100% and significantly more than 0 wouldn't that fall to some place around 40 to 60 % ?
And if this is an investment then wouldn't we be smart to see this as a bad investment at that level of return?
Let me go a bit deeper in a different way of asking my question here.
If I (I will be America for this part of the question) were to ask you (you can be China) for.... oh say a loan for $700 billion and we were to negotiate what the gentleman I was listening to on CSPAN referred to as very good terms and a reasonable rate (lets assume a rate of oh say 1.5% or even 1%) and I turned and handed half of my loan to a homeless guy in front of a bar who smelled of alcohol and bad Mexican food. I told the guy to hand out the money quickly so that it would stimulate my economy and I really don't care where it goes as long as it goes. Meanwhile you ( you are China remember ) are watching the clock start to tick on that loan. now we used 1% as it is very easy to see what one percent can calculate to, just check your credit card statement. 1% of $700,000,000,000.000 compounded monthly would actually add $7,000,000,000 to your total. hmm. So after one month our balance would be $707,000,000,000.00 But here is where it gets fun, the next month we aren't adding $7 Billion. We are adding $7,070,000,000.00 to our total. so now we are at $714,070,000,000.00 and then we do it all again. But this time we add $7,140,700,000.00 so we have a new total balance of $721,210,700,000,00 - I think George and Henry screwed the pooch on this one .....
I somehow have the feeling that the same thinking that went into balling up garbage loans and selling them off for profit is the same logic that went into this whole TARP process.
Am I looking at this in the right light? I am thinking that even at 1% (if we apply the credit card monthly (not the daily interest rate here) we are never getting out of this one) After one year (twelve moths of interest) we would owe you (China remember) $796,665,296,303.30 That's almost 100 billion in interest alone. think we will pay this off in a year? So lets look a little further out, say two years. Our balance would be $897,702,396,512.06 With our expected return on our initial investments being around 40 to 60% we should start expecting to see partial repayment starting around the two and a half year mark. Our balance at two and a half years out in the loan would be $952,929,183,140.36. We would be able to expect say 25% of that which will be returned to us of our 100% investment at about 60% (we will use the larger number to make us feel better) so 15% should be on its way in at that point. OK so 15% of $700,000,000,000.00 would be $105,000,000,000.00 - that won't even remove the interest after 30 months.
If this were a mortgage and we had a 5 year term our monthly payment would have to be $11,965,623,211.82 but our national debt is 10 Trillion right now. How can we make a payment of over $11 Billion when we owe $10 Trillion?
Any one that can help me with this? How wrong am I and why?
I heard someone on CSPAN radio yesterday talking about how the original $350 billion should not be looked at as an expense but as an investment. Because he stated, that is what it is. He went on to say, We fully expect to get a return on the investment.
Another individual also speaking on the same subject at the same press conference when asked how high of a return the American people should expect to see on the "Investment" that they the taxpayers have made = Well, he said, significantly less than 100% and significantly more then 0
now here is my question
If we are to expect significantly less than 100% and significantly more than 0 wouldn't that fall to some place around 40 to 60 % ?
And if this is an investment then wouldn't we be smart to see this as a bad investment at that level of return?
Let me go a bit deeper in a different way of asking my question here.
If I (I will be America for this part of the question) were to ask you (you can be China) for.... oh say a loan for $700 billion and we were to negotiate what the gentleman I was listening to on CSPAN referred to as very good terms and a reasonable rate (lets assume a rate of oh say 1.5% or even 1%) and I turned and handed half of my loan to a homeless guy in front of a bar who smelled of alcohol and bad Mexican food. I told the guy to hand out the money quickly so that it would stimulate my economy and I really don't care where it goes as long as it goes. Meanwhile you ( you are China remember ) are watching the clock start to tick on that loan. now we used 1% as it is very easy to see what one percent can calculate to, just check your credit card statement. 1% of $700,000,000,000.000 compounded monthly would actually add $7,000,000,000 to your total. hmm. So after one month our balance would be $707,000,000,000.00 But here is where it gets fun, the next month we aren't adding $7 Billion. We are adding $7,070,000,000.00 to our total. so now we are at $714,070,000,000.00 and then we do it all again. But this time we add $7,140,700,000.00 so we have a new total balance of $721,210,700,000,00 - I think George and Henry screwed the pooch on this one .....
