todd m. sweet

How to Archive a Twitter Search Using Google Reader

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:01:00 -0600

One of the under-appreciated benefits of Twitter is an organization’s ability to track chatter about its brand, product, service etc. via a persistent search. Unfortunately, Twitter’s search engine only goes back seven days, so you can’t rely on it to archive dated feedback. What to do? Enter Google Reader.

Google Reader creates a searchable archive of all of your RSS feeds, not just the items you actually read, share or star. Consequently, it is an excellent tool for archiving an incredibly large volume of data that can be curated at will using a variety of filters. Here’s the process involved:

Using Twitter’s advanced search, construct your query.
On the results page find and click the “Feed for this query” link in the top right corner.
This is the RSS feed for the search that you can now add to Google Reader.
Rename it to something that is easy to understand, such as “Twitter - [Insert Keywords]”.
Any new results will appear as a new item in the RSS feed.

I have a few searches set up that produce 100+ new items daily. Because I don’t want or need to read every item on a daily basis I have placed these RSS feeds in a separate folder in Google Reader called “Archives”. Every day I will highlight the folder and mark all items as read. Even though they disappear from view I will always be able to search these items if need be.

Have you discovered any other techniques for tracking searches on Twitter? I’d love to know.

Chile, nine days later - The Big Picture

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:56:28 -0600

Chile, nine days later - The Big Picture

Digital Domain - Facebook Is Getting Older Without Getting Old - NYTimes.com

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:51:50 -0600

Digital Domain - Facebook Is Getting Older Without Getting Old - NYTimes.com:

Facebook’s growth tied to the network effect. “Economists use the term network effects to refer to the way the value of a product or service increases in tandem with the number of people who use it.”

The White Mountain on Vimeo (via Jason Fried) I’m a sucker...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:46:00 -0600

The White Mountain on Vimeo (via Jason Fried)

I’m a sucker for time-lapse videos as well. This gorgeous one captures the night sky over Hawaii.

Pink Terror Hawking on Vimeo (via kottke) I am a complete sucker...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:10:57 -0600

Pink Terror Hawking on Vimeo (via kottke)

I am a complete sucker for well-made slo-mo videos.

How Much Caffeine Is In That? | Wise Bread

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:31:11 -0600

How Much Caffeine Is In That? | Wise Bread:

Handy reference guide for caffeine content with realistic portion sizes.

What Makes a Great Teacher? - The Atlantic

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:28:24 -0600

What Makes a Great Teacher? - The Atlantic:

This was a very helpful article for a parent who is trying to navigate the public school system for the first time.

NYC and Las Vegas from above, at night - The Big Picture -...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:38:48 -0600

NYC and Las Vegas from above, at night - The Big Picture - Boston.com

My Favorite iPhone Applications

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:05:00 -0600

I resisted purchasing an iPhone for two years, but became instantly attached to mine when I finally broke down. Although I rarely use it as a phone, it has become an essential tool in my daily life. Provided below is a list of my favorite applications (links all go to AppShopper review).

What are yours?

The Basics

Google Mobile App (Free): The voice search capability is excellent, and incredibly handy.
WeatherBug (Free): Has replaced the native weather app as my default. The Weather Channel comes in a close 2nd.
Facebook (Free): Very good mobile version.
Tweetie 2 ($2.99): As you can tell by this list I don’t often pay for apps, but Tweetie rocks as a Twitter client. TweetDeck is a good free option.

Entertainment

Showtimes (Free): Find out what’s playing at your local theater, with links to reviews, ticket sales etc. Movies app is good as well.
foursquare (Free): Location based check-in game scratches my scavenger hunt and geocaching itches.
Shazam (Free): We’ve all had that moment when we hear a great song and have no idea what it is. Shazam uses your microphone to listen to the song and compare it to its vast database of music. If the volume is loud enough I almost guarantee it will return a correct match. It also stores your searches so you can go back and refresh your memory later. Love this!
Ambiance Lite (Free): Not really for entertainment, but don’t know where else to put it. This app serves as a free sound machine if you need some white noise. There is a pay version if you want more than five sounds. I like to fall asleep to the soothing sounds of the ocean, and appreciate the built-in timer.
KEXP Radio (Free): Perfect companion app since I stream KEXP all day at work. You can stream the station within the app, view the playlist and bookmark favorite songs for reference later.

News

NYTimes (Free): Easy access to the NYT’s most recent content.
USA TODAY (Free): Best part about this app is the ease with which you can share items you find via email, Twitter, FB etc.
NPR News (Free): Stories, syndicated programs, local stations all available via this handy app.
IlliniMobile (Free): If you work on campus this is a great resource. Good map with landmarks, Daily Illini, the 217, Buzz content.

