Category Archives: Hackathon

App.net Podcast Episode 10

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Note: We apologize for the decreased audio quality of this podcast.  The technical difficulties will be solved in Episode 11. 

This week on the App.net Podcast @berg again joins @dalton to talk about all things App.net.  They cover topics such as this week’s release of domain verification, the state of the ADN app ecosystem, user streams and ADN branding.  The podcast closes with questions from users.

 

  • 0:20    Domain Verification release
  • 1:20     What does “verified” mean on ADN?
  • 6:05     Why we used “rel=me”
  • 10:00   Follow buttons - customizable: https://github.com/appdotnet/piha
  • 15:15     State of the app ecosystem - Microblogging
  • 20:15    State of the app ecosystem - Media sharing
  • 22:50    State of the app ecosystem - Social gaming
  • 30:45    User Streams
  • 33:25    App.net’s growth
  • 35:20    Site-wide branding – App.net vs. Alpha vs. iOS directory app “Passport”
  • 41:40    ADN Hackathon reminder / WWDC meetup  
  • 43:20    User Questions

 

Thanks to @ca, @chartier, @kosso, @jmergy, @davidangel, @clonezone, @mrbeefy, @cocoasamurai, @nhk, @shawndrape, @simon_w, @blumenkraft, @flashblu, @spacekatgal, @jefflemond, @zero, @bryanjclark, @jamesduffell, @jssrea, @nsonic, @timpritlove and @pedroh96 for submitting user questions

 

 

Apps mentioned in this week’s podcast:

 

Subscribe to the RSS of the podcast or subscribe through iTunes.

If you have a question for a future podcast, a suggestion, or other feedback, send your thoughts to @ADN using #ADNpodcast.

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What is Climber?

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App.net is a social network and a platform for applications – a network of independently developed apps – that members can choose between. Depending on your preferred method of connecting to App.net, there is an app for you. This series will showcase the variety of apps you can use.

 

Climber is a brand new video sharing app built for App.net that lets you easily record and share short videos with your followers.

@rrbrambley and @derelk began the project at the last App.net Hackathon on March 2nd in San Francisco and three short weeks later you can download it from the App Store for your iPhone.  That’s pretty cool to see.

The way Climber works is that you open the app in your iPhone and after about a second of old fashioned TV snow you’re ready to start recording.

To begin recording touch and hold down your finger anywhere on the screen for as long as you’d like to record video.  As soon as you lift your finger the recording stops and will continue recording when you press down again.  This allows you to “edit” your video in real-time by linking short clips together to create your 11 second masterpiece.

photo (4)                              photo (2)                                photo (3)

When you are done recording you can instantly preview the video (recommended) before sharing it with the world.  When you are ready to post it, add a message to the post and tag your location if you like or let the video speak for itself.

Here are a few Climber videos that were reposted by the @climber account:  Seems like breakfast was a popular topic.

Screen Shot 2013-03-25 at 2.35.22 PM     Screen Shot 2013-03-25 at 2.35.48 PM     Screen Shot 2013-03-25 at 2.36.17 PM     Screen Shot 2013-03-25 at 2.37.59 PM     Screen Shot 2013-03-25 at 2.38.56 PM

Your Climber videos can be viewed on the Climber website when you click on the link in a post but that is not where your videos are stored.

Climber makes use of the App.net File API, which means that your Climber videos are stored in your App.net storage and belong to you.  As @rrbrambley states in his blog post:

“All Climber posts are more or less like any other post to App.net, but with a link to our website where the video can be watched. Our video pages simply rely on App.net post data to retrieve links to video files contained in personal App.net file storage. If a user chooses to delete their App.net post, or even just delete the video file in their file storage, then it can no longer be viewed on our website”

 

@climber
climber In support of #MondayNightDanceParty, we'd love to repost any great dance moves you feeling like showing off on Climber :)
25. March 2013 via Alpha

Seeing as today is Monday, Climber is inviting your to share any videos of your best dance moves during tonight’s #MondayNightDanceParty so start getting warmed up, you don’t want to pull a hammy.

We love seeing the evolution of apps being built on ADN and we think Climber does a great job of creating a unique experience for the ADN community to interact.  We look forward to seeing more apps like it in the Directory.

