Purdue debuts new Twitter ranking tool

If you follow the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Tweets than you might have already noticed this:


@IndianaChamber Purdue University develops new tool for Twitter http://ow.ly/tmJj


The link takes you to an Indiana Chamber story about a new Twitter tool developed by Purdue.

Purdue University’s reputation for innovation is now spreading into the world of social media. The school has developed a tool to complement Twitter by ranking the popularity of messages.

Why use Twitter? Find out here!

It's seems the question everyone is asking now that they've stopped asking, "What is Twitter?" is "Why use Twitter?"

Here's a great tweet proffering an answer...or three of them.


@Twitter_Tips 3 Reasons Why You NEED To Use Twitter: Education, exposure, addiction: http://j.mp/BUq45 --

Twitter still misunderstood by many

We should be so lucky:


@Twitter_Tips Will this be the end of "Twitter is stupid" articles from journalists? http://bit.ly/Y47ON


Unfortunately, I doubt this will be the end of folks with little understanding pointing fingers of ridicule at things they don't understand. But we can all hope.

@SETI joins Twitterverse!

How cool is this: Well, maybe it's more cool for science geeks than anyone else, but the SETI Institute has joined the conversation on Twitter.

@SETIinstitute We’re here! The SETI Institute is excited to join you on twitter. http://bit.ly/PgveJ


So, join the search...it's exciting!

Will Tweet for Work

Looking for a job in the UK? Try TwitjobsUK


@TwitjobsUK New Jobs Being added everyday - take a look at the latest jobs - http://twitjobs.co.uk pls RT and share

Not only is this a great new way to look for a job, they have also built a viable business model by charging clients to post ads which are then tweeted. Great idea...now, if they could only find me a job...

Twitter goes Vocal

Voice-calls come to Twitter today. Check out this CNN story on the new Twitter application:

According to Jajah, an Internet communications provider with tens of millions of users, the service will allow a user to place a call to any other user, so long as the second person follows the first on Twitter and both have Jajah accounts.

The service is free to use and is expected to work on any Twitter-enabled device, from PCs to smart phones.

This follows on the heels of an announcement by Facebook that a third-party designer will be offering voice-communications for some applications at its site.

Do you bake? Then Tweet this:

Check out Baker Tweet.

It's a great way for bakers (yes, those people who bake bread, pies, cakes and stuff) to notify followers when they have items fresh from the oven. Literally.

Check it out. From the web site:

BakerTweet is a way for busy bakers to tell the world that something hot and fresh has just come out of the oven. It's as simple as turning the dial and hitting the button. All of the baker's followers get a Twitter alert to tell them that it's bun-time. Or bread time. Or whatever.

The first BakerTweet device has been installed at the Albion Cafe on Boundary Street in Shoreditch, London. To find out what's cooking follow @albionsoven on Twitter.

Facebook Fan Check Virus Hoax

Not quite a true hoax, not a bunch of irrational people running around shouting that the sky is falling, when clearly it is not.
What we have here is a classic example of a badly written application causing havoc on computers making people think its a virus when really it's the result of an inept programmer.

So, i did a little snooping and came up with this Tweet:

@newsbanner Facebook friends relax. Truth about the Fan Check Virus http://bit.ly/1agWMm


Read for yourself...

Pockets App brings voicemail to twitteT

Check out the latest cool Twitter tool:

@Twitter_tips
Cool tool: Send voice mails privately over Twitter: http://j.mp/ifio4 --Share: http://bit.ly/dMk5


Pockets is visual voice mail for Twitter. it's free to use. Check it out here.

Will libraries survive the 21st century?

CNN has an interesting story on the future of libraries in the Digital Age. Check it out.

Prognosticating about the future of an industry can be tricky. Who knew the Pet Rock would become a hit? But it seems a safe bet that libraries will need to adapt to survive.
Wells County Public Library already does a fine job of integrating digital offerings with traditional library offerings. Rent a DVD, borrow a laptop, research a paper on the Internet. All those things are available right now at WCPL.

But who knows what they might offer next year...

