DiggUpdate: Change the Way you Digg

The popular social bookmarking site digg is where the news breaks. This was quite evident just two weeks ago when the encryption key for HD-DVD made its way to their front page, enraging the MPAA, in triumph of many anti-DRM types. While I’m not going to further explain that whole fiasco, it just goes to show how influential digg users really are. But where were you when the news broke? It’s likely you only heard about all of it several hours after its initial submission, days or weeks after the fact, or heaven forbid, not at all.

That’s where DiggUpdate comes in.

There’s no need to miss the news as it develops, even if you’re sitting at your computer right as it all unfolds. DiggUpdate is a nicely integrated app by Dustin Bachrach of OpenSoft development. The little app resides in your Mac’s menubar, and the second the news breaks you’re in the know with its built-in entirely customizable notification system. Also if you prefer you can also opt for Growl notifications - nice touch!

It has many additional features, my favorite of which is to configure your account and digg what your friends have either submitted or dugg themselves. No more “plz digg” type of annoyances. In addition to that, DiggUpdate provides a drop down menu displaying all up-to-the-minute digg activity. You will honestly never miss a story again. DU is totally configurable, so you can set it to show maybe 6 front page stories, 3 friends stories, at a 5 minute refresh. This app will really change the way you look at digg, and is one of likely a legion or more to follow using digg’s recently released API.

Best of all DiggUpdate is entirely open source and is distributed under the GNU GPL license. Download it here and get digging.