Sure, it might seem social networking giants like Snapchat and Instagram continuously mimic each other in a phenomenon we’re calling “samification,” but now it looks as if a seemingly unrelated app is dipping its toes in the social pool, too: Google is adding a more social, sharable function to its Maps app. [More]
social
Seven Reasons To Circle Up For Charity Giving
By 7.14.09
Charity circles are like book clubs for philanthropy. You get together with a group of like-minded pals and channel your powers of donation into one superpowered Care Bear stare that has more impact than your piddling donations would on their own.
Shopdropping?
By 2.14.07
One NY group is holding workshops to teach “shopdropping,” which they explain is “the opposite of shoplifting.” Basically, they want you to print out their “improved” labels and place them in retail locations. The organization also provides PDFs of the labels they’ve made so you can cut out and tape them to the appropriate products with ease. An interesting idea, but we wonder if it makes any difference? Does printing out someone else’s labels and affixing them to still another person’s merchandise really mean anything? Does shopdropping have “biting back” potential, or is it just a waste of time?—MEGHANN MARCO
Track Finances With Buxfer
By 2.14.07
Much like previously-mentioned BillMonk and iOWEYOU, Buxfer can track who owes what part of the joint gift, rent or dinner bill for a group. Like Wesabe, it also tracks personal transactions with tags. Two nice bits at Buxfer I liked immediately: the ability to sign in using an existing Google, Yahoo or Facebook account (it doesn’t force you to create yet another login!) and the ability to SMS transactions to your account (like Adam’s BudgetBot.) Buxfer is definitely worth a look for folks looking to track their money more closely.
Let us know what you think of apps like this in the comments. Are they useful? Should we pay more attention to them? —MEGHANN MARCO
This Next: Fun Social Shopping
By 12.19.06
We noticed right away that This Next users recommend the “Airzooka”, which we own and love. The Airzooka is the single best way to scare a cat off the sofa. It shoots a “ball of air” (this makes sense once you try it) wherever you point it. Seriously, Airzooka is amazing, and This Next seems pretty cool too. —MEGHANN MARCO
