PLUME
"Time doesn't stop and wait for anyone. Move on."
The Binks Crusade (TBC) sat down with Plume, the artist formerly known as Teuiteur, or some such spelling, for a gentlemanly bare-knuckle boxing match. The goal was 150 tweets and 100 retweets over a 24-hour period of time, using Plume for Droid as the only means of doing so. Essentially, the app was used all day long, incorporating the use of nearly every feature in the process. Like spending 24-hours in the wild with another human being, TBC and Plume began as strangers with their arms crossed, the air filled with awkward silence, and ended the day as soul mates, intimately involved in the comings and going of one another's daily lives. Sound a bit intense? I'd say, but the staff here at TBC had no idea what they were getting into with this project. 150 tweets in 24-hours seemed pretty approachable, yet quantity enough to get a feel for the subject. We managed to hack through 67 tweets and 62 retweets over the 24-hour period. Now, for the record, TBC is not a Twitter auto bot churning out news headlines and observations constantly. Our editor, J. Binkley, is a father of two demanding girls and juggles the full-time responsibility of being on-demand for people across San Antonio and beyond. The River City calls daily, and there is no one on staff in the TBC offices who is dedicated to Twitter. Many of our employees are committed to sleeping in, falling asleep in front of the computer, playing ping-pong, paper football and putting on an indoor green; they dedicate themselves to Stumbleupon, Cracked.com and Facebook. Tweeting is only a fraction of their responsibilities here, so we found ourselves pushing the envelope.
In all seriousness, testing was done in and out of the office, the home, between brushing teeth and showering, while on the can, one handed while holding children, secretly while talking to wives and husbands, not so secretly while talking to executives, while climbing in the car, while climbing out of the cab, and even, **gasp** while at stop lights. Mr. Binkley set the standard for this project, totally rejecting the suggestion that we put one person in a dark room to tweet for 24-hours. It was his vision that these tests be done in such a way that the everyman or everywoman (the one of you that reads this column) could relate, and that is what we did. So, overall, though the 150 tweet mark was not met, the results were better than expected; Plume now fits like a glove, and that is the best possible outcome. Now, let us get on with it.
In true TBC fashion let's start with GARBAGE. These things are the not-so-great, or the "needs improvement". These are not deal-breakers, just things that may lead to the walk of shame for Plume; and let's face it, no one wants to do that walk. Let's begin with widgets. Plume comes with several widgets to choose from, measured by their size. Any of the widgets larger than the 4x2, which are the 4x3 and 4x4 are relatively worthless, and just take up space on the phone. If they weren't there, no tears would be shed, since the same functionality can be had with the 4x2 and smaller, and other apps can be fit around the smaller ones. Toss the larger ones out, Plume. Also, there is no retweet capability from the widget, which meant that to share tweets one has to open Plume and do it the old-fashioned way, which is a real pain for tweeting on the go. The 4x1 widget is an amazing design, and hands-down one of the TBC favorites, but there was no way to toggle backwards through tweets. Once you move forward to read, the user has to refresh tweets to get back to the beginning, no going back to other tweets without starting all over again. It is annoying. Picture sharing ability with the widget is also a little clumsy; the majority of us here at TBC like having a larger camera button to quickly access pics. Remember, we are people on the move here. The last big qualm is that profile pics did not always load on the widget, which is more of a glitch than a function problem. Enough of that, now we must move to the main program itself. From what we saw there is no way to create lists through Plume, which is a function that allows the reader to auto-organize different people they follow onto a single list. Lists can be viewed, though, once created elsewhere, but then another problem arises; the last list viewed doesn't save. The TBC Warrior Wall list can be pulled up and viewed, but upon closing out and then revisiting Plume, the user has to go back and reload the list all over again, which isn't hard to do, but is inconvenient when operating one-handed. Another inconvenience is that there is no one-click "return to the top" function. Say the Twitterer (one who uses Twitter) has not checked his or her status in several days, but wants to open up where he or she left off; in one click, after realizing that three days worth of tweets is not worth reading, he or she should be able to click a button, sending Plume into an auto-scroll to the top. It's fun to watch, and ultra slick. A couple of other small complaints where Plume's inability to insert links and no access to "Stories" or Twitter suggestions. The link function is a dream, and Plume has a link button that leads one to believe in faeries again; but it merely pops in the http:// for you. Is it impossible to create a link, such as making, "Click here" text a hyperlink to another site? It would cut down on characters used, and allow for a more personalized Tweet. The lack of "Stories" or Twitter suggestions is unacceptable, because some people don't like thinking for themselves and Plume should have an outlet for those people to turn their brains off. There's no need for a personality if Twitter can provide you with one.