Wireless electricity just around the corner

CNN is reporting on the latest announcement that wireless electricity is coming soon. Of course, people have been promising to make power cords obsolete since the 19th century.


Electronics such as phones and laptops may start shedding their power cords within a year. Wireless electricity may soon make tangled power cords a thing of the past.

That's the prediction of Eric Giler, CEO of WiTricity, a company that's able to power light bulbs using wireless electricity that travels several feet from a power socket.

If this happens, just about any hand-held electronic device and even electric cars could become completely cordless and batteries could become a thing of the past.

Facebook Vs. Twitter: You decide

Everyone is trying to figure out which will be the permanent "next-big-thing" in Social Networking; Twitter or Facebook.
Meanwhile, in the time it has taken me to write these sentences, at least a half dozen new social networking sites have been developed.

Anyway, before you get too disgusted, check out this interesting post about finding the right social networking match for your business needs.

Yes, Facebook is bigger, while Twitter is getting the media hype right now. But while it is tempting to go for sheer numbers in the hope of engaging consumers, you need to understand that people use each tool differently. The way you accumulate page fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter is different. So even though you might have a larger pool to dip into on Facebook, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll actually reach anyone you really want to reach. You might gain a fan on Facebook just because someone sees someone they know becoming your fan. You gain followers on Twitter — genuine and engaged followers — because they actually want to hear what you have to say.

Texting Tennis anyone?

A BBC Sport reporter, Chris Bevan, is currently texting details of the US Tennis Open. He is also posting his text-back info to solicit interaction with tennis fans around the globe.

1618: Kim Clijsters is warming up right now ahead of her clash with Viktoriya Kutuzova, the world number 79. It's a bit cloudy in New York at the moment, but no rain is forecast.

1613: Murray will play Gulbis, the Latvian world number 95 on Tuesday or Wednesday. But the bad news for British tennis is that the Scot is our only representative in either the men's or women's singles after Laura Robson and Elena Baltacha both lost in the final round of qualifying.

1610:

If you're wondering how Andy Murray's been preparing for his first-round match with Ernests Gulbis, then take a look at the footage from his pre-tournament comedy doubles match featuring American actor Will Ferrell, Andy Roddick and comedian Will Arnett. Murray and Ferrell, who are big fans of each other's work, teamed up together. Ferrell's serve isn't that bad, by the looks of things...

1606: I'm expecting to hear from you lot while all this is going on of course. Drop me a line on 606, via text on 81111 or give me a cheeky little tweet on Twitter. I'll be disappointed if you don't get in touch.

NASA loves Twitter

Judging by the number of astronauts, engineers, pilots and scientists who Tweet, NASA loves Twitter.

You can even find NASA itself Tweeting about missions, like updates on Shuttle launches.


@NASA Shuttle Discovery's countdown resumed from the T-11 hour mark at 8:34 am ET. Launch is targeted for 11:59:37 pm. Weather 60 percent "go."


and updates on metereological events

@NASA Major flooding in India & Bangladesh along the Brahmaputra River; latest view from NASA's Aqua spacecraft. http://tr.im/xfFO


Connect with @NASA and you're bound to run into a bunch of space-industry enthusiasts talking about...the stuff that space-enthusiasts talk about.

Great Use For Twitter

In an ironic twist of fate, someone has combined a software robot with the Twitter service to create a user-friendly star-finder. Check it out:

@lookupastro is the Twitter account assigned to the LookUP service provided free by Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics.

According to the site:

Look up the position and details of astronomical objects by name. LookUP is a simple interface to a variety of astronomical name services that should cover most astronomical objects but not
spacecraft (their apparent position depends on the location of the observer).

LookUP is provided for free and is created by Stuart Lowe.

A very cool service. Just send @lookupastro a message with the name of the astronomical object (I used a single word - Mars) and it will tell you its astronomical position. Nice.

1,400 characters and not one less

CNN is spotlighting a new web site called Woofer.
Unlike on Twitter, posts at Woofer must contain at least 1,400 characters.

Woofer pulls information from Twitter but does not require a password, so most posts, so far, are celebrity impersonations. Other users are posting copied text to reach the 1,400 mark.

