No More, thanks to KnowMore.org

When non-profit organizations and foundations made the realization that, despite their limited budget and resources, they could reach their target audience effectively (all thanks to the web), their objectives suddenly became much more attainable. Carrying out the tasks of a given development program might be costly, but at least spreading awareness of the issue, and reaching out to volunteers and doners, has become significantly easier.

KnowMore.org is a community-driven wiki that aims at aggregating corporations and entities to a publicly-accessible database to raise awareness about human-rights violations. It does so by researching and finding the companies and multi-nationals that are responsible for “attacks on democracy, worker’s and human rights, fair trade, business ethics and the environment.” It’s a brilliant initiative that brings valuable information in a centralized location for everyone to benefit from.

Not only is KnowMore.org impressive because of the initiative and online presence, but also  because of the way in which they’ve exploited the web (no pun intended). First of all, the look and feel of the website puts it way ahead of the rest (including many corporate websites). Secondly, the fact that it’s very easy to use (spin off from the widespread Wikipedia) inevitably encourages anyone with interest in the field to take part and add to the extensive database.

That’s not all. They’ve actually taken it to the next level by offering a Firefox add-on called KnowMore Extension. What this does is bring up a notification underneath the toolbar of Firefox whenever you are visiting a website of a company that has violated human rights one way or the other. And in order to avoid being what opposition would rush to claim generic, or over-generalizing, they actually indicate the exact rights that have been violated, as well as providing the link to learn more about the illegal activities of that particular company.

KnowMore.org notification bar

It’s like having the community do all of the work for you while you’re browsing.

There are many organizations and non profit entities out there that are striving to make this world a better place. KnowMore.org is like many of them in principle, but far more effective in practice. That is because they have managed to reduce their costs by making the entire platform online, engaged with visitors via the attractive interface and the easy, familiar wiki system, and reached out to many more via the effective Firefox plugin.

If you are part of an NGO or a social development initiative, then the standards set by KnowMore.org should be your immediate goal. That is partly why our beautiful web is power to the people.

Share this post:

Web Developing on Mac OS X with Panic’s Coda

Out of Adobe’s undisputed Fab Four on any web designer’s desktop (Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and Dreamweaver), the one specifically for HTML and CSS is probably the most threatened. Indeed, replacing any of the first three is almost an impossibility (see my post on GIMP’s attempt to overthrow Photoshop). Finding an alternative to Dreamweaver, however, has become more of a reality.

And why not? After all, when you’re cutting up the design, laying out the XHTML, and writing up the CSS on your framework of choice (see my reviews on the 960 GS, Blueprint CSS, or 1kb CSS Grid), you don’t need an application for rocket science. The main reason why many designers stick to Dreamweaver, as oppose to opting for any of the open-source alternatives, is because a) it tags along other essential Adobe products in a Creative Suite, and b) it boasts some neat features. However, it remains an over-priced product for a relatively simple task.

Panic Coda

In comes Coda: a web development application that brings everything you need in a single window (Mac OS X window, that is). Firstly, at $99, it’s not the priciest of applications, given that you develop websites professionally. More importantly however, it packs some top-notch features:

• Subversion integration that allows you to synchronize your files
• An emotionally touching FTP client built into the sidebar. Browse a remote server, click on the file you choose to edit, and save to instantly update the remote file. No need to use a separate FTP client, a text-editor, or endless hours
• Live collaboration. That’s right! Who would’ve thought that you’d be able to work on the same code with someone else at the same time (granted the other person bought his or her own copy of Coda)
• Live preview that is built into the application, but is actually using Safari. Unlike Dreamweaver, you are viewing the page in a full browser, but without actually changing windows
• Built-in terminal if you ever need (doesn’t get in the way if you don’t)

The most important aspect is that it’s sleek. The interface makes you feel very comfortable as you’re creating color-coded magic. Doing everything locally is a breeze, and then editing remotely on the fly saves a lot more time than running around your FTP client and temporary text editor. Its performance is also more impressive than its Adobe counterpart.

