Twitter add-ons
Third-party applications help make Twitter the microblogging tool of choice.
Several new microblogging services have hit the market since Twitter came on the scene in early 2006, including Jaiku, Pownce, Plurk and Identi.ca, but most users are well-entrenched with Twitter. One reason is a large selection of third-party applications that make it easy for users to individualize their use of the tool. They include:
- Twitzer: Enables Twitterers to post messages longer than 140 characters.
- Twittermail: Enables users to send and receive Twitter messages, or tweets, via e-mail.
- Chirpscreen: Allows users to search for content of interest from Twitter, Facebook and Flickr via an interactive screensaver and desktop viewer.
- Yoono: Creates a Web browser sidebar in which users can receive Twitter alerts, update their status or message friends, eliminating the need to switch from browser to desktop application.
- TweetScan: E-mails tweets to users that match keywords and phrases used in their own Twitter messages.
- JointContact: Integrates online project management and Twitter and allows users to send project-related messages directly to Twitter.