For anyone that struggles with managing contacts, new online service Gist may be just the thing you’ve been looking for.
Working out of Seattle, Gist is a new start-up that takes the hassle out of connecting your online dots. It collates all your contacts – email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more – into an easy-to-manage web portal that then gives you a whole ton of features to prioritize which ones you keep track of.
What makes Gist interesting is the pedigree behind the company. Engineers from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Jobster, Infospace and more are the key minds behind Gist, and this shows with the sheer weight of information available to you once you sign up. It’s also incredibly user-friendly – another sign of the expertise putting the show together.
So what’s Gist all about?
From the company’s own description, Gist works by “connecting your inbox to the web.” So basically, anywhere you have an online contact, Gist transfers them to one point of contact to help you manage them better. Once you set up an account, you can then import your connections from the following services:
- Email services Outlook and Gmail (with the option of importing others via IMAP)
- Salesforce
You can also upload Excel or csv files as well (so, Yahoo Mail contacts for example). Basically, your most useful social connections and email contacts are covered.
Once uploaded, you’re then offered a dashboard area which is where the real fun begins. Depending on the accounts you’ve linked to Gist, you can then see the latest blog posts, tweets, news and more about and from every contact in your list in the What’s New section. It’s like an RSS feed on steroids, and gives you an incredible amount of information. There’s also a Google Search box open, so any information you need on a contact or connection is right in front of you.
The admin area is where Gist’s potential shines through. There are three sections – Dashboard, People and Companies. In the Dashboard area, you can tick boxes to check people, companies, blogs, tweets and news from the last 24 hours up to 90 days old. In the People section, you can see when you last contacted someone as well as the date of the most recent article about them. The Companies section offers pretty much the same as the People one, but ties them all under their respective corporate roofs.
The benefit of all this information is clear:
- Get the most up-to-date information about a sales lead before a meeting or call
- Send a solution to a problem as it’s mentioned, building your connection to that person or company
- Expand your connections via shared contacts
- Jump in to defuse situations and respond to both positive and negative feedback as soon as it happens
- Keep in contact with your connections, customers and clients on a more regular basis, strengthening the relationship
Gist combines these features with the ability to prioritize which contacts are more important via a slider option where you can increase or decrease relevancy.
It’s clear to see that Gist has come out of the gates flying. The guys behind the company have realized that not everyone is a great project manager and that having an all-in-one solution to some of that is an attractive proposition.
The service isn’t quite perfect yet – it could offer more social networks, for instance, and I noticed some duplication of contacts from the same list when uploading. However, these are minor quibbles in a service that is still in open beta at the minute. As a first run, Gist is already looking like it could be one of my most used tools for connecting people, both personally and to each other.
Check out what founder and CEO T.A. McCann has to say, then have a look at Gist yourself. I’d love to know what you think of it.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please feel free to share with your networks using the social icons above. You can also leave your thoughts in the comments below and/or subscribe to danny brown to ensure you receive the latest updates.
Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/P59a1
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/P59a1
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New @dannybrown: Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/2yBcqW
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New @dannybrown: Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/2yBcqW
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/uC3Vk #news #socialmedia
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/uC3Vk #news #socialmedia
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/3v7zId #news #socialmedia
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/3v7zId #news #socialmedia
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/zpeVA
Social-Media.alltop
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/zpeVA
Social-Media.alltop
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://tinyurl.com/ydvs2rq #socialmedia #news
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://tinyurl.com/ydvs2rq #socialmedia #news
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://ff.im/-8OcNY
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://ff.im/-8OcNY
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/zpeVA
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/zpeVA
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RT @WalesSMjobs – Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://tinyurl.com/ydvs2rq #news.. http://twit.ac/xW7K
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RT @WalesSMjobs – Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://tinyurl.com/ydvs2rq #news.. http://twit.ac/xW7K
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RT @JonAston: Get the "Gist" About Your Most Important Contacts – from @DannyBrown – http://bit.ly/RUpXi (Thx Danny! Gist looks promising!)
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RT @JonAston: Get the "Gist" About Your Most Important Contacts – from @DannyBrown – http://bit.ly/RUpXi (Thx Danny! Gist looks promising!)
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This looks *very* interesting. New service called Gist to help you better manage your contacts http://bit.ly/RUpXi via @dannybrown
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This looks *very* interesting. New service called Gist to help you better manage your contacts http://bit.ly/RUpXi via @dannybrown
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Interesting. I wonder what will become of this when Google Wave hits mainstream…
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Interesting. I wonder what will become of this when Google Wave hits mainstream…
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Checking out Gist now. Thanks Danny! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Checking out Gist now. Thanks Danny! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Checking out Gist. Looks promising. RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Checking out Gist. Looks promising. RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://j.mp/12ZbzT
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RT @websuccessdiva: Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://j.mp/12ZbzT
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://j.mp/12ZbzT
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RT @websuccessdiva: Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://j.mp/12ZbzT
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts (http://dannybrown.me/2009...)
