Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://www.downloadsquad.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[WPTouch makes WordPress blogs look better on touch mobile devices]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/wptouch-makes-wordpress-blogs-look-better-on-touch-mobile-device/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/wptouch-makes-wordpress-blogs-look-better-on-touch-mobile-device/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/23/wptouch-makes-wordpress-blogs-look-better-on-touch-mobile-device/#commentsFiled under: , ,

WPTouchWhile most touch mobile devices like the iPhone render web pages surprisingly well, sometimes they are slow to load and difficult to read. Blogs, in particular, with their wide text areas tend to become difficult to read on small screens.

If you run a WordPress blog, there's an option available to you called WPTouch. WPTouch is a theme package plugin that allows your blog to render a completely separate and mobile-optimized theme based on the browser user agent provided by the device's browser. The WPTouch theme is much lighter than a typical blog theme, and it provides the option to strip out javascript-heavy elements, making the page load that much faster.

Of course, not all readers will want to view a mobile-optimized version of your site, particularly when their mobile device can handle the page's full functionality. In that case, there is always a link in the footer of the page that allows the user to switch to the full version of the site.

WPTouch is a free WordPress plugin that you can download directly from the Add Now plugin administration screen on recent WordPress installations by searching for WPTouch.

WPTouch makes WordPress blogs look better on touch mobile devices originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogblogsdesigniphonemobilemobile devicemobile-deviceMobileDevicewebwordpresswptouchMon, 23 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WP-UserOnline gives you details about who's viewing your blog]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/22/wp-useronline-gives-you-details-about-whos-viewing-your-blog/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/22/wp-useronline-gives-you-details-about-whos-viewing-your-blog/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/22/wp-useronline-gives-you-details-about-whos-viewing-your-blog/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WP-UserOnlineMost statistics packages focus on which pages or content are drawing people to your site. While that's certainly important, sometimes you want to know what's happening right now in terms of traffic on your site.

If you're running a self-hosted WordPress blog, you can install a plugin called WP-UserOnline to find out exactly that. WP-UserOnline gives you a summary of who is currently viewing your blog broken down by Members, Guests, and Bots. It then gives the details for each one below, including the member name, name of the bot, the page the user is on, and the referring page (if available).

It's certainly not as full-featured as a full stats package like Google Analytics, but there's no better way to know what traffic is viewing your WordPress blog at the moment.

WP-UserOnline gives you details about who's viewing your blog originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analyticsstatistics packagesstatistics-packagesStatisticsPackagesstats-packageSun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Six Apart launches new TypePad Micro for short blog entries]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/six-apart-launches-new-typepad-micro-for-short-blog-entries/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/six-apart-launches-new-typepad-micro-for-short-blog-entries/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/18/six-apart-launches-new-typepad-micro-for-short-blog-entries/#commentsFiled under: ,

Six Apart, makers of the powerful TypePad blog hosting service, have launched a leaner, meaner version of TypePad. It's called TypePad Micro, and it falls into the gap between longer blog entries and teeny Twitter posts. TypePad Micro comes with a slick-looking theme called Chroma - although you can customize the look of your blog if you want - and it's free.

If you're thinking there are already services in this new short blogging space, you're right: Tumblr and Posterous are two of them. Like those services, TypePad Micro allows you to post images, text, video, audio, and links. It also has a bookmarklet to easily post from another webpage (like Tumblr) and posting by phone or email (like Posterous). Other appealing Tumblr like features, including the ability to follow other users and reblog their posts, have also found their way into TypePad Micro.

So, what sets TypePad Micro apart? Maybe it's the bullt-in stats display (thanks to Google Analytics), maybe it's the built-in comments, or maybe it's just the Six Apart pedigree. I have to admit that I love Tumblr, but I also think TypePad (the big version) is a great product. It'll be interesting to see if there's room in this pool for another large and impressive fish.

[via CNET]

Six Apart launches new TypePad Micro for short blog entries originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingsixaparttypepadtypepad microTypepadMicroWed, 18 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A list of dumb things to check]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/a-list-of-dumb-things-to-check/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/a-list-of-dumb-things-to-check/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/17/a-list-of-dumb-things-to-check/#commentsFiled under: , ,

a list of dumb things to checkWe've all been there; we've got a problem with our server, laptop, PC, website, or blog, and have tried to solve it for hours with no success. At some point, we reach that point where we're absolutely certain that it's just some dumb thing that we're overlooking or forgetting to check. If you've ever found yourself in that situation, you'll probably want to bookmark a list of dumb things to check.

