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In-Depth: Comparing Tweetdeck and Seesmic
There are a handful of various desktop applications that can be used to track Twitter on your computer. In this article, I will be comparing two of those applications: Seesmic Desktop and TweetDeck. For the purposes of this review, I am using TweetDeck 0.6.2 and Seesmic Desktop 0.2.1.
On the surface, both applications are very similar. Listed below are some of the general features you’ll find in both TweetDeck and Seesmic.
- Use multiple Twitter accounts (just added in TweetDeck v0.6.x)
- Monitor Facebook friends’ status
- Monitor Twitter search results
- Post to Twitter
- Post Facebook status
- Send direct messages to Twitter followers
- Shorten URLs using various URL shortening sites
- Upload pictures to TwitPic (and a few others) and post to Twitter
- Shrink your Twitter post using TweetShrink
- Adjust the specific amounts of time between checking for Twitter “following” updates, direct messages, search results, etc. to utilize your 100 API calls per hour to its fullest
- Follow/Unfollow/Block Twitter users from within the application
- Notification of new updates via a pop-up on your desktop and a sound (can be configured through the application settings)
- Available for Linux, Mac and Windows (via Adobe AIR)
Now, I will outline the features available in Seesmic Desktop that are not yet available in TweetDeck:
- View Twitter updates and Facebook updates together in a single column
- Columns automatically resize themselves (within reason) to fit in the width of the window
- View your timeline (Sent) from Twitter in its own column, without being mixed in with all of the people you are following
- The Facebook account shows all updates from your Facebook friends (TweetDeck only shows status updates, and only shows the most recent from each friend)
- Choose which URL shortening service, pic upload service, etc. you want to use when you are actually posting it (TweetDeck requires you to set the default sites to use in the application settings)
Following are the features available through TweetDeck that are not yet found in Seesmic Desktop:
- Preview shortened URLs (if you click on a shortened URL, TweetDeck pulls some information about that URL and shows it to you – including the real URL to which that short URL redirects)
- An iPhone application is also available, and you can sync your TweetDeck columns between your iPhone and your computer
- Post the same status update to your Facebook account and your Twitter account in one action
- Auto-complete usernames (from a list of the people you’re following, I believe) as soon as you type the @ symbol – This feature can be turned on or off in the application settings
- Auto-include hashtags when you reply to someone’s post (this feature can be turned on or off in the application settings)
- Translate an update you are preparing to post
- View a list of hashtags you’ve used recently so that you can insert it into your post
Now, I’ll try to outline some of the differences between the two and some of the features I’d like to see that aren’t available in either:
- TweetDeck does not allow you to resize or reorder your columns in any way (except the option to use “narrow columns,” which makes all of your columns about 10 or 15 pixels narrower than the standard size). However, Seesmic Desktop, as mentioned above, will sort of automatically resize your columns to fit in the width of the window. Still, though, Seesmic does not offer any way to manually resize your columns.
- Although Seesmic shows all of your updates (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) in one column, there doesn’t seem to be a way to show them in separate columns. TweetDeck only offers the ability to show them in separate columns.
- There does not seem to be a way, in either application, to indicate which Facebook updates are displayed when you add your Facebook status
- Within Seesmic Desktop, you can “like” a Facebook update or tweet it. In TweetDeck, you can either e-mail the Facebook status update or tweet it. Neither application allows you to comment on the Facebook updates.
Personally, I prefer the interface of Seesmic Desktop over the TweetDeck interface. However, the feature set currently available in TweetDeck offers more of the functionality I want, so I’m working mostly within TweetDeck. The number one feature that would absolutely need to be added to Seesmic Desktop before I would consider switching is the short URL preview. I also would want Seesmic to introduce the auto-complete usernames and auto-include hashtags. I must admit that I also am becoming a big fan of the fact that I can sync my TweetDeck columns between platforms (as long as I sync them with my iPhone, I can also sync them between Linux and Windows and between my work and home computers – which is really cool).
That said, if TweetDeck introduces a way to comment on Facebook updates and a way to resize the columns (automatically and/or manually), I would probably stop considering switching to Seesmic Desktop.
As a final word, I will issue this minor warning: If you use TweetDeck and Seesmic Desktop at the same time (as I did while writing this review to allow for easy comparison), you will most likely run out of Twitter API calls before the hour is up (I ran out about 15 minutes early).