FTP on the left sidebar, colored code in main area

The biggest disadvantage must be in its price tag. Even if it is cheaper than Dreamweaver, thus making it the clear winner, it is still $100 more expensive than the second best open-source option. When the likes of Aptana Studio learn from Panic’s baby and step up their game, then no one will have to pay anything to live a proper web development experience. Until then, we’ll take the money out of our savings. My condolences to Adobe Dreamweaver, you were great, but now it’s time to move on.

Share this post:

Google Nexus One vs Apple iPhone 3Gs

An informative video by Gadget Video Reviews that compares Google’s new phone (manufactured by HTC) with the iPhone. Straight, to-the-point, and fills you in with what you’re really after.

Although you’ll never be able to fully judge until you get your hands on one of Google’s new boys, it is useful to have a broad idea. The one aspect that I am particularly concerned about is the touch screen of the Nexus One. If it cannot match the intuitive scrolling of its Californian counterpart, then Google might have a bit of work to do before it can grab a market share of any significance.

Share this post:

Issue Tracking and Team Collaboration with WebIssues

When working on any web projects, organization is key. Perhaps when you are working on your own, using a handful of tools to be sure that you are on top of things is not a priority – it could in fact become a waste of time. However, once you start collaborating (the key word) with others on projects, it is crucial that you establish a system of communication. Between the projects, tasks, milestones and tickets, you’re sure to be left MIA if email and chat programs are your paths to international communication.

A very popular web-based project management tool is Base Camp by 37 Signals. Although its price tag is not at the attractive end at the spectrum, when you are ready to work with a group and are bidding for bigger projects (with a goal of making more profit), Base Camp’s monthly charge is a small price to pay for a significant increase in efficiency and productivity. The long list of alternatives (both open-source and commercial) could be discussed at another point, the one aspect that I wanted to pay close attention to is tracking issues and bugs.

Without a doubt, one of the best and most popular bug tracking tools is Bugzilla. The free and open-source application can be installed on any server and provides a web interface to be accessed from any browser. However, aside from an interface that could confuse a designer or two, Bugzilla’s main problem is that it requires ‘root’ access on the server it is installed on, which virtually eliminates the vast majority of web hosting providers. If you are not willing to invest in a dedicated server (see my posts on the different types of hosting), or at least a Virtual Private one, nor setup your own server at the home or office, then you’re in a need of an alternative – ideally one that runs entirely using PHP and MySQL.

WebIssues client on Linux

Look no further, for the ever-progressing planet of the beautiful open-source brings you WebIssues; an open-source, self-hosted issue tracking and team collaboration tool by Michał Męciński. Just visit the website, download the zipped file to be unarchived and uploaded to your server (preferably under a sub-domain such as bugs.mywebsite.com). You’ll need to do edit the configuration file and type in the address and login of the database that you’ve created for the application to use. After that, download and install your WebIssues client (available for Linux, Mac OS and Windows) and start reporting bugs.

As oppose to a strictly web interface, WebIssues provides a powerful access via the desktop client. Think of it as replacing your webmail with a desktop email client; performance is much better, the options are much easier to access and far more advanced, and searching/filtering is a walk in the park.

Some of the main features, besides the aforementioned desktop client access, include:

• Easy searching, filtering and sorting of all issues
• Fully customizable issue types, which allows you to tailer the interface for your particular projects
• Different permission levels and security

WebIssues desktop client on Mac OS

Perhaps more importantly, WebIssues strength lies in it’s strong database structure, and its easy-to-use API which allows you to add to it as you see fit. With time, not only will the application itself improve, but developers contributing will introduce even more features and enhancements that we could all benefit from. After the inclusion of an extensive system for reports, as well as a basic web interface, it’s hard to see WebIssues being outdone by any competition.

A core part of a team’s collaboration on web projects consists of tracking all of the bugs that arise, otherwise finishing off projects will become an impossibility. The free, open-source WebIssues allows you to do precisely that, regardless of the OS you use, while hosting it on your own server.

NOTE: WebIssues was first spotted by Omar Mohamed (website under construction), a web developer from Helwan, Egypt.

