Thursday, December 17, 2009

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Latest Tips from MakeUseOf.com

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Cool Websites and Tools [December 16th]

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 07:31 PM PST

cool websites Check out some of the latest MakeUseOf discoveries. All listed websites are FREE (or come with a decent free account option). No trials or buy-to-use craplets. For more cool websites and web app reviews subscribe to MakeUseOf Directory.

(1) Google Goggles – is a new app for Android phones that lets you do a Google search using pictures taken from your mobile phone. The app integrates with the cellphone camera and lets you take pictures of books & DVDs, landmarks, logos, contact info, artwork, businesses, products, barcodes, or text and then conduct a visual search. Read more: Google Goggles: Conduct a Google Search Using Pictures (Android Phone)

(2) Framer – is a simple and quick online flash-based photo editor that lets you add cool frame effects to your digital photos. Simply upload a picture from your computer and select a frame for your picture. You can choose from a variety of cool frame designs such as rough, museum, circuit, wood, curvy, paint and many more. Once finished, framed image can be saved back on to your computer. Read more: Framer: Provides Cool Frame Effects For Your Photos

(3) SaveSpell – is a nifty expired domain name finder which tracks domain names expiring soon and then compares those names with dictionaries and word lists in different languages to see if the domain name matches any known word or term. Read more: SaveSpell: Expired Domain Name Finder

(4) Mowid – Searching videos on the web can be a bit monotonous since you only find stuff related to what you are searching for. MoWid is a cool YouTube video discovery engine that provides a unique way of exploring new videos on the internet by mixing/combining tags and returning unexpected results. Read more: Mowid: Tag Based YouTube Video Discovery Engine

(5) YouTego – Most social networking websites today usually have the same feature-set to help express ourselves. Youtego is a website that takes social networking a step further by combining simple words and images to illustrate our personality. Read more: YouTego: Express Your Personality With Icons

Submit Your Web App

These are just half of the websites that we discovered in the last couple of days. If you want us to send you daily round-ups of all cool websites we come across, leave your email here. Or follow us via RSS feed.

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Evernote – The Killer App For The Android Mobile Phone

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 05:31 PM PST

Evernote_Icon_256If I have one really big weakness, it’s that I have an absolutely terrible memory due to my epilepsy.  So if I need to remember anything at all, I have to write it down or record it somewhere.  If I don’t, I am guaranteed to forget within minutes.

I used to be a huge fan of the digital post-it notes but now I tend to use Evernote for everything.  The synchronisation with the website and the desktop app does it all for me and now I am a really happy bunny when I discovered today that the Android phone application for Evernote has been released.   Now I can avoid forgetting things while I am away from the computer by using my phone to record my notes.

As usual, you can find the app by searching for “evernote” in the Android Market (via your phone).   Once installed, this is the start screen you will see :

android_evernote_main

Let’s take a look at each of the Evernote Android features one by one.

Snapshot

aynrand

Using your phone camera, you can take pictures of things and store them right away in your Evernote account.  Just press the “snapshot” button and your phone’s camera will kick in.   Take the picture and it will be immediately uploaded to the web.

Now you can really use Evernote as a replacement for your eyes.  Snap whatever you see and never forget it again.  Books in bookshops, parking garage locations, belly dancers in the centre of town, you name it.  Text in pictures is searchable which is particularly good for the book titles I often come across and I don’t want to forget.  Or instead of taking someone’s business card, just whip your phone out and take a picture of it.   The details on the card become instantly searchable.

Upload File

This function will go to your phone’s internal file folders where you can then find a particular file and upload it to your web account.   So for example, if you have a song you are using as a ringtone, other MP3’s, photos, etc, then you can use the Upload File function to backup those files to the web.  I don’t anticipate using this feature much (if at all).

Text Note

android_evernote_text_note

The Text Note section is basically just a set of text fields which you can type into with your phone keyboard. Say whatever you like and then save it to your web account.  Not much else you can say about this one.

