StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon isn't really a social media platform like Facebook or Twitter, but the service still falls under this broad designation. Users can share Internet content and interact with one another. The app for the platform can be downloaded for Android and iOS devices, and it offers a few nice features that can relieve the boredom of random web surfing. Technically, StumbleUpon is a social bookmarking site. It essentially allows you to like or dislike content found online. You create a profile, add in your interests, and the service searches out web content it thinks you will appreciate. The browser-based version of the app has been around for a few years, but the mobile version is only just beginning to come into its own. The app will recommend websites it thinks you will enjoy. In most cases, the app gets it right. This is because it uses an algorithm based on your previous likes and dislikes. The more you use the app, the smarter it gets. Not every suggestion will be a hit, of course, but it's almost guaranteed that you will find some interesting new websites to visit. The most recent version of the app offers a nice, clean interface. It also includes an optional feature called StumbleDNA. This feature keeps track of your preferences and serves up tailored recommendations. It also incorporates color coding which is displayed on user profiles. It is very easy to identify which of your friends share your interests. The app boasts integration with other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. You can easily share things you stumble upon with a single click. A downside of the app is that you cannot comment on pages or add them to a list. These features are only available with the browser-based version of StumbleUpon. The big elephant in the room with an app like this is that your browsing preferences are being tracked. This might be of concern to individuals who are serious about their Internet privacy. For those who don't sweat such things, StumbleUpon is more or less an organized way to kill time surfing the Web.

The real value of stumbleupon was the randomness it allowed me in my searches. That is what I want most of all. I learned a lot by stumbling randomly into sites, and I am mourning the loss of stumbleupon. Randomly being linked to stuff in my set of interests was a superfuel for thinking and inspiration and I miss that most of all. It helped me find a lot of what I failed to realize I didn't know. I found a) Instructables b) hackaday c) Boingboing through stumbleupon. I want to be fed more sites with a lot of serendipity. (To date I had racked up over 20K stumbles)

StumbleUpon was awesome. I wasn't interested in the social media aspect of it, but I liked being able to give it a little guidance and have it introduce me to all kinds of sites I would never have otherwise seen. I miss it. I hate social media.

Stumble was great a a way to kill time and a good way to learn random things