Showing posts with label twitter. Show all posts
Thanks to its open-ended design and a thriving user community, Twitter is fast outgrowing its roots as a simple, easy-to-use messaging service. Enterprising hackers are creating apps for sharing music and videos, to help you quit smoking and lose weight -- spontaneously extending the text-based service into one of the web's most fertile (and least likely) application platforms. Hardware hackers have set up household appliances to send status alerts over Twitter, like a washing machine that tweets when the spin cycle is through, or a home security system that tweets whenever it senses movement inside the house. Others have incorporated Twitter into their DIY home automation systems. Forgot to turn off the lights? Send a tweet to flip the switch by remote control. "It's so simple and easy to access, people are thinking of more and more uses for the platform," says Dan Wasyluk, creator of the Twitter-based Snipt service. Wasyluk launched Snipt last week as a way to let programmers share short snippets of code over Twitter. Launched in 2007, Twitter quickly became a darling of the life-and mind-casting interneterati. But some saw boundless possibilities in the 140-character limit, and what was a slow trickle of innovation is now quickly elevating what is essentially a micro-blogging service into one of the internet's most important technologies, along with instant messaging and e-mail. Though it's main use -- sending and receiving short messages to your social network -- is often dismissed as time-wasting trivia, Twitter's potential as a broad internet platform is just beginning to be fully realized. Twitter has grown into a ubiquitous presence -- you can send tweets from your phone, your desktop and your browser -- that has potential to not only facilitate communication among humans, but even to make machines do your bidding. Businesses are starting to be built around it. Botanicalls, for example, sells a Twitter-enabled hardware kit that lets your neglected house plants alert you when they're thirsty. The company has developed a tiny moisture sensor attached to a circuit board with an Ethernet port. You stick it in your plant's soil, and when the moisture levels drop below a certain level, your plant sends you a tweet begging to be watered. Using Twitter's application programming interface (API), a programmer with even a modest amount of experience can create a webapp that gathers public data from Twitter, or uses it to send links, commands or bursts of information. "[Twitter's] open API is a huge reason it has grown into such a platform," says Wasyluk. File sharers were the first to rush in. The photo-sharing service TwitPic, one of the oldest Twitter mashups, lets users send pictures to their followers by storing a photo on its servers, then passing the link around on Twitter. Now there are newer apps like Tweetcube and Twittershare, which let users share larger media like MP3s and videos. Twitter's limited format of short, text-based announcements are a natural match for sites like TrackThis, which you can use to get status updates on FedEx and UPS packages, and Tweetajob, which job seekers can use to get real-time updates about new job openings. Anyone who needs help quitting smoking can use Qwitter to monitor their progress. Those looking to lose weight can turn to TweetWhatYouEat or TweetYourEats. Hardware hackers have put a new spin on the Twitter mashup -- as it turns out, just about anything that can be plugged into the internet is capable of talking to Twitter. Programmer Ryan Rose rigged up his washing machine to send him a tweet when his clothes are done. He just follows his machine's twitter account (it's PiMPY3WASH) and he knows when to go downstairs and move his undies to the dryer. Linux hacker Shantanu Goel set up a video camera and some motion-sensing software on a PC connected to the internet. If anyone breaks into his house or goes snooping through his room, the software detects the movement and sends out a tweet. Tech-savvy environmentalists can install Tweet-a-Watt, a gadget that plugs into your wall socket and connects to your wi-fi network. Once a day, the pocket-sized device broadcasts stats of your daily energy usage to Twitter. Whether that sort of transparency results in embarrassment or bragging rights can be determined by a system like the one created by Justin Wickett. The Duke University student wired up his home so he couldturn his lights on and off remotely, just by sending a text message to Twitter from his mobile phone
Yesterday tons of people wrote that my description of Facebook’s new status API as a “Twitter killer” was absolutely ludicrous. They claim that I don’t understand the difference between Facebook and Twitter and how Twitter is much more than just status updates. Trust me, I fully understand the difference between the two services. I would argue that the ability to “follow” people you aren’t connected to and the ability to @ reply (”at reply”) to other users is just a feature. Whoever decided to take the day or two to make this product will be rewarded for taking the time as it will surely generate a ton of buzz. Any good product must satisfy the needs of the user and the first question to ask is if there is a need for a Twitter replacement. I’ve made some fundamental assumptions that suggests there is a need but feel free to argue otherwise. The average user probably wouldn’t switch products because they are fine using products that they’ve spent the time to learn how to use. I don’t think Twitter users are average though. I think Twitter is still used by mostly early adopters. If Twitter has in fact become mainstream then the odds of a “Twitter Killer” is much less likely. The need for a “twitter-like” product is clear but ultimately I would argue that much of what is provided by Twitter is simply a set of core features that can be easily replicated: While Facebook’s new status API will bring in a wave of new applications, the death of Twitter still requires the rapid development of a new product that is distributed through Facebook. Not all Facebook users understand why Twitter is so powerful, yet provided with a public timeline of their friends’ statuses, I believe they would rapidly begin to see the value. Will Twitter disappear tomorrow? Probably not, but there’s a huge opportunity to duplicate the majority of the functionality provided to Twitter users directly to Facebook users. I would argue that this product would make it easier for Facebook users to understand what the power of a twitter-like product provides and help bring such a service to the mainstream. Twitter clearly has an opportunity here though. They already have many of the features I’ve outlined but they don’t yet have the full Facebook integration that I described. At this point though, I still fervently believe that the status wars are not yet over and a new company could come into power.
Since the majority of people think that Nick’s smoking crack for calling Facebook’s new API a “Twitter Killer”, I’ve decided to outline the blueprint of a product that duplicates Twitter’s features yet uses Facebook as a backbone for each of these status updates. I’m going to call this product “FB Tweet” but you can call it whatever you want. I began programming it but decided that I was only putting my existing projects aside and ultimately it’s not worth the time for me personally.Is There A Need for “FB Tweet”?
FB Tweet Features
Conclusion
LOS ANGELES - John Mayer may be planning a proposal to girlfriend Jennifer Aniston if the serial joker is playing things straight on his Twitter account.
The close-lipped couple have kept their relationship quiet recently, but the musician took to his Twitter page to suggest he may have bought a ring.
“Visiting the Diamond Exchange in Tustin,” he wrote on Friday, following it up Saturday with, “Welding an engagement ring for my girlfriend.”
The close-lipped couple have kept their relationship quiet recently, but the musician took to his Twitter page to suggest he may have bought a ring.
“Visiting the Diamond Exchange in Tustin,” he wrote on Friday, following it up Saturday with, “Welding an engagement ring for my girlfriend.”
While the articulate and often-acerbic singer may have made a typo on the first word (he may have meant “wielding”), there’s no mistaking “engagement ring.” But, it remains to be seen if the jokester celeb is serious.
In an interview with GQ magazine at the end of 2008, Aniston hinted that her on-again beau, Mayer, who famously spoke out to the paparazzi after a break up with Aniston earlier in the year, was done talking about their relationship in the media.
When the reporter suggested that Mayer tends to be self-aware in his blogs, telling Aniston, “so you see him blogging,” the actress quickly chimed in. “Not lately, have you?” she asked, referring to Mayer backing off his semi-regular Internet postings.
“Uh, no,” the GQ reporter replied. “Not recently, Why?”
“Just… things change,” Aniston noted
In an interview with GQ magazine at the end of 2008, Aniston hinted that her on-again beau, Mayer, who famously spoke out to the paparazzi after a break up with Aniston earlier in the year, was done talking about their relationship in the media.
When the reporter suggested that Mayer tends to be self-aware in his blogs, telling Aniston, “so you see him blogging,” the actress quickly chimed in. “Not lately, have you?” she asked, referring to Mayer backing off his semi-regular Internet postings.
“Uh, no,” the GQ reporter replied. “Not recently, Why?”
“Just… things change,” Aniston noted
The tagline of this new web-based endeavour speaks for itself: “Share your music on Twitter”. You couldn’t ask for a more concise definition of the service on offer, really, and the system is implemented in such a way that it is instantly accessible to everybody.
Basically, you log in using your Twitter credentials and upload your music through the site. Once this has been taken care of, a tweet is put your way including a link back to the song you uploaded. This link can be then be employed to share the tune with your followers.
As the programmer (a musician himself) explains, he found the process of uploading music to different sites and generating links manually a time-consuming process. Hence, he wanted to create a centralized spot for the streamlining of these operations, and the site was born.
A note on usage: this site is meant to be employed by those who want to share their own creations with others. It is not supposed to be used as a way to access illegal files on the Net. It is a place where original music can be stored, streamed and posted to Twitter, and all the many musicians who use the popular micro-blogging platform are certain to appreciate such an initiative. If you are one of them, the site is certainly worth a look.
Basically, you log in using your Twitter credentials and upload your music through the site. Once this has been taken care of, a tweet is put your way including a link back to the song you uploaded. This link can be then be employed to share the tune with your followers.
As the programmer (a musician himself) explains, he found the process of uploading music to different sites and generating links manually a time-consuming process. Hence, he wanted to create a centralized spot for the streamlining of these operations, and the site was born.
A note on usage: this site is meant to be employed by those who want to share their own creations with others. It is not supposed to be used as a way to access illegal files on the Net. It is a place where original music can be stored, streamed and posted to Twitter, and all the many musicians who use the popular micro-blogging platform are certain to appreciate such an initiative. If you are one of them, the site is certainly worth a look.
Oh Twitter, how versatile you are. There’s so much that can be done through Twitter, that Twippr.webs.com shouldn’t come as a surprise. With this new service for the increasingly popular (and almost, if not already, mainstream) Twitter, you’ll be able to send money, much like you would with PayPal.
All you have to do is follow the site through Twitter, send a message that says how much you want to send and to who, and they’ll take care of the rest, using your PayPal account. Why should you care about this? Well, because it’s basically the most useful Twitter apps has been created for a while. Without leaving your Twitter account, you’ll be able to settle debts, send money to your friends (what’s a better gift than cash?) and do whatever else you want.
It would be interesting to see other businesses adopt this model. For example, can you imagine doing your online shopping through Twitter? That would be huge, and Twippr is on the right path.
Can you be defined as a bit of a tweetaholic? Are you keen on listening to music while online? That is quite a common combination, and the solution this review revolves about is geared towards people with these two likes.
In general terms, Song.ly makes for sharing links leading to online audio files via Twitter. That is, you submit the link in question and the same will be transformed into a short link for micro-sharing that you can put across by tweeting.
The one thing you must understand is that the track itself must be hosted online – Song.ly does not offer the option to download the audio file to your computer. It does, however, include a built-in player that will let your friends listen to the song on the spot.
This service is still in its formative stages, and it will be interesting to see where it heads to from here. I think that full incorporation with other browses besides Firefox should top the list of priorities. What do you think?
Let’s face it: a growing number of people are using Twitter these days, spending a lot of time on Twitter, and still need to get things done on Twitter. If you want to spend a lot of time conversing with people on Twitter, that’s great … but many people still need to get their tasks done.
Let’s take a look at how to do that. Why use Twitter to get things done? Twitter isn’t necessarily the best platform for getting things done … but if you’re already using it a lot, it might be easier or faster for you to do things while still in Twitter. Note: I don’t take responsibility for any of these services — if they don’t work well, check with them! :)
Here’s how:
1. Reminders. Need a quick reminder that you have an appointment, or need to follow up on something later? Follow “timer” on Twitter, and send it a direct message with a reminder time and it will ping you at that time. For example: “d timer 30 pick up Chloe”.
2. To-do list: A couple of popular to-do services are on Twitter: Remember the Milk (on Twitter) and Nozbe (on Twitter). Follow them and send them direct messages to add things to your to-do list, or to check the items on your list.
3. Calendar. If you use Google Calendar (gCal), go to Twittercal, then follow gCal on Twitter and add events by sending direct messages to gCal. For example: “d gcal meeting with paul tomorrow at 7pm”.
4. Delegate. If you’re going through your to-do list or email and find a task that’s better suited for someone else, sending that person a direct message (assuming they’re on Twitter) can be quicker and easier than sending an email or making a phone call.
5. Follow up. The same applies to following up. I’ve done it a bunch of times — instead of opening up your email program, composing a new message, typing in the person’s address and the subject line, and then writing the email … you can just direct message them on Twitter: “d zen_habits don’t forget to answer my interview questions, you berk!”
6. Accountability with goals. Want some extra motivation to achieve your goals? Announce through Twitter or on your blog that you’re going to post your progress updates every day on Twitter. For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier, you can post everything you eat on Twitter. Trying to exercise? Post your workouts on Twitter. It’s great motivation, and you can get some support and encouragement from your Twitter friends.
7. Get info or ideas quickly. If you have a good Twitter network, you can ask a question and usually get a few responses quicker than many other methods. I’ve gotten website and service recommendations, ideas for a post I was writing, restaurant recommendations, people interested in a job, and more.
8. Do real work. It’s possible to do real work on Twitter — people have written stories or posts by writing them in little chunks in Twitter. It might be worth a try. But if that doesn’t work, my strongest recommendation is to turn Twitter off when you need to do some real work. Then, when you’re done, reward yourself with 10 minutes on Twitter.
Other useful Twitter services:
Tweetbeep: A service to keep track of keywords through alerts that you set up. You’ll get an email notification if anyone mentions you or your brand or your blog posts in their tweets. Note: It looks like this service is down right now but they say they’ll be back soon.
StrawPoll: create a poll. Your Twitter contacts can participate in the poll by simply sending an @reply message.
TwitResponse: allows you to schedule delivery of your tweets — very useful if you want to set up a bunch of tweets in the future.
Zen Habits: Yes, you can get updates on the latest Zen Habits posts, as well as The Power of Less Tips of the Day, and more.
TechCrunch is reporting Saturday night that Twitter may have signed a term sheet with one or more venture capital firms that would value the microblogging company at $250 million. Although it did not provide specifics, the report cited "a source with knowledge of the deal."
Last fall, Facebook was said to have made an offer to buy Twitter worth as much as $500 million. "Rumor is Twitter hit up more than a few venture firms to pitch the $250 million valuation, and got more than one 'no,'" TechCrunch wrote Saturday. "But someone's bit, perhaps encouraged by Twitter's breakneck growth and the interest from Facebook. That means Twitter gets a new cash injection and time to figure out its business model at an even more leisurely pace." That certainly would be a boon for Twitter, which until now has not shown signs of a viable business model. Though it is growing rapidly and has millions of users, no one knows how the company could support itself. Some have worried that while it is increasingly useful to the many people who rely on it, it might not be financially viable over time. If the TechCrunch report is accurate, however, it would be a signal that Twitter has managed to show investors enough of a structure of a business model to loosen up the cash it needs to get over that hump. Given today's general economic crisis, that would be a notable accomplishment.