Share this post:

LogMeIn: Remotely Control Your PCs

When working with different computers, it’s hard to guarantee you have everything you need with you at all times. You could follow this guide on centralizing all of your documents so that you can access them remotely at any time. However, in many cases, you are still left stranded attempting to get a hold of files on your home computer. The benefits of reaching your computer when far away are numerous, therefore, it is important to setup that channel, even if you don’t see the need for that at this point in time – you’ll be thankful in the future.

LogMeIn is the easiest solution

Accessing your computer remotely is not as complicated as many would think. There are programs, both free and commercial, that could that for you, each with their pros and cons. LogMeIn is a little different. It’s a website that allows you to create a free account and add computer associated with your account. They could be running Windows, Mac or Linux, which makes it an ideal solution for those juggling OSs across different computers.

LogMeIn tool on Mac

The process is straight forward: sign up for an account, add the computer you are using, download and install a plugin, and repeat the process with every computer that you will be adding to the list. On Mac, for example, the LogMeIn tool automatically runs on startup, meaning you only need to make sure that your Mac is turned on, so that it is reachable.

Computers' list

To access one of your computer, go to the website, login, and you will find a list of the computers associated with your account, with links to “remote control” those that are switched on. Clicking on that link opens a screen that streams the desktop you are controlling. The performance and accuracy will always depend on both, your current internet connection, and that of the computer you are controlling. Many ADSL subscribers will regret the low uploading capacity in their connections, but there’s always the option to reduce the number of colors transported, significantly enhancing performance.

The best part of it all is that it’s free. If you are to regularly rely on LogMeIn, you might find that the free version is a bit limiting, for that the makers offer you a wealth of options. The most common of which is LogMeIn Pro, that allows you stream music from the remote computer, drag and drop files between the two, and more. For now, the free version will do just fine.

There's always LogMeIn Pro

Even if you don’t deem it necessary to make your computers reachable and connected at all times, you never know what’s coming. You might find yourself across the Atlantic craving for files on your home computer, in which case, all you need is LogMeIn, and of course, the beautiful internet.

Share this post:

Centralize Your Files on a Remote Server

As a freelancer of any sort, you’re always on the move. In most cases, you travel distances as part of your work, and have to maintain a certain level of productivity at all times. Web designers and graphic designers alike can only last so long with a laptop, mainly due to the the small screen sizes, but also because of the limited capabilities of laptops in comparison to assembled desktops. This normally results in an investment in a powerful yet affordable desktop at the central location (be it the office, home, or anywhere else), accompanied by a notebook that allows for work continuation on the road.

That particular scenario raises a number of inconveniences. First and foremost, when you initiate a given project on one computer, you have to physically transfer everything via a USB flash memory or an external hard drive of some sort. When you’re back to your original PC, you’re left pondering which files have changed and thus require being transfered back, and which haven’t, and therefore would be a waste of time moving them back to overwrite the originals. Secondly, when your work is scattered between a couple of different computers, unless you can physically access either one of them, you are left stranded with your documents out of reach. Finally, when multi-tasking with a handful of projects, you’ll inevitably become completely disorganized, significantly reducing your efficiency and productivity.

Centralization of documents

Anyone in the vast IT industry probably has his or her website on a shared server. If you don’t, then you should. Besides the fact that you can get your own web space for as low as $6 a month, it has become crucial that you have a presence on the web, regardless of your field. Remember that the web means power to the people, and investing a small monthly fee is a small price to pay for the amount of freedom that you are granted in return. After you’ve established your own website, it is now time to take advantage of your space on the World Wide Web.

Store your files remotely

If all of the important documents that were placed on your main computer were accessible from anywhere and at anytime, then life would’ve been much easier. Unfortunately, unless you’re willing to buy a dedicated IP from your ISP and leave your computer connected 24/7 with constant electricity, Internet and cooling, then that’s not an option. This is where the remote server comes in.

By placing all of your documents with your hosting provider, you can access your files from anywhere with an Internet connection. Going away for the weekend? No problem, upload all of your work on your remote server, and when you reach your destination, get a hold of any computer with an internet connection to download the necessary files and start working. This means that you might not even need a laptop if you are sure of a qualified computer for your tasks at the location you’re heading to.