Audio Note

android_evernote_audio_note

Audio Note is the one I like the best – mainly because I am a lazy layabout who doesn’t like to type very much on the small phone keyboard.   Recording phone messages is as simple as pressing the record button, speaking your message into the phone (as if you’re on a call to someone) and then pressing stop.

An interesting note though – I couldn’t play the audio messages back later through the web account in Firefox – it told me I needed a special browser plugin – which it then couldn’t find.  So the only way I was able to retrieve the audio messages was by playing them back through my phone.   Which is OK but slightly irritating if you actually want to listen to the messages on your desktop.

With the text notes, audio notes and snapshots, you also have the option to give each file a title, description and tags so you can find them again easily.   You also have a search function so you can search your Evernote account directly from your phone.

One thing you need to bear in mind though -the speed of uploading an entry to your web account depends on your phone’s internet connection and data transfer plan, so that’s something to bear in mind when snapping and uploading huge pictures.  Be careful not to chew up your monthly bandwidth with lots of big snapshots.

But from what I’ve seen so far, this is an amazing app that just works, plain and simple.   Never forget anything again – wherever you are.

Do you use Evernote for the Android?   If so, what are your experiences with it?   Anything not working or not to your expectations?   Or do you just love it like I do?   Let us know in the comments.

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FlickPicks – Learn The Box Office Biz While Playing Movie Geek Fantasy Football

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 03:31 PM PST

flickpicks-topperHave you ever looked at the marquee at your local movie theater and wondered how certain movies got picked to be shown over others? Are you more likely to catch the latest flick at the multiplex instead of hitting up the big ball game at the stadium? Are you looking for some fun, insightful, and exciting web-based competition in the unusually intriguing world of box office performances?

FlickPicks is a website that features a movie “fantasy football” game in which you create a virtual “theater” each week with a particular amount of “screens” to devote to the newest released films. Let's take a closer look at how this can not only be educational in terms of how the movie industry makes its millions, but also how you can have a lot of fun while doing it.

flickpicks-main


Your job in this movie fantasy football game is to pick how many screens each film is worth in order to achieve the most amount of income from your theater's sales. When you first sign up with a free account, FlickPicks drops you into the first division, the Drive-In Division, where you get your feet wet with other new users just starting out. The playing fields are leveled out this way to keep the high scoring veterans from competing directly with the brand new players.

You then have 7 screens to reserve for each film from the pool of new releases and other titles that are still playing in theaters. While you can choose between applying 1 or 2 screens per film depending on how you think they might perform, you also have the opportunity to gamble points on increasing the screen count for your theater to 3 for a particularly large blockbuster entry (Twilight: New Moon, or Avatar, for instance) and go for the best scores.

For the particularly brave risk-takers, there's a weekly bonus challenge as well which lets you guess the movies with the lowest per-screen averages from the set of film releases – which are not always the easiest to predict!

flickpicks-middle

In addition to the core mechanics of deciding which movies are bound for box office gold, there's also an impressive amount of social communication surrounding these choices. Each theater is ranked by how well their predictions are made, and are put up on weekly and all-time scoring leaderboards for all to see. You can also form groups of up to 10 of your friends' theaters together to compete as a team against other theater groups. There are comments for your theater, your group, and a "Buzz" forum where everyone playing can report in on how they might be playing each week.

On top of all the site's networking features, FlickPicks also is prolific on Twitter, on Facebook, and on its own Tumblr-based blog – reporting the latest news on real-life screen counts, contests, and results.

flickpicks-social

Unlike the Hollywood Stock Exchange (which complicates the fun), and the Cantor Exchange (where real money is involved), FlickPicks is easy to understand, the stakes aren't so high, and has near zero learning curve to begin playing and enjoying right away. It's both entertaining and enlightening to see how some movies perform week to week – sometimes surprising you with their staying power from past opening weeks, or coming completely out of left field to take a much higher percentage of sales than you might consider when you're formulating your weekly game plan.

