Yiying Lu is the artist behind the Twitter Fail Whale
** UPDATED 2/21/11 ***
UberTwitter changed its name to UberSocial and is up and running! Download the new app.
Don’t be alarmed. But prepare to be disappointed:
Twitter has suspended the popular third-party mobile applications UberTwitter (Blackberry smartphones) and twidroyd (Android phones).
So far Twitter has said the apps were “suspended due to policy violations,” and that they suspend hundreds of applications on a daily basis for the same reasons. As for today’s explanation, Twitter said,”We are taking the unusual step of sharing this with you because today’s suspension may affect a larger number of users.”
The Huffington Post reports that roughly, twenty percent of all daily updates to Twitter are sent using apps from UberMedia , the company that owns both UberTwitter, Twidroyd and TweetDeck (another popular third-party Twitter app). While the suspension doesn’t seem to have a due date, waiting it out may be tough for those already experiencing twithdrawls.
Fear not, check out these other twitter apps for Blackberry and Android smartphones.
As we come to the end of 2010, I’d like to take a look at the fastest growing segment of social media this year, Location.
There are 3 you should know, but you only need 2
Location is dominated by three major companies, Foursquare, Gowalla and SCVNGR. You only really need Gowalla and SCVNGR. Gowalla now allows you to check-in on Foursquare. All that means is you no longer have to choose between the two, and Gowalla has always been more fun and had more functionality, although Foursquare’s recent update evened that playing field.
As for SCVNGR, I see it becoming the eventual winner of all three. It gives users more freedom to create ways to interact with different locations, and is just more fun to use.
It will NEVER be okay to check-in to your house
Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, add your home to any of these services. This would also include never checking into your apartment complex or building. It’s irresponsible, dangerous and just plain STUPID. Get your home off these services ASAP if you were ignorant enough to create the location. It should go without saying that you should never add your friend’s home either.
Seriously, don’t be an idiot.
Privacy shouldn’t be an issue
Of course, you don’t want everyone to know where you are at all times of the day. Using these services effectively does not require you check in EVERYWHERE. The whole point of these of the check-in is to share an experience at or with a particular location. If you’re not in the sharing mood, don’t check in! 🙂
Share on Facebook and Twitter . . . sparingly
All of the apps will allow you to share your activity via Facebook and Twitter. #1 thing to know is you should turn off ALL automatic updates. Everything you do one these services is of interest to your friends and followers. Generally speaking, you only want to share those instances where there is a point to you being at a particular location. This is a really gray area, and one that even I don’t really get right all of the time. However, you need to go into using these apps with the understanding that sometimes the activity is for these apps only. Common sense should be enough for you to figure this out on your own.
Those people annoy me too
You, I, someone we all know are one of those people from time to time. And that makes the thought of checking in everywhere you go another opportunity to be one of those people. I’ve been thinking about this lately as I have started using Gowalla and SCVNGR more and more. My tip for you here is to check in BEFORE you walk into somewhere. Before leaving your car, do all of your checking in.
One of the goals of these services is to provide insider information for different locations like bars and restaurants. What to order, what to drink, etc. If you take the time to peruse this information BEFORE you walk in, you look that much better when you walk in like you own the joint.
Always remember, Location, Location, Location
The purpose of these services is to share your experiences at a particular location. Use them when those stories happen. Have a great meal? Share a special memory? Share it with your friends! And as always, HAVE FUN!
So, if you’re like me, your vacations are oftentimes road trips. There’s no better way to relax. You’re with the ones you love; you’re on your own time schedule, and you have the freedom to go on every little detour your heart desires. Perfect, right?
But one second everyone in the car is all like: “Look, a chipmunk!”
“Aaaaww, the hills are so beautiful; I’m so glad we didn’t fly”
“O. . . M. . . G. . . ! That cropduster flew right over the top of the car! That was AWESOME!”
All in unison: “This is swell!”
But then a few hours later everyone is all like: “If you play that Bon Jovi song one more time . . . !!!”
“I have to pee!”
“I told you we should have exited back there!”
And of course, from the back seat: “ARE WE THERE YET?!”
It doesn’t take long for the young, happy family to get started on a dysfunctional road trip. But you don’t have pack muzzles and rope anymore to achieve the relaxing, scenic drive you were looking for. Why? . . . Because you have a Droid.
Here are the top 3 reasons I MUST have my Android phone to take any sort of road trip:
Reason #1: Keeping the Kids Quiet
While I don’t actually have any of my own, I often road trip in the company of young children. And this may come as a surprise to some of you, but children get crazy bored on road trips. CRAZY bored. And I don’t know about you, but I can only play the Alphabet Sign Game so many times before I start thinking of new and creative ways to make the Silent Game sound fun again, and that’s starts getting cruel pretty quickly.
