So it’s now 2011, a time for new things and higher standards. I have set many goals for the new year. One thing in particular is to expand my API knowledge. I have been working with many API’s recently. Google Analytics, Google Charts, Bit.ly, Feed Burner etc, and want to push myself to know them in and out.
Outside of API’s I have been experimenting with Google Chrome Extension’s and App development. I am currently working on a personal project using XML-RPC for WordPress and hope to get it out in market within a month or so. This tool will be a neat experiment for myself and open many doors. I am in a mobile/web app mindset right now really trying to fill my head with all knowledge pertaining to that area.
With the release of Google Chrome’s Store, this would allow many people to take the skills they already have and easily create a web app or tool to monetize.
If you want to check out an app that is in market navigate to the Chrome Editor by Bryan Lynn, a good friend of mine who is working on an offline editor.
If you have any resources, or things which you found interesting, please let me know!
Over the weekend I integrated a Twitter Profile Search Tool in my blog using the Twitter API and the jSON callback functions. What it does, is let you search Twitter profiles right from my blog, and display their latest Tweets. I have full control over the number of tweets to display, the amount to show, and more. The Twitter API and jSON functions are very cool, and this is only the beginning to what can be done with it. I started with a search tool because it is a very practical thing to make. Let’s dissect it a bit to see how it was done.
First off, what is the Twitter API, and what can I do with it? Well simply put, Twitter exposes some of its functionality via an Application Programming Interface (API). This allows us so to some cool things with it, like my Twitter Profile Search Tool.
Lets get dirty. There are a few things that must be included to get this to function correctly. Here is a quick overview. We need to have a search field and button to submit, lets use “user” as the search fields name. We then need to place < ?php $user = $_GET['user']; ? > high up on our code. This will grab the variable $user to send through the API and jSON, giving us the profile we would like to search.
Inside the form action we need to do method=”GET” and action=”&user=”. This will add the variable user to the URL and encode it to manipulate the data. Next we need to include an element with an ID called “twitter_update_list” I chose to use an Unordered List. jSON will look for this ID and know where to place the called data.
We are just about done, here is the last chunk of code. < ?php echo " "; ? > I converted the last javascript line to PHP because I wanted to make it dynamic. You see how there is “$user.json?” typicly in a static call, $user would be an actual profile name. But since I wanted to make it a dynamic call and enable the user to search for themselves, I added the profile name a variable. The last part to this is to change count to the number you want to display. 20 = 20 Tweets.
I am sure you are all aware of the current “buzz” coming from Google. The new Chrome OS is just about ready and the anticipation is building. Basically Google has been working up a very new way of using the computer and running applications you use every day. The idea is that now a days the average user uses the computer to get online. They basically click the power button and wait in anticipation to double click their browser and open it. Google says that why need all this extra fluff if 90% of the time, you are just looking to get online. Take a look at this video for a good overview.
I have a download link to get Chrome OS at the end of this article.
I came across something really interesting the other day. It is a bookshelf, an equation bookshelf, and it is beautiful. Not only is it beautiful, but how you use it is even cooler. Unfortunately it is only a concept, but I would totally buy one, maybe 3.
OK. So, i’m really liking the JQuery UI set. What is it exactly? “jQuery is a fast and concise JavaScript Library that simplifies HTML document traversing, event handling, animating, and Ajax interactions for rapid web development. jQuery is designed to change the way that you write JavaScript.”
Let me tell you it is beautiful. You first need the JQuery Core. You can download and customize a dynamic zip file just to your specific needs. I downloaded the whole package and threw it up on my server so I could build what ever I wanted.
One of my favorite UI items are the dialog box, date picker, and progress bar.
Sassy. OK. How hard is it to implement? Not very. You just declare a couple functions and set a couple variables and bam! you have a dialog.
I will post some pictures within the next couple days to showcase some work I have done using the JQuery Core framework.
Bottom line – if you really want to snazz up a project, with little coding, but a powerful framework, JQuery is a big recommendation. Has anyone else done anything with JQuery? I would love to see your work.
Hi im Tim and I love to do experiments and take adventures online. Professionally I am a Digital Media Producer out of Boston, MA and design, develop and produce interactive media.