If you've ever scoured the web to see how your favorite movies are doing, become addicted to fantasy sports games, or enjoy arguing the merits of art versus commerce with like-minded cinephiles, FlickPicks doesn't disappoint in its execution and design to make movie fantasy football a wonderfully enjoyable weekly diversion.

If you liked this article on FlickPicks, you might also find these related articles interesting:

Are you interested in these types of niche games and sites for movies and other entertainment? Sound off in the comments below!

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10 Twitter Safety Tips To Protect Your Account & Identity

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 01:31 PM PST

twitter safety tipsWhile Twitter is a fun place to hang out, it has associated risks just like any other social network. As examples of the risks involved with Twitter, there are phishing scams, government security lapses, and people getting fired because of tweeting.

Here are 10 solid Twitter safety tips you can make use of to enjoy Twitter and protect yourself.

#1: Never Share Personal Information

This has to be the first and foremost guideline and cannot be stressed enough. Never share your email, personal or business address, telephone numbers, etc. on Twitter unless you are absolutely sure what you are doing.

Geotagging is an optional Twitter feature that makes your exact location public. If you do not wish to automatically broadcast your physical location, make sure that the setting is disabled in your Twitter settings.

#2: Review Applications That Use Your Twitter Account

Avoid web-based applications that ask you to supply your Twitter username and password. Well behaved applications use Twitter OAuth and do not ask you to provide your Twitter password.

twitter safety tips

Regularly review the list of applications you have authorized to access your Twitter account via the Twitter Settings Connections page. Remove all applications from that list that you no longer need or use.

#3: Regularly Change Your Password

Automated bots are used by hackers to gain access to your Twitter account. Use strong passwords and keep changing your password every 4-6 weeks to ensure maximum safety. You can use these 5 Free Password Generators for Nearly Unhackable Passwords or Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily.

#4: Preview Short URL’s Before Clicking

Shortened URLs are often used to hide unsafe web addresses. Clicking and visiting unsafe websites leads to dangers of malware, phishing websites, etc. When using Twitter clients like TweetDeck, turn on the “Show Preview Information for Short URLs” option. If you are using Firefox, you can use extensions like LongURL Mobile Expander or DeTiny URL Expander. Another option is to use bookmarklets and scripts like Unhid and Untiny.

#5: Beware Of Unsolicited DMs

Phishing attacks often use Direct Messages to lure unsuspecting users to a login page where they are asked to provide their username and password. The problem is that you may receive such a DM from a trustworthy user you are following, whose account has been compromised. Hence, there is no foolproof way to ascertain whether a DM is authentic or suspicious.

twitter safety tips

You should use your judgment and discretion while clicking URL’s in DMs. If there is any reason to suspect that the DM is strange or weird in any way, simply delete it and let the user know. Follow the Twitter Spam account for regular updates and information on Twitter scams.

#6: Use Private Twitter Accounts

If you are using Twitter to communicate among a chosen group of friends, colleagues, or family, consider making your Twitter feed private. This can also be a recommended option for youngsters on Twitter. To make an account private, go to your Twitter Settings, and select the "Protect my tweets" option.

online safety tips

#7: Block & Report Spam

If you receive spam via @replies, block and report the account as spam. Many Twitter clients let you do that from within their interface. You can follow the Twitter Spam account and send a direct message with the name of the account to report a spammer. Manage your followers and friends as discussed in 12 Solid Tips to Enhance Your Twitter Reputation to reduce your spam.

#8: Avoid Account Suspension By Respecting Twitter Limits

Ensure that you adhere to Twitter's Best Practices for Following Limits. These are especially important when using automated tools to tweet or follow/unfollow users. Violating follow limit rules may lead to suspension of your Twitter account. The key limits to be aware of are:

  • Limit of maximum 1000 tweets and 250 DMs per day.
  • Aggressively following or unfollowing hundreds of users within a day can lead to account suspension.
  • You need sufficient followers before you can follow more than 2000 users.

