Alert Thingy 1.3 Released: Single User Interface For Twitter And FriendFeed
Michael Arrington
44 comments »
Note: Unless you are a Twitter and/or FriendFeed addict, this post isn’t for you.
Twitter/FriendFeed desktop client Alert Thingy just released version 1.3 of the software.
It is now a fully functioning client for both services (reading and writing). They’ve also added an easy Flickr uploader - just drag a photo into the application and upload it to Flickr.
The thing I like most about the new version of Alert Thingy though is that you access Twitter and FriendFeed in a single window and a single interface (Twhirl, a competitor, requires two windows). That means less desktop space is used. They are also de-duping Twitter messages (since they also appear in FriendFeed), a nice touch.
Switching between Alert Thingy, Twhirl and even the newer browser sidebar with similar functionality is trivially easy - there are no real switching costs. That means all of these products will be in a constant battle over features. That’s great for us users. And since Alert Thingy and Twhirl are more side projects for their parent companies (Alert Thingy is built by Howard/Baines, Twhirl is owned by Seesmic (a company I invested in), there’s little danger of one app driving the other out of business.
Im now planning to switch back to Alert Thingy based on the new features. The current version of Twhirl is freezing periodically as well, requiring regular restarts.
Twhirl has been freezing for me as well lately. Primarily, I’ll close my Macbook and open it back up but the application does not update; however, I will receive notifications. Somewhat odd, but I hope they fix it.
This is superb, really superb development.
Twhirl is good for me.
But it was acting crazy yesterday. Don’t know it was twitter’s problem or twhirl.
Arrington, is it time for a separate Twitter blog yet?
This is it. Say goodnight Twitterific.
LOL, what is this, 5 posts on twitter today? Well, at least I use twitter, so I find it a lot more interesting than boring Facebook news
I’ve written a program for synchronizing your contacts between Friend Feed and Twitter so you can follow people on both:
http://internetducttape.com/20.....riendfeed/
Does alerthingy also do multiple twitter accounts? That is my main reason to use twhirl.
this is a great tool for saving time and effort!
Doesn’t look like you can hide entries from the screen shot. Can you hide entries with Alertthingy?
I’ll definitely have to try that out. Sounds like it will save me a lot of time.
I’ll stick to Whirl, at least until Alert Thingy adds user icons with each tweet (an essential visual for quickly scanning alerts).
Video comments are the bomb… don’t believe, watch my video comment.
I definitely need to get all my friends on friendfeed. I have been using Digsby and Twhirl for a few months now and like the utilities they provide.
There is always one or two differentiators between apps these days and each one provides a utility to me. As soon as I find one app that I think is going to kill the other apps; I notice that although this new app has functions the others don’t and the others still have a feature that this one doesn’t.
I will be spending some time getting to know Alert Thingy today.
@13 can I go one day without somehow being rickrolled?
I say this as I just rickrolled my gf’s office using http://www.prankdialer.com
@13 well done
Hmmm… I cannot get Alert Thingy working - it won’t accept my friendfeed password / username….. Any ideas??
Think it’s about time to launch TwitterCrunch?
Readers and feeders and aggregators and lifestreams and mashups and mini-feeds. This is a crowded market and it’s only going to get worse and worse.
How do you keep track of the all the aggregators and feeders?
TwitterCrunch… 18 beat me to it!
Superb and good posting.
@Chris #19 - More aggregators and feeders apparently. It’s retarded , I know.
@Chris #19 @Jason#22
I am with you. Each new app has 2 features another doesn’t. I am currently runinng twhirl, digsby, and alert thingy at the same time. Each has a differentiating feature or two.
I keep thinking that mike is going to get tired of writing about us soon.
So before he does…
If you want to keep hearing about AlertThingy I am at…
Http://twitter.com/jeremybaines
Thanks to all those sending us feedback, I am trying to respond to everyone. If I have missed anyone, just ping me again!
@Jeremy - How about something that is readable rather than your dumb Twitter page.
OK. I see I am going to have to download this (again)
@Jason - you can always try http://www.howardbaines.com
Fascinating video comment Michael
Can’t get into Alert Thingy!
Michael,
Your constant Twitter-related posts feel like the onslaught of ‘Twitter bubble’… you’re going to drive us into a Twitter frenzy
I want to use both twitter and pownce..
BTW, Twirl just released 0.8, which to me is better than AlertThingy 1.3.
These video comments are ridiculous. I’m embarassed for 90% of the ppl who leave them.
Alertthingy, meh? Does anyone get this excited over adium or pidgin release updates?
I am successfully using Posty that, besides twitter and friendfeed, includes pownce, jaiku and tumblr. I am getting used to that. It’s cool!
FriendFeed: It’s all about Scobble!