Woofer may not serve any purpose at the moment, but I probably would have felt the same way about Twitter back in 2006. Does this anti-Twitter have a future? Or will this parody be gone tomorrow?

Finally, a place for all that Twitter-Fiction...

Biel "Most Dangerous" online

CNN Reports that an online search for Jessica Biel is more likely to damage your computer than stimulate your senses. According to the story:

The company named Biel the "most dangerous celebrity in cyberspace." One in five Internet searches for terms related to "Jessica Biel" leads to a Web page, photo, video or piece of spam that contains a cyber-security threat, the report said.

Dang! Now what am I going to search for?

Chik-Fil-A nets 1 million Friends

Chik-fil-A has broken the one million mark when it comes to Facebook Friends. Although no one has quite figured out what to do with their growing legions of Facebook fans, it's nice to see we're all making progress...


@SocialMedia411Chick-fil-A Is The First Restaurant Chain With 1 Million Facebook Fans (Inside Facebook): http://bit.ly/2Kz81Y

Where's my solar-powered cell phone?

Good news for people living in remote regions of Africa. A new solar powered cell phone is hitting the market--two of them, in fact.

Read the CNN story about them here.

It's nice that people without access to streaming electrical service can have the convenience of self-powered systems. The phones can charge even on cloudy days and during talk-time. And are a real bargain.

Retailing at about $35, the phones were manufactured by Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp. Safaricom plans to make an initial supply of 100,000 phones available.


Too bad we don't have access to such modern conveniences here in the United States...

Tweet-Up today at Noon

Bluffton Tweeters will be meeting today at noon, at El Camino.
It's never too late to join the conversation, whether you use Twitter or not. Everyone is welcome to visit, chit-chat or just have some company for lunch.


Drop by--and ask for the Tweet-Up!

Our new intern!

Meet the latest intern to join the News-Banner crew: Katie Mettler of Bluffton High School. (That's her on the chair taking pictures of Principal Steve Baker at this week's Commitment Ceremony for freshman at BHS.)


Mettler, editor of the BHS publications newspaper, The Comet, is also working with me to create a new piece of media for all of B-H Metropolitan School District, a new blog.

Stay tuned for more on that as we move forward with the project. Eventually I hope to add a blog for Northern Wells and Southern Wells. If you know students who might be interested, don't hesitate to point them in my direction!

Tweet heard round the (football) world

It started with a source. A reporter Tweeted what they heard, other reporters picked it up and soon the world was abuzz with news that Brett Favre had once again un-retired.

WCCO breaks Favre story on Twitter: When a source told WCCO-TV’s Mark Rosen that Brett Favre would join the Minnesota Vikings, he sent out a tweet.


Twitter continues to prove it's much more than a collection of "babble." For journalists it just might be the most effective tool to come along since the pen...

News to No-One

According to a recent study, 40% of all Twitter babble is...well, babble.


This will only come as a surprise to someone unfamiliar to Twitter. Those of us who use it regularly already knew this. In fact, we constantly fight the urge to Un-Follow friends who Tweet too much or Retweet even more than that.
But that is the beauty of Twitter. There is a sense that one can become lost in the Twitter crowd, or rise to the top of the conversation, depending on your mood.
In order for this to happen, not everything tweeted will be enlightening. In fact, most of it will not be enlightening. Most of it will be babble.

So in this sense the Twitterverse is not creating enough babble. Just a mere 40% is useless, meaning 60% could be providing some enlightenment. If we honestly wish to maintain the anonymity created by having a plethora of useless Tweets, we should all immediately go Retweet the news that Michael Jackson has died....

Studios want share of Redbox receipts

In a move seemingly ripped from a WWII script, film studios honchos have declared war on the owners of the ultra-convenient, and ultra-cheap Redbox movie rental kiosks.
New movie DVDs can be rented overnight from Redbox for just $1, compared to $5 at a Blockbuster store.

The difference: Blockbuster gives a cut of their dough to movie studios and Redbox does not.

You can read the CNN story for more details.

Can Twitter sell soda pop?