This Week’s RecApp

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It’s been a busy week and we’ve got more apps to share with you all.  It’s a bigger batch than usual so you’ve got your work cut out for you if you’re gonna try them all, but we think you’re up to the task.  There are a few apps that are products of last weekend’s App.net Hackathon and there are some cool integrations with services you’re already familiar with.

 

AmyAmy - for Mac - App.net messaging is now at home on the Mac. Amy integrates private messages, group chats, and Patter rooms into Messages for Mac. See the people you follow in your buddy list. Send and receive messages.  Created by @stevestreza

 

 

AppBoxAppBox - Integrations - View your App.net messsages, posts and channels in your favorite email program.  Created by @ryantharp

 

 

 

CheckinCheckin ADN - for the Web - Checkin ADN helps you share your favorite places on App.net using ADN’s Places API and checkin annotation. Once you authorize Checkin ADN and allow location services, you can write the post text, search for the place you want to check into, add a photo, and check in. Works great on your desktop or on your phone.  Created by @barmstrong

 

 

BlimBLI.MS - Posting Service - BLI.MS is a full multimedia processing service for developers of app.net client to integrate photos, video AND audio sharing in their apps. BLI.MS powers the multimedia behind #PAN, Rivr, Dash and Robin and more…  Created by @kosso

 

 

BlimshotBLIMSHOT - Browser Extension - BLIMSHOT is an extension for users of App.net to easily create and share links as ‘visual bookmarks’ using screenshots of almost any web page. A demo screencast can be seen here.  Created by @kosso

 

 

cheerioch.eer.io - Integrations - ch.eer.io is a free service that provides push notifications from App.net to your iOS, Android, or email client.  Full control over notifications allows you to selectively enable or disable a wide range of notifications, allowing you to fine tune the data you receive.  Created by @ravisorg

 

 

tagpadTagPad - Posting Services - Tagpad.com is a social bookmarking site integrated with App.net.  Save, tag and share your favorite bookmarks on App.net!  Sign in with your App.net id. When you save a link it will be shared on your stream (with hashtags) helping you to connect with others who share similar interests.  Created by @tagpad

 

 

XAyvrB5Vn1-5oNgVK4aaklZSGpN7InMiOiJzMyIsImIiOiJhZG4tdXNlci1hc3NldHMiLCJrIjoiYXNzZXRzL3BhZ2UvZGQvMzAvMDAvZGQzMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMC5wbmciLCJvIjoicmVzaXplQHc9MjQwLGg9MjQwIn0

jSquare - Posting Services - With jSquare you can have all your check-ins posted to App.net almost exactly like the old foursquare®. Login with foursquare®, add your App.net account and you’re all set! All future check-ins will be sent to your connected accounts, the way they should be. It’s simple as that.  Created by @jota

 

extended shareExtended Share for G+ - Browser Extensions - Google+ doesn’t have a way to share outside that network. With this extension, you can easily share any content to app.net.  This extension will add a link “Share on …” to each post.  Created by @mohamedmansour

 

 

4KSBLXXoaL7AhoSFv8vqLhN9GD17InMiOiJzMyIsImIiOiJhZG4tdXNlci1hc3NldHMiLCJrIjoiYXNzZXRzL3BhZ2UvNGQvMzAvMDAvNGQzMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMC5wbmciLCJvIjoicmVzaXplQHc9MjQwLGg9MjQwIn0Reposted.me - Search & Discovery - Reposted.me displays a user’s best posts. You can see who has starred and reposted your own posts, and you can also see the best posts from others on App.net. Created by @wjl

 

 

 

Kudos if you made it to the bottom of the post.  You get a gold star!  Well that’s it for this week’s recApp.  See you next time. -ADN Team

Note: the descriptions provided here are from the developers. Edited slightly for length and format. 

 

App.net Hackathon Recap

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This past Saturday was the 2nd #adnhackathon, and some fifty developers, community members, journalists, and the simply curious got together to hack on and talk App.net. Needless to say, it was a special day for App.net. Thanks to all those who came out (many collaborators were meeting for the first time), tuned into ustream, followed the hashtag, or otherwise participated.

The energy, the creativity, the passion, the spirit – it was all thrilling and humbling. There were a range of projects worked on, including an analytics tool, various integrations, new ways to view streams, and updates to existing apps.

Some of these projects are available for you to use now, while others you’ll (hopefully!) be able to use in the coming weeks.