Recreation

RunKeeper Free (Free): Awesome app for running/exercise! Track mileage/pace and map your runs.
Geocaching ($9.99): One of the few apps I’ve actually paid for, and it’s well worth it. I was curious about geocaching, but didn’t want to invest in a GPS unit. Not only does this turn your iPhone into a worthy GPS, it syncs with the world-wide database of caches so you don’t have to look them up online and plug them into a separate GPS. This has turned into an awesome app for the whole family. Who doesn’t like scavenger hunts?

Utilities

Textfree Lite (Free): I rarely text, but when I do I don’t want to pay AT&T for it. This app is a bit tricky to set up, but once you do you can text for free.
Grocery iQ ($0.99): I saved the best for last. I love this grocery list app - it is perhaps the best 99 cents I’ve ever spent. Essentially you create a list of favorite groceries using the million+ items in the database, or simply use your phone’s camera to capture the bar code and automatically identify the item. Once you do that you scan your favorites before you head to the store and mark items you need, which then becomes your list (a separate tab from your favorites). You can add multiple stores and arrange the aisles so your list matches how you browse at different stores. You can also email a list, or sync a list with a spouse who has the app on their phone. I do most of the shopping in our house and am a list junkie, so this app is a serious time-saver.

YouTube Launches Auto-Captions For All Videos

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:59:37 -0600

YouTube Launches Auto-Captions For All Videos:

This is a significant development for online accessibility. How to make digital content available for the broadest audience possible is a huge issue in higher education.

Mockingbird | Wireframes on the fly

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:18:50 -0600

Mockingbird | Wireframes on the fly:

Interesting web-based tool for designing prototypes. I haven’t used it yet, but will try it out when the need arises.

Review: Crazy Heart, co-starring Jeff Bridges & the music of T-Bone Burnett

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:26:26 -0600

Before I saw the movie Crazy Heart I was curious why Jeff Bridges was collecting trophies for his performance, but the film itself was not drawing similar high praise? Now that I’ve seen it I understand why; Bridge’s turn as washed-up country singer Bad Blake is excellent (Oscar lock, IMHO), but the story itself is a bit contrived.

The other real star of the movie was the music, which was produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett and performed by Bridges himself. Country music in its current form is awful, but I have a weakness for old-school legends like Willie Nelson, Johnny Paycheck, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. Bad Blake fits right in. Combined, the music and Bridges acting make Crazy Heart worth the price of admission.

Related:

Burnett recently appeared on NPR’s Fresh Air, where he talked to Terry Gross about his music career and the movie (T-Bone Burnett: Zen And The Art Of Music : NPR).

Burnett also produced the soundtracks for O Brother, Where Art Thou? & Walk the Line, perhaps two of the best recent music films. T-Bone also contributed to the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club album, Howl, which is a favorite of mine.

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - RGM version

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:51:30 -0600

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - RGM version

"I find the whole effusion of communications technology bewildering. All you have to do is overhear a..."

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:08:39 -0600

“I find the whole effusion of communications technology bewildering. All you have to do is overhear a certain number of cell phone conversations to see that the vast majority of what people say and write to each other is totally pointless. I have an email address and I’m thinking of shutting that down. It’s amazing how overly accessible people are. There’s a lot of communication in my life that’s not enriching, it’s impoverishing.”

- Michael Lewis: What I Read | The Atlantic Wire

Mashable: Google Acquires Online Image-Editing Tool Picnik

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:54:25 -0600

Mashable: Google Acquires Online Image-Editing Tool Picnik:

Picnik is one of my favorite web apps - incredibly handy. I hope the service isn’t diminished by its new owners.

Photos: Vancouver Winter Games 2010 - The Big Picture blog

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:25:25 -0600

Photos: Vancouver Winter Games 2010 - The Big Picture blog

Roadmap: Make Your Corporate Websites Relevant by Integrating Social Network Features

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:42:00 -0600

Roadmap: Make Your Corporate Websites Relevant by Integrating Social Network Features:

Very good insight from Jeremiah Owyang on how to incorporate social networking features on your website so it remains relevant.

Alumni Networks and Twitter: An Update (PDF)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:05:01 -0600

Alumni Networks and Twitter: An Update (PDF):

Good research from Andrew Shaindlin and Elizabeth Allen on the use of Twitter by alumni associations. Be sure to scan the Resources section for links to other good sources of information on the topic.

Celebrate Casimir Pulaski Day by listening to Sufjan Stevens

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:25:45 -0600

Celebrate Casimir Pulaski Day by listening to Sufjan Stevens

"MEN WANTED for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness,..."

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:53:19 -0600

“MEN WANTED for hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honor and recognition in case of success.”

- Ernest Shackleton in the help wanted ad for his South Pole journey