Idea #82 - FriendFeed the new Twitter? WTF.
March 26, 2008 | 10 Comments
OK, so I finally signed up for FriendFeed — and yes, it’s cool. I just feel like it’s been around. I mean, it has via different services already (MyBlogLog had this awhile back, but just never launched it; Plaxo has Pulse; SocialThing!; etc).
My question is — why haven’t any of you coders built this thing for Twitter? I should go to your website, input my usernames for these different services [flickr; youtube; etc] and then your service pulls/pings the RSS feeds for each, stores that info (even if temporarily), and then shoots it over to my Twitter account (because I give you my Twitter login/password).
The premise of Twitter is - “What are you doing now?”. If I just uploaded a photo to Flickr, then I’m doing that. If I add an item to my Amazon.com wishlist, then I’m doing that. When I favorite a song in Hype Machine, I’m listening to that song [and Hype Machine currently does send that to my Twitter account]. Etc…
Come on - someone knock this thing out in a night. I’ll play with it. The FriendFeed service doesn’t even need to exist; I feel it’s a redundancy on what Twitter should be.
Programmer Sought: In-Text Links Script like Kontera
March 19, 2008 | 2 Comments
I’m looking for an AJAX/PHP/MySQL programmer that can write a script similar to that of the following sites: Kontera, Miva InLine, OptSpots, or Yahoo Shortcuts.
The script would be javascript that would go on the webpage itself; then as the page loads, it calls the server, passes the content of the webpage to the server, the server parses it against a database of keyword phrases, then if any of those keyword phrases exist in the server they would have a corresponding URL, and then the client-side javascript would turn the keyword phrase in the content into a link [that links to the corresponding URL in the server/db that was passed]. Thus dynamic javascript links are created — not hard-coded into the HTML.
This is a contract position. Email me here. Potentially would pay a finders fee if you find me a programmer that is excellent and could do this (or has done this type of script before).
Why the iPhone SUCKS. Anyone have Cell Phone recommendations?
March 15, 2008 | 8 Comments
So I bought one of those trendy iPhone’s — and I signed up for a huge plan with AT&T, and I also signed up for their data plan [so I can connect my laptop when I’m anywhere — visiting my Dad, at a conference, at the airport, etc].
I’m now finding out first-hand about the limitations of the iPhone. First off, there’s no MMS support?! I just found this out — I mean, is this for serious!? When a friend sends a photo or video, I get this cheesy text message saying to visit ... and then it includes the craziest username and password. WHAT?! Oh, it gets better - I CAN’T EVEN CLICK THE LINK. Wait, better yet — I CAN’T EVEN CONNECT TO THE WEBSITE FROM MY IPHONE!!! Honestly, this is the worst user-experience I may have ever seen in my life.
Wow, seriously? Next — It doesn’t record video? Um… WHAT? I’ve had an LG phone for like 3 years that does video.
Next — The earpiece sucks — I can’t hear shit. And apparently, when I speak to people, they hear EVERYTHING that’s within 20 feet of me.
Next — The Internet speed/connection. I don’t know — but it seems to suck. I read comments that the ‘Edge’ network is crap. I’m curious whether Verizon or Sprint’s is better?
I also hear I should prepare for this battery to go to crap.
So does anyone have a recommendation for a phone? Fred Wilson loves his Curve, but then Jay Parkhill tells me he doesn’t like it.
Here’s what I want to do:
- Easily send/receive photos and videos from my phone to any one on any carrier via MMS.
- Take video.
- Take photos.
- Easily get the photos/videos off my phone [via USB or zip file in my online account].
- Easily transfer/restore my contacts.
- Access the web — and thus, webpages.
- Easily record audio — a voice recorder on the phone.
- Easy to hear people when I speak to them. The person I’m speaking too can easily hear me.
I’m also in the market for a data plan so I can hook my laptop up to the Internet. Sprint, Verizon, or should I stick with AT&T?
As for the cell phone, should I be getting a Blackberry?
Thanks for any suggestions/tips — even if it’s too warn me about lack of features on a certain phone.
IDEA #81 - iPhone Photo Plus [iPhone SDK application]
March 13, 2008 | 1 Comment
The iPhone’s camera is pretty “blah”. I’d love to see an app on the iPhone that allows me to do a bit of a “zoom” [even if it is fake and just manipulating what I see], simple “cropping” (using the touch screen to zoom) in the photo gallery (because I may want to send an image direct from my phone w/o going to edit it on my computer), and simple ability to send a photo to my Flickr or Facebook accounts — as well as be posted/shared via Twitter. And ability to send/share via text (MMS) or email, to my friends.
Also, why can’t my iPhone’s camera record video? Seems like it could record video — and stream it live like Qik.
Couldn’t it also connect to my Flickr or Facebook photo accounts, so I could browse mini thumbnails and then click on one to view the full size photo — and possibly send that to a friend direct from my iPhone?
Twitter Syntax for Twitter Bots
March 10, 2008 | 1 Comment
Fred Wilson just featured a twitter bot for stock quotes. I was also just chatting with Andrew Parker (Fred’s associate) at USV about Twitter syntax. I think we came up with a pretty good idea for it — although needs to be panned out likely. I’ve mentioned my thoughts on this topic in July 2007 as well.
I still hate the direct messaging syntax (i.e. “d mytrade AAPL GOOG AMZN”). I wish it’d be like “@mytrade AAPL GOOG AMZN” — and allow the twitter username account holder (i.e. “mytrade” in this case) to specify if their account is a ‘bot’, then that syntax would be a direct message (”command”) to that bot. If the user screws up and does like “@mytrade1 AAPL GOOG AMZN” which isn’t designated as a bot, then it gives an error to the user and doesn’t post to their twitter account.
CNET is best acquirer of Digg
March 10, 2008 | 2 Comments
Digg would fit into CNET; especially with CNET seemingly trimming the fat and trying to get back to a core business model — which I believe is back to becoming something in the Tech world.
But the only way Digg users wouldn’t revolt this, is if Kevin Rose had some hard stipulations — here are a couple:
- CNET, before we sell, show us how we’d integrate into your family of Sites. Where will we appear and How? I want design mockups. We’ll help with this initial vision.
- When are you going to integrate us in the manner that we have agreed on? If not within 3 (?) months, then we have an out-clause from the deal — but not you.
And actually, I’d ask the Digg community what thoughts they have in terms of Digg being acquired. Who do they think could acquire Digg and they’d be happy.
Although, maybe CNET isn’t a good fit if they are trying to get out of Tech and more to the mainstream. Of course if that is the case, then the die-hards will likely jump ship to a Digg competitor that goes back to the tech roots.
Your thoughts?
Gmail Spam Out of Control - 1kb zip attachments escape Spam filters
March 9, 2008 | 3 Comments
I think those spammers have found a bug to get spam through Gmail’s filters — attach a 1kb zip file and boom, they get through. And I can’t stand it. I think I might have to go back to SpamArrest soon.
The reason I think it’s pointless to start a new email address is that I think people’s email accounts get hacked into, then spammers scrape the emails to find out who those people sent to, then rebuild their lists continuously. It’s a losing battle.
Quote: Why Be An Entrepreneur?
March 6, 2008 | 2 Comments
love this quote…
If you don’t take advantage of yourself, someone else will.
-Jakob Lodwick