That's the $64,000 question. In fact, can Twitter sell anything at all? Everyone currently investing their time in a Twitter account, whether they use it to post their own thoughts, or merely to read others, is still waiting to see if their investment will be rewarded.

What form that reward will take remains to be seen. Perhaps businesses will find a way to market instant sales, or news organizations will use it to keep the masses well-informed.

As we wait to see, CNN offers their insight...

Twitter Goes Down, Few Complain

Due to the widely publicized Denial of Service attack on Twitter which spilled over to Facebook and LiveJournal, some users were without the micro-blogging site for days...DAYS.

Interestingly enough, few complaints were heard beyond the occasional "what happened?" from those still unaware of what had happened.

Here's a piece of a New Scientist post on the fall-out (or lack thereof):

Delays of a second or more when using software (whether on- or offline) cause users to become frustrated and lose their mental connection to what they're doing. After ten seconds, they start switching to other activities. If this continues, they defect to competing services, with grave consequences for the operators' financial performance.

On the basis of that research, you might think Twitter (and to a lesser degree, Facebook) would be suffering. But reading the blogs, news reports and tweets over the past few days suggests otherwise. Even heavy Twitter users seem to have been remarkably unfazed by the service's protracted disappearance.

First Amendment Online and In-Force

Interesting post from Citizen Media Law Project concerning the ability of the government (or some small extensions of it) to pry further into our private lives. This time going so far as to request passwords and account log-in information from potential applicants for employment.
For some reason, many people seem to be of the opinion the Constitution ceases to exist in cyber-space. Not true...

What did you do yesterday?

Check out this great Wall Street Journal story on "What I Did w/o Twitter."

Sound familiar?

I picked up the link from:

@BillSeitzler http://bit.ly/BX6YR Cute article in WSJ called What I did without Twitter. It's in Twitter Post style.

Denial of Service Attack Shutters Twitter

I don't know about the rest of you but I have been unable to access my Twitter account all day via my desktop Mac.

CNN is reporting Twitter executives have acknowledged they were the victim of a DOS attack which began around 9:30 a.m. (EDT) and ended around 11:30 a.m. (EDT) however, as I have already stated, it still ain't working right for me...

Augmented Reality all the rage

CNN story spotlights augmented reality for cell phone apps:

• Story Highlights
• "Augmented reality," a merger of the digital and virtual worlds, is coming to phones
  
• "AR" apps put info -- like Twitter posts -- on top of live video captured by phone
  
• Smartphone GPS and compass systems paved the way for the advance
  
• Some say AR is in its infancy; others question its usefulness

Interestingly enough augmented reality is not new. Think VH1 and their "Pop-up Videos." Only instead of on your television, it's on your cell phone: You watch the world through your cell phone video camera and different Internet connections- maybe a Wikepedia entry, or a classified listing, attached to a certain object being viewed- will pop-up.

Sounds cool. Would be a great tool. However, it remains to be seen if it can be integrated into a version within reach of the everyday consumer any time soon...

Tweet to fight Breast cancer

CNN has a great story on the impact of Social networking on Social causes. My only complain is it seems the writer has no idea how Twitter actually works and is just phoning it in. (I mean, who is Tweeting about what they had for breakfast? I had a No Fear and a Slim Jim-jb)


...Laurie Brosius, 31, isn’t buying it. Brosius, a business analyst in Dallas, used Twitter to raise $6,000 for a walk for breast cancer research in 2008. “Fifty percent of that came from online strangers,” she says. She was able to reach those people in part because her Twitter followers re-tweeted her messages.
...(Anyone can see breast cancer–related tweets by typing #breastcancer into Twitter’s search field.)

'Iron Man 2' director on Twitter

Check out this Washington Post story on Jon Favreau and his insight into the use of Twitter from an artists perspective:


One Hollywood geek who especially seems to "get" it is actor-director JON FAVREAU. Sure, Favreau's Twitter account has lots of intra-celeb chatter. But there are also the "Iron Man 2" responses that he says allow him pure, unfettered access to fans's thoughts and opinions.

Read the entire story here.

Amazon gets sued after Kindle fiasco

The first of what I believe may be many lawsuits against Amazon.com following its decision to delete (without notice) books from privately owned Kindle e-readers was just announced.