Synchronization and not manual transfer

If you use an FTP client (such as FileZilla) to upload all of your documents, and then download them from another computer using FTP, or HTTP (by visiting the exact location from the browser and downloading). That saves you the hassle of carrying around memory sticks or external hard disks where your data is stored, but you are left with the same issue of figuring out which files are supposed to stay, and which should be replaced. This is precisely where automatic synchronization comes in.

Using a synchronizing software, you can simply create profiles that mirror local directories with equivalents on a remote server. This means that if you have a folder on your hard disk named “contracts”, for example, you can create a profile so that under your website (or ideally, on a subdomain such as storage.yourwebsite.com) the same folder is created. Whenever you have completed a working session, you run the application and scan for differences. The program automatically selects the changed files on either end and lists them for you. By starting the process, you will have essentially left the program to download and upload only the changed files via FTP. Fast, efficient, and lets you get on with your daily tasks, as oppose to worrying about irritating ones.

Install the synchronizing software on every computer that you use, and when you are using one that is not yours, you can simply access the URL where the files are stored and download the necessary ones. You can use a web application to give you HTTP access to your files, such as the PHP Directory Listing Script, and therefore finding and downloading your files becomes a breeze.

Choosing the appropriate synchronizing client

Unfortunately, this is a field that is lacking options. Like everything else web-related, it is probably a temporary issue, but after extensive research, I’ve only found two powerful synchronizers. Both are commercial, albeit reasonably priced. The following are the features that were the base of my search:

• Two-way synchronization: Allowing you to upload and download, as oppose to using the remote server simply as a backup
• FTP support: This one knocked off quite a few of the candidates. It is essential to be able to synchronize with a remote server via FTP, as oppose to a physical hard disk connected to computer being used
• Interface: while an attractive appearance is not necessary, an organized display of the local vs remote files side-by-side is absolutely vital. Without an easy way of comparison, you’re wasting your time

After experimenting with a few, the following are the creme de la creme

GoodSync Pro

Screen capture taken from GoodSync.com

Never mind their 90s-style website, this is by far the best synchronization tool the world has experienced. Light-weight and extremely easy to use, this application runs smoothly and leaves no room for confusion or frustration.

At the start and end of any working session, run GoodSync and you’re guaranteed to have the most updated files in a very limited time. You can view the long list of key features on their website, but here are the ones that stand out:

• Allows for synchronization or simple backup
• Not a memory hogger, fast and does not interrupt your multi-tasking needs
• Automatically detects and fixes time shifts. By far one of the most important features
• Visual comparison avoids mistakes regrading overwriting files with others
• Timer and scheduler let’s the application do it’s job while you’re not even on your computer

At $30, you’re certainly getting a bang for your buck. The downfall that has sadly pushed me away from it is that it is only available for Windows. If one of the computers you will be synchronizing with is a Mac, then this software is no good for you. After using a genuine version for over a year, I had to move on to a competitor that offered Mac support. The disappointment was so deep, that I wrote them politely asking them to develop a Mac version, but without success.

Super Flexible Synchronizer

Gets the job done

They might have a much more professional website than that of GoodSync, but that’s probably where the loud praise would end. Super Flexible Synchronizer can be installed on a Mac, PC or Linux, making it the obvious choice for those juggling different OSs.

This application includes the basics required by anyone synchronizing with a remote server, but besides its support for the various operating systems, there isn’t too much to brag about:

• Not a very inviting interface, but gets the job done nonetheless
• Slow performance, especially when scanning large remote directories
• An incompetent time-stamping technique, potentially forcing you to upload and download the same files repeatedly (view work around below)

Although not as impressive as its $40 price tag suggests, it remains the best option for cross-browser remote server centralization and synchronization. Before you can fully rely on Super Flexible Synchronizer, you should remove the time stamp, as it is redundant and leads to the repetitive transfer of the same files:

Save yourself the hassle and remove the time stamp

1. After creating a profile, click “Edit Profile”
2. Under “Advanced Setting” to the bottom left, select “Comparison”
3. Under “When size is identical”, check “Ignore Timestamp Altogether”

What this does is tell the program that if the file sizes are identical, even if the time stamped on the given files are different (and they always are because SFS stamps when uploading OR downloading), then assume they are the same. When there is a difference in file size, it goes on to the modified date of the actual file, which means that the newer replaces the older. Otherwise, you’ll probably end up uploading and downloading the directories back and forth. This permanently solves the problem.