I think you missed a 2 out of the TweetDeck version number. It sounds like you have the latest version v0.26.2
You can re-order the TweetDeck columns using the small arrow buttons at the bottom of each column. The column order is preserved from one session to the next.
I have been playing tweetdeck against seesmic all week. For a single user I think tweetdeck wins – especially now they have launched their iPhone app – blows tweetie away – however..as someone who works in social media and has several different twitter accounts – seesmic wins hands down. Tweetdeck ui for multiple accounts is only evident when tweeting whereas the side bar on seemic allows for clean navigation between accounts – a big plus for me. I’m hoping Lois can deliver a stunning iPhone app and I won’t have to chew up my api calls.
On a different note – single users might want to check out mixero – I haven’t played with my beta yet but it looks very cool.
Actually, Seesmic Desktop *will* let you post the same status update to Facebook and (multiple) Twitter accounts… and it *will* let you comment on a Facebook updates… and you *can* view the Facebook feed in a separate column (not sure if that’s what you meant when you said “your updates”).
@Owen – You’re absolutely right on both counts. The TweetDeck version used for this comparison was 0.26.2, not 0.6.2. Also, I completely overlooked those little arrows that re-order the columns. Thank you for pointing that out.
@Andrew – Thanks for your perspective. That’s good to know.
@Herb – I’m very curious to see how Seesmic Desktop allows you to post the same status update through Twitter and Facebook at the same time. The only option I see is to choose one at a time from the “dropdown” menu next to “Share As”
I do see the option to view your Facebook updates in a separate column. I honestly can’t remember if that’s what I meant or not, but thank you for pointing that out.
I also now see the little arrow on the right side of the Facebook updates that allows you to comment on the post. I also noticed that that’s what the “@” symbol does in Seesmic. I never would have guessed that. I’m glad you pointed out that it is possible. However, that also means that it’s apparently not possible to tweet someone’s Facebook update through Twitter, unless I’m missing something else.
Thank you for pointing those things out. If you tell me that there is a way to preview short URLs in Seesmic, I may very well make the switch.
thanks for the review Curt. We had Facebook comments support on an update for many weeks already, just hit the “@” on any avatar of a Facebook update.
we allow posting to multiple accounts and Facebook as well as support for bit.ly in v0.3 which you can get by subscribing to TeamSeesmic, just leave your name and email on desktop.seesmic.com and you will get 0.3 instantly.
well noted for the other features you want :)
@Clay – In re posting to Facebook and Twitter at the same time, you can select MULTIPLE check boxes and thereby simultaneously post to multiple accounts (including Facebook).
Re “syncing” Seesmic settings (eg, groups) across computers, I sent a query to @AskSeemic, and they responded with this: “Try taking a look at this http://bit.ly/QoQaQ let me know if this helps – thanks!”
I’ve also found Seesmic’s support to be excellent — quick responses appropriate to the questions, and they have a Feedback section on their website, which they use as a basis for future updates.
@Loic – Thanks for the tip. I just submitted my name and e-mail address. I made sure to include the version numbers in the review (even though I typed the TweetDeck version number incorrectly) because both projects are releasing new versions so quickly.
@Herb – I’m not sure who Clay is, but I’ll respond.
Please show me in the screen shot I took of Seesmic Desktop 0.2.1 where those checkboxes are. All I see is a dropdown menu to choose your accounts. Are you sure you’re not referring to the 0.3 version Loic talked about in the comment above yours?
Curt – I don’t know who Clay is, either! Sorry about that.
And, you are correct. I was indeed referencing the 0.3 version.
@NextMoon – Thanks for the tip. Not quite live syncing, but I might give it a shot when I feel froggy.
@Herb – Thanks for the follow-up. I installed Seesmic Desktop 0.3 last night and noticed that you are absolutely correct. In that version, you can post to multiple Twitter accounts and Facebook at the same time. Thanks for making me (and Clay :)) aware of that.
Seesmic is certainly winning prizes and making a name for itself. They are currently locked in a head-to-head competition with Meebo and Seattle-based BulkRegister as the most difficult websites to use for the 10% of American men with some form of colorblindness.
The difference between them is that I’m never giving any money to Seesmic.
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