Identi.ca Gets A Reply Tab, Actually Becomes Useful

After my initial Identi.ca lovefest, I quickly became swamped with invites to connect with others on the service (I’m still working through my inbox on those, by the way – someone build me a “follow my followers app?”). Of course, once you have followers and friends, you have conversations. And god forbid you have a life away from your computer because stepping away from your computer meant you were sure to miss some replies – that is, unless you were fortunate enough to uncover geekygirldawn’s identi.ca Yahoo Pipe. Still, the world is a much better place when there’s just a button you can click to see your replies, isn’t there? Well, now there is! So if you’ve been waiting for that special moment to sign up for identi.ca, I’d say you found it. Replies make the darned thing work.

And if you’re still wondering why in the world we need another Twitter, the short answer is – we don’t. We need one that works. Identi.ca with its open source model may work, but at the very least its an alternative system for when Twitter is down.

Updating Our Million Apps

Unfortunately, with all the latest micro-blogging tools and services, what we really need is an app that makes keep up with them all much easier. Recently on RWW, I profiled 6 ways you can update your status on multiple services, my favorite of which is Ping.fm (need an invite code? try “pingyoulater”).

Of course, that was only my favorite because I actually did not know about an AIR app that did the same: Posty. (I know it’s shocking, given my recent AIR app obsession. Can I be on a mailing list for hot AIR apps, please?) This charming little app lets you update Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce, Tumblr, and FriendFeed – not bad! But I still need Plurk and Identica, so I’m sticking with Ping.fm for now.

Come to think of it, what I actually need is an app that lets me multi-post as well as track replies. I would even be willing to continue with Ping.fm for the multi-post if only Twhirl would integrate identi.ca. I wish someone would just clone it already and give me all of Twhirl’s features plus those I want instead of trying to create their own look and feel for an app. I’m sorry, but Twhirl’s UI (save for the FriendFeed 2nd window – yuck) rocks.

Anyway, if you want to add me on identi.ca, I’m http://identi.ca/sarahintampa and I swear I’ll attack my inbox today and add all of you back.

Update: Oh, hotness! A FriendFeed Identi.ca tab! Swoon!

More Coverage: SheGeeks – Identi.ica Finally Adds a Reply Tab