Conclusion

To summarize, the following is what you need to do in order to centralize all of your documents on a remote server, and synchronize with the different computers that you are using:

1. Sign up for a domain and hosting with any of the hosting providers (for example, Blue Host) if you haven’t done so already
2. Create a subdomain exclusively for storage (like backup.yourwebsite.com, or storage.yourwebsite.com)
3. Install the PHP Directory Listing Script on your web server (instructions on the website)
4. Download a copy of either GoodSync Pro, or Super Flexible Synchronizer (depending on whether or not you’re syncing with a Mac)
5. Setup profiles that mirror local directories with the same but on your remote server, via FTP, using the software you chose in step 4
6. Start syncing right before and right after extensive work sessions

This solution is ideal for web designers, developers, graphic designers, or anyone always on the move while working on different computers. You could also use it to store photos, music and videos. The only problem might be the limitations of your internet connection, making it almost impossible to upload large files, as well as your shared hosting provider’s connectivity, slowing down communication with the server. As the services and features provided to us by the beautiful Web increase, organization is a must.

Share this post:

Ping! Messaging Service for iPhones

The iPhone and iPod Touch application store just got bigger and better. Ping! is a new service emulating the BBM feature of Blackberrys. The idea is simple: instead of using SMSs which are costly across borders, and instead of using an IM (like Skype, MSN, etc.) which are standalone applications, require you to log in and out, and eat away the already deficient battery, Ping! gives you free instantaneous iPhone to iPhone messaging.

If you download the application, you choose a username, and that will be your identification. When you would like to send a message to anyone with Ping! installed anywhere in the globe, you will be using an interface that is just like that of the SMS, but instead of typing in the phone number, you’ll punch in the name. The message gets sent immediately, and the recipient receives an instant notification that he or she has a message waiting for him to read (just like an SMS).

As if an SMS

What happens is that you are not charged by your carrier, because the message is sent using the network’s 3G (or whichever internet connection your are on). Since the message is simple text, the bytes sent are minimal, and thus the cost is close to nothing. After that, instead of having an IM open, you have this application running, but it does not consume any resources. It’s sole function is to provide you with a “push” notification as soon as a message is received. Therefore, you’re not charged for an SMS, using minimal iPhone (or iPod Touch with wifi) resources, and you exchange messages that are identical to SMSs, but are absolutely free!

Ping! conversation

It was quite the genius idea behind the Blackberry, and it was anything but a bad one to bring the same technology to the iPhone. The application is currently free (for a limited time), and is not expected to be too pricey when it goes commercial. Wouldn’t be nice to have the same technology, but applied to VOIP, allowing users to make free calls at anytime, anywhere in the world? Perhaps only a matter of time.

UPDATE: Credit to my good friend Reem Abulleil for bringing the subject to my attention, and recommending me to write up a post about it. You can visit her Tennis Blog, TV Blog, or follow her on Twitter: @ReemAbulleil.

Share this post:

Twitter Apps for Mobile Devices

It could take a considerable amount of time to get properly acquainted with Twitter, but it takes no time to fall in love with it. Regardless of what this Web 2.0 revolution was originally made for, it’s current uses surpass those of the most optimistic of the Twitter founders. A huge factor behind its success in reaching and recruiting millions is its flexible API, permitting anyone to develop software on different platforms that communicate with the service and display it differently, allowing users to interact on a much more profound level.

In a previous article, I briefly discussed the four main methods of communicating with Twitter. The one category that is arguably the most important, since it gives Twitter its unique edge, is that of mobile applications. Tweeting and following other people’s tweets regardless of location is an amazing experience, taking the communication between the diverse crowds to a different level. From this pickle spins off the debate: Which is the best Twitter application for your mobile?

