Tweet Longer with TwitLonger

Most Tweeters are not too happy with the fact that tweets using the default Twitter interface is restricted to only 140 characters including spaces. According to the official explanation from Twitter, the limit  is due largely to how Tweeter was initially designed to be a mobile status update posting service. Since majority of mobile phone texting services out there are restricted to 160 characters per text message, Tweeter had to follow suit while reserving 20 characters for usernames.

For everyone who just needs to post more than the usual space offered by Tweeter, Twitlonger is a service that does just that. Now, some people may argue that if you can't fit it in Tweeter just post a link to a post somewhere else (i.e. blog post or Facebook status message) using one of several awesome link shortening services out there. I would agree with that. However, Twitlonger gives Twitter folks a faster route to that end. Just keep typing to your heart's content and send it off Twitterland with no worries.

My only complaint - the character counter is making things unbearably slow (this is both for Twitter and Twitlonger). The workaround - compose your tweet on notepad and just copy-paste it on the input box.

Twitlonger is a service founded by self-proclaimed web ninja Stuart Gibson. Thanks Stuart. Go forth and Twitlonger!

Twitter and Google Real Time Search: Only The Latest Stuff Online

Recently, I came across the Twitter search engine over at http://search.twitter.com. It's an okay alternative to doing an online search and getting the most recent postings, in this case tweets, about something you're looking for in the Web. It would return search results for posts no older than a few days only. In this way, it's a trending tool more than anything else.

To see the latest trends, Twitter Search would be a good starting point. But there are other search engines for Twitter posts out there. Two of the more popular ones are Topsy and CrowdEye. If you want to check out other similar search services visit David Lee King's blog post here.

In what is probably an attempt to duplicate this service and to boost its own Google Buzz product, the Web's top search firm also came up with Google Real Time Search last December 2009 which is now housed at its own website. Apart from Twitter postings, the real-time search results will also list the latest Google Buzz entries as well as an abbreviated list of "mentions" from top websites. Status messages from other social networks also come out i.e. FriendFeed, MySpace and Facebook.

How do you know if you are on Real Time Search or just on plain-old search? Google's Real Time Search has a "Pause" link in case you want to temporarily deactivate the stream of latest tweets and buzzes. By the way, you may also access Real Time Search from any search results page. Just click "More" on the left menu and then "Updates".

Twitter Search Engines and Google Real Time Search will give you only the latest, most up-to-date resources for your searches. It doesn't mean that the content will be relevant but it sure beats getting dead links and outdated content. Go give it a try.