It's a list of (now 36) stupid things to check that you may have overlooked, compiled by Tom Limoncelli with input from members of the SAGE-Members mailing list. For anyone that hasn't found themselves in this situation, it will seem like a ridiculous concept. But for those of you out there that have been there, I bet you're thinking "awesome" like I am.

So, what's missing from the list? What's your best troubleshooting tip? Let us know in the comments.

A list of dumb things to check originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogdumb thingdumb thingsdumb-thingdumb-thingsDumbThingDumbThingspcserverstupid thingsstupid-thingsStupidThingstom limoncellitom-limoncelliTomLimoncellitroubleshootingwebsiteTue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/10/iphone-google-reader-app-reeder/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For the last few weeks I've been looking for a suitable RSS reader application for my iPhone. I've found myself frustrated with long-time favourite NetNewsWire (which currently lacks any of the Google Reader sharing options) and the Google Reader web UI. Much like every Twitter client out there, I've bought my fair share of RSS readers for the iPhone and after much testing I have finally found a new favourite: Reeder.

Reeder [iTunes Link] has all the relevant sharing options I've craved in one place - and best of all is stylish as hell. There's plenty of applications with custom user interfaces on the iPhone - some more successful than others - but Reeder balances the familiar with custom elements, and as a result the interface looks great when browsing (and reading) content.

If I had any complaints about Reeder, it's that the application lacks the ability to view your friends' shared items within the application, but given the sheer style and speed of the application it's a small oversight. If you're looking to pick up a copy of Reeder, the developer has dropped the price to $0.99 until version 1.1 ships - and available now on the App Store.

Reeder for iPhone lets you read your Google Reader feeds in style originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Google ReaderGoogleReaderiPhone RSSIphoneRssRSSTue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Viewfinder brings powerful Flickr search to your Mac]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/06/viewfinder-brings-powerful-flickr-search-to-your-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Every now and then I find myself working on slides in Keynote and writing Download Squad posts - and struggling to find a suitable image. Of course, Flickr is the best way to find images - their clear licencing and Creative Commons support makes finding images fairly straight forward. However, getting the image into Keynote isn't entirely painless. The workflow of browsing search results, viewing the image and then finding it at a suitable size (if it exists) takes time - however that's where Viewfinder steps in.

A native Mac OS X application (requiring Mac OS X Snow Leopard), Viewfinder allows you to search Flickr from the desktop apply filters to show only Creative Commons images, and specify a particular image size. Then, once you select an image you can download the image, set it as your desktop background - and most importantly - send images straight to Keynote for your slides.

If you're a heavy keynote user (or blogger) who frequently needs to find Flickr images for your work Viewfinder is indispensible. I've been testing it since early September and found it an incredibly convenient tool to have at hand. A licence costs £15 (roughly $25) and a free demo is available for you try from the Viewfinder webpage.

Viewfinder brings powerful Flickr search to your Mac originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FlickrImage SearchImageSearchMac OS XMacOsXSnow LeopardSnowLeopardFri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Clicky is Google Analytics all grown up]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/clicky-is-google-analytics-all-growns-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

ClickyClicky is a new web analytics package that is looking to give the current king of web analytics, Google Analytics, a run for its money. Like any site tracking service, you create an account, insert some code into your pages (or if you are using one of the popular blogging platforms, simply install the relevant plugin), and watch as Clicky gathers statistics for your site in real-time.

The service sets itself apart by being very well designed and easy to read, but also by including extra related features, like the ability to include your FeedBurner statistics, tracking Twitter statistics, and providing an integrated link shortening service based on its related domain name clicky.me.

The free version of Clicky is ad-supported, but a Pro version is also available.

A few of Clicky's more obscure features need a Pro account to use. For example, with a pro account you can set up Twitter searches for your brand name or URL, and then see how many mentions you are getting.

Clicky is Google Analytics all grown up originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brand namebrand-nameBrandNameclickygoogle analyticsgoogle-analyticsGoogleAnalyticsmMon, 02 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/02/wordpress-exploit-scanner-helps-you-keep-your-install-clean/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WordPress Exploit ScannerWordPress has become a victim of its own popularity. The blogging-based content management system powers a huge amount of websites, and has become a target for hackers. Site hacks have been around for a long time, but recently they seem to have evolved.

