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24 Sep 08 – Tame multiple mailboxes with OpenInbox
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One problem with modern websites: the dependence on email. Every site wants your email address, and send you email to verify your account, and email you occasional notices.
But some of these sites give out your address to other, less...useful sites. Moreover, it's hard to keep track of all those emails.
Enter OpenInbox. When you sign up, you get your own subdomain, (your name).openinbox.com. So, I snagged brentnewhall.openinbox.com. The website gives you web-based email. Any email sent to any address at (your name).openinbox.com will show up in your OpenInbox inbox. Moreover, all your email will be listed and sorted by the address.
So, when I register at a new website, I can make up an email address just for it: kagami@brentnewhall.openinbox.com. The next one might be nagato@brentnewhall.openinbox.com. My inbox at OpenInbox will show all the emails to all these addresses, listed under "kagami" or "nagato".
Instant organization, and easy tracking of which sites use which email. A lovely solution. And it's free.
20 Sep 08 – Geoff Smith, Geek Musician
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I first heard of Geoff Smith on TWiT Live, through his fan song I'm a Twit. It was a fun homage to the show, so I checked out his music.
The man's composed quite a few tech-oriented songs, and he has the distinct advantage of being both a good singer and a good songwriter. His songs are catchy, entertaining, light, and easy to listen to.
And most of his songs have a tech angle, from the anti-RIAA song "Set the music free" to his commentary on vicious online commentary, "Ones and 0s."
Great stuff.
10 Sep 08 – twhirl: Twitter and FriendFeed On Your Desktop
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If you use the Twitter or FriendFeed services, you know that one of the most difficult things about them is remembering to check the respective websites for updates. They're all great, as long as you remember to check them.
twhirl is the answer. It's a little application that sits on your desktop and displays your Twitter and FriendFeed streams, updating them every few minutes. Works on Windows and Mac OS X.
twhirl's a bit quirky—I've had the window jump around my desktop a couple of times—but it's a perfect way to keep up with Twitter and FriendFeed.
(Side note: Today's my Reading Day; I'm spending the entire day in a chair in my garden, catching up on magazines and books that I've been meaning to read. Will hopefully get through a large percentage of my Media Debt, at least for the printed word.)