SEATTLE – A high school student is suing Amazon.com Inc. for deleting an e-book he purchased for the Kindle reader, saying his electronic notes were bollixed, too.

Amazon CEO Jeffrey P. Bezos has apologized to Kindle customers for remotely removing copies of the George Orwell novels "1984" and "Animal Farm" from their e-reader devices. The company did so after learning the electronic editions were pirated, and it gave buyers automatic refunds. But Amazon did it without prior notice.

It's not so much what they did as how they did it. Owners of the Kindle were not even aware it was technologically possible for Amazon.com to do this. In the case of the first plaintiff, he had been in the process of writing a report which linked to specific sections of the book deleted by Amazon.com. When the book was removed his work became useless.

Talk about destruction of demand...this would seem to have shaken the confidence of at least one Kindle owner.

Internet coupons get no respect (?)

Even Journalists get short-shrift by businesses sometimes. Case in point, this Tweet from @cheapchick, known for being a shrewd (yet very law-abiding) shopper.

@cheapchick I had my first problem using grocery coupons printed off the Internet last night. My Altercation at Albertsons http://tinyurl.com/mz36v5

Follow the link, read the blog and let the businesses beware... fore-warned is fore-armed after all.

Tweet leads to libel suit

Here's the Tweet that turned me on to this story:

@Lisaterence Woman Sued for $50,000 Over a Tweet: How much damage can a Tweet do? According to property management company Ho.. http://bit.ly/VCL5n


Here's the link to the story: http://mashable.com/2009/07/28/woman-sued-tweet/


Seems to me, a single persons opinion is one thing--stating someone else's opinion is and always has been a no-no.
Nothing new here..in MY opinion.

Twitter debuting new Homepage

This is according to an exclusive story by All Things Digital: Next week Twitter will debut a new homepage designed to better explain what the site is and how to use it. I came across the story by following Journalist's Toolbox Tweets. Here is their original post:


@journtoolbox Twitter to Debut New Homepage Next Week: http://tinyurl.com/l9z4mr

Can't wait to see it!

Online music-the future is Streaming

Here's an interesting story from CNN about the present and future of online music. Especially funny is this line:

But some music industry experts say the shifting landscape of digital music could help save struggling musicians and record companies.

Poor, poor, filthy rich, record companies. I shed a tear for you and your opulence...

Tweet the Force and it may Tweet back

The things we learn via Twitter:

Check out this cool Tweet from @theMaraJade

@theMaraJade This is quite interesting. Could the Force be real? http://bit.ly/P4Wnx (link via @apocalypzia)


Even cooler is the blog it points to...check it out. And may the Force be with you.

@Twelpforce to the rescue

Best Buy is moving service further onto the 'net in an effort to reach customers where they hang out most.
It's called @twelpforce and of course, it's on Twitter.

Check out this story on TechCrunch:

The promise we’re making starting in July is that you’ll know all that we know as fast as we know it. That’s an enormous promise. That means that customers will be able to ask us about the decisions they’re trying to make, the products they’re using, and look for the customer support that only we can give. And with Twitter, we can do that fast, with lots of opinions so they can make a decision after weighing all the input. It also lets others learn from it as they see our conversations unfold.

Left in the hands of business owners, Twitter seems to be developing into a more customer oriented service than any of its online competitors...your thoughts?

Tweet from the Loo my darling!

It was only a matter of time until someone found an interesting way to incorporate bathroom humor and our love for all things Twitter.


It's called "Art in the Loo" and here's the link:

http://artinloo.tumblr.com/


Very interesting. And creative. And only a little bit strange...

In space no one can hear you Tweet...

Like your Twitter news to be Space-Related? Check out The Daily Galaxy.

They have an excellent post today on plans by Google and Microsoft to put galactic maps available online. Here's their latest post:

Microsoft vs Google Space Race. Place Your Bets Now!: Are Microsoft and Google in a space race? We think they ar.. http://tinyurl.com/lvbrb4

Check it out!

Don't look now, but a robot is chalking Tweets on the Tour de France.