In the past hackers would gain control of a site just to prove that could, then typically post a quasi-incoherent message on the site to prove their hacking prowess and illiteracy. Now hackers have become more advanced, and hacking has become financially motivated. Hacks include embedding links (some hidden, some not) for the purposes of gaming search engines, and instead of crowing about their conquest, hackers are now trying to hide and cover their tracks as much as possible.

This means that site owners are losing their confidence that their sites have not been compromised. With recent highly publicized exploits that allowed hackers to take control of out-of-date WordPress installations, it became even more important to make sure your site is clean.

If you're running a WordPress site on your own server, one step you can take to make sure that it is clean is to install and run the WordPress Exploit Scanner plugin. Beware, the exploit scanner is very thorough, and it will likely report a lot (and I mean a LOT) of false positives. It essentially reports any hiding behavior, which some of the plugins on your site might be doing for very normal reasons.

Even with the false-positives, the WordPress Exploit Scanner is a useful tool in any blogger's toolbox.

WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggerscontent management systemcontent-management-systemContentManagementSystemexpMon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NewsGator gives full control of FeedDemon back to developer]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/feeddemon-no-longer-owned-by-newsgator/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/feeddemon-no-longer-owned-by-newsgator/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/11/01/feeddemon-no-longer-owned-by-newsgator/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Nick Bradbury InterviewThe story of how NewsGator attempted to corner the market on consumer RSS has taken another strange turn. In an interview with Steven Hodson published on Hodson's Shooting at Bubbles site, Bradbury admits that he is no longer employed by NewsGator, but has retained the full rights to his popular FeedDemon RSS reader. NewsGator continues to offer FeedDemon, and the application is still NewsGator-branded, but the clear implication here is that NewsGator no longer owns the rights to the most popular native Windows RSS feed reader.

It's no secret that NewsGator almost single-minded focus on capturing the lucrative enterprise market allowed its efforts in the consumer space to falter, ultimately leading to NewsGator shutting down their once-popular NewsGator Online feed reader, having conceded the online feed reader battle to Google's upstart Google Reader, which has iterated faster, and performing better than NewsGator's online reader for a few years.

It's unfortunate that NewsGator has given up on this market. While it's certainly true that Google has a powerful and successful product on its hands, there is certainly room in the RSS space for more than one dedicated company. What this means for FeedDemon's Mac equivalent, NetNewsWire remains to be seen, but since NewsGator's current push for more enterprise business relies on the talents of Brent Simmons, NetNewsWire will likely remain a NewsGator property for the foreseeable future.

Whether that is good news or not is anyone's guess.

UPDATE: The previous headline of this post turned out to be incorrect, as Nick Bradbury points out in the comments. The relationship between FeedDemon, NewsGator and Bradbury is a bit confusing, but what he said in the interview was this: "I'm no longer employed by NewsGator. FeedDemon remains a NewsGator-branded product, but I'm 100% in charge of it now, and I'm once again an indie developer. FeedDemon is my sole focus - and my sole source of income." So, NewsGator owns FeedDemon, Bradbury works on FeedDemon, but Bradbury does not work FOR NewsGator any longer.

Bradbury also pointed us to a post by NewsGator's Greg Reinacker, explaining more about where things stand.

NewsGator gives full control of FeedDemon back to developer originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bradburybrent simmonsbrent-simmonsBrentSimmonsfeeddemonnewsgatorrssrss readerRssReaderSun, 01 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Wordpress for iPhone 2 is actually usable!]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/wordpress-for-iphone-2-is-actually-usable/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/wordpress-for-iphone-2-is-actually-usable/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/29/wordpress-for-iphone-2-is-actually-usable/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The first version of the Wordpress iPhone app showed a lot of promise as mobile blogging tool, but it was too slow and too buggy to use. It didn't know what to do with dropped connections -- all too common, when you're blogging from an AT&T iPhone -- and the UI was clunky and unintuitive. Round 2! Wordpress is back for another try at the iPhone thing, and this time they're far closer to doing it right: bug fixes, persistence, auto-saving and a better UI make Wordpress 2 a viable option for blogging on the go.

The single most important new feature in Wordpress 2 is persistence. That means you can close the app, and reopening it will take you back to the post or comment you were working on. In the old version, it was nearly impossible to finish a long post without being interrupted by a crash or a phone call, or without needing to pop into Safari to grab some text from a webpage. Speaking of those crashes, they're nowhere near as frequent as they were in Wordpress 1, and the new autosave feature makes them less damaging.