I somehow have the feeling that the same thinking that went into balling up garbage loans and selling them off for profit is the same logic that went into this whole TARP process.
Am I looking at this in the right light? I am thinking that even at 1% (if we apply the credit card monthly (not the daily interest rate here) we are never getting out of this one) After one year (twelve moths of interest) we would owe you (China remember) $796,665,296,303.30 That's almost 100 billion in interest alone. think we will pay this off in a year? So lets look a little further out, say two years. Our balance would be $897,702,396,512.06 With our expected return on our initial investments being around 40 to 60% we should start expecting to see partial repayment starting around the two and a half year mark. Our balance at two and a half years out in the loan would be $952,929,183,140.36. We would be able to expect say 25% of that which will be returned to us of our 100% investment at about 60% (we will use the larger number to make us feel better) so 15% should be on its way in at that point. OK so 15% of $700,000,000,000.00 would be $105,000,000,000.00 - that won't even remove the interest after 30 months.
If this were a mortgage and we had a 5 year term our monthly payment would have to be $11,965,623,211.82 but our national debt is 10 Trillion right now. How can we make a payment of over $11 Billion when we owe $10 Trillion?
Any one that can help me with this? How wrong am I and why?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Peanut Butter Recall January 10 2009
Solon, Ohio (January 10, 2009) - King Nut Companies, a distributor of peanut butter manufactured for them by Peanut Corporation of America, today announced a recall of peanut butter distributed under the King Nut label. No other King Nut products are included in this recall.
King Nut took this action as soon as it was informed that salmonella had been found in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter. King Nut distributes peanut butter only through food service accounts. It is not sold directly to consumers.
For more information, go to www.kingnut.com
King Nut took this action as soon as it was informed that salmonella had been found in an open five-pound tub of King Nut peanut butter. King Nut distributes peanut butter only through food service accounts. It is not sold directly to consumers.
For more information, go to www.kingnut.com
Explosion rocks Shi'ite Mosque
An explosion has rocked a Shi'ite Mosque in southern Kuwait. Fve people are reported to be trapped under the rubble in the town of Ahmadi.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sarah Falin Palin fighting to stay in the publics eyes
Not one to shy away from the spotlight or free publicity as she attempts to keep her chances for a candidacy alive for 2012, Sarah “Falin” Palin has decided to question the treatment that Caroline Kennedy is receiving at the hand of the press.
During an interview with the conservative radio talk-show host John Ziegler, “Falin” Palin said "I've been interested to see how Caroline Kennedy will be handled and if she will be handled with kid gloves or if she will be under such a microscope, It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out and I think that as we watch that we will perhaps be able to prove that there is a class issue here also that was such a factor in the scrutiny of my candidacy versus, say, the scrutiny of what her candidacy may be."
Does anyone think that perhaps our little Caribou Barbie doesn’t quite understand that Caroline Kennedy is not running for the office of Vice President? Perhaps none of the News Papers from New York have ever been in front of Palin and that is why she doesn’t know that the media in New York has been questioning and criticizing Kennedy's lack of experience in elected public office and whether she really is the best choice to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as she leaves the Senate to join the Obama administration as secretary of state.
Today Palin's office said the governor was dismayed that her comments in the Ziegler interview were being taken out of context in the media "to create adversarial situations."
Regarding her remarks about Kennedy, Palin recently stated in response to her comments made during her interview with John Ziegler "I was not commenting at all on Caroline Kennedy as a prospective U.S. senator, but rather on the seemingly arbitrary ways in which News organizations determine the level and kind of scrutiny given to those who aspire to public office. In fact, I consider Ms. Kennedy qualified and experienced, and she could serve New York well."