Before answering the question, it is necessary to note that there are various platforms on which mobile applications are built, and unlike libraries such as AIR for the desktop, they don’t tend to be available and consistent across all mobile OSs. There are those who own an iPhone, and have had no problem using the “web device” to access Twitter via the 3.5″ screen and the numerous iPhone applications. On the other hand, there is a minority who are so oblivious to the constant failure of the the Windows operating system on desktops, that they chose to take on the hellish torture with them on the road. Aside from the growing Android-based community, many of the main stream cell phone owners are running a recent version of Symbian or Symbian OS (learn more at the symbian.org FAQ page).

Until recently, Twibble was without a doubt one of the best free Twitter mobile applications. Judging by the number of downloads and the fine print associated with many of the tweets, few were unaware of it, and many fully relied on it. That is, of course, until the German makers decided to force users to pay in order to “activate” their accounts and enjoy full features. If you chose not to, besides the annoying announcements getting in your way, you’d be stripped of some of the striking features that had previously attracted an enormous user base.

Let the research for replacements begin.

The following are the common characteristics that the average twitterer would seek:

• Access to many tweets within the same page, and fitting at least two or three within the screen size
• The ability to easily tweet, retweet and reply. As well as the ability to view direct messages and mentions
• Searching hash tags, in order to follow topics on the road (usually precisely related to being on the road, for example: #cairotraffic)
• View people’s profiles, revealing the numbers of following and followers

Some advanced users might be greedy and demand features such as the ability to follow and unfollow others directly, creating groups to show tweets from certain people only, and viewing a complete list of people you are following, as well as those who follow you. It is of my humble opinion that this might be too much to ask from an application running on the basic processors of cell phones, and displaying on the tiny screens attached. For that reason, the goal is to focus on the applications that cover the main points mentioned above, taking anything extra as a plus.

From a long list of Twitter applications available across all mobile and hand-held devices, the following are the creme de la creme.

Snaptu

Snaptu logo

Snaptu is a free mobile application that acts as a platform for many apps and services to be built upon. It could be seen as a mini operating system, or a collection of programs that are accessed from its dashboard after opening it. Funny enough, Twitter is but another one of a handful of applications available, but it might just be the most important one. In fact, using Snaptu exclusively for Twitter is indeed worthwhile.

A bit boring, but informative nonetheless.

Twitter on Snaptu offers all of the basic features, in addition to the following:

• Search: People as well as hash tags. It also saves your search, so you don’t have to write in the hash tag every time
• Group people: Only thought to be available through desktop applications, but the guys at Snaptu bring this impressive functionality to your mobile phone
• Attach images: After taking a photo with the camera on your phone, you can locate it on your memory and attach it to a tweet
• Follow and unfollow: You can select to start following people, and you can view a full list of those following you, or anyone else for that matter

Most importantly, the interface of Snaptu’s Twitter is both very attractive/sleek, and efficient at the same time. The size of the image thumbnails associated with each person is adjusted to not take too much space, while still being visible. It also loads the off-screen tweets on demand, significantly improving performance and reducing the load on the network you’re on (which isn’t always as cheap as we would like it to be).

The major turn off for anyone looking to migrate to Snaptu is its lack of support for Arabic (as well as other scripts). Unfortunately, it is impossible to read the tweets that are written in Arabic, making it a no-no for many-a-twitterers.

Tweets60

Tweets60

Tweets60 is another free Twitter client for any phone running the S60 operating system (a full list of phones that run S60 found here). It is the ideal solution for those who don’t break too much sweat on the extra features, and in fact prefer a simplistic approach. Tweets60 is an example of a mobile application that carries out all of the basic tasks, while maintaining a clean interface making it easy to manage.

This is how it looks on the Nokia E71:

Tweets60 on Nokia E71

The biggest advantage over a strong candidate such as Twitter on Snaptu is its native support for Arabic. It’s small, light-weight, and displays the Arabic tweets. While there’s a crowd that view that combination as ideal, many could be pushed away by the lack of features and functionality, as well as the dull interface.

Twibble

Twibble goes commercial

At 4,90 Euros, the former number one has exchanged it’s title for a familiar “if you can’t beat’em, join’em”. In all fairness, it is not too much to ask for, but it still results in an inevitable feeling of betrayal when your favorite Twitter application on your cell phone goes commercial over night and forces you to pay to essentially continue using it. It only take a day’s following of the #twibble hash tag to view the furious comments by users from all corners of the globe.

While very powerful, Twibble does not offer all of the functionality found in Snaptu, but it does offer features on top of the basic needs of a twitterer. Indeed it becomes easy to follow hash tags, handle tweets, browse attached URLs and read/write messages.

Above all, Twibble supports Arabic, making it the ideal solution that has taken the best of both worlds, as it offers a large portion of the goodies produced by Snaptu, while being light-weight and properly rendering Arabic tweets.

But it’s not free.

Regardless of the fact that it is priced at a humble 5 Euros (even when ignoring the fact that many people in the Arab world do not have paypal accounts to pay the Germans and use their application), having to pay for something that bring its beauty from Twitter’s free API leaves anyone with a feeling of guilt for investing. Using Twitter, regardless of the platform, application, or motivation behind it, should always be free.

Conclusion

Unless many of the tweets are written in Arabic, you can fully rely on Snaptu and keep Tweets60 on the side for those tweets that you want to be able to read. Otherwise, you might just need to shell out a fiver from Europe and be a legitimate owner of a commercial twitter application on your mobile phone. I personally use Snaptu regularly, and only open Tweets60 whenever there are a series of consecutive tweets that were written in Arabic that I happened to be interested in (and cannot wait until I’m at a desktop). As for Twibble, I’m not even considering paying for a service, regardless of how powerful it is. Soon, there will be open-source mobile apps for Twitter, and Android seems like a strong candidate to set the stage, and let the people act out the play.

Share this post:

Using Seesmic for Twitter

The Twitter globe won’t stop expanding anytime soon. It only takes a quick observation of the fine print underneath each of the tweets to reach the conclusion that the applications for accessing and managing Twitter accounts are growing by the minute. The question is, which Twitter client is the one you should be using? Like anything else, it’s a matter of what features you require, and which application you’re most comfortable with.

Generally speaking, the Twitter clients are divided into four main categories:

1. Desktop applications: Software that is installed on your local machine, allowing you to access and organize your tweets easily. Usually very customizable. Example include TweetDeck (which I have previously reviewed), Nambu, and Seesmic (which I take a closer look at below)
2. Web applications: Those are websites that store all of your needs online, meaning you can access from any computer with an internet connection, and be able to manage your accounts entirely online. Check out my post on HootSuite
3. Mobile applications: At first overlooked, but now very few could argue that the powerful community lifting Twitter is doing so thanks to the numerous applications offering them full access from their cell phones and hand-held devices. There’s Tweets60, Tweetie and Twibble, to name a few
4. Extensions and Plugins: There are dozens of very powerful Firefox extensions, as well as libraries or WordPress plugins all aiming at integrating Twitter’s services with other websites and applications. They don’t usually offer the full features that you would find via their desktop counterparts, but get the job done nonetheless

One of the Twitter clients that has stood out and reached millions of Twitterers worldwide is Seesmic. Just like TweetDeck, Seesmic is a free AIR application that can run on any of the operating systems. In fact, it is very comparable to TweetDeck as they both offer many of the same features, it’s the little things that separate them.

Note: The video talks about version 0.4. The latest release, at the time of writing, is 0.6, but the points raised in the video still apply.

Seesmic can be used to manage multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts, but it is safe to assume that the huge majority of users are operating the French invention exclusively for a single Twitter account. Within the same window, you can create your columns based on the groups of people, as well as hash tags, that you would like to follow. Handling tweets is a breeze, and a URL shortner, tweet shrinker and image uploader are all natively integrated. It is an exceptional Twitter experience on a large display.

Seesmic Desktop Interface

When comparing to TweetDeck, the following are the differences and thus, the advantages. But then again, it is a matter of personal preference:

• Resizeable Columns: In TweetDeck you have the option of wide or narrow columns. In Seesmic, however, they are dynamically-sized to take advantage of the full screen, and each column can be dragged to the preferred width
• Notifications’ Options: You can control how long the notification lasts, and whether or not it is accompanied with sound. Personally, a one-second notification is more than enough, and the fine line between a short message to let you know of something, and an obnoxious whiner that drags forever is only two seconds wide
• Fixed Single/Multiple Columns: You can have the window be the exact width of the “Home” column showing all of the tweets. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the home fixed, and have the remaining scroll horizontally behind it

Unfortunately, there are a couple of points that might push people away from the Twitter client. The first is the difficulty in which users can add Twitterers to favorite groups. When you create a group, you have to go to one of the desired person’s tweets, click on the options icon, and add him or her to the list.

The second issue, which is also found in TweetDeck, or any AIR application for that matter, is the lack of support for Arabic and non-traditional languages. This is obviously a huge drawback, and it seems that, on a Mac, a web application is the only way around the lack of Arabic support. Perhaps Adobe will upgrade their runtime to allow for Arabic and Asian scripts, but in the meantime, if the majority of the people you’re following tweet in Arabic, you are better off going “web” and using an online application, such as HootSuite.

Otherwise, a neat AIR application that it light-weight, easy to use, and gets the job done. And comfortably so.

Share this post:

HotGloo: Online Wireframe Application

When starting on a relatively large web design project, it is vital that you are organized and efficient from day one. I had previously spoken about the 960 GS which is an ideal solution for building your website on a reliable framework, particularly because they provide you with templates for design applications (such as Photoshop and Fireworks). The earlier you start planning/organizing/building on frameworks, the better. That’s why for large, extensive websites, a wireframe is crucial.

HotGloo Logo

HotGloo is a free online application that allows you to create multiple wireframes before designing any websites. It is entirely online and allows you to pick up where you’ve left off regardless of computer/location. Wireframes take pre-designing sketching to the next level, and are incredibly useful for various reasons:

• Layout/Structure: It is impossible to design (properly) if certain aspects of the content are not accounted for. With wireframes, you can visualize the most logical way of laying out the content of a given website
• Client communication: You can talk all you want, but most clients won’t be on the same page. Wireframes clearly illustrate the basics of the website, consequently prompting any client rejections at an earlier stage, which avoids delays and saves on pain killers
• Save design time: in many cases, HTML elements play a significant role in the look and feel of a website design, sometimes even more so than graphical elements. When you layout your wireframe to see where everything goes, you’ll design more efficiently as you’ll be familiar from the start

The trick is to be able to “sketch” your wireframe to its full potential via an application on the computer screen, and that’s what the Germans at HotGloo have attempted. Although still in beta (and is yet to incorporate basic funtionality such as a direct login function), HotGloo is very promising, as it already saves overwhelming amounts of time and energy – while looking very professional.

HotGloo work area

The interface is very intuitive, so unless you’re on a smaller-then-average display, accessing the tools and laying out the different elements is a straight-forward process. They’ve also taken into consideration all of the different HTML components that you would need for any website, and if you can’t find it, you can always create your own (although you’d be fooling yourself if you thought it was something you’re willing to do on a regular basis).

A project can be a collection of pages, which means you can create the wireframe for an entire website. The pages are listed on the right sidebar so you can browse one after the other to view the flow of the site map. You can also get other users to collaborate with you on the project, which in turns makes HotGloo an ideal platform of communication between designers and developers, and avoids misunderstandings.

One of the strongest features is the simplicity of the alignment of the different objects on the stage. It is almost like a stripped-down version of the Smart Guides feature in Photoshop, giving what you need, without the extra lines. Moreover, you can use the buttons across the top to align several elements with a single click.

HotGloo properties window

Any object, when clicked on, will prompt the properties window, which gives you full control over the appearance of the given item. In doing that, HotGloo has removed unused functionality from the sidebar that would’ve cluttered the work area and damaged the usability aspect. With the attributes made available, the end result could be considered a basic design draft, not just a wireframe.

Save your projects as part of your online account, and when you’re done with any page, export it to a .png ready to be reviewed by the client, or simply kept for your records.

If working on a small, simple project, investing time on a wireframe could be a waste of time. However, any medium to large website requires planning and organization from the very beginning, and that is exactly what HotGloo offers you. When the website is out of beta, and the comments in the built-in feedback system are applied, HotGloo will become an essential tool for any designer who wants to “do this right”.

Share this post: