MakeUseOf.com: “Cool Websites and Tools [March 12th]” plus 6 more |  |
- Cool Websites and Tools [March 12th]
- 3 Methods To Create Your Own Searchable Twitter Archive
- Hot Tech Deals [Mar 12th]
- Firefox 4 Release Candidate Available for Download [News]
- All My Apps: Browse & Install Free Windows Software
- 5 Ways To Use Twitter As An Online Private Diary
- Winamp Releases Android Media Player 1.0 [News]
| Cool Websites and Tools [March 12th] Posted: 12 Mar 2011 07:31 PM PST
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. NEW: Download MakeUseOf iPhone App. FREE!
    
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| 3 Methods To Create Your Own Searchable Twitter Archive Posted: 12 Mar 2011 05:31 PM PST
Twitter search could be a good solution (there is also a handy from: operator that allows you to find all tweets from any user) but it is only able to work for recently shared links. Twitter search only stores tweets for up to 10 days. If you want to be able to search through older tweets, consider using one (or all) of these tools to create a searchable archive of your tweets or any other Twitter-powered databases. 1. Archive & Search Tweets Using Google ReaderThe great thing about Twitter is that almost everything has an RSS feed. There is an RSS link for your own updates as well as for the updates from any user. There’s also an RSS link for any search results. Obviously, you can grab that RSS feed link to subscribe using Google Reader: From now on, your Twitter archive will be stored within your Google Reader giving you flexibility to search using some Google advanced operators:
Unlike general Google search (where one asterisk stands for one or more words), Google Reader search treats each asterisk as one word. This means that if you want two words in between your exact-match query, you will need to use two asterisks: While this approach seems quite perfect, there are some issues reported about the number of updates archived via Google Reader. For some active hashtags, for example, Google Reader seems to pull only the most recent 30 results. This probably happens because Twitter limits the number of updates in its RSS. The possible workaround is the next tool. 2. Archive & Search Tweets Using TwapperKeeperTwapperKeeper is a handy web-based tool that allows you to create Twitter archives from any #hashtag, keyword or @person. The archive is being constantly updated, can be exported to Excel and provides an RSS link for tracking: You can use this RSS feed to archive and search Tweets in Google Reader or you can use the standalone tool and its inherent search options:
3. Archive & Search Tweets Using Trunk.lyTrunk.ly is the most basic and sweetest tool of all listed in this article. All it does is store your Twitter, Facebook or any RSS feed updates and lets you search through it by keyword. The sweet part is that:
Let’s Put it All Together!
Are you aware of any more ways to create a Twitter archive that would enable you to search for previously shared links and updates? Please let us know your thoughts! Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| Posted: 12 Mar 2011 12:30 PM PST
For more fresh hot deals, visit our Hot Tech Deals page, which is constantly updated.
Image credit: Modified from Svengraph’s icon set Follow MakeUseOf on Twitter. Includes cool extras.
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| Firefox 4 Release Candidate Available for Download [News] Posted: 12 Mar 2011 12:00 PM PST
With changes made both to Firefox’s appearance, as well as countless changes under the hood, there’s a lot worth trying out in the release candidate. Changes have been made to Firefox’s appearance, specifically changing the tab location, to above the address bar. (Chrome anyone?) A unique new Firefox tab feature is the ability to pin tabs to your browser. This comes in handy for websites you tend to keep open all the time, such as webmail, and is just one of a few features which will appeal to users who’s online life is in the cloud. Another useful in-the-cloud feature is the synchronisation feature, all of your your Firefox data – from settings to passwords, from history to open tabs – can be available to you on all of your devices, including Android and iOS devices, through a Firefox sync server. The release candidate also launches a revamped add-ons management centre, with an updated slick interface making it easy to search for and install Firefox plugins. Under the hood, you’ll find that Firefox 4 RC is faster than any previous version – at least 3 and a half times faster than previous versions according to tests. In addition, Firefox 4 RC features HTML 5 support, enhanced privacy settings, and crash protection, meaning when Adobe Flash, Apple Quicktime or Microsoft Silverlight plugins crash, you can reload the page without having to restart Firefox. If you want to give Firefox 4 RC a try, head over and download your copy now. What do you think of the latest Firefox version? Would you ditch your preferred browser in favor of Firefox 4? Let us know in the comments. Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers!
