Trio of programs increase usability of Twitter

The world is all aflutter about the short message service Twitter. Like most technophiles, I've been using Twitter for some time. Long enough, in fact, to have written in January 2008 that I was swearing off Twitter ("Conversions of a Twitter Revert," db.tidbits .com/article/9375). I recanted my Twitter turnoff.

Twitter lets you send short messages ("tweets") to the service about what you're doing, and anyone who chooses to subscribe to those messages — your "followers" — sees what you write as part of a continuously updated stream of messages from everyone they follow. (You can choose to protect your messages so only people you approve can follow you.)

While Twitter seems like an amazing waste of time, it's many different services in one. Some people post the boring minutiae of their lives; others, witty (or allegedly witty) statements; and others provide a kind of narrative of interesting moments. In that sense, Twittering and personal blogging are two peas in a pod.

Just like blogging, Twitter is also used for professional purposes, with celebrities pushing out micro-news to hordes of fans, news organizations announcing the latest articles or podcasts, and corporations issuing news-release links.

Trouble is, the Twitter.com site is a terrible way to use the service except in a pinch. Macintosh and iPhone users have some nifty alternatives. Perhaps too many. Twitter offers a developer's interface that lets third parties write software that can read a user's Twitter feed and general Twitter info and present it in whatever interface the developers come up with.

Of particular interest

I find three programs of particular interest: Twitterific and Tweetie (both for Mac OS X and iPhone/iPod touch), and Birdhouse (iPhone/iPod touch only).

I've been using Twitterific on the Mac for some time (Iconfactory, $14.95 for paid version or free with advertisements, iconfactory .com/software/twitterrific). The program provides a relatively straightforward scrolling list of tweets in newest-to-oldest order. You set how often you want the program to update your feed, from every 3 minutes to every hour. You send messages by typing in a small text field at the bottom. You can select a message in the display list, type Command-2 to reply to it and Twitterific automatically fills in an at sign (@) followed by the Twitter name of the person you're replying to, which is the convention in Twitter for a response.

The iPhone version of Twitterific (free with ads, $9.99 without ads) has a similar appearance for messages from those you follow. Double-tapping a tweet brings up options for replying or viewing information about a user. An integral Web browser lets you follow links embedded within a tweet without leaving the program, too.

Tweetie for Mac OS X takes a slightly different approach (Atebits, $19.95 or free with ads, iconfactory .com/software/twitterrific). Messages are shown newest-to-oldest, too, but with a twist that makes the flow look more like iChat. Text balloons are tied to the square icons that Twitter lets you set with your profile via the Twitter site.

Tweetie has four simple buttons for changing views, too. A balloon button shows the chronological full view; an at-sign shows only replies aimed at you; an envelope reveals direct messages, and a magnifying glass lets you search.

Thread replies

The program can thread replies, which allows a simulation of conversation if two people are following each other. Threaded messages appear in a different color; double-click the message and the thread, called a "conversation," appears in full.

But Tweetie has another trick up its sleeve: support for multiple accounts. You might think: There's just one of me; why would I need multiple accounts? But if you run a small business, you might have one personal account, one professional account, one account announcing new services and another for customers with coupons. The iPhone version of Tweetie ($2.99) came first, and has the same categories of items as the Mac version, and also supports multiple accounts.

For those who find themselves in Twitter quite a lot especially away from a computer, Birdhouse fills an odd but useful need (Adam Lisagor and Cameron Hunt, $3.99, birdhouseapp.com/). It lets you draft tweets and post them later.

If you're using Twitter casually, this probably seems like a strange use of 399 pennies. But if you post in any serious or professional capacity, or you like contemplating before you post, Birdhouse fills that niche.

Birdhouse supports multiple Twitter accounts, too, and allows you to delete messages, too.

For Twitterers, these applications slap some order on top of a purposely casual and disorderly service. For the more serious-minded, Twitter applications improve efficiency and aid better composition.

Glenn Fleishman writes the Practical Mac column for Personal Technology and about technology in general for The Seattle Times and other publications. Send questions to gfleishman@seattletimes.com. More columns at www.seattletimes.com/columnists