Tracking Google Nexus 4 availability

I’ve been repeatedly visiting the Google play store to see if the 16gb Nexus 4 is available.

All that heavy clicking got very tiring.

After fruitlessly searching for a way to take scheduled screenshots of the page that would automatically upload to a page on this site (Page Crescent Page Saver was the best option and it still fell short), I figured it would be easier to just monitor the Google Play page for any critical changes, then tweet those changes.

Here’s how I did it:

  1. Monitor the URL of the Nexus 4 page using ChangeDetection.com
  2. Specify with ChangeDetection that I only want to be notified if the words “Sold out” are removed
  3. Rather than get emailed, have ChangeDetection provide an RSS feed
  4. Plug that RSS feed into an If This Then That recipe that sends out a tweet via @hellotumo (saying the Nexus 4 is available with links to 8gb and 16gb purchase pages) if the RSS feed is updated

That’s it.

You could also have ChangeDetection email you, then create another IFTTT recipe that is triggered by the receipt of that email. Hm. Maybe I will. I have email open more often than Twitter or Google Reader.

However, I think what I really want is a Linux phone. Something not so intertwined with the Google or Apple ecosystem.

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