Check out this CNN story about the "Chalkbot"

"Not only is Lance Armstrong posting to Twitter from the race, but a Chalkbot -- a robot that writes in water-soluble paint -- is scribing messages onto the road, offering inspiration to the competitors and to cancer survivors."

Check out this cool YouTube video from the creators of the Chalkbot. You can submit messages via Twitter or read its messages here.

These guys certainly deserve credit for creativity and skill, but the very idea of moving something which normally appears online only to the real-world is truly the next frontier..

Check it out.

Don't Tweet: Follow

Twitter is more than just a place to post your daily coloric intake. It's also a great place to find great deals.

Some folks, like @cheapchick, only post deals. Here's an example:

@cheapchick This week's $1 summer movies for kids start tomorrow at various theaters http://tinyurl.com/nwobnb

Another great Tweet to follow @freestuffus. Here's an example:

* Reminder -Free Soft Serve cone at Baskin Robbins for ages 13-25 http://tinyurl.com/ly7ajn


I encourage anyone who has an interest in Twitter to sign up. But please don't feel obligated to Tweet. Just sit back, find cool people to follow (like @jerrybattiste or @newsbanner or @whoissuresh or @mswiftpi or @libraritarian59) and enjoy what you read...

@libraritarian59 won a cake!

If you want to know the details drop @libraritarian59 a note on Twitter and find out exactly who she had to threaten (and/or cajole) to win a cake.
And it was not just ANY cake. This is a 9-layer chocolate cake...delicious in appearance...you'd have to ask @dylanmcintosh about taste--he ate half the cake in a single bite. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration..but he did eat a piece.

Google OS for net books coming...

Google is trying to face down the Goliath of PC's, Microsoft with its new net book friendly operating system based on the new Chrome browser.

Currently many net books run on the open source Linux Operating System. But consumers find that OS too confusing and labor intensive when it comes to trying to connect devices.

According to the CNN story Google's new operating system must:

"...be under pressure to ensure Chrome OS works flawlessly with gadgets such as cameras, printers, smartphones and e-book readers. So far, Linux netbooks have had a spotty record. Some such as Ubuntu or Red Hat offer better support for popular gadgets but still users have faced compatibility problems. A recent review from the Wall Street Journal complained that Linux-based netbooks could not load software drivers to print photos to Canon and Dell printers. The review also said there were problems loading pictures over a USB cable from the Canon PowerShot SD750 digital camera onto a Dell Mini 10 netbook running Ubuntu."

Cyber Attack at NYSE

The New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday confirmed it was the victim of a Denial of Service cyber attack.

@BreakingNews has confirmed this information.

According to their story:

Earlier on Wednesday, eleven South Korean government websites suffered a similar attack - taking them offline for hours. A number of U.S. government websites, including the U.S. State Department, have also experienced similar attacks since Independence Day.

It is unknown who is behind the attacks, or if they are connected.

Tweet-Up Friday at Quizno's

We're talking about a Tweet-Up this week at Quizno's in Bluffton.

If you're up for it, drop us a line and let us know you're coming...

Twitter is NOT a TOY

We've all heard about the dangers of texting and driving--or texting and train conducting.
Now we have to be concerned some juror is chatting about what they had for breakfast instead of listening to testimony.

Michigan Courts have admonished jurors for using Twitter in court and/or during recess.

Most of the complaints about Twitter use seem to be errors of judgement, rather than an inherrent flaw in the service. If jurors don't understand what it means to remain impartial, they don't need Twitter to screw up. They could grab a newspaper on their way to the toilet, or watch CNN from their sequestered hotel room.

And people definitely don't need Twitter to drive carelessly. They've been doing that for more than a Century....

Social Networking jobs on the rise

Social Networking may seem like a new career field, but according to job trends data supplied by www.indeed.com employers have been looking for people with this skill set for the past few years.

It's not enough to have a Facebook page and a Twitter account, however. Employers want to know how you can use those tools to benefit their company, specifically how to make money doing it.

If you apply for one of these jobs, be prepared to start talking about online product creation, marketing and generating new revenue streams...to name a few specifics.