Below is a list of what was presented, and you can watch ustream to see a recording of the demo.

 

Screen Shot 2013-03-04 at 11.15.47 AM

Weft by @duerig

@duerig presented a project called Weft, which allows you to view your stream spatially, instead of the standard thread view. You can use arrow keys to navigate your stream to view conversations, so you can track replies in new and interesting ways.

@ryantharp built an App.net-to-IMAP gateway, AppBox, allowing users to receive mentions directly in their favorite email client. Learn more.

@samuelclay implemented native App.net integration with Newsblur‘s web, iPhone, and iPad applications. You can now find the people you follow on App.net on NewsBlur (as long as they have an NewsBlur account). You can also share links from NewsBlur to App.net.

@joshjones created Netwall, which displays a feed in a billboard style on your iPad. For example, you can live stream global (or, soon, your own stream, hashtag, and more) and get a look at what’s happening. Read his blog post about it.

 

heartbeat

Heartbeat @haxor and @tilgovi

@haxor and @tilgovi developed heartbeat, which is a time-series monitor, allowing you to graph data series over time, using App.net Channels as a backend to store the data. This allows you, for example, to see how many visitors a particular web page receives over time, like you’re checking its pulse.

@rrbrambley and @derelk – created a video sharing tool for App.net using the File API. Here’s the video they took to demo.

@abraham upgraded his Succynct Chrome extension with more robust interactions notifications, including starring and reposting. He also demoed hashtag notifications (coming soon), so you can get notifications whenever a hashtag is used in a post.

@isaiah and @joeworkman added some additional functionality to Kiwi. They created a Safari extension for Kiwi to create posts for sharing the current web page or a selection of text or images. They also made it easier to share images and text from your hard drive directly to Kiwi. While they were at it, they created an Alfred extension, and a dropzone extension is coming soon.

 

 

Amy by @stevestreza

Amy by @stevestreza

@stevestreza unveiled Amy, which integrates App.net private messages – including file sharing – into Messages for Mac, included in all machines running Mountain Lion. The integration includes Patter rooms. He wrote a blog post about it, including instructions for download and setup.

@barmstrong created two projects. The first, Checkin ADN, is a check-in app to broadcast your location. The second, Salsola, applies customizable Tumblr themes to an App.net stream.

 

Screen Shot 2013-03-04 at 12.20.25 PM

Comics-inspired communication by @andrewhaskin, @billkunz, and @nelsonhornstein

@billkunz and @nelsonhornstein worked on a prototype of @andrewhaskin‘s master’s thesis project. They are creating new way to interact and communicate, inspired by comics. @andrewhaskin wrote up a blog post that details more.

@jaminguy and @jaredsinclair continued work on their app Riposte, adding support for private messages

@kolin — added photo support to Stream. Coming soon will be a map view to see where in the world posts are being created.

@mthurman forked @abraham‘s Chrome extension Succynct to enable keeping track of which posts you’ve already seen. When opening conversations in new tabs, posts which have already been seen are faded out.

@voidfiles also forked Succynct and added support for sharing text, links and images from the context menu. Here’s the post he made from Succynct during his demo.

@jmathai added App.net File API support to TroveBox (formerly OpenPhoto) enabling you to see your photos hosted on App.net as an album as well as post pictures to App.net through TroveBox.

 

 

 

And the event in photos:

IMG_7335DSC05310      IMG_7336   IMG_7353  IMG_7382   IMG_7385   IMG_7391   IMG_7393   IMG_7395  IMG_7398   IMG_7401  IMG_7402  IMG_7404   IMG_7410  IMG_7416  IMG_7417  IMG_7423   IMG_7424 IMG_7430  IMG_7435  IMG_7438  IMG_7443  IMG_7449  IMG_7457  IMG_7461  IMG_7463  IMG_7467  IMG_7469DSC05336  IMG_7412

Upcoming App.net events in NYC, San Francisco and Austin

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If you’re in, or around, New York City, San Francisco, and Austin the next few weeks, come meet a few of your fellow App.net community members.