Now, on to the GOLD! And we didn't have to dig far. Fact is, Plume offers a smooth and user-friendly platform on which to Tweet with ease, even while doing karate or dodging wrenches. Plume can be easily customized to fit one's needs, from what to be notified of to how it notifies: from custom colors to custom widgets, Plume offers quite a package. The twitpic viewer is pretty amazing, very ascetically pleasing, and Twitlonger use makes getting wordy not such a bad thing, and will even work when retweets run a bit long. The settings on Plume give the user a wide array of features, and quite a bit of control over the functionality of the program, access that we haven't seen in other apps. The look and feel of Plume, from scrolling, tweeting and editing one's profile, to user tweets highlights and tagging, makes navigation of the app at a glace something totally possible. Mess with the setting for a few minutes and organizing and reading tweets becomes quick and painless, and isn't that why Twitter exists? With its customizable organization, large buttons, streamlined colors and animation and one-stop widgets, Plume for Droid is certainly one of the best apps for people on the go. For those with feet that are in and out of the door, or for the parents with their hands full, Plume is a great app. It even supports multiple accounts. Stay organized, stay in the know with Plume.
The real question, though, is, "Does Plume have what it takes to be there for TBC staff, no matter what the circumstance?" Is Plume feature-full enough to keep us interested? Is it varied enough to adapt and overcome in a warrior-centric office place? The challenger, TweetCaster has been rolled up and locked in a reclusive shack and its torture is underway. As one reads this article the pain-filled screams of TweetCaster are echoing into oblivion. Stay tuned, keep updated on our Twitter feed, and come back tomorrow for the review. Monday is a head-to-head of Plume and TweetCaster in the TBC Twitter Twin challenge. Soon, the victor will be determined and the loser will be cast away and forgotten in the desert of ultimate failure. Till next time Molann an obair an fear.
Jason Binkley is editor and creator of The Binks Crusade. He writes out of San Antonio, TX. Contact him with questions or comments at binkscrusade@gmail.com
"Time doesn't stop and wait for anyone. Move on."The Binks Crusade (TBC) sat down with Plume, the artist formerly known as Teuiteur, or some such spelling, for a gentlemanly bare-knuckle boxing match. The goal was 150 tweets and 100 retweets over a 24-hour period of time, using Plume for Droid as the only means of doing so. Essentially, the app was used all day long, incorporating the use of nearly every feature in the process. Like spending 24-hours in the wild with another human being, TBC and Plume began as strangers with their arms crossed, the air filled with awkward silence, and ended the day as soul mates, intimately involved in the comings and going of one another's daily lives. Sound a bit intense? I'd say, but the staff here at TBC had no idea what they were getting into with this project. 150 tweets in 24-hours seemed pretty approachable, yet quantity enough to get a feel for the subject. We managed to hack through 67 tweets and 62 retweets over the 24-hour period. Now, for the record, TBC is not a Twitter auto bot churning out news headlines and observations constantly. Our editor, J. Binkley, is a father of two demanding girls and juggles the full-time responsibility of being on-demand for people across San Antonio and beyond. The River City calls daily, and there is no one on staff in the TBC offices who is dedicated to Twitter. Many of our employees are committed to sleeping in, falling asleep in front of the computer, playing ping-pong, paper football and putting on an indoor green; they dedicate themselves to Stumbleupon, Cracked.com and Facebook. Tweeting is only a fraction of their responsibilities here, so we found ourselves pushing the envelope.
In all seriousness, testing was done in and out of the office, the home, between brushing teeth and showering, while on the can, one handed while holding children, secretly while talking to wives and husbands, not so secretly while talking to executives, while climbing in the car, while climbing out of the cab, and even, **gasp** while at stop lights. Mr. Binkley set the standard for this project, totally rejecting the suggestion that we put one person in a dark room to tweet for 24-hours. It was his vision that these tests be done in such a way that the everyman or everywoman (the one of you that reads this column) could relate, and that is what we did. So, overall, though the 150 tweet mark was not met, the results were better than expected; Plume now fits like a glove, and that is the best possible outcome. Now, let us get on with it.
