I was attracted to this Mashable post about how to update Facebook from other sources.

Although I’ve had a Facebook account for quite awhile, I pretty much ignored it until recently.  Neither had I felt any compulsion to get on the Twitter bandwagon.  Then, in circumstances I won’t bother to describe, I started to get interested in both.  Now I have incorporated both sites into my routine, although I don’t necessarily update or tweet on a daily basis.

I’m finding that many of my Facebook friends are sharing interesting experiences and photos these days, and people whose daily activities I like to hear about are using Twitter; some are doing both.  Combined with my recent acquisition of the MyTouch and some future travel plans, I had reason to begin looking for alternative ways to use both Facebook and Twitter when I am away from my home computer.  Enter Mashable.

The post includes ways to update Facebook from Firefox, from Twitter, using text messaging, and from several Facebook-provided mobile options.  Depending on how you look at it, you have multiple options to keep up your social connections, or, you will find it even harder to break away from them.

Gmail Labs is making it possible for us to add more gadgets to Gmail if we choose.  The first thing you need to do from your Gmail is to activate Gadgets by going to Settings, then Labs, and enabling “Add any gadget by URL.”  It’s at the bottom of the list at the moment.  Be sure to save changes.

Now navigate to Settings > Gadgets in order to add new gadgets.  They are all added by copying in a URL and saving your settings when you are finished.  Makeuseof.com has a list of URLs for 10 gadgets you might be interested in.

You probably won’t want them all in your sidebar.  If you are often on your Gmail page and wish you had easy access there to Twitter, too, you can add the TwitterGadget by copying in the URL from makeuseof.com’s post.  I tried it out just to see how it worked and it looked pretty usable.

I already have ways I manage Twitter, however, so I deleted the gadget and looked at the other possibilities.  They include Wikipedia, FriendFeed, World Clock (which I have on my Calendar), Digg, Calculator, Facebook and MySpace, none of which I decided I wanted in my Gmail sidebar.  (If you add several of these, it is handy to be able to minimize them when you don’t need them.)

However, the URL shortener, bit.ly, looked like just the thing — I frequently send links in my gmails and they can be quite long.  I added the gadget (the URL is long: http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/107368512201818821991/bitly-shortener.xml) and found a use for it right in the next message I composed.  Works fine.

I already have the bit.ly URL shortener in my Bookmarks Toolbar, but having this gadget easily at hand in Gmail is great.  By the way, Firefox also has an extension called bit.ly preview so you can see “what lurks” beneath a bit.ly-shortened URL when you encounter one.  You might like to know before you go there.

Although they list more than 40+ add-ons for managing Firefox tabs, Mashable suggests that you install only a few to avoid slowing down your browser.

I admit I had no idea there were so many ways to display, manage, navigate and visualize Firefox tabs, but since I always seem to have a number of tabs open, I was happy to see this list.  I immediately installed ColorfulTabs

Once installed, you can right click on a tab, go to ColorfulTabs > tab color to select your desired color from a color palette, hex or RGB number.  Check out the options, too.  The colors that appeared when I first installed the app really didn’t suit me, so I was glad to be able to select others I liked better.

Another add-on you might be interested in is OpenInWindow.  This extension allows you to open links in an existing window.  A new context menu option is added when the mouse is on a link.  You can tell Firefox to use an already existing tab from the right-click context menu, and save yourself opening up yet another new tab.

The latest OpenOffice suite – 3.0 – has gotten a full thumb drive packaging by the PortableApps.com team, reports Lifehacker.

It’s a Windows-only, free, open-source suite, good for those who want to take it with them on a USB drive, or those who want to test the new features of version 3.0 without a full download to their PC.

This OpenOffice version has also been rolled into the full PortableApps collection, a customizable, menu-launched package of handy tools for road warriors.

If you haven’t experienced the luxury of thumb drive apps you will be interested to know that PortableApps.com Suite™ includes those listed below, all preconfigured to work portably.  Just drop it on your portable device.

• OpenOffice.org Portable* (office suite}, including Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet), Impress (presentations), Base (database utility), Draw (drawing),
• Mozilla Firefox, Portable Edition (web browser)
• Mozilla Thunderbird, Portable Edition (email)
• Mozilla Sunbird, Portable Edition (calendar/tasks)
• ClamWin Portable (antivirus)
• Pidgin Portable (instant messaging)
• Sumatra PDF Portable (PDF reader
• KeePass Password Safe Portable (password manager
• Sudoku Portable (game)
• Mines-Perfect Portable (game)
• CoolPlayer+ Portable (audio player)

I know a lot of libraries, librarians and educators use Meebo for instant messaging, and now the service just got better.