You might also want to read "Who Moved My Cheese" and understand why it's important everyone in the company familiarize themselves with the moral of that story...

Need a laugh? CNN has the sites

CNN reporters bored with the same-old, same-old, news coverage have instead turned their journalistic talents to scouring the 'Inter-web' for hilarity.
Or their idea of hilarity.

Check out their latest hit list of 10 humor sites worth visiting:

Bored with Pearl, the cursing toddler landlord demanding rent money? Not amused by those cutesy pictures of cats with the baby-speak captions?
Maybe you need some fresh sources of Internet humor. The Web is full of clever blogs and funny sites, including many that collect amusing gags from users and find comedy in real life.

It seems odd to me they ditched their science desk last year, dumping the acclaimed science journalist Miles O'Brien in the process, when clearly the trend is toward more and more tech-savvy reporting.

Not sure if this qualifies as "tech-savvy" but it's the best they got...

Farmers find uses for social networking

Fastest growing sector of people using Twitter? Farmers.

CNN has an interesting story on the sudden increase in the use of all Internet and social networking by agricultural producers across the country. Farmers, it seems have quickly learned to use the many hardware and software options available for staying connected to suppliers and consumers. This is a definite change from the days when farmers were often the last group to grasp onto new technology.

According to the story:

Historically, farms have lagged behind the rest of country in Internet and computer usage. But a 2007 census by the U.S. Department of Agriculture says Web use on farms is increasing. High-speed Internet access doubled on U.S. farms between 2005 and 2007, for instance, jumping from 13 percent to 27 percent.

A national survey on Internet usage among farmer's, provided by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, is available here.

Michael Jackson loved Technology

Michael Jackson was a fan of new technology.

From his ground breaking new dance moves, musical stylings and video production, he was always looking for the very latest thing and finding a way to connect to his fans with it.


Up until the time of his death this new tech trend was evident in everything he did. His web site Michael Jackson Live was making the most of the web to reach out to his fans.

Jackson even used YouTube to seek suggestions from fans for his upcoming music set list.

He starred in Captain EO, a 3-D interactive film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and shown at Disney theme parks, including Epcot center in Florida. There is a Captain EO fan site and you can still watch the film on YouTube, here.

There is no question Jackson was a controversial public figure. But his embrace of new technology was likely no less impactful than his musical contributions....

Twitter Tribute to Michael Jackson

Fan of Michael Jackson? Fan of Twitter?

Then you must check out Billie Tweets.


Someone with way too much time on their hands and an apparent devotion to Michael Jackson and Twitter created a a cool program to pull lyrics from live Tweets while the song and video for 'Billie Jean' play in the background.

The programmers are 9Astronauts. According to their site:

We're 9Astronauts. We develop software applications for the web and for mobile devices. This is where we publish articles and release open source code.

It's a very cool little page, mildly entertaining. Something novel and cute for an otherwise somber time.

Afraid of change? Don't be.

Jennifer Fahlsing who Tweets as @jfahlsing posted something interesting: A suggestion that now is the best time to follow your dreams...

"Freelance your way to employment - what would you do if you could go back to your dreams? http://bit.ly/10a4yb"

Fortunately, I am already chasing mine...

NEA Points to Possibilities Available via Twitter

Check out this link to a story from the National Education Association on the effective use of Twitter by all educators.

They make a valid point for use of the service, even by those who admit they are NOT tech-savvy. The NEA is the largest professional organization and labor union in the United States representing teachers and education support personnel at all levels.

Check it out.

Apple iPhone 3G S debuts

Apple's latest iPhone 3G S debuts today.

If you get one, tell us about it. If you want one but can't afford one, tell us how much you hate everyone else who does have one...

'Concorde' re-imagined

CNN is reporting that supersonic air travel may be making a comeback.

It's been decades since the Concorde took its maiden flight, and almost 10 years since it was permanently grounded following a deadly crash in Paris, France which killed more than 100 people.

Aeronautical engineers are designing the next generation aircraft to have a simpler mode of operation and quieter, (shaped) sonic boom.

Nokia phone never needs charging

Using an idea first posited by Nikola Tesla 100 years ago, Nokia has developed a cell phone that never needs charging.

