DigitURL hack #1

When you thought that it couldn't get any easier, think again. DigitURL gives mobile users a way to create tiny, easy-to-tap numeric codes in place of long web addresses. These numeric codes are tiny-urls that are signficantly easier to type out on a phone keypad than the URLs for web destinations such as youtube videos or myspace pages.

DigitURL also doubles as a jumping-off platform to the mobile internet; all you need to do is type out the numbers on your keypad in place of the letters of the URLs for most web destinations. You can do this at the DigitURL website or via its free downloadable application. You don't even need to bother typing in '.com.' Try visiting DigitURL and enter in 6977223, which is MySpace in numbers. Press 'Go' and you're one click away from MySpace mobile!

There's a nifty hack we learned to make typing in 'wordnumbers', or the numeric spellings of a words, even easier. When typing in medium-length wordnumbers, like 466453(Google) or 92466(Yahoo), simply enter the first 2 digits and press the number 1 at least three times. For longer wordnumbers, such as 6977223(MySpace) or 9688823(YouTube), just enter the first 3 digits and at least three 1's.

So, Google would be 46111. And Youtube would be 968111.

You can actually replace the '1' with any number. There just needs to be 3 of any number. (This is where life gets really easy.) You can even hold down the last number in any sequence three times - for instance: 968888(youtube) or 46666(google). It is important that you make sure you entered in 3 extra numbers.

For rather long URLs like Slashdot, you have to enter the first 4 digits then 3 of any number. Wikipedia requires the first 5 digits then 3 numbers. Craigslist requires the first 6 digits followed by any 3 numbers.

So, instead of spelling out an entire wordnumber, in most cases you just need to spell half of the wordnumber and add three wildcard-numbers. Especially for the longer wordnumbers, this hack makes life easier.

The above hack, however, only works for domains that are listed on the Short DigitURL list.

Users will stumble upon their own shortcuts in time that will rival even this hack.