You can sign into major IM networks like AIM, Yahoo, and MSN simultaneously, and now you can also add Facebook and MySpace, “essentially giving you a universal buddy list that you can access from anywhere,” says Mashable.

The folks at Meebo note that the new networks are being rolled out over the course of the day and urge you to click that “sign on to more accounts” link.

By adding MySpace and Facebook, Meebo solves the previous problems of separate buddy lists and the need to be logged into the social networks.  Not only is it not necessary to download Meebo, there is a Firefox add-on for it.

Firefox offers many ways to customize your online experience, allowing you to tailor your browser specifically for the way you use the Web.

Fashion Your Firefox is a tool to guide you to useful add-ons, some may be familiar, others not.  They are arranged in categories so you can take a look selectively, say for Social Butterfly or Shopaholic, or click on each one and see what they suggest.  Just check the interesting ones and install them with one click all at once when you are finished.

The FAQ says that the included add-ons were required to meet the following criteria:

• Offer a well-rounded set of functionality
• Easy to use
• Popular within their category
• Firefox 3 and Mac/PC compatible

New Google toolbar and handy gadgets
If you haven’t downloaded the new Google toolbar for Internet Explorer or Firefox, you’re missing out on some handy new gadgets.

I was particularly interested in the Google Maps gadget which pops up when you click on it, allowing you to use it without leaving the site you are on.  Find businesses (and reviews) or get driving directions.

While you are at it, you may want to check out the toolbar gadget gallery.  [via Lat Long Blog]

Quick definition search
I saw this post awhile ago and was reminded that I ought to spend some time learning the ins and outs of Google search instead of just plugging in basic keywords that come to me.

The “define:” search command is an easy way to a dictionary function and it will likely give you several options.

In the Google search bar, enter define:[something] and try it out.    

Indispensable web sites
PC World has organized a list of “100 incredibly useful and interesting web sites.”

You can view the list by category such as “learn stuff,” “buy, sell, rent,” or “find music, video, books,” or alphabetically.

You might be especially interested in 9 sites to help you survive the recession.

Firefox 3: 8 things you didn’t know you could do
A few days ago I spotted this post and now I’m going to pass it along in case you missed it.

Firefox users will find features they are already familiar with, but will probably also expand their know-how, such as how to use smart keywords and smart bookmarks.

Google Calendar redesign
This redesign by Globex Designs (get it here) of Google Calendar looks great and it’s easy to make the change.  Found on Lifehacker.

Firefox 3 reaches Guiness World Record download day
Mozilla announced the record-setting 8,002,530 downloads for Firefox 3’s first day.

“As the arbiter and recorder of the world’s amazing facts, Guinness World Records is pleased to add Mozilla’s achievement to our archives,” said Gareth Deaves, Records Manager for Guinness World Records. “Mobilizing over 8 million internet users within 24 hours is an extremely impressive accomplishment and we would like to congratulate the Mozilla community for their hard work and dedication.”

Mapstraction for Map Mashups
If you’re a developer who loves to build map mashups, then you have to check out the library provided by Mapstraction, advises Read/WriteWeb.

Mapstraction provides a common API for various existing mapping APIs which allows developers to build a mashup that supports nine of the major mapping providers including Google Maps, Microsoft’s Virtual Earth, Yahoo Maps, and more.  See the demos at the RWW site.

California fires map
Google Lat Long Blog has a map of the many fires currently plaguing California.  More thunderstorms (with potential lightning strikes) are in the forecast.  Find the danger zones here.

Web2book for offline viewing of web pages, RSS feeds
Free Windows-only Web2book helps you read web pages, Wikipedia articles and RSS feeds offline.  You can download and convert RSS feeds, Web sites, Project Gutenberg books, Wikipedia entries, Crossword Compiler crossword, Microsoft Reader .Lit files, and other sources into other formats such as  HTML, RTF, LRF or PDF files.  [via Digital Inspiration]

30+ updated Firefox 3 extensions
Mashable lists the most useful updated Firefox 3 extensions for you.  Covers social bookmarking and many more.