twhirl is taking the industry by storm!
What’s twhirl?
twhirl is a desktop client for the Twitter microblogging service. Most of the features available on the Twitter website are accessible through twhirl, too. Plus, a lot of usability enhancements have been added.
twhirl is based on the new Adobe AIR platform that allows web development techniques to be used to create desktop applications. It is powered by the Flash-based Flex 3 framework, also from Adobe.
Download yourself a copy of twhirl now! If you’re interested in adding me, simply click here and add me to your twitter contacts.
About the author:
Christopher is the founder of iMod - Most of his time is spent building websites and pushing the limits with Search Engine Optimization. You can follow him on Twitter @ChristopherM
Christopher is the founder of iMod - Most of his time is spent building websites and pushing the limits with Search Engine Optimization. You can follow him on Twitter @ChristopherM
Mar 11th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Hey Chris
Maybe you can help me here: I’ve got a Twitter account (with no contacts) but I don’t get the logic of it all?
Have I missed something fundamental?
Mar 11th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I think the best way to understand is by starting to follow people and have people follow you. Being involved in it will answer your question. I will add you shortly and you can have a look. It’s an incredible system, you’ll see :)
Mar 11th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Haha, took me about 5 minutes to find the reply button!
Now I need to find more contacts using Twitter. Thanks for the introduction to it!
Mar 11th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Sure thing bud, make sure you get Snitter or twhirl, makes the whole interaction thing far better!
Mar 12th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Nice to see that rich media interfaces are finding main stream appeal. Twhirl is just the type of application to encourage main stream adoption. Silverlight by Microsoft will also have an impact – only time will tell how much. The big issue will always be search engine penetration of rich media applications!
Mar 12th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I agree, it’s been quite some time since anyone raved about something that wasn’t open source. twhirl is, in my opinion, just the start to rich interface applications. It’s actually taken quite some time for this to happen, everyone has been raving about web 2.0 shines and fades, yet no one has really looked into the GUI side of rich media applications!
Which regards to search engine penetration, they application has to be downloaded from somewhere, so they creators can go ahead and have a strongly optimized website for the penetration side of things..
Mar 12th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
twhirl is my third piece of twitter related software. The best so far. Not big into twitter, but do follow a few people. My work does not allow me to run twitter on a permanent basis. I do like it and think that it has a huge potential. The problem is that it may end up like facebook. Too fast to quick and than it goes the way of the Dodo. I think there is another service called Jaiku or something. I stick to my own website and blog. I am in full control.
Mar 12th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
twhirl is a great application and definitely one which is going to stand the test of time! I find myself not having time to continually update my tweets as well and the power is definitely in the updating..
Mar 12th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
can anyone compare this to the pownce app?
also adobe air, i’ve been using it for probably around 8 months already and it looks very similar (except for pownnce’s message | link | file | event sharing).
Mar 12th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Ah, yes, it’s quite a bit more relaxed than pownce, which is great for some, but not for others. I love the simplicity of twhirl..
Adobe Air is fantastic, I would love to develop something for it!
How you been heino?
Mar 12th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
cool, just terribly busy. kinda regretting taking on a few things but its cool :P
the problem i have with pownce is the people. so little of them i know! my friend list is at 25, so its kinda quiet.
anyways, loving the air interface, even though mine is getting no action…
Mar 12th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I know the feeling, exhausting ones resources is a risky business to be involved in, I hope you manage to get everything handled.
Yes, that’s always the big thing about social networking sites which are not about just meeting new people. I find Twitter great as there is a massive local following from the blogisphere, so I am naturally involved! :)
Hehe, what is it exactly that you have built?
Mar 14th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Nice.
The difference between Twitter, Jabber, IM and mail are almost gone…
How long before http://meebo.com will take up the possibility of unifying classic IM and Twitter ?
But there is still a difference:
Twitter is still public and the text size is limited.
Note that at Jaiku, you have the option to send your microblog text at only a few people or at the public at large.
Mar 14th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Ah, good old Meebo, I really did become addicted to Meebo for a while. It all started when the ports at my one company where blocked for MSN, etc. and Meebo allowed me to MSN, I was hooked for a long time, read their blog, etc, etc. Great service.
I love the text limiting that twitter has, people don’t expect immediate replies, it gives you time to just drop off enough information for decent communication.
Jaiku.. that’s correct, I’m not a huge fan of the service, but I can see how it’s useful.
I guess these systems are going to evolve over time, I’m hoping for one system which handles all ;)
Thanks for popping in jansegers!
Mar 14th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Any particular reason you’re not so found of Jaiku ?
I’m quite interested in microblogging as a phenomenon.
Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce, Tumblr, Fanfou, Snockles, Khaces, Meemi, Dukudu.de, Feecle.jp, Numpa.nl, Babl.nl
Hoping for one system which handles all ? have you already tried Hellotxt.com ?
http://www.hellotxt.com
Mar 15th, 2008 at 11:08 am
No real reason, at the moment I’m just trying to cut down on social networking, far too many places to update and check, minimizes working time.
Microblogging is a lovely break through in technology, it’s quick and easy and unintrusive, which is what a lot of people look for online these days.
I’ve not looked at Hellotxt, but will make sure that I do so, thanks for the link :)
Mar 15th, 2008 at 11:39 am
On the other hand, one can argue that microblogging is pervasive: it’s morphosing society by osmosis.
It’s creating feedback loops for information on a global scale in a fraction of a second.
In the past new scientific data took 50 years to get to the general public, now it can be shared knowledge on the moment it’s publicated by anyone interested in the field.
Thus we could say that this humble way of communication is revolutionizing society by creating a new sort of expertise: knowledge mining.
In this time is the essence, because it seems humanly impossible to englobe all the knowledge out here on the net.
Every service competes for our time, just like any living being we know demands and needs some of it.
The big quest is to define our mission in life. The niche market of competence we’re experts in.
Many times, mere coïncidence is at the bottom of our resolutions.
Once we have ‘written’ our script, we make the future of mankind.
Be it for the worst (Hitler ‘Mein Kampf’) or for the best (Buddha and his teachings).
Mar 15th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Talking about information being passed to the public in matters of seconds, I think Twitter will evolve nicely – What would be useful is if you could follow a twitter weather bot, which when queried, would return the weather. There are thousands of bots that could be created, people would still be completely in control of which bots they’re following, etc. This sort of thing may exist already, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it would be a wicked idea. I’m sure jabber could be used to handle this, would actually be rather easy. In terms of monetization, a bot which sends a persons weather report or star sign directly to them, could serve adverts in the form of urls, etc.
I just look forward to see where all of this is going, the Internet has evolved so quickly over the past year, especially in South Africa, and awareness is great than ever, a point of saturation has to be hit at some point I reckon.
It’s going to be an interesting journey!
Mar 15th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Indeed, going there where no-one has gone before…
I’ve the impression that we’re going to find ways to channel information that might interest us, directly to us.
Problem will still be to shift between info and background noice (publicity, but also redundancy).
Anyway, I’m finally glad to live in this time and age, because “here is more than Gutenberg”.
Mar 15th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Absolutely, I just make sure that I follow all the latest trends via some news feeds :)
I’m heading out for lunch, have a good Saturday bud!
Mar 15th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Have a nice meal and a good weekend, mate !
Mar 15th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Thanks mate, hope you’re having a good one too!
Mar 17th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Twittermania: the tools – http://www.online-tech-tips.com/software-reviews/twitter-mania-tools-for-twits/
Mar 18th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for the link, I’ll be sure to take a look when I have a moment today :)