Again I wish that Katie Couric could have gotten that list of news papers that Palin has or does read. But at the end of the day America, Palin keeps proving that we all dodged a potentially damaging magic bullet with her Vice Presidential bid. I wonder if the French Prime Minister has called her lately. Anyway for someone who didn’t like those “gotcha” style media folks she sure does put herself in odd situations with her words doesn’t she?
In short order we have not seen Caroline’s 5 year old daughter carry her 1 year old son around like a rage doll about the chest. Caroline’s 16 year old daughter hasn’t gotten knocked up. Caroline’s daughter’s impregnator hasn’t been pushed to marry the now pregnant and spotlighted daughter and in addition her husband wasn’t a member of a separatist movement with cessation on its agenda. As far as we know Caroline has never charged her state for the use of flights or hotel stay for her and her family in non state business related travels. Oh, and I am pretty sure not only does Caroline own her clothing but I don’t think her wardrobe is unbecoming of a politician. But then again, who knows. I am sure we will find out soon enough. If named to the seat soon to be vacated by Sen. H. R. Clinton perhaps Caroline Kennedy will spend 6 or 8 or so years building up her political knowledge and establishing a platform to stand on and you never know, she might just be a viable candidate for the first woman President of the United States. But that is a little outside of reality for now isn’t it?
During an interview with the conservative radio talk-show host John Ziegler, “Falin” Palin said "I've been interested to see how Caroline Kennedy will be handled and if she will be handled with kid gloves or if she will be under such a microscope, It's going to be interesting to see how that plays out and I think that as we watch that we will perhaps be able to prove that there is a class issue here also that was such a factor in the scrutiny of my candidacy versus, say, the scrutiny of what her candidacy may be."
Does anyone think that perhaps our little Caribou Barbie doesn’t quite understand that Caroline Kennedy is not running for the office of Vice President? Perhaps none of the News Papers from New York have ever been in front of Palin and that is why she doesn’t know that the media in New York has been questioning and criticizing Kennedy's lack of experience in elected public office and whether she really is the best choice to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as she leaves the Senate to join the Obama administration as secretary of state.
Today Palin's office said the governor was dismayed that her comments in the Ziegler interview were being taken out of context in the media "to create adversarial situations."
Regarding her remarks about Kennedy, Palin recently stated in response to her comments made during her interview with John Ziegler "I was not commenting at all on Caroline Kennedy as a prospective U.S. senator, but rather on the seemingly arbitrary ways in which News organizations determine the level and kind of scrutiny given to those who aspire to public office. In fact, I consider Ms. Kennedy qualified and experienced, and she could serve New York well."
Again I wish that Katie Couric could have gotten that list of news papers that Palin has or does read. But at the end of the day America, Palin keeps proving that we all dodged a potentially damaging magic bullet with her Vice Presidential bid. I wonder if the French Prime Minister has called her lately. Anyway for someone who didn’t like those “gotcha” style media folks she sure does put herself in odd situations with her words doesn’t she?
In short order we have not seen Caroline’s 5 year old daughter carry her 1 year old son around like a rage doll about the chest. Caroline’s 16 year old daughter hasn’t gotten knocked up. Caroline’s daughter’s impregnator hasn’t been pushed to marry the now pregnant and spotlighted daughter and in addition her husband wasn’t a member of a separatist movement with cessation on its agenda. As far as we know Caroline has never charged her state for the use of flights or hotel stay for her and her family in non state business related travels. Oh, and I am pretty sure not only does Caroline own her clothing but I don’t think her wardrobe is unbecoming of a politician. But then again, who knows. I am sure we will find out soon enough. If named to the seat soon to be vacated by Sen. H. R. Clinton perhaps Caroline Kennedy will spend 6 or 8 or so years building up her political knowledge and establishing a platform to stand on and you never know, she might just be a viable candidate for the first woman President of the United States. But that is a little outside of reality for now isn’t it?
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