Photo uploading is smoother, too, and you can also preview a post while you're editing it. Aside from all the improvements to posting, comments now have their own tab, so you can moderate your site with ease. I'd still love to see liveblogging support in the iPhone app, though, because it seems like such an ideal use of a mobile blog client. All in all, Wordpress 2 is a workable solution for mobile blogging.

Wordpress for iPhone 2 is actually usable! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automatticbloggingiPhonewordpresswordpress 2Wordpress2Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Take a sneak peek at the new Tumblr iPhone app]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/take-a-sneak-peek-at-the-new-tumblr-iphone-app/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/take-a-sneak-peek-at-the-new-tumblr-iphone-app/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/19/take-a-sneak-peek-at-the-new-tumblr-iphone-app/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tumblr is a quick and flexible blogging platform, which makes it well-suited to the iPhone. The Tumblr iPhone app has been in need of an update for some time now, though, so avid tumbloggers will be happy to hear that version 1.1 of the app has been submitted to the App Store and should be available soon. One of the developers of Tumblr for iPhone has posted a sneak preview of the new features in 1.1 on (what else?) his tumblr.

Although the flashiest new feature is video uploading, this update also addresses a lot of the gripes I have with the current version of the Tumblr app. There's finally a built-in web browser, so you don't have to go to Safari and lose your place in the dashboard every time you click a link. There's also a bookmarklet for easier tumbling, although the developer hasn't revealed how it works. Even basic posting is better, with a native editor and access to advanced options.

If you've been reluctant to use Tumblr on your iPhone because the app wasn't up to par, this update makes it look like a good time to reconsider.

Take a sneak peek at the new Tumblr iPhone app originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingiphonepreviewtumblrvideoMon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Excited about 128 bit "Windows 8"? Don't hold your breath.]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/excited-about-128-bit-windows-8-dont-hold-your-breath/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/excited-about-128-bit-windows-8-dont-hold-your-breath/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/08/excited-about-128-bit-windows-8-dont-hold-your-breath/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I got a message yesterday directing me to some groundbreaking post on Ars Technica, in which the long-winded and storied tale of an in-development 128 bit version of Windows unfolded like something out of a geek spy novel.
Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.
Bullpuckey, I said. Shenanigans, I mumbled. "It must be fairy tale time over at Conde Nast", I thought to myself, and quickly moved on. I never in my wildest dreams would have figured this had legs. Surely I wasn't the only one to spot the giant hole in the middle of this story.

Today, I read it on Slashdot. So, before Windows 8 for IA-128 becomes the digital equivalent of Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster, I figured it was prudent to point out the itty, bitty, tiny little problem that's keeping this story from having any basis in reality.

There is no IA-128. The Abominable Snowman and the Easter Bunny could hold a press conference about the lost sex tapes of The Tooth Fairy and it would have more credibility than this rumor. In fact, calling it a rumor lends too much credence to the story. There may be a Robert Morgan, there certainly is a Windows 8, but there is no IA-128.

IA-64 was Intel's joint venture with HP to create a next generation 64 bit server processor. Finally released far behind schedule, the Itanium line has been beset with problems. Poor performance, a lagging upgrade path, and poor vendor uptake have all conspired to create what John Dvorak recently called, "one of the great fiascoes of the last 50 years""

So, while the editors at Ars are busy explaining to Emil Protalinski that there is no Santa Claus, it's probably the right moment to point out that you shouldn't believe everything you read on forums. Or, Slashdot. Or apparently Ars, for that matter.

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Excited about 128 bit "Windows 8"? Don't hold your breath. originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>IA-128IA-64John DvorakJohnDvorakwindowswindows 8Windows8Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Did the FTC just mention something about blogging?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/06/did-the-ftc-just-mention-something-about-blogging/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/06/did-the-ftc-just-mention-something-about-blogging/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/10/06/did-the-ftc-just-mention-something-about-blogging/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

So that we're not the only single blog in the known universe and beyond who misses the chance to comment on the FTC's boneheaded guidelines requiring bloggers, celebs, reviewers and others -- basically anyone who you might read online -- to disclose any "material relationship" with companies they review.

I tend to look at everything in terms of Pros and Cons. Here's the list I came up with.

The bad
  • The FTC has passed an over-reaching regulation which is unenforceable at best, and is a violation of free speech at worst.

