Trick.ly helps you share secrets

Trick.ly is a website that offers url shortening with a twist. Simple in concept, trick.ly gives you the option of adding a password to your shortened links enabling you to share the link publicly with a select few. But why would you want to password protect a link? Well here are a few ideas:

• Share an inside joke on the fly with friends in specific groups eg. twitter and facebook lists. No need to contact group members individually.
• Share user sensitive data with your team
• Share X-Rated pictures and articles with that special someone
• Get that message out with additional private info embedded in a password locked link
• Embed confidential data in a forum or social site and hold the world at ransom. When the time is write, give them directions to the link and password.

Many people might not find this concept practical or useful but its good to know that if the need arises you can use the feature.

How to use the feature:

1. Insert url that you wish to shorten eg. http://shonari.net
2. Enter any desired password (optional): eg.  ‘boo’
3. Enter a clue if you want to have your desired target guessing away : eg. ‘ghostly sound’
4. Hit shorten and your url will be ready for use.

Here is the finished product, give it a try with the details above: http://trick.ly/30d

Try it yourself: http://www.trick.ly/

In my humble opinion adding an additional feature will make this service even more useful. Combining it with a quick note option with optional password will make sending secret notes back and forth a breeze. If you had that feature back at school, the teacher couldn’t send you to detention for that less than savory note to your best friend in class. A simple text note could be created directly from the site with optional password and clue, the trick.ly url is generated and now you have a safe and easy way to deliver a note over public sources.

Also password enabled links should be date sensitive ie the link will expire in  time specified by its creator. See where I’m going…a note with a self destruct timer. Sweet!