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts (http://dannybrown.me/2009...)
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://ow.ly/15RrzH
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://ow.ly/15RrzH
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AWESOME tool! Manage your contacts from services such as gmail,Twitter, FB, LinkedIn etc – thanks Danny Brown!! http://bit.ly/H337y
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AWESOME tool! Manage your contacts from services such as gmail,Twitter, FB, LinkedIn etc – thanks Danny Brown!! http://bit.ly/H337y
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Twitter: itstartswithus
Checking it out now, Danny – I'll let you know what I think.
Wow! That awesome tool @DannyBrown wrote about will be collating my Twitter contacts all day! he he http://bit.ly/8Qo9o
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RT @vipvirtualsols Wow! That awesome tool @DannyBrown wrote about will be collating my Twitter contacts all day! he he http://bit.ly/8Qo9o
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Wow! That awesome tool @DannyBrown wrote about will be collating my Twitter contacts all day! he he http://bit.ly/8Qo9o
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RT @vipvirtualsols Wow! That awesome tool @DannyBrown wrote about will be collating my Twitter contacts all day! he he http://bit.ly/8Qo9o
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True. Although Gist is here now and open to use, whereas Wave is still in the (hopefully) near future. If the guys behind Gist can build some solid awareness prior to Wave launching, it may not be such an easy entry for the Big G.
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True. Although Gist is here now and open to use, whereas Wave is still in the (hopefully) near future. If the guys behind Gist can build some solid awareness prior to Wave launching, it may not be such an easy entry for the Big G.
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Interesting. I wonder what will become of this when Google Wave hits mainstream…
RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Sounds interesting! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Sounds interesting! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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True. Although Gist is here now and open to use, whereas Wave is still in the (hopefully) near future. If the guys behind Gist can build some solid awareness prior to Wave launching, it may not be such an easy entry for the Big G.
Does Gist enable you to send the same message to contacts on different social networking sites — by checking boxes and clicking one button? Or is each SNS in a Gist vacuum?
Do you see this as more valuable for individuals or for corporations?
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Does Gist enable you to send the same message to contacts on different social networking sites — by checking boxes and clicking one button? Or is each SNS in a Gist vacuum?
Do you see this as more valuable for individuals or for corporations?
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As a budding journalist trying to claw my way up in both print and digital media, I would like to say thank you for this and other posts. Information is an invaluable these days, and you provide a lot of it.
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As a budding journalist trying to claw my way up in both print and digital media, I would like to say thank you for this and other posts. Information is an invaluable these days, and you provide a lot of it.
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Twitter: ariherzog
Does Gist enable you to send the same message to contacts on different social networking sites — by checking boxes and clicking one button? Or is each SNS in a Gist vacuum?
Do you see this as more valuable for individuals or for corporations?
Danny, this looks like a pretty awesome tool. I've been trying to find something to consolidate all of my various network contacts for a while that actually functions in a way I want it to. I'll definitely be checking this one out. Thanks for sharing!
…cont) http://bit.ly/H337y
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…cont) http://bit.ly/H337y
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN
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I am very excited to try out Gist, thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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RT @SuzeMuse: I am very excited to try out Gist, thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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I am very excited to try out Gist, thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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RT @SuzeMuse: I am very excited to try out Gist, thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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As a budding journalist trying to claw my way up in both print and digital media, I would like to say thank you for this and other posts. Information is an invaluable these days, and you provide a lot of it.
@DannyBrown reviews #Gist. http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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Trying out Gist RT @knealemann: @DannyBrown reviews #Gist. http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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@DannyBrown reviews #Gist. http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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Trying out Gist RT @knealemann: @DannyBrown reviews #Gist. http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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Hi Danny- great review of Gist. We will be taking a look for sure. Chat soon.
Craig
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Hi Danny- great review of Gist. We will be taking a look for sure. Chat soon.
Craig
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R @sfstrategies to cover as well
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R @sfstrategies to cover as well
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RT @SuzeMuse:I am very excited to try out Gist http://gist.com/ , thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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RT @SuzeMuse:I am very excited to try out Gist http://gist.com/ , thanks to @dannybrown for putting me onto it! http://bit.ly/QhKXR
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Sounds useful! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Sounds useful! RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R – Cool new useful app…
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R – Cool new useful app…
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Woowow, checking it out…RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Woowow, checking it out…RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R
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Twitter: johnhaydon
Danny – thanks for pointing out Gist. Salesforce integrated Twitter last month, and I think we'll be seeing a trend where CRM tools are pulling in social streams.
