Google AJAX Feed API and Expono

Google has some really great tools and one of them is the Google AJAX Feed API. With just a few lines of javascript code you can mash up feeds. Here is an example of how I can smack together a really cool javascript slideshow from my Expono feed with just a few lines of code. Basically you only have to change the feed and the options variables in the code below.

Google AJAX Feed API slideshow using Expono's Media RSS Feeds

Loading...

The Source Code for the above Slideshow

<script src="http://www.google.com/jsapi" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://www.google.com/uds/solutions/slideshow/gfslideshow.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

<style>
#slideShow {
  width : 500px;
  height : 375px;
  padding : 10px;
  font-size:16px;
  text-align:center;
}
</style>

<div id="slideShow">Loading...</div>

<script type="text/javascript">
  function LoadSlideShow() {
    var feed  = "http://www.expono.com/magnus/album/139/rss";
    var options = {
    	displayTime:2000,
    	transistionTime:600,
    	scaleImages:true,
    	fullControlPanel : true,
    	fullControlPanelSmallIcons : true,
    	pauseOnHover : false
   	};
    var ss = new GFslideShow(feed, "slideShow", options);
  }
  /**
   * Use google.load() to load the AJAX Feeds API
   * Use google.setOnLoadCallback() to call LoadSlideShow once the page loads
   */
  google.load("feeds", "1");
  google.setOnLoadCallback(LoadSlideShow);
</script>

Click here to read more about Google Ajax Feed API

Next-gen social photo sharing on the web

For the past two years we have been building an awesome social photo sharing platform on the web. When I look back, I can't even comprehend how much work we have invested into this system. We are talking thousands of thousands of hours with hard work. 

It's not like this is a very active blog, but if you have been wondering why we haven't update it for such long. Now you know :)

Expono - Upload Once. Share Anywhere.We have been very busy building this huge scalable, 100% cloud-computing based, super feature rich, kill-the-competition mega site to cover all your photo storage and share-to-my-social-networking-friends-and-family needs and the whole shebang! Now it's time to speak up and get the word out!

The site was launched July 5th 2009, which was a little earlier than planned. Reason given was the increase in traffic due to an article published on ReadWriteWeb by Doug Colman. 

Expono has everything you would expect to find on a media sharing site like online backup, easy sharing, albums and tagging, but adds a whole bunch more features that you might not expect all in one place. It is certainly worth taking a look at.

That pretty much sums it up. I believe we've built a fresh new social photo sharing experience and that this is only the beginning. The whole magic in Expono is how we handle privacy and your friends. Instead of controlling access to protected photos using user_ids we are using internet identities. It may be an email, facebook_id, twitter name or a phone number (still working on phone numbers).

For a user this means they are able to share protected photos to friends and family without require them to have an account on Expono. When their friends visit Expono they can browse all content their identity have access to see, it's not only bound to the user's specific share. The same goes for comments. You don't have to have an Expono account to comment as long as you are authenticated by a supported third-party.

For a measly 4 bucks a month you get Unlimited Storage and complete access to all these features:

• Upload your photos at full quality
• EXIF/IPTC are automatically extracted
• Your photos are automatically location tagged based on GPS info (if available)
• Manually tag your photos with locations using google maps
• Tag your friends and family in your photos
• Organize your photos with keyword tags
• Context-aware RSS feeds available everywhere.
• Support for authenticated RSS feeds 
• KML feed support. Show off your photos in Google Earth or Google Maps.
• Support for authenticated KML feeds
• Share full quality photos on Facebook, Twitter and Friendfeed.
• Automatically keep all your contacts up-to-date in one addressbook
• Find duplicate photos. Keep you collection tidy.
• Edit your photos in one of the best online editors available
• Password protected albums & photos
• Advanced privacy with access control for groups and individuals
• Multiple browse layouts to better suite the viewers need.
• Multiple licenses. Use creative commons where it makes sense.
• Activity feed for friends and public. Keep track of your friends activities.

We have only been LIVE for a month and the feedback has been awesome!

So know what? We want more people to try out Expono! Help us spread the word and get yourself a free upgrade to Expono Plus account in the process!

Back from FOWA, London.

I just want to share my observations from last week in London attending the Future of Web Apps Expo. 

 

Highlights:

• Essential Web Application Security workshop with Chris Shiflett (important/informative)
• Steve Souder's High Performance Speech (informative)
• Matt Mullenweg about Wordpress (interesting)
• Live Diggnation Shoot (great fun)

Lows:

• Technical difficulties in the beginning of the conference.
• Low quality presentations

Observations:

• Firefox with Firebug de facto standard browser in web development. 
• The only presentation which used Internet Explorer was Microsoft's.
• The Evolution of Javascript as a viable crossplatform language.
• Majority of web developers use Macs.
• Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP is de facto standard server platform.
• Open API's to allow mashups
• Simplicity is King! 
• Adobe AIR looks cool :-)

1 Infinite Loop and then all the way back home

We are back home from San Francisco. We have been busy working since we got home, hence no updates. Too much to do! Anyway, the last thing we did in San Francisco before we left was to take the CalTrain down to Cupertino to visit Apple Campus at 1 Infinite Loop. We had a nice cup of Espresso inside the Campus at Caffe Mac together with some Apple folks. Thanks R!

 All in all to summarize our trip to San Francisco and WWDC: We had a blast. We are very happy with how the conference turned out. Great sessions and presenters. We were also fortunate to meet a lot of nice people both from Apple and outside Apple. We have a lot of things to chew on now and our ambition is to come back again next year :-)

Click here to browse photos from the trip

WWDC Bash 2007

I really want to write a long post about WWDC Bash, but I cannot refrain myself from posting this now. Apple closed down Buena Gardens to host a party for all attendees. Yeah! Free beer and food for everyone :-) 

 

We got an invitation to Apple Campus by some Apple Engineers. WOOT! So yeah, we are going to Cupertino on Monday, not only to visit the Company Store, but for a tour :-) Thank you, José!!

Note: All people with a light blue T-shirt with the text "Keepers of the code" at the back are Apple employees.

Totally awesome!! Met a lot of nice and friendly people. Love the community! :-)

Coolest Apple employee title: 
Raw Sushi Chef

Coolest Fan T-shirt: 
God uses a Mac

Coolest Apple employee T-shirt (Phil Schiller): 
GUARD