What is a shorten URL service and why do we need it
URL shortening is a technique on the World Wide Web in which a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) may be made substantially shorter in length and still direct to the required page (wikipedia.org). This kind of service use a HTTP Redirect method on a short domain name, redirecting the access to a the long URL, previously registered. For example: http://wikitools.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-include-qr-code-generated.html can be accessed transparently also from http://wik.ro/5oz.
This technique can be used on Twitter, where message length is limited to 140 letters. Optionally, a QR code can be generated for that tiny URL to help access the webpage from mobile devices.
Shorten an URL on Wik.ro
Wik.ro provides services of URL shortening as main activity. Some complementary services are also available: text and picture storage services, webpage translation using Google Translate, QR code generator for text messages, wifi settings, gps location, contact vCards, etc, everything accessible from a tiny URL. In addition, you can create your own catalogs with personal pictures or QR codes of your contact list, without the need of registration or complicated account settings. Every kind o service can be done just by 2 clicks.
All services described above are accessible from this link: Wik.ro
How to embed a automatically generated tiny URL in your website
If you have a blog or a webpage, you can automatically generate an shorten URL and the QR code associated by embedding in your webpage template this Google Gadget.
or directly this code:
<script src="http://www.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/106661069079336290788/shorten_url.xml&synd=open&w=168&h=180&title=Shorten+URL+for+free&border=%23ffffff%7C3px%2C1px+solid+%23999999&output=js" type="text/javascript"></script>
An example of how this gadget looks like can be viewed just on the right vertical bar of this page, in the last square named "Short / Tiny URL for this page".
This gadget is page senzitive. You don't need to set anything in it. It automatically sense if the page that contains it is new and generates for this page a tiny URL and the QR code associated.
It also contain some buttons that helps the visitor to share the current webpage on Facebook, Twitter, LinkeIn, Digg, MySpace or by email with his friends.