Do not use any service or application that promises to get you "hundreds of followers quickly". These are guaranteed ways of making your Twitter account suspicious and lead to your account being suspended.

#9: Avoid Being Impersonated

online safety tipsTwitter permits impersonation only for parody. Even if you don't use Twitter at all, someone else may be using your name to impersonate you on Twitter. This can lead to grave reputation problems for your business, professional and personal life.

If you come across any Twitter account impersonating you in an illegitimate fashion, submit a web request on Twitter from the Support page and choose "Impersonation" in the "Regarding" drop-down. You can also send an email to impersonation@twitter.com supplying details listed here.

#10: Use An Anti-Virus and Firewall

Finally, no list of safety tips would be complete without a reminder to protect your computer using firewalls and an up-to-date anti-virus. Check MakeUseOf's extensive coverage of free Anti-Virus software and Security articles to safeguard your computer when using online applications like Twitter.

Are there any other tips we missed? Will these help you to keep your Twitter account safe? Shout out in the comments!

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Five Essential Smart Mailboxes For Apple Mail [Mac]

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 11:31 AM PST

mailboxNext to haggling with dozens of web browsing pages scattered all over my desktops, managing several dozen emails per day used to be the bane of my computer-using life. But not much anymore after I started using Smart Mailboxes in Apple’s Mail.

Smart Mailboxes work like smart albums in iTunes. They manage files according to specified rules you set for them. These boxes or folders save you both time and frustration when dealing with the constant flow of email messages. They work even better than filters in Google Mail.

To create a Smart Mailbox, open Mail and go to Mailbox>New Smart Mailbox in Mail’s menu bar. Upon clicking this menu item, you’ll get a drop down menu for setting rules for the particular Mailbox you’re creating.

smart mailboxes apple mail

The following are a handful of Smart Mailboxes I use regularly.

Unread Messages

For me, the most essential Smart Mailbox is what I call Unread Messages. Because emails can pile up in the Inbox, I want to only see emails that I haven’t read or clicked on. That way I’m not annoyed by previously read messages.

The rules for this Smart Mailbox are:

  • Select “Message is Unread”.
  • Click the + button and add a second rule, “Date Received”> “is today.”
  • Make sure the top parameter says “Contains messages that match ALL the follow conditions.” Now click OK and you should get your box of today’s unread emails, if there are any.

smart mailboxes apple mail

After you click to another mailbox and then re-click the unread Smart Mailbox, the messages will be gone from the box; the messages however are not deleted. You can find them in the Inbox of your email account(s) in Mail. All the Smart Mailbox does is collect and manage emails according to the rules you give it.

Smart Mailboxes For VIP’s

Okay, let’s move on to some other useful smart mailboxes. I have several boxes for individuals whom I want make sure their emails and the messages I exchange with them are automatically gathered into one box.

You can create the rules for this mailbox the same way as described above, or you can do it a faster way by first selecting an email from the person you want to create a Smart Mailbox for. Select the person’s name/email address  next to From, and then Control or right-clicking on that address. A drop-down box will appear. Select Create Smart Mailbox and set your rule as shown in the screen shot below.

smart mailboxes apple mail

Last Year’s Mail

One way of getting rid of old messages is to create a Smart Mailbox that collects last year’s emails that you didn’t get around to trashing. The rules are shown below.

When I select this smart mailbox, I typically select the From column (second screenshot below) so that emails in the box are grouped by sender. That way I can go through and decide which groups of email to trash. Or if I’m really frustrated and in a bad mood, I select them all and delete.

smart mailboxes mac

groupbysender

Flagged Messages

This one works great for flagged messages. Often I need to review or respond to various emails, so I flag them and then open this Smart Mailbox which collects all my flagged messages.

smart mailboxes mac

Attachments

This last Smart Mailbox simply deals with collecting email with attachments. Most of us get those emails from family and friends with say three or four large images attached to them. Then there are countless ad emails which, though they’re not spam, they do have attachments that can build up and weight down your Mail application.