Thankfully, my Droid help keeps my conscience clear and my sanity in check. It has some great, clean apps that can keep the kids busy for hours, and it sure beats letting them play Grand Theft Auto on their DS and hearing them talk about how cool it is when they run someone over. Here are some of my picks:
Homerun Battle 3D – mostly because it’s straight up addictive and will keep them busy for hours.
What the Doodle!? – This is pretty awesome. It’s a real time game that allows you to pretty much play Pictionary with other Android users anywhere. See for yourself.
Word Up! – It’s also addictive, and keeps them thinking.
Reason #2: I Get Lost A Lot
I have no sense of direction. At all. You know how you used to feel confused after spinning around for a long time with your arms out when you were a kid? . . . I feel like that all the time. But thanks to my Droid, I spend more time lost in my thoughts than I do on the road. I got my Droid a year and a half ago. At the time, the Maps app was unimpressive and unreliable, but it has come a looooong way. Now the Google Maps app has full navigation capabilities and several settings. It will even show me a picture of the exit I will have to take. Plus, I get a kick out of hearing the voice in the navigation try to pronounce signs that have abbreviations in them.
Reason #3: I Get Lost A Lot
Did I mention that I get lost a lot? Well Android introduced the Layar augmented reality app about a year ago. Since it’s introduction, developers have added a lot of bells and whistles, but I love it just for finding simple places, especially when I’m on foot. Let’s say I’ve road tripped to Philadelphia and now I’m leisurely touring the city on foot (Note: Your feet will hurt a lot after doing this. Trust me). I know that Rocky Statue is somewhere, but maps are Greek to me and I don’t know where to go. So I just do a search for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Layar pulls up a real time screen with a dot that shows you where the museum is in relation to me. All I have to do is keep walking in the direction of the dot, and I’m there. I use this a lot when I have to park far away from a venue, and by the time I find a spot, I have no idea how to get back to my destination. Layar has a million other cool features, and my description simply can’t do it justice, take a look for yourself.
For a lot of people, travel means letting go of their usual exercise routines. It’s easy to understand why—if you’re in a fascinating new place, why would you want to waste time inside a generic hotel gym? If you only head out of town a few times a year, skipping your exercise probably won’t set you back very far. For frequent travelers serious about keeping in shape, figuring out a way to squeeze exercise into your travel is critical to staying on track. For me, the best way to integrate sightseeing and exercise is simple: go running!
Foot travel is the best way to familarize yourself with a new place. Odds are, if you in a car or train, you’re going too fast to get a good look at anything. If you are on foot, you really get the chance to soak up the sights, sounds and smells (for better or worse…) of the city you’re visiting. Running also keeps packing simple, because you don’t need a lot of equipment. All you really need is a good pair of shoes, and some clothes you don’t mind getting sweaty in. If you’re really concerned about weight/space in your suitcase, Nike makes extremely lightweight and flexible running shoes that are based on the latest footwear technology.
In the past, the most difficult things about travel running were figuring out exactly how far I ran, and remembering my route. In Houston I know that I am covering 3 miles every time I circle Memorial Park. I don’t need a fancy gadget to tell me that. But until the advent of the smartphone , when I was running in an unfamiliar city, I was left to guess. The solution? Runkeeper.
Runkeeper is a free app (you can upgrade to pro for $9.99), available on both the iPhone and Android, that uses your phone’s GPS to track the duration, distance, speed, elevation, and calories burned on your run. It also maps your route, which is extremely helpful when you are trying to relocate something you passed during your run. You can even share the details with your friends, by posting your stats to Facebook and Twitter.
Have bad joints, and can’t run? Walk or bike instead. Runkeeper works equally well for walkers and cyclists, should you feel inclined to rent a bike while you’re out of town. Weather need not be a deterrent either. I’ve run through rainy streets in NY and snow covered sidewalks in Oregon. However, if you think you might encounter some inclement weather, invest in a weather-proof case for your phone. If you get caught in a sudden downpour, you’ll be very glad you did!
If you’re also watching your diet really closely and need some extra help while you’re on the road, there are calorie tracking apps as well. My favorite is a free app for the iPhone called Lose It!. It helps you calculate your caloric intake with an extensive built-in database of possible foods (you can also enter in calories manually), and adjusts for calories burned during exercise. It’s not an exact science, but it is a useful tool when you are outside your usual environment and want to keep your diet on target.
Some vacations certainly call for parking yourself in a lounge chair for days without lifting a finger, and trying every bit of local food you can get your hands on. If it’s not one of those trips, use the technology you’re probably carrying in your pocket/purse anyway to help you stay fit this summer!
