tweeple! Check out free and fun twtapps!

Calling all tweeple!!!

To be sure this is a step by step how to use a really neat set of applications for twitter called twtapps just launched by  Felipe Coimbra at the Montreal NewTech Meetup on January 16, 2009. twtapps are five applications Felipe claims will “enhance your experience on twitter.” What’s more, besides being fun, the apps are “FREE to use and with no advertisement.”

But this post is so much more than just a step by step how to learn a few new applications on twitter.

This is about personal revolution, simplifying your life, changing your stuck-in-the rut–of-same-old-same-old-have-to-do-it-that-way-because-that’s-what-tradition/society/family/coworkers/boss/my friends/neighbors/other people/the infamous they/-expects-is-the-only-way–to-ever- do-these-things-paradigms.

Ps. It’s also gonna help you green your life and help the earth because the amount of paper saved by using these apps is incredible.

Now I don’t expect every reader will agree and I already feel the sneers and jeers coming from those of you that wouldn’t dream of giving up a trip to Crane’s for your business cards or Papyrus for your next bridal or baby shower invites.

To those of you who must have paper products, please just try to be sure you’re using recycled materials (but I will still challenge you to rethink that wedding invite and the save the dates and the rsvp’s and all that stuff we’ve seen over the years mailed out and yes they’re pretty and yes i’ve been there/done that but do we need to keep doing it that way is what I keep finding myself asking myself.

And obviously so has Felipe. And he’s done more than just wonder, he’s created  solutions. Take a look at what Techcrunch has to say. Neat huh?

Now this is me being honest:

I’ve done ZERO research on what’s out there as other cool apps to use to create invites, polls, cards, wishlists online. This is strictly a post about how to do so on twitter. But I’m completely open to whomever needs to leave a comment shaking their pointer at me and sshing me and saying ‘lady you shoulda known bettah!” Go ahead. Tis okay. It won’t change the fact that I was so giddy about these applications I tweeted most folks for about 2 hours using them and thought “Why the heck don’t I just write a post about it and tell a heck of a lot more tweeples.”

So there ya go. And here we are.

And you are wondering when the heck I’m gonna land the plane.

Okay. But first consider with me for the next five minutes the possibilities of no paper and using twtapps for: polls, invites, cards, registries, and yes, even photos.

Take a peek at Felipe’s launch of twtapps at the Montreal NewTech Meet up. While I’ve not met him before, Felipe seems like a neat guy. Surely he’s offering programs to help all of us improve our performance ( Istats) and have fun Yowtrip began the One Year/No Job project to track his progress and growth as an entrepreneur. See what he has to say about twtapps.

Cool huh?

With twtapps (@twtapps) you now can:

* design a twtpoll (twitter poll)

* send a  twtcard (twitter card) to say hey/happy bday/or whatever kind of greeting you wish!

* create a twtvite (twitter invite) to gather tweeps for a tweetup or twestival

* using twtwlst (a twitter wish list) to promote your pined for needs or a friend’s registry

* even play a game like twtpets

I watched it last night, having found it in that round about way. You know how it goes. In my case, I read a tweet about the next Boston tweetup * (tweetups=get togethers with folks in your community who use twitter). I followed its link and found the twtvite for Boston’s twestival on February 12, 2009, one of several tweetups going on around the world that night in hopes of promoting awareness and fundraising for Charity Water.

(But that’s another great story I’ll hopefully write after this post).

Immediately, I squealed!!!  Not only was the twtvte something new I’d never seen BEFORE, (and I’m ridiculously giddy over anything new when it comes to twitter) but right there on the twtvite I discover:

* I can rsvp online and add my twitter handle (@tresha) to the list of attendees.
* I can grab the code for the twtvite and embed it to my blog (see left margin of my blog for Boston’s twtvite) for folks who wanna come but wouldn’t know about it otherwise.

* and wow’d as I was ’bout all that, you betcha I clicked on the upper right corner link of the twtvite to read ‘about twtapps‘.

…which is what I did. I clicked on twtapps and the rest is the history of why I’m writing this post.

One quick apology first:

I’m a big visual learner, while I am still teaching myself how to screencast, I didn’t want to wait to post this information about twtapps because I’m that giddy about them.

So, wherever I can in the post, I’ve tried to link to a helpful visual to make this explanation a visually pleasing experience. And as of this posting, I still have some images I want to grab from my iphone and embed later–sorta a start toward learning how to screencast.

Also, these explanations assume you know a bit about how to copy/paste a url, how to create a widget on your blog, and how to embed code to do so. All of these skills are still pretty new to my bank of how to’s and I’m sure that if you leave a comment here I can either help you with how to or direct you to another BlogHer who does).

Apologies aside, let’s take a walk through twtapps.

First off, twtpoll. When’s the last time you took a poll on your blog to survey your readers and find out what they think?

Or when’s the last time you wanted to but didn’t know how?

With twtpoll you can not only create a simple, easy to use poll but you can tally it right on your blog’s sidebar. Or if you prefer, you can simply tweet the poll and let it stand alone as it’s own site. You can also facebook it and share the url within any blogpost or email. In fact, you can do these each of these options with each of the twtapps.

Take a look.

* Hop on over to the twtapps create a twtpoll page.
* In the first box, enter your twitter handle (like I’m @tresha)
* In the next box, enter your poll’s question (for this example I’m asking How many BlogHers tweet?)
* In the third space, create the multiple choice answers you wish to offer
* Finally, hit the “create poll’ button.

When your poll is generated, you will get a visual of your poll plus a few options to share the poll: you can tweet your poll, message about your poll on facebook, share the url link in a blogpost, and even embed the code for your poll as a widget right on your blog. (note: on my blog you’ll see the poll on the left sidebar as a widget. I had to follow twtpoll’s directions to resize the circle graph to 180 because 200 proved too large. Just experiment with it and you’ll find the right size for your blog).