My cure for this problem is using a Smart Mailbox for attachments that I can later go through and delete, using the same method  described above.

smart mailboxes mac

Once you get the hang of creating Smart Mailboxes, you will no doubt create ones that fit your own individual needs. The ones described above are some of my favorites. If you have a few Smart Mailbox rules that I should have included, leave a comment and describe them.

Image Credit : Zizzybaloobah

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Sleep Better & Re-Energize On The Go With Pzizz For The iPhone + Giveaway!

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 09:30 AM PST

Like most people, I enjoy lying on a comfortable bed with fluffy pillows, wrapped up a cozy blanket. Unfortunately, that’s about it for me, most of the time. I just lie there. Either that or I roll around until fatigue finally strikes me down at four-ish in the morning. It’s unbelievably tough, especially when I have to be up by 6:30 a.m.

I’ve tried everything from soothing music to warm milk. Once in a while, they work but more often than not, I’m up until the sun rises. Insomnia is a terrible thing to suffer from and luckily, I don’t really have it that badly.

In the past, I’ve reviewed a couple of web apps that help with sleep. Among all of them, I listed Pzizz first. Their desktop application really helped me fall asleep and it was quite different from the rest of the apps I reviewed. Pzizz uses a combination of soothing sounds, binaural beats and the power of suggestion to help their users with sleep issues.

Unfortunately though, Pzizz is a paid app that will always remain that way. And rightly so — it’s a quality product! You don’t expect Louis Vuitton bags to be cheap or you’ll think there’s a defect somewhere, right? The closest you’ll get to “free” is a 5-minute demo of their desktop app for Windows or Mac.

Their new iPhone applications — Pzizz Sleep and Pzizz Relax are also paid applications albeit much cheaper than the desktop versions. At $9.99, that’s considered pretty costly for an iPhone app although you have to remember, we’re dealing with quality product here.

Luckily, MakeUseOf writers have always been known to go that extra mile. I managed to hook up with Edward Laing from Pzizz Technology Ltd and convinced him that MakeUseOf readers would enjoy Pzizz immensely. He graciously agreed to provide us with a considerable amount of promo codes for their iPhone apps. In turn, we are giving them out to you!

But first, let’s take a look at Pzizz Sleep and Pzizz Relax for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

Pzizz Sleep

Let’s start with Pzizz Sleep. I had a really hard time reviewing this app. After ten minutes of listening to Michael Breen and I’d be snoozing. In short, I can testify that it works!

Upon launching Pzizz Sleep, you’ll be shown a warning that certain people should not use this application. It also shouldn’t be used when driving or during other activities which require complete alertness. If you’re not sure if you should be using Pzizz, consult with your medical physician.

Once I was past that, I explored the app a bit and tweaked the settings to suit my needs — track length (between 15-60 minutes), audio levels, etc. Then I tapped on Start and the Pzizz experience began. The concoction of soothing sounds, binaural beats and the power of Michael’s suggestions calmed me down. Like I said, ten minutes later, I was asleep.

Every time you use Pzizz Sleep, a new unique track is played. It’s nothing like other one-track “hypnotic” apps which you can remember what the next line is going to be. That’s what makes Pzizz Sleep such a pleasant experience — it’s different each time.

Pzizz Relax

On the other hand, Pzizz Relax is a totally different application. It’s not designed to help you fall deeply into sleep. Actually, its goal is to help you sneak that 20-30 minute power nap in the middle of your busy day. By blocking the thoughts running through your head and relaxing your body, it essentially re-energizes you immensely to tackle the rest of the day. It’s best used when you’re feeling exceptionally tired or saturated from work. Spend that 20 minutes with Pzizz Relax and you’re refreshed and ready for more. Here’s a personal suggestion: enable Airplane mode before starting your power nap so you won’t be bothered.

