Link: Weblogg-ed » Amazing Add-on for Blogs: Apture.
Just added Apture, not to be confused with Apple's Aperture, to my blog after reading Will Richardson's post today. If you look at my blog directly, and not through an RSS reader, you'll see little icons next to some hyperlinked text. These icons indicated that I've linked to additional media using this cool little doodad.
Apture is a widget that allows a blogger to add assorted links and media to anything on their blog. I just added the widget with a click in Typepad, but some people may have to posted a snippet of HTML code if they use another blogging service. Once I added Apture, I visited my blog, and a couple of windows popped up. One is a control window for editing my blog pages in Apture, and the other was a quick video tutorial on Apture. Without going in and editing the body of my blog posts, I add links and additional content to my blog. All I have to do is highlight some text and a window appears allowing me to select this stuff. It's really a different interface for editing my blog.
Some people responded in Will's blog comments that this should be used judiciously as these pop up windows can be annoying when reading a blog. I don't think these windows to be as irritating as Snapshots as they are easily expanded or collapsed. Many people have also commented that this add-on would be useful with content-driven webpages used with students. It's an effective way of annotating text and providing support for students with digesting material.