First up: ADN Meetup in New York City on Thursday, February 21 at Salvation Taco from 6-9 pm. @jhubball and @orian from ADNHQ will be on hand, joined by many others, to eat tacos and talk shop. RSVP to attend.

peeps

On Saturday, March 2, the 2nd App.net Hackathon goes down in San Francisco, 10 am – 10 pm (exact location TBD). Last time, projects like LongPosts, Apparchy, Vidcast, among many others, came to life. We’re fired up to see what’s in store this year. Please RSVP if you’re planning on attending.

A week later, on March 9, @dalton will be speaking at SXSW. If you’re in town, let @adn know, as we’re finalizing the details on a casual meetup someplace nearby.

 

Press Roundup: App.net and App.net Developers in the News

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App.net and, more specifically, App.net developers have been in the news a bit recently, and here’s a quick roundup, in case you missed it.

Today, an update for Netbot is out, which includes push notifications, post search, and a few other features, and it was covered in iMore by @reneritchie, The Next Web by @panzer, and AppAdvice by @bryanmwolfe.

On Friday, @ablaze wrote about the amazing work undertaken at the hackathon in ReadWrite and @stevestreza‘s hackathon project was covered in TechCrunch.

Also, @ednapiranha wrote a detailed blog post about how and she and her collaborators created the App.net web app NoodleApp.

Got anything for future posts? If you’re in the news or write a blog post, be sure to let @ben and @orian know.

Hackathon Recap

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This past weekend was the first App.net Hackathon, hosted by our friends at Storify, and it was a great time. Calling it a Hackathon is perhaps a misnomer, as the weekend was less about competition and more about collaboration, connection, brainstorming, and just building interesting apps on the platform.

All in all there were some 40 attendees (plus dozens of out-of-towners tuning in remotely via ustream and Patter) with varying levels of familiarity with App.net and our API. Amidst the bbq, pizza, and Chinese food, some amazing work was done.

 

Here’s a recap of what was presented, but you can see a stream of all the presentations here:

 

                    

Vidcast - @q, @ryantharp and @duerig built a music video deejaying service called Vidcast based off @jdscolam’s #MondayNightDanceParty. The tool lets App.net members post Youtube links which a DJ can then assemble into a show. @duerig collaborated with the team remotely in a chatroom running in Patter, an app he previously built to support realtime chat over App.net.

Pidgeonhole - @ketan and @andrewschmidt refined Pigeonhole, an app that tags starred posts, so when you view your these posts later, they’re organized. As @andrewschmidt explained, he uses starring as a way to archive posts, and this app helps you divided them up, say, by videos, links, music, and more.

apparchy - @stevestreza channeled the classic hacker mentality to create apparchy, a service which lets users of Twitter for iPhone and iPad view and post messages as well as follow/unfollow users through App.net.

 

                

Explore on Rivr – @tonymillion added an Explore feature to Rivr, his iPhone client for App.net, which visualizes on a map where people are posting from using the geolocation annotation.

ADN Follow Button - @abraham created a simple way to add an App.net follow button to your web page with a single line of code.

ADN Blogs - @jazzychad built ADN Blogs which turns App.net posts into full length blog posts. The app stores text with markdown formatting using annotations and then renders the text to display on a web site. Publishing a blog post will automatically post the headline to App.net so members know there’s something new.

 

   

Buffer photo uploads - @tommoor added photo uploading and viewing support to Buffer using annotations.

Appy - @a_band and @jb demoed the very early designs of a new App.net iOS client – tentatively called Appy – which displays conversations similar to iChat.

 

We also had a couple developers hacking remotely:

 

            

 

#@ - @davidkrauser created #@, a widget for quickly posting your current location to App.net.

Podglass - @appeio built Podglass, an HTML5 podcast player with App.net discussion threads.

 

Thanks to all who came out or tuned in (if we missed your project, apologies, let us know and we’ll add you to the post). For those who could make it, please send @ben feedback on what worked and what could have been better. And follow these developers for updates on their projects. Here’s our full set of pictures:

(Photos at the top of the page: @andrewschmidt and @tonymillion / Heads down, serious faces / @berg and @dalton / Yari D’Areglia, @jumpzero and @xd from Storify)

Bottom gallery photos (Top row left to right: @orian and @mthurman / @q / @jazzychad / @teawithcarl / @abraham and @q)

(Bottom row left to right: @ketan and @andrewschmidt / Team ADN @berg, @andrew, @mthurman, @dalton, @mintz / @jdavid, @abraham and @tommoor /  Heads down, serious faces / @ryantharp)