In true TBC fashion let's start with GARBAGE. These things are the not-so-great, or the "needs improvement". These are not deal-breakers, just things that may lead to the walk of shame for Plume; and let's face it, no one wants to do that walk. Let's begin with widgets. Plume comes with several widgets to choose from, measured by their size. Any of the widgets larger than the 4x2, which are the 4x3 and 4x4 are relatively worthless, and just take up space on the phone. If they weren't there, no tears would be shed, since the same functionality can be had with the 4x2 and smaller, and other apps can be fit around the smaller ones. Toss the larger ones out, Plume. Also, there is no retweet capability from the widget, which meant that to share tweets one has to open Plume and do it the old-fashioned way, which is a real pain for tweeting on the go. The 4x1 widget is an amazing design, and hands-down one of the TBC favorites, but there was no way to toggle backwards through tweets. Once you move forward to read, the user has to refresh tweets to get back to the beginning, no going back to other tweets without starting all over again. It is annoying. Picture sharing ability with the widget is also a little clumsy; the majority of us here at TBC like having a larger camera button to quickly access pics. Remember, we are people on the move here. The last big qualm is that profile pics did not always load on the widget, which is more of a glitch than a function problem. Enough of that, now we must move to the main program itself. From what we saw there is no way to create lists through Plume, which is a function that allows the reader to auto-organize different people they follow onto a single list. Lists can be viewed, though, once created elsewhere, but then another problem arises; the last list viewed doesn't save. The TBC Warrior Wall list can be pulled up and viewed, but upon closing out and then revisiting Plume, the user has to go back and reload the list all over again, which isn't hard to do, but is inconvenient when operating one-handed. Another inconvenience is that there is no one-click "return to the top" function. Say the Twitterer (one who uses Twitter) has not checked his or her status in several days, but wants to open up where he or she left off; in one click, after realizing that three days worth of tweets is not worth reading, he or she should be able to click a button, sending Plume into an auto-scroll to the top. It's fun to watch, and ultra slick. A couple of other small complaints where Plume's inability to insert links and no access to "Stories" or Twitter suggestions. The link function is a dream, and Plume has a link button that leads one to believe in faeries again; but it merely pops in the http:// for you. Is it impossible to create a link, such as making, "Click here" text a hyperlink to another site? It would cut down on characters used, and allow for a more personalized Tweet. The lack of "Stories" or Twitter suggestions is unacceptable, because some people don't like thinking for themselves and Plume should have an outlet for those people to turn their brains off. There's no need for a personality if Twitter can provide you with one.
Now, on to the GOLD! And we didn't have to dig far. Fact is, Plume offers a smooth and user-friendly platform on which to Tweet with ease, even while doing karate or dodging wrenches. Plume can be easily customized to fit one's needs, from what to be notified of to how it notifies: from custom colors to custom widgets, Plume offers quite a package. The twitpic viewer is pretty amazing, very ascetically pleasing, and Twitlonger use makes getting wordy not such a bad thing, and will even work when retweets run a bit long. The settings on Plume give the user a wide array of features, and quite a bit of control over the functionality of the program, access that we haven't seen in other apps. The look and feel of Plume, from scrolling, tweeting and editing one's profile, to user tweets highlights and tagging, makes navigation of the app at a glace something totally possible. Mess with the setting for a few minutes and organizing and reading tweets becomes quick and painless, and isn't that why Twitter exists? With its customizable organization, large buttons, streamlined colors and animation and one-stop widgets, Plume for Droid is certainly one of the best apps for people on the go. For those with feet that are in and out of the door, or for the parents with their hands full, Plume is a great app. It even supports multiple accounts. Stay organized, stay in the know with Plume.  |
| Plume Battle Notes 1 |
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| Plume Battle Notes 2 |
Jason Binkley is editor and creator of The Binks Crusade. He writes out of San Antonio, TX. Contact him with questions or comments at binkscrusade@gmail.com
Wow. That definitely wasn't 140 characters or less! LOL. I will be downloading plume on my android. Clearly, effeciency is first for me! :-)
ReplyDeletePS - i like the gold monkey