The good
  • The FTC has passed an over-reaching regulation which is unenforceable at best, and is a violation of free speech at worst.
There are about a million better things the FTC could be doing with its time. Even if you wanted to narrow the to-do list to just Internet related issues, the list is still enormous. How about click-fraud? Noni Juice? Teeth Whiteners? Loose 200 pounds in 37 seconds? And all those hot single girls who are looking for a man like you -- and happen to be conspicuously located in teh same city as what geo-location returns for the IP of your upstream router?

There's a significant amount of misunderstanding of how Internet publishing works in this regulation, but this is the moment where I find the clue train leaves the station with absolutely no-one aboard. AdAge reports that Richard Cleland, assistant director- division of advertising practices at the FTC interprets the regulation to include, "posts on review sites such as Yelp or online stores such as Amazon."

Does that mean when I drop a review on Urban Spoon of my favorite eatery -- who happen to throw me a freebie every once in a while for being a loyal customer -- the FTC will sick it's blogger enforcement team on me? When they figure out exactly how to enforce this, call me.

Until then I'll be driving the Windows 7 box graphics wrapped Porsche Cayman that Microsoft sent me. *

* Kidding. But Ballmer, if you're interested, drop me an email and I'll send you my address

For what it's worth, take the jump to read my quick diatribe on Weblogs, Inc gimmies policy -- which is likely the strictest in existence among blog networks.

Continue reading Did the FTC just mention something about blogging?

Did the FTC just mention something about blogging? originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingboneheadendorsementsFTClawpoliticsTue, 06 Oct 2009 08:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Huffington Post proves newspapers aren't dead, yet.]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/huffington-post-proves-newspapers-arent-dead-yet/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/huffington-post-proves-newspapers-arent-dead-yet/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/30/huffington-post-proves-newspapers-arent-dead-yet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What's been on the Internet 12 hours too long, is 5 years too old and demonstrates the gaping chasm between blog journalism and credibility? This Huffington Post piece pointing to a five year old YouTube video as footage from yesterday's tsunami in American Somoa.

Are you getting all your news on the Internet? Constantly cruising a mix of major and minor media sites, or sucking them all in at once through an aggregator like Google News? Pointing fingers at blogs, Amazon's Kindle, Google News and Youtube has become a popular habit of once healthy -- and now hurting -- newspapers and broadcast outlets both great and small. even Twitter fell complicit, with both @huffingtonpost and @Alyssa_Milano tweeting it to nearly 200k followers each, both without a hint of retraction.

Mistakes do happen, and no one is saying that major media gets it right 100% of the time -- or prints retractions and corrections in the same size font point and weight as the stories they seek to correct. But, it's near certain that 5 year old incorrectly attributed footage wouldn't still be airing on any national news service -- 12 hours after it was first run.

This would be different if we were discussing any third tier blog running in the streets with a wildly incorrect and unvetted story -- heck, Newsmax and Michelle Malkin practically invented that strategy. But this is Huffington Post -- the number one blog in the world according to Technorati, and an oft-cited source in the old media universe. Pitiful.

So, still ready to write off all of those old media institutions of the Fourth Estate and pin the murder on teh Intarwebs?

Update 2:42am: HuffPo has removed the video as of a little after 2am EST. The original YouTube video in the post was here. Still no response from Huffington Post, and no public mention of the incident.

Gallery: Huffington Post proves news still has a pulse.

Full screen of Huffington Post error

Huffington Post proves newspapers aren't dead, yet. originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blogscredibilitydead treesDeadTreesearthquakeold mediaOldMediatsunamitwitterunvetted sourcesUnvettedSourcesyoutubeWed, 30 Sep 2009 21:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/28/tell-dls-what-are-your-top-10-web-apps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

We're continuing our Tell DLS column by leaving the desktop and heading to the web. There's tonnes and tonnes of webapps out there -- however here's just 10 that I use day-in, day-out. If you're got any other favourites, be sure to leave them in the comments!

Continue reading Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps?

Tell DLS: What are your Top 10 Web Apps? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>basecampfacebookflickrinstapaperliststumblrupcomingweb-applicationsweb-appsMon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Webmaster 101: Keyword Metatags don't mean a thing]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/webmaster-101-keyword-metatags-dont-mean-a-thing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/webmaster-101-keyword-metatags-dont-mean-a-thing/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/webmaster-101-keyword-metatags-dont-mean-a-thing/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

No matter whether you're a web-developer, blogger or website owner, you've no doubt heard of metatags. These small snippets of information are great for hinting at the page's content - however since their inception, these tags have been open to abuse in attempts to game search engine results, none more-so than the "Keyword" metatag.

In recent years, Google has long-ignored the keyword metatags - and a post today from Google's Matt Cutts confirms that the search engine's results remain unaffected by any keyword metatags you may place in a page (and it's important to remember that Google continues to support other metatags as part of their Page Rank algorithm). One other metatag - the description metatag - is also ignored in determining results, but normally the description tag's data is used as a snippet to describe each hit on a results page.

Webmaster 101: Keyword Metatags don't mean a thing originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GoogleMetatagsSEOMon, 21 Sep 2009 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Twitpocalypse II: arriving tomorrow morning]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/twitpocalypse-ii-arriving-tomorrow-morning/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/twitpocalypse-ii-arriving-tomorrow-morning/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/21/twitpocalypse-ii-arriving-tomorrow-morning/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Twitter's phenomenal growth means that people are posting updates to the service faster than ever. Earlier in the year, the number of tweets posted to the service hit a wall: more specifically the number 2147483647 which was the maximum size of an integer in a fair few programming languages.

Tomorrow morning, however, Twitter will be forcing through Twitpocalypse II where the number of tweets pushes past the unsigned integer limit of 4294967296. And that may cause issues for unprepared Twitter applications.

In a mailing to the Twitter API developers list, the Twitter API team have reminded developers that their applications need to cope with numbers of this size - and if you're wondering why your favourite mashup isn't working after 11:30am Pacific Time tomorrow, this may well be the culprit.

Twitpocalypse II: arriving tomorrow morning originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Week in Review: 19th September 2009]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/19/week-in-review-19th-september-2009/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Shiver me timbers! It's been a swash-buckling week here aboard HMS Download Squad, but if you've been off plunderin' other shores and missed the maelstrom of news here's a fair summary of what's been happening..
It's International Speak like a Pirate Day so forgive the introduction. We're back to regular programming after the jump!

Continue reading Week in Review: 19th September 2009

Week in Review: 19th September 2009 originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tumblr revamps New and Popular post pages]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/tumblr-revamps-new-and-popular-post-pages/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/tumblr-revamps-new-and-popular-post-pages/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/15/tumblr-revamps-new-and-popular-post-pages/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I've made no secret of my love for super-simply blogging platform Tumblr in the past here at Download Squad, so you can imagine the dilemma I faced upon hearing that Tumblr launched a few (ahem) realtime features today to allow users to discover all-new content on the service. As always, the Tumblr Wire page is slickly designed and live-updating as more content comes in - though if you're looking for a slightly more moderated stream of content, the lower half of the page continues to show the week's top posts.

Tumblr say they're also going to be making a few design changes over the coming weeks which may leave some items 'out of place before everything is done', and the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice today's launch of a slightly sharper Dashboard design.

Tumblr revamps New and Popular post pages originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BloggingTumblogTumblrTue, 15 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is "Real-Time" taking the place of "Web 2.0" on the hypechart?]]>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/is-real-time-taking-the-place-of-web-2-0-on-the-hypechart/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/is-real-time-taking-the-place-of-web-2-0-on-the-hypechart/http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/09/14/is-real-time-taking-the-place-of-web-2-0-on-the-hypechart/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Is just me, or is "real-time" the replacement term for "Web 2.0": you know, hideously over-used, over-hyped and prime for a square on the Internet Bullsh*t Bingo card? I mean, word has it that every man, dog and Venture Capitalist is on the real-time train now that mere mortals like parents are embracing Twitter. Continuing the real-time push is Pubsubhubbub - the real-time blog notification technology with a name that 95% of the Internet struggle to pronounce on first reading - and today it received another boost from Typepad who've enabled the technology on all their hosted blogs.

If you're wondering "what does this mean for me?", it's worth noting that Pubshubhubbub isn't something that consumers in general would see - it's designed to speed up the propagation of news to RSS services and the like - though if you're looking forward to the even-quicker delivery of illiterately-captioned cat photos to Google Reader, this is the magic sauce that may well power it.

It's not that I'm opposed to real-time notifications in general [I mean, I'm dying for Twitter to flick the switch and stream updates from my friends doing their laundry to my iPhone] but in an age where we're seemingly drawn to 'first' instead of 'better' with the news, I can't help but feel we ought to be looking at relevancy, not real-time.

[Original Image from Dave Winer]

Is "Real-Time" taking the place of "Web 2.0" on the hypechart? originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PubsubhubbubReal-timeTwitterTypepadWeb 2.0Web2.0Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST