With the explosion of Twitter mobile apps, web-based clients, and desktop applications, it was only a matter of time before someone launched an actual Twitter-focused app store. Oneforty has built a marketplace to for basically all things Twitter, helping developers get their creations found and letting users access a centralized place to find and buy Twitter-based technologies. We have 100 invites to try out the site (OneForty is in private beta); just click here and use the code: TC140.
The site lists 1,332 free and paid applications and services built on Twitter’s API, where people can search for, rate and buy Twitter services. The site also features lists of the most popular apps on the marketplace, ad lists the “best” app for nine types of Twitter services, such as apps for business, url shortners, image sharing, news, and travel. The site also hopes to be somewhat of a social network, with users having the ability to create profiles of their favorite Twitter apps and services.
You sign into oneforty with your Twitter account, which lets you interact with the site with your Twitter handle. Each listing for an app or service has a detailed description of its features and and includes screenshots, and categories that the app fits into (i.e. business or mobile). You can click the “I use this” to add the app to your profile and you will be listed on the app’s page as a user. The listing also identifies the developer who created the app, features press mentions of the site or app or site and pulls in a stream of Tweets that mentions the app or site. And you can “share” a particular app via Twitter.
Oneforty’s revenue model is fairly basic. If you want to download Tweetie’s iPhone app, oneforty provides an link directly to Apple’s App Store, allowing oneforty to collect an affiliate fee. Of course for the free downloads and sites, such as TwitPic or TweetDeck, oneforty will just direct you to their sites, where you can download or access the application. oneforty is also going to list Twitter-related books and merchandise, with affiliate links to Amazon.co. An interesting bit of trivia—the site’s founder, Laura Filton, wrote the “Twitter for Dummies” book and taught a “”Twitter for Business” class at Harvard Business School. Oneforty was incubated at TechStars and is advised by Guy Kawasaki and Brian Solis.
Twitter currently lists applications and also has a wiki-based directory of Twitter-related sites and apps, but it’s layout isn’t easy to navigate. Twitdom also has an application database which includes reviews and ratings but doesn’t seem to have the user interface and marketplace feel of oneforty.
Finton tells me that soon oneforty will become a full fledged e-commerce platform, where developers can sell their apps on the site itself. I think its fairly easy to use and am a fan of its sharing features. If oneforty can pick up a dedicated base of users, it has a chance at becoming the defacto Twitter app store.
The site is in private beta at the moment, but we have
This is getting out of hand.
Agreed, some of the apps are absolutely pointless or timewasters.
I have been running my Twitter app directory @ http://TweetSoc...m/directory.php for several months now. Only adding the best tools, mashups and resources.
Users like to discover relevant and useful apps. There really is a need for this type of service.
I’m sure oneforty will be a smash hit.
You may also list IM+. It is a multi-messenger which supports Twitter on iPhone and Blackberry platforms.
I have been so swamped with twitter everything, more organization is good.
I think that a commercial app store model for twitter is good for the community. We need to start building an ecosystem of high-value paid apps for the community to prosper. Full disclosure, my firm launched http://www.tweetiator.com a subscription app that fits this model.
There has been a store since April other than the one you mention,
http://www.thetwitterstore.com
Check them out for free and sale items.
Anyone with a Twitter product free or cost can submit for inclusion.
What about Twitter Application Database TwtBase? http://twtbase.com/
it has been improved much in the last months.
You might have missed http://101besttwitterapps.com/ which essentially does the same thing, lots of categories, ratings, links to the sites and includes notes of the widgets and apps.
And any developer wishing to add their site, it has space for a decent description and screengrabs….
Twitter is ridiculous. It’s a site for narcissists.
TC is becoming a big ad campaign for Twitter.
Have you ever used twitter?
4 accounts x ~1-2 years old – all with different purposes to learn about twitter.
Same conclusion: Twitter is for narcissists.
Resultant to that conclusion: I now have 0 Twiter accounts.
I think same, Twitter is okay, but there are 10 news about it on everyday – it’s getting old.
Given the proliferation of app stores, if makes sense for Twitter to have one as well. It even has a business model and revenue to boot. Laura Fitton (aka @pistachio) is no “dummy.” As Twitter’s popularity continues to spike, new users are easily overwhelmed by the hundreds of applications and services out there. This platform has a good chance of helping them make sense of them.
@pistachio isn’t a dummy, she is, however, Twitter/social media Fan Girl #1
agreed. HUGE fangirl here
“Twitter Needs An App Store”
STOP THE PRESSES
I think you meant to write – Twitter needs a business plan, and revenue, and profit, and and and
++++++++++++++++
I am amazed as to how many companies are puting there bottom line on Twitter; a place that has yet to show how it will be profitable.
I guess its ok for the short term, but long term may not be a good idea.
Congratulations Laura & team!!!
The end of the text gets cutoff — in the HTML it says “we have invites” with a link, but it doesn’t seem to be rendering. The link is:
http://oneforty...com/?code=TC140
Nice. Twitter should have done this already and probably will add this as soon as it becomes popular.
Congrats to the team, this looks great.