What to me is cool: you as the poll creator can decide if you want to allow multiple votes per IP address–something you’d choose to allow anyone to cast a vote more than once. But, note: you can’t change that option after the first vote has been cast).

Be sure to leave a comment when you create your own poll so I can come to your blog and vote! 🙂

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2)  Now let’s take a look at twtcard— a cool way to send a visual hug, hello, or happy bday card to anyone you follow on twitter, or through your facebook, your blog, and anywhere else you add the link.

• Just like with the twtpoll, go to the create a twtcard page.
• Then, enter the message you wish to share in the empty visual box (up to 140 characters).
• Next, add your twitter handle (I’m @tresha) in the rectangular box below the message box.
• Next, drop down to the smiley blox area and choose one of several fun smiley boxes. (Note: you’ll see only four options plus a down arrow. Click on the down arrow to see other smileys to choose from. Clicking on a smiley selects that smiley for your card).
• Finally, click the button below to ‘create card.’ (while twtapps is generating the card you’ll see that message “generating card”).
• Once the twtcard is generated, you’ll see three options at the top of the page allowing you to tweet the card, message it on facebook, or share the url directly.

Here’s a card I made to promote BlogHer 2009! I tweeted it and shared it on my Facebook using the generated code.

Here’s the link if you want to share this particular card:

http://twtcard.com/?twt=qdsqvi

~~~~~~~~~~~~

3) The 3rd twtapp:  twtvte — let’s you use a creative invitation which allows for immediate rsvp-ing right on the invite itself! The twtvite  is a great option whether you’re holding

* one of the man twestivals all over the world on 2/12/09 promoting Charity:Water
* a party, like  BlogHer’s “My Bloggy Valentine” on 2/6/09 in San Fran
* a simple get together.

So here we go:

* Go to the create a twtvite page.
* Next, enter your twitter handle in the first entry box.
* Next, input your event’s details: event name, where held, what date, what time, etc.

* Next, describe the event–in under 140 chars. (for this example I’m creating a twtvite for “My Bloggy Valentine”–BlogHer’s Meet up on 2/6/09 at 330 Ritchie’s Bar.
* Next, click the ‘create invite’ button and wait patiently (note: squealing out of giddyness allowed!)
* Then, gaze at the wonder of your creation:)
* Lastly, choose one or all of four options to share your twtvite: tweet the twtvite,  message it on facebook, share the url link, or embed the code on your blog and post the twtvite right as a widget on your sidebar. Just think your readers can rsvp right on your blog!

Here’s the code:http://twtvite.com/nc2uc5

(Note: if you are going to the SF My Bloggy Valentine Meetup, you need to actually rsvp on the eventbrite invite site. So be sure to click that on this twtvite or go to the actual eventbrite registration page for My Bloggy Valentine).
~~~~~~

4) Next app: twtwlst otherwise known as how to post your wishlist on twitter! 😉

Now close your eyes (well not really, I of course want you to keep reading)and think who comes to mind when you wonder about bridal registry or baby registry? Anyone you know gonna get mahweed soon or have a baby??? (eh hem…hint hint…she has a smile that will light up any room and if you’ve every been to BlogHer conferences she’s probably given you a hug).

Okay, now how cool is this: you can tweet a registry designed for that special one you know’s about to get married or have a baby. What a way to simplify bridal/baby shower duties!!!

You can also tweet your own wish list for things you know you deserve. 🙂

Here goes on how to create your very own gift wish list using twtwlist:

* Go to the create a twtwlist page.
* In the first open box, enter your twitter handle.
* In the next open box, describe your list/registry, in–you guessed it–140 chars or less. 🙂
* In the 3rd open box –this is sooo wheee-fun it’ll make you giddy: input each item you’re hoping for as well as the item’s url code on where to go shop for it online!
* Finally, –you guessed it! click the abracadabra make- your-twtwlst app- appear-poof -button! 😉

For this example, I simply made a fun twtwlst for Wishlist for this Woman Who Techs.

*As with the other apps, you’ll have four ways to share the twtwlist: tweet it,message it on facebook, share the url link and / or embed the code for a widget on your blog.

What’s fun about twtwlst is that folks can reserve items right on your blog and once an items ‘reserved’ it’s no longer available, so you can think someone’s getting it for you!

Speaking of….time for the last twtapp. I know can you believe, and here you were thinking we’d only just begun 🙂

Here we go. Let’s make a twtpets announcement to declare what every pet owner already knows: that theirs is the best pet in the universe bar non. 🙂

*Go to the site to create a twtpets

*Enter your twitter handle.

*Next, enter your furry friend’s name.

*Next, upload a furry of your furry friend because you just know s/he is the most adorable pet in the universe.

*Describe this fatabulous creature in you guessed it 140 characters or less.

*Click the button to “Add My Pet”

The result is an announcement on twitter “Vote for Berkeley (or your pets name) with a link to the contest. Check it out! (and, of course, vote for Berk!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well tweeps, we’ve come to that point where I say thank you for reading and go have a lot of fun using twtapps! Do leave some comments  about ways you think you’ll use them and leave links for what you create!

Happy tweeting up the twtapps! 🙂

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*The Boston twestival twtvt tweet did more than introduce me to twtapps. It introduced me to the twestivals happening all over the globe on 2/12/09 to gather tweeple to advocate, inform and fundraise for Charity:Water. Check out their homepage and attend a tweetup in your home city!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email me at tre at thought by thought dot com and mention this post if there are other twitter apps you fave and also, and let me know if you need a few how to’s on using twitter).

~~~~~~~~~~