Pzizz Relax allows you to set the duration of your nap — anywhere between 10 to 90 minutes. What’s new here is the addition of alarm choices. You’ll need this if you ever want to wake up after the power nap! The soundtrack in Pzizz Relax also differs from Pzizz Sleep since its goal isn’t to help put you to sleep. Rather, Michael suggests a couple of relaxation techniques accompanied by a different soothing background tune, with a hint of the same winding sound that’s found in Coffee Replacement.

Pzizz Sleep and Pzizz Relax are both available from the iTunes Store [iTunes link] and priced at $9.99 each.

Giveaway: We’ve convinced Edward Laing from Pzizz that MakeUseOf readers will appreciate Pzizz for the iPhone and he’s given us a generous amount of promo codes! Valid for US iTunes Store accounts only. To get your hands on an absolutely free copy of Pzizz, either:

    1. Share this post on Facebook by clicking on the Share button below or;
    2. Click on the retweet button to share on Twitter or;
    3. Do both!

Then tell us where you’ve shared it and which app you would prefer: Pzizz Sleep or Relax. Don’t forget to enter your email so that we can get in touch with you. Winners will be chosen randomly. Enjoy!

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5 Online Photo Sharing Sites Which Are Free Alternatives To Flickr

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 08:31 AM PST

flickr logoMy Flickr premium subscription has just expired. I have been very happy with the paid service but I have the feeling that I can find a good replacement for free somewhere.

The free version of Flickr is also nice but really lacks if you want to use it as your main photo storage. Only the last 200 photos will be shown for instance and you don’t get to view and share images in their original resolution.

Let’s try to get all those benefits for free with a review of the online photo sharing sites that challenge Flickr.

Picasa (Web Albums)

Picasa is Google’s take on a photo site. It’s clean, it’s free, it’s fast and reliable. Picasa is especially known for its desktop application that can organize and edit your photos. I can recommend this software whatever photo sharing website you’re going to use.

For more information on the desktop software have a look at our Picasa articles here on MakeUseOf.  Jim has written an excellent 5 piece guide with Picasa tips.

review of online photo sharing sites


The free web component offers 1GB of space for photos and videos and unlimited bandwidth. A feature that you’ll not find quickly somewhere else is facial recognition. The only paid advantage that you can get is a storage upgrade that you’ll be able to share with your Gmail account. Yearly prices in dollars or euros (they’re the same, oddly enough) range from 5,- for 20 GB to 4069,- for 16 TB (yes, that’s terabytes). I’m not sure who’d have four thousand dollars to spend on photo storage, but I guess they’re the same people who have 16 terabytes of photos.

Share.Ovi

Ovi is the portal of Nokia. Their photo sharing site is inconveniently named “Share on Ovi” or “Ovi Share by Nokia” or something. What’s important however is that anyone can use the site for free whatever mobile phone you have.

The latest Nokia smartphones do come with an easy way to synchronize their photos to Ovi Share however. Nokia bought the company Twango in 2007 and rebuilt it to Ovi Share, which opened to the public in February 2008. Earlier this year however Nokia announced they will not improve the site much further due to disappointing usage numbers. This excellent site will remain live and free though.

review of online photo sharing sites

Ovi actually comes closest to the features you get with a paid Flickr Pro membership. Unlimited storage and bandwidth and a very nice clear interface.

Zooomr

Zooomr is a very complete photo sharing website, more geared towards social sharing. You get practically all of the features for free, a paid account only frees you from ads and lets you know who faved and commented on your images. There is a page called the Zipline which shows all the latest photos and activity of your contacts. Also, it’s possible to make a profile for yourself.

review of online photo sharing sites

Zooomr also offers unlimited storage space and bandwidth, but doesn’t support videos. As it focuses more on social interaction you get profiles, an overview of activity and people tagging and geotagging.

Snapixel

Snapixel is a very clean photosite. So what’s special about Snapixel? It’s a photo sharing site and marketplace in one. You can use it to sell and buy stockphotos, but also just use it as your photo storage. There is a free version and a $9.95 / year Pro version.

photo sharing public albums

It’s geared towards professional photography and therefore offers 5GB of space but a limited bandwidth. Another limit is that images must be .JPG and have to be wider than 665 pixels. It is nice though that selling your images is very accessible, so it’s great for any semi-professional or starting photographer.

