iPhone App Review | bit.ly Tools, Shorten, Share, and Track URL Addresses

Blog Post by Joshua Tucker
01/05/10

bit.ly Tools with its slogan “Shorten, share, and track your links” has branched from URL internet-based capabilities to a fantastic iPhone and iPod application. As stated clearly in the slogan, this application allows you to shorten a URL address into a bit.ly or j.mp format (which can be set in the settings tab within the application) and copy and paste it into another iPhone application, text message, or email. If you have a bit.ly user name and API key, you can enter it into the software and be able to track the bit.ly or j.mp addresses that you create and what the original URL was. As mentioned in the iTunes description, URL tracking currently only works for the URL addresses that you create directly on this application. However, its current state of excellence and superb interface guarantees that this capability will most likely come about in the near future. One cool aspect in respects to tracking is that if you want to paste a URL that you have already used, you can just go back and copy the URL that was already created; no need to create it more than once. Also, the Lookup tool gives you the means of pasting an already shortened URL into the function to see who created it and the original URL address. Although there are not too many settings to edit, one cool feature that comes with this application is Auto Shorten. Auto Shorten will automatically shorten a URL when you open the application if it finds a URL on your Clipboard (basically, for example, if you copied a URL from Safari and open bit.ly Tools it will automatically shorten the URL). The simplistic interface and the capability to track URL addresses that you create give it leverage over the other URL shortening applications in the iTunes Store. For only $.99, this application and its functionality capabilities are fantastic and work great for many different communication means.

Key Features:
• Shorten and share URL addresses that you create in the application
• Create in either bit.ly or j.mp format
• Track the URL addresses you create on the application (if you have bit.ly user name and API key in the account tab)
• Simplistic and easy to use