If this then that (IFTTT) - create powerful connections between applications

This next post I am about to write is still shocking my brain (as I think about it). The simplicity and powerfulness of this idea is probably going to sweep the rest of the world off the feet. 

Global Internet usage has been growing quite dramatically around the world (click on the map below to see the video on the BBC website). Our everyday life has changed quite a lot in the past few decades. From emails to blogs, twitter and facebook, online news to dropbox, the Internet plays a very significant part of our day to day life and we spend a lot of time on these applications, whether using our laptop, desktops, tablets or mobile phones. You may have just checked your facebook a few minutes ago, created a tweet to tell the world an exciting news you wanted to share, sent out a work email to your boss or a greeting card to a friend, uploaded some files to dropbox as backup... That is a lot of activities, no wonder your company is complaining you spend too much time procrastinating!

What if, you are able to somehow link several of these apps together? What if there is an easy way for you to update information of these different apps simultaneously saving you time and effort? I think we now have an answer for it.

I came across IFTTT recently. "If this then that" sounded more like a programing command but what it does is spelt out literally. If this happens, please do that.
  

- If there is this tweet please notify me by email.

- If I upload a photo please put a copy in dropbox.

- If .... then....
  

The possibilities are endless, and it depends on your needs and how you want to make things more efficient for you. You can create recipes to carry out the tasks that you want; you can also share your recipe so that the rest of the world can benefit from the same efficiency improvement. There are currently 59 different "channels" for you to work with, and it covered all of the main Internet activities that we like to do.

As the number of popular and creative apps increases, the possibilities will just get bigger. I have to say - this is one mind blowingly brilliant idea, I am still shocked!