Not having access to the beta, I don’t understand what this solves that http://twitter.pbworks.com doesn’t.
As far as I’ve been able to tell, nothing. It looks like the same information, repackaged. A much nicer package, it must be said.
Which is why, if this has any traction at all, there will be competitors up and running within a week. An “app store” for a closed platform like the iPhone makes sense. Apple controls who can do what with their device. There is no such barrier to entry with this twitter “app store.”
Maybe if Twitter anoints oneforty the official application directory like they handed the keys to the kingdom to bit.ly… But really, what’s stopping Twitter from doing something like this themselves? Especially since they’re the gateway to the API and can actually control who does what with the system.
Well there is, in the fact that they still can’t install it if its not on the app store.
twitter app store is awesome
http://twitter....m/Blastoffpress
Whoops we have what????? Looks like the article was let through without finally checking it, it stands incomplete, if you have invites please share them
Congratulations Laura. You had a passion in your eyes about this project, and it’s all coming together. I’m happy for you.
thank you Juan. it was a pleasure to meet you this week.
>>and thanks also to all various commenters above, both the positive and the skeptical. we are only just getting started but we think we can help get some good stuff done for people. hopefully.
Funny how people keep inventing ways to monetize Twitter while Twitter keeps watching
I got our Twitter app, Pockets (”visual voicemail for Twitter), on the oneforty app store only to find that another Twitter app exists named PocketTweets.
It doesn’t look active but does look like its been around over a year longer than Pockets.
This is exactly the kind of stuff that a Twitter app store is necessary for determining when launching a new Twitter app.
Looking forward to the e-commerce platform.
thanks dan. little known fact, something like 64% of Twitter API apps and services have “tw” in their name somewhere. it’s really hard to keep track.
I have a twitter app listed in 140 for sale: http://twizee.com
App stores are the new fad. What better company than Twitter, the latest fad among everyone, to have an app store.
Twitter, by the way, is more than a narcissistic gathering of celebrities. In fact the people who just sit there and tell about their lives usually have less followers than someone who actually provides content to people.
I personally use Twitter to share the cool links I find on the internet. I always have the urge to share them but until twitter, the process was clunky.
Anyways, its nice to see some organization for all of these apps. It really is hard to keep track of the different options there are out there.
Oh you mean like, digg, reddit, delicious, propeller and a million other sites already do?
Here is another twitter application databse : http://i-stuff....h/label/Twitter.. also there is twitter account for the same at: http://twitter.com/twitappsdb
Why the hell should I need an INVITE to a site that just has links to other sites?
Give me a friggin’ break.
because it makes you think “oooh, i’m awesome I got invited to a crap site”…and thats about all.
I keep hearing useless twitter news so much that I’m starting to hate twitter and everything related to it.
The Apple app store works well because people are constantly trying (and deleting) new iPhone apps. Once people find the twitter client they like, they stick with it.
The other reason the Apple app store works is because Apple doesn’t count on it to do more than break even, it’s a loss leader for selling iPhones.
WTF. I thought Twitter Apps were already going overboard. Now we have an App to manage Apps.
Is anyone actually profitting from all this buzz?
http://www.traderbots.com
what else ?
Now we just need an app store directory. Or maybe an app that allows you to look through the various app store directories. Or maybe we can just keep saying “app” and “tweet” a lot until our brains fall out of our noses.
While it is accurate to write “OneForty … is advised by Guy Kawasaki,” what’s more salient to me is that Guy Kawasaki is advised by Laura Fitton.
See his interview with Robert Scoble, at about 1:45 — http://www.fast...a-reality-check
Just a minor editing note.
You mention Laura Filton and Finton, but @pistachio is actually Laura Fitton.
How do you get your app listed in their?
I’d like to get my autofollow app http://www.MyPostButler.com listed in this app store.
Also how do they hope to handle licensing issues for multiple apps on an ecommerce basis? currently i code each users name directly into the code.
tia,
Dean
Hey Dean,
As soon as you join you can suggest a new app and then claim it.
RE: licensing issues — our ecommerce portal is still in development. We will have a mechanism in place for you to authenticate purchases so that you can generate licenses as needed in real time. We will be speaking with several developers before rollout to be sure we have our bases covered.
anyone else notice they amazon.co typo?
I am really annoyed with reports about closed Betas no one can use or contact
Hi Yoav,
Sorry for the frustration! We are approving people as fast as we can!
Thanks for your patience,
Robby
Hi, it is Getjar.com
A social network about buying apps for a social network???
I started a Twiiter app site over a year ago. I have not worked on it for a while but I think I will start it up again. The main goal behind my site was to offer Twitter app developers a place to share their apps and be able to comunicate with both users and other developers. I will also be adding the option to host the files for download directly from the site.
http://tweettweet.me
What do you guys think to this idea?
P.S i know the site needs a lot more work done but I am working on this in my spare time, on my own with no investment. Any input is welcome.
If you finish it and want to link to mine,
Anyone with a Twitter product free or cost can submit for inclusion. Check them out for free and sale items.
http://www.thetwitterstore.com
Check them out for free and sale items.