Guess what, there is a coupon code to get the first year of Pro for free. Click here to sign up.

Photobucket

Another well known photo site is Photobucket. The free version is very similar to the free Flickr when you look at the figures. Many people use it for small images such as avatars and images and videos shared on social networks. But it’s also possible to store your photo collection there.

They have just lowered their amount of free storage space however to 500 MB. But that still holds quite a lot of photos. You will not be able to see the original size though like on Flickr. So use this if you’re looking for a no-hassle photo and video site and have a small sized collection.

photo sharing public albums

Migratr

When you have picked a photo sharing site, you can easily migrate your photos to it using Migratr. This application downloads all of your photos to your computer and then uploads them to a site of your choice. It’s really easy and the best thing is, it also exports all of your metadata such as titles and tags.

You can also just use it as a backup system for your photos. A bummer is that you will not be able to retrieve any photos over the 200 limit of Flickr if you don’t have the Pro membership. It doesn’t support Ovi and Snapixel yet, but you can make a Flickr backup with Migratr and than use bulk upload on your new site. Snapixel does support adding tags and titles to images by IPTC.

photo sharing public albums

So please give me some advice. Should I transfer my photos to another site? Will I choose the dependability and clearness of Picasa, the complete features of Share.Ovi, the social functions of Zooomr, the marketplace and professional setup of Snapixel or the easiness of Photobucket? Or should I just invest in another year of Flickr Pro membership? Or do you know another even better photo sharing site?

Image credit: murilocardoso

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Twitter On Your Windows Mobile Phone With Twikini

Posted: 16 Dec 2009 07:31 AM PST

Twitter for Windows MobileHey there Twitter fans! How do you keep up with all your tweets and what not while you are on the go? Do you use the mobile version of their website? How last year!

I have recently become addicted to The Twitter. Don't laugh, it can happen to you! Now I am using a mobile application to keep up with tweets on the go. That special something is called Twikini which can be found and downloaded from here. It might be a strange name, but it is an awesome application to offers Twitter for Windows Mobile. It is easy to use and master.

Install the application to your phone / device in whatever manner floats your boat. Next up you will see a new icon on your start menu. Once you start up the application it will build your timeline and depending on your preferences it will display the appropriate amount of tweets on your screen.

You can see my recent activity below categorized by how long ago it was tweeted. These tweets are from my account (in case you want to follow me).

Twitter for Windows Mobile


You can click on Menu and My Info to see your information including how many followers you have as well as how many people you are following. You can also see your website and description which you entered in your Twitter profile.

Twitter for Windows Mobile

You can see the people you are following and their stats. Click on one of them to bring up their profile.

twitter app windows mobile

Looking at Twikini's options you can control not only how many tweets you see but what you want to see on start up. You can see replies, tweets with @yourusername and much more. You have the option to use Skweezer for webpages that you click on from within Twikini. There is a checkbox to download images – tip: if you are not on an unlimited data connection you should uncheck this checkbox and save some bytes and money!

twitter app windows mobile

You can see what Twikini caches by clicking on the cache option. You see the directory where the cache data is stored. For me it is in my phone’s memory so I can keep a close eye on it. You can clear the directory from this screen if your memory is hurting you!

twitter app windows mobile

You will also find advanced options like tweeting your current playing song or your GPS location. I tried out these features and do not think I am ready to bombard my readers with them – at least not just yet! If you give them a go let us know in the comments.

All in all I have just got into Twitter in the last 3 months. All I can say is if you find the right people to follow you will be addicted. Seriously, 3 months ago I would have told you that you were plain out nuts if you said I would be looking for and reviewing a mobile Twitter client! I didn't even know what a re-tweet was.

Which mobile Twitter client do you use?   Let us know in the comments.

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