Mixero: Twitter’s Killer App Arrives

I spent a good chunk of time last week looking for an integrated Twitter/Facebook app that did everything I wanted it too. Most of these apps still need some time in the oven, and I never found one that, in it’s current state, was exactly what I was looking for.

What I did find was the ultimate Twitter client. Mixero. It’s in invite-only beta now, but read to the end of the article and you’ll find out how to get your hands on Mixero and an invitation code to make it work.

Mixero is an Adobe AIR app, so amongst Windows, Mac and Linux users, no one is excluded. Adobe AIR Twitter apps are a dime a dozen, right? Sometimes it feels like AIR was created with the sole purpose of delivering Twitter clients. What sets Mixero apart from excellent AIR Twitter clients that everyone is already using like Twhirl and Tweetdeck?

• Groups Ok, Tweetdeck does groups too, but Mixero’s implementation is better. Mixero consists of a center column, where your accounts and selected groups or invididuals are shown as icons.

  Mixero has a left and right panel, which function a bit like cocoa drawers in Mac OS X. The left panel shows the timeline or search that you have selected. The right panel shows the users you are following and the groups you’ve created. Let’s look at the right panel a little closer.

  

  Mixero active column and left panel

  The right panel display a Contacts tab and a Channels tab. The Contacts tab shows all the users you are following. You can create groups to sort them. You can add individual users and groups to the active list (the center column) and switch between them seamlessly. Mixero has a nice interface for filtering out the noise and getting exactly what you want, from who you want it from. You can create your own custom channels, or join the existing IRC-style channels already on Twitter.

  

  Mixero with both panels open

  OK, Tweetdeck has groups, and you can do pretty much the same thing, right?

  In Tweetdeck you can create groups and display them in their own pane. The problem is, all those panes make Tweetdeck really big. Tweetdeck is an excellent application, don’t get me wrong. There is a lot to like about Tweetdeck. However, Tweetdeck can take over your desktop in a hurry. I am looking for a more compact solution that does it all, but doesn’t get in the way on my desktop. Mixero’s approach does everything you need it to in a widget sized desktop app. It’s beautiful.

• Avatar mode and inconification Another brilliant feature is the way Mixero notifies you of incoming tweets. Most Twitter apps get hidden, and when there is a new tweet the app chimes and brings up a HUD notifying you what just happened.
  

  Mixero in avatar mode

  Mixero has a different approach. Instead of hiding the app, you click the Mixero pinwheel button, or select avatar mode in the options. This iconifies Mixero on your desktop when you either click the pinwheel or bring another window into focus. This icon, or icons if you have groups added to your active column, floats above your other windows, so it’s always in view. It also shows the unread tweet count for iconified groups. Hover over a tweet count balloon to show a preview of the latest tweet in that group, or click to bring Mixero back into focus. Brilliant.

Add to that really good filtering, pleasant interface and sane resource usage by the app, and Mixero has my vote as a Killer App. I’m not a big Twitter guy, but I like Mixero so much it makes me want to use Twitter more.

My list of desired features is short: I would like some appearance options, and I would also like an audio notification for new tweets, not just replies and direct messages. Other than that, they’ve pretty much nailed it.

After speaking with Mixero this weekend on Twitter, I found out that Facebook support is coming soon! If the feature set is good, then Mixero is in position to have not only the best Twitter client going, but the best integrated Facebook/Twitter solution as well. Follow Mixero on Twitter to stay up to speed on Mixero developments.

The folks at Mixero were also kind enough to offer me an invitation code for Connected Internet readers. Want to see why I like this app so much? Install Adobe AIR first, if you aren’t already using it. It’s available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Then head over and download Mixero. Use the invitation code “connectedinternet” when you launch it, and see why I think Mixero is Twitter’s Killer App.