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| All My Apps: Browse & Install Free Windows Software Posted: 12 Mar 2011 11:31 AM PST
If you read MakeUseOf, you no doubt have a love for free software. All My Apps is a program for Windows that allows you to find free software and install it.. There is also some software for sale through this program, but the emphasis seems to be on the free stuff. Browse applications by categories; see which are downloaded most frequently. Heck, this program can even handle updates for you. All My Apps is a free download, although using it requires that you sign up for the web service. What It IsLike the package management in Ubuntu or the Apple App store, All My Apps is a repository of software you can quickly install. Browsing software is simple: Applications are broken down into categories, including Communication and Office. Click one of these categories and you’ll see the most installed apps. Click an application to read a summary of it: When you decide to install a program, you’ll be presented with that software’s EULA: Accept it and All My Apps will automatically download and install the software. There’s no clicking “Next” five times, and no annoying add-ons included with the software as far as I could tell. Just the software you want, quickly. If a piece of software is already on your machine, All My Apps will let you know: Want to queue several installations to run? Head over to the website: Here you can queue a list of software to install, then send the list to All My Apps for quick installation. Approve all the EULAs and you’re good to go. Setting UpReady to get started? The first thing you’re going to want to do is head over to All My Apps and sign up for an account. Then you’re going to want to download the free client, which you’ll find a link to in the top-right corner of the site: Installing the client will take a while, particularly if you don’t have .NET 3.5 installed yet. Don’t worry; it’s worth it. Once the client loads for the first time you can start exploring for apps. ConclusionOur readers are awesome. When I pointed out that Npackd installs and updates Windows software, they were quick to point out All My Apps as an alternative with a simpler interface. Thanks CopyPastaa! Is this tool similar to Ninite, a tool for installing all of your favorite free apps as one installation? A little, but Ninite is more for one-off installations; All My Apps wants to stay on your computer and be your go-to place to find new applications. Both approaches have merit, but which do you prefer? Also feel free to recommend alternative programs in the comments below; they just might be written up. Oh, and if you want to explore the best free Windows software without installing anything, check out our list of the best Windows software. Enjoy! Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| 5 Ways To Use Twitter As An Online Private Diary Posted: 12 Mar 2011 09:31 AM PST
Below are 5 suggestions on how you can use Twitter as a diary. These are ways you can use Twitter or use Twitter-like services to keep a private microblog, saving your thoughts, or daily experiences online for posterity. Tweet What You Eat!Tweet What You Eat! (TWYE) is a free service that allows you to keep a food diary. Whether you’re on a diet, counting calories, or simply want to keep track of your eating habits. TWYE has you covered. Signing up for a free account can be done by registering for a free account or you can register using your Facebook login. You will then need to link your TWYE account to your Twitter account, which will also automatically follow the TWYE Twitter account. Once you’re logged in, you can begin to keep track of what you eat and your weight. Each food entry is accompanied by a description, the number of calories, date eaten and time. You also have the option of posting it to Facebook. Weight entries are accompanied by the date, time, weight and comments. While weight entries are technically in pounds, there’s no reason you can’t enter them in kilograms. If you’re wondering where the Twitter part is, you can add items on the go through Twitter, by DM’ing the information to the TWYE Twitter account. If you want to include the calorie count, be sure to use the following format:
As you continue to add items to your log, TWYE will calculate the total number of calories per day, your average weight, and more. While your entries are not made public on your Twitter profile, they are public on TWYE, on the “Recently Tweaten List”. Tweet What You SpendIf you want to use Twitter as a spending diary, from the same people behind TWYE, comes Tweet What You Spend (TWYS). To register, you have to create a new account. Unlike TWYE you can’t register using your Facebook account, and for privacy issues that’s definitely better. The next step is to link your TWYS account with your Twitter account. You can then begin to keep track of your spending habits using TWYS. Information included with entries include date, time, item description and the amount spent. After you’ve added the item, you can drag and drop the item into the categories listed on the left-hand side of the screen, a list that is entirely editable. TWYS will also keep track of your average daily spending and you can export your spending journal to a CSV file. Like TWYE, you can DM your expenses making it easy to make entries on the go. TWYS provides a guide on how to formulate your entries. For example, if you want to include the amount, description and category use the following format:
If for any reason, TWYE or TWYS doesn’t auto-follow you once you’ve registered, you won’t be able to DM them, just mention it to them on Twitter and it should be resolved quickly. Tweet PrivateWith TweetPrivate, you can keep a private online diary of just about anything you want. You don’t have to register for a new account, just connect it to your Twitter account. You can then store private thoughts in your Tweet Private account. Not only can you store your private thoughts, you can also upload photos that will be kept private. To use Tweet Private on the go, log in from your phone on the mobile site and you can enter your rants and thoughts from anywhere. In addition to storing your thoughts, you can also check in on the online map. On your TweetPhoto account you can browse your personal tweets by date. CurrentIf you’d rather keep Twitter and your diary separate, Current offers an interesting alternative. It limits you to Twitter’s 140 character count, making it an ideal private microblog. Signing up for a new account requires a username, email address, password and time zone. You can then write one short diary entry entry per day. All entries will be displayed on your home page and are visible only to you. Private Twitter AccountWithout a doubt, the easiest way to pull this off is to use a private Twitter account. With lots of third party Twitter apps, both mobile and desktop, supporting multiple accounts, all it takes to keep a private microblog is to open a new Twitter account. Would you use Twitter to keep a private online journal? Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to use Twitter as a diary? Hey Facebookers, make sure to check out MakeUseOf page on Facebook. Over 24,000 fans already!
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| Winamp Releases Android Media Player 1.0 [News] Posted: 12 Mar 2011 07:31 AM PST
Most Android devices of version 2.2 and above can connect Winamp to the free online radio directory service SHOUTcast, which has thousands of radio stations in its directory. Users can browse these stations easily from the Winamp home screen. Winamp has completely redesigned the home screen and “Now Playing” screens. It now supports genre browsing, search and a left/right swipe gesture to change tracks, plus it has the ability to use Google’s voice command “Listen to” to activate Winamp. The “Now Playing” screen shows album art, title track and artist information and more. The user can press and hold the song information to interact with Pandora, YouTube or the Amazon MP3 store. A brand new feature is the ability to download free tracks using the Winamp for Android home screen. Users can stream tracks individually and if they like them they can download them instantly to their Android device for free. Player controls remain persistent while within the Winamp application, allowing easy access to the home screen as well as track navigation. Widgets are available for Winamp playlists or the Winamp player, giving easy access to your favourite tunes. If the Last.fm client is installed, Winamp will support scrobbling of tracks to last.fm. The new Winamp client now supports 12 languages and has fixed various bugs since the first release. For more excellent Android applications, check out the best sites to find Android apps. In the meantime, let us know what you think of Winamp’s new Android app or whether you prefer another Android app to listen to music. Source: Winamp Blog
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Winamp has just released their Winamp 1.0 client for Google Android devices, allowing users to 
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