Hi Danny- great review of Gist. We will be taking a look for sure. Chat soon.
Craig
RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN @conradbuck aggregate your contacts
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN @conradbuck aggregate your contacts
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/KMN6Y
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/KMN6Y
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Ever heard of Gist? Great post about how it merges all of your contacts. http://ow.ly/rxn3
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RT @areierson Ever heard of Gist? Great post about how it merges all of your contacts. http://ow.ly/rxn3
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Ever heard of Gist? Great post about how it merges all of your contacts. http://ow.ly/rxn3
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RT @areierson Ever heard of Gist? Great post about how it merges all of your contacts. http://ow.ly/rxn3
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Hi Ari,
From my understanding of Gist (and this is from about an hour's play only, I haven't had time to really put it through its paces), it's not an email management system like that. It alerts to last email contact so you can then decide whether to contact that person or not (though this would still be from your standard email account).
However – don't quote me on that, and if I find out any different from extended play, I'll update the post.
My take is that it'd be excellent for either, although perhaps better suited to smaller businesses or entrepreneurs that can't afford a large CRM platform. There are more intensive database management systems around that larger companies probably would use, but as a free tool still in beta, Gist has a lot going for it from an alert and awareness point of view.
contacts out of control? (spread across three email accounts, twitter, facebook) maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown
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contacts out of control? (spread across three email accounts, twitter, facebook) maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown
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Gist helps you connect your Contacts in one place. This could be my second tab next to GMail.http://bit.ly/4dx0SF (via @edwardboches)
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Gist helps you connect your Contacts in one place. This could be my second tab next to GMail.http://bit.ly/4dx0SF (via @edwardboches)
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RT @edwardboches: contacts out of control? (spread across three email accounts, twitter, facebook) maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF
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RT @edwardboches: contacts out of control? (spread across three email accounts, twitter, facebook) maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF
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V.cool. been playing w/it all night RT @edwardboches: contacts out of control? maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown
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V.cool. been playing w/it all night RT @edwardboches: contacts out of control? maybe gist can help http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown
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Danny:
Thanks for this. Hadn't seen. Though my contacts, spread across three or four email accounts along with Twitter and FB are so out of control not sure anything can save me. Will check it out, though.
Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts – collate Outlook, Twitter etc contacts http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown @edwardboches
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts – collate Outlook, Twitter etc contacts http://bit.ly/4dx0SF via @dannybrown @edwardboches
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts http://bit.ly/RUpXi
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R. Impressive for multi-taskers.
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RT @DannyBrown Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://bit.ly/aQh4R. Impressive for multi-taskers.
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This looks amazing. Thanks for sharing! I'm gonna go play with it now and let you know what I think!
Get the Gist? @DannyBrown has help to offer. http://bit.ly/RUpXi File under ~ stay organized online.
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Get the Gist? @DannyBrown has help to offer. http://bit.ly/RUpXi File under ~ stay organized online.
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Hi Danny,
I was just looking at a screen shot of Google Wave then I found your post for Gist, strikingly similar. You said RSS on roids, I was thinking of the wave as a beefed up version of the flock browser. All things relative, these cockpits for maneuvering the web are pretty exciting (if not a little unnerving). But this may not be the best place to bring up my nay-saying thoughts about over-connectivity.
Solid share, thanks for pointing the way.
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Hi Danny,
I was just looking at a screen shot of Google Wave then I found your post for Gist, strikingly similar. You said RSS on roids, I was thinking of the wave as a beefed up version of the flock browser. All things relative, these cockpits for maneuvering the web are pretty exciting (if not a little unnerving). But this may not be the best place to bring up my nay-saying thoughts about over-connectivity.
Solid share, thanks for pointing the way.
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Hi again Danny- I enjoyed your last review of Gist. Do you think you'll do a follow-up post??
Hi Danny,
I was just looking at a screen shot of Google Wave then I found your post for Gist, strikingly similar. You said RSS on roids, I was thinking of the wave as a beefed up version of the flock browser. All things relative, these cockpits for maneuvering the web are pretty exciting (if not a little unnerving). But this may not be the best place to bring up my nay-saying thoughts about over-connectivity.
Solid share, thanks for pointing the way.
Hi Craig,
There may well be a follow-up post about how well it manages everything, as well as other apps it's compatible with (now or future). An iPhone app version is due any day so that could also be looked at as well as a complementary post.
Cheers!
Oh, feel free to nay-say to your heart's content, Chris – there's as much to look at objectively as there is positively. That's no different here, bud
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RT @tweetmeme Get the Gist About Your Most Important Contacts | danny brown http://retwt.me/kXtN
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