Gus Svendsen

3 Steps to Start Using the goo.gl URL Shortener

Posted by gussvendsen - 12/17/09 at 07:12:33 am

Once upon a time, TinyURL reigned king over the URL shortening land. But thanks to great statistics, a rise in Twitter users, and a simple API, Bit.ly usurped the kingdom. In 2009, bit.ly reportedly served over 2.1 billion shortened URLs. But now there’s a new challenger to the throne. On Monday, Google announced goo.gl, its own URL shortening service.

Unlike bit.ly, if you visit goo.gl, you will not be able to use the service there. Google’s official statement in their blog post was this:

“Google URL shortener is not a stand-alone service; you can’t use it to shorten links directly. Currently, Google URL Shortener is only available from the Google Toolbar and FeedBurner. If the service proves useful, we may eventually make it available for a wider audience in the future.”

Well, that’s not completely true. I found a different way to use it, and I’m passing the tip on to you. To get started, you’ll need to be on a PC and have Google Chrome installed. (If you do not have Chrome installed, you should get it.)

How to Start Using goo.gl

1. Open your Chrome browser - Check if your Google Chrome browser is running the latest version by clicking on Settings [wrench] > About Google Chrome. It will automatically check for the latest update. If you are not using version 4.0.x, then install the update. (see below)

2. Install the goo.gl extension – Once you’re running Chrome 4.x, you may add extensions. Installing a Chrome extension is a breeze. Just locate an extension and click the install button, and in a few seconds, it’s ready to use. Get the goo.gl extension here. (see below)

3. Activate the extension while on any site – To use the URL shortener, simply navigate to the URL you wish to shorten, and click on the goo.gl extension icon. This will bring up a small window with the shortened URL embedded. Click on “Copy” to copy the short URL to your clipboard and close the small window. Paste the URL anywhere you want to display a shortened URL. (see below)

Other Ways to Use goo.gl:
Google Toolbar – If you would like to try goo.gl in Internet Explorer or Firefox, you can learn how to do that at the Internet Techies blog.
Feedburner - Go to your Feedburner acount, click on Publicize > Socialize to see examples of goo.gl shortened URLs. This feature is very much like TwitterFeed, but it lacks statistics at this point.

The paint is still drying on goo.gl, so don’t expect much right now. But once stats and other comparable features are added to the service, it could really pose challenges for reigning alternatives.

Why the iPhone Is Not as Advertised

Posted by gussvendsen - 10/28/09 at 08:10:49 am

When I got my first iPhone back in June 2007, it was heralded as the coolest Phone/Email/Browser/iPod the world has ever seen. Now near the end of 2009 and 120+ apps later, my iPhone is less Phone/Email/Browser/iPod than ever. Although that may not be how it was packaged in the beginning, I have a feeling it was all part of the master plan.

Less Phone
If you’re like me, you don’t use the phone much anymore, cell or landlines. Conversations are more easily maintained via chat/SMS or through social networking sites like Facebook. Plus, these asynchronous technologies enable me to have multiple discussions going simultaneously. Therefore, I finally did it. I removed the Phone app from my iPhone Dock. Besides, I receive more calls than I place, and I don’t need to give up space on the dock to answer a call.

Less Email
Email has become my archive for stale conversations and forgotten passwords. I prefer the dynamic nature of real-time dialog, and I can get that through Twitter, SMS and Facebook. I took Email off my Dock and replaced it with Echofon, a Twitter app. However and for now, email still gets a position on my home screen.

Less Browser
Another thing I did a while back was remove Safari from the Dock. It now has a spot on my #2 app screen. I rarely use it because the Web apps/sites I frequent most have an iPhone app that offers a more customized user experience than a general browser can provide. Plus, many apps like Echofon, TweetDeck and more offer Web browsing inside their app… which reminds me, why doesn’t the email app work that way, Apple?

Less iPod
I knew, before I waited 6 hours in the blistering South Carolina sun to buy my first-gen iPhone, that I was not in need of a new iPod. It was bonus. Gravy. But more importantly than offering music and videos, Apple was positioning the iPhone as a portable entertainment device. People are always in need of some entertainment, right? Yes! And as it turns out, I do listen to music on it, but more often with Pandora. And I do watch videos on it but that’s because my kids can’t sit still on airplanes or in doctors’ offices. Entertaining as all that is, based on frequency I demoted the iPod app from the dock and ultimately from my Home screen.

More of a “Post-PC Device”
Even before it hit the market, Steve Jobs strategically referred to the iPhone as a “post-pc device.” He knew it would become more than a phone. (Watch the video @4:55/5:40) PCs had reached their practical maturity, and it was time to introduce the next generation of personal computing. But the iPhone did not come on the scene as a new type of gadget (e.g. Helio’s “Don’t call it a phone” campaigns). It deliberately was in the form of something we all knew, and it even came with apps we were used to seeing on a computer. But now, many of the apps I’ve used on a traditional PC environment have gotten booted from my home screen. Here’s what’s left and why.

Maps (on Dock) – one of the most useful apps I use with any predictable consistency. (Standard)
Settings – good to be able to access this when needed. (Standard)
App Store – always looking for new apps or updating my existing ones. (Standard)
Flashlight - If you wonder why I have this so prominently placed, I’ll assume you do not have children who sleep in the dark. (Web | iTunes)
Camera - For life’s special moments. Got to keep that one handy with kids around. (Standard)

Voices Memos – Use this to dictate randomness or capture business meetings. FYI – my longest recorded meeting was over 50 minutes. Imports to iTunes. (Standard)
Calendar - Thanks to iCal and MobileMe, my wife and I can easily share calendars that stay in sync. (Standard)
Shazam - one of my favorites! Technology at its best. If you don’t know this app, get it. Listens to music and tells you the title, artist and more. I use it a lot in the car. (Web | iTunes)
Bookmarks- all my 3000+ Delicious bookmarks are just a tap away. (Web | iTunes)

foursquare - I’m new to this one, but it impressed me right away. It’s got a long way to go to serve Smalltown, USA, but it’ll get there. (Web | iTunes)
Loopt - I am here. You are there. Great app for meeting up with someone, like to watch the Cal Bears beatup on someone. (Web | iTunes)
Minibooks - I do freelance work and use Freshbooks. (Web | iTunes)
Wordpress - I’m actually typing this post with it. Not ideal but works. (Web | iTunes)

ESPN FF - goes back to the entertainment factor. It’ll be gone by February. (Web | iTunes)
Poker 5K – my alternative to insomnia. Also very useful when rocking sleeping babies. (Web | iTunes)

What Did I Learn?
UX Rule: When adoption is key to your success, evolution is better than revolution.

So that’s my home screen. What does your iPhone Dock or Home Screen look like and why?