Using ambient radio waves bouncing all around us, the phone can collect up to 5 milliwatts; not enough to make a call, but enough to charge the phone when it's not in use.
Nokia scientists hope to push that 50 milliwatts in the near future, and expect to have a commercially available version ready in five years.

Show support for Iranian people: Go Green on Twitter

Have you noticed all the green-tinged profile pics on Twitter?

The idea is to "go green" to show your support for the people of Iran. Here's the link to do it yourself via Flickr.
You will also find rules for helping the cause of the people who are resisting government efforts to squash the democratic vote.

Check it out; get involved; make a difference!

MySpace announces staff cuts

MySpace announced it's cutting 30% of its workforce due to encroachment by rivals Twitter and Facebook.

Although the company is losing market share there is something to be said for history repeating itself.

MySpace loses to Facebook who loses to Twitter who loses to...(insert name here)

Twitter Tehran, Iran and the election

According to CNN, protesters in Iran are making use of social networks to spread word of their plight:

At the height of the protests and disorder in Tehran on Saturday and Sunday, Twitter was used to give graphic accounts to a worldwide audience - even if they were a maximum of 140 characters.

Tweets from "Change for Iran" were among several that offered real time updates: "...my friend saying more than 100 students arrested, I can't confirm this but the numbers are high. bastards just attacked us for no reason, I lost count of how much tear gas they launched at us! ...we have now some students with urgent need of medical attention I'm calling out to all ppl who can come here don't leave us."


This link, to a USA Today story on Iran, was found using a Twitter search with the simplest term "Iran."

A quick search of 'Iran Election' yields a multitude of conversations from people in and around the entire region.

No doubt Twitter has opened the flood gates of Mass Communication. It is unlikely any government will be able to contain it ever again...

Tweet-Up Sushi Party Rocks!

Sorry i missed it (My kids were way too tired for it) but the Tweet-Up at Sakara in Fort Wayne seems to have gone quite well.
News-Banner reporter Frank Shanly told some Street Fair stories and everybody ate raw fish without getting ill. (At least not yet.)

@dylanmcintosh was awesome enough to take and send me some pics. Thanks guys!! Next time...

(p.s.--That looks REALLY GOOD!!!!)

Rubinstein bets big on Palm Pre

Fortune Magazine is reporting that "Jon Rubinstein, the computer engineer credited with building both the iPod and the Palm Pre, has been named chief executive officer of Palm"

This move pretty much cements his take over of Palm.

Last week the company officially launched its new product the Pre two days before the launch of the iPhone 3G S. The Pre is considered the strongest competitor to the iPhone so far.

Sales of the Pre have reportedly been steady but no where near the level of shopper hysteria brought about by the iPhone.

I'd like to know what sort of mobile device you use. How do you like it?

Leave a comment...

All Tweeted-out?

Suffering from Internet fatigue? You're not alone.

Pew Internet and American Life Project, a nonprofit research group in Washington says more and more people are reporting Internet overload from too many hours spent at social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.


CNN has a great interview with John Horrigan, the project's associate director of research. It's here. Horrigan offered this advice for tuning it out:

What I think the message is with all these new tools -- Twitter, for instance -- is that Twitter is a great way to put yourself out there. It also could be a tool for managing your connectivity.

"You might start to use your Facebook page or your Twitter account as a means to say, "Hey guys, I'm shutting down for a while, so don't worry about me if I don't respond to you immediately."

So I think a challenge for people going forward is to see these tools as tools, meaning you can use them to identify yourself as being offline at a particular moment, and not see them as perpetual obligations to be available at all times to all people."

As social networking moves from leisure-time activity to integral part of the normal American workday, it remains to be seen how employees will manage time spent at the desk, on the road and online...

MySpace, Facebook, Twitter--who has time for it all?

CNN has begun asking the inevitable: With all the recent talk about Facebook and Twitter, is anyone still using their MySpace page?

"At the end of 2008, Facebook had about 220 million visitors worldwide, compared with MySpace's 125 million, comScore says. MySpace's popularity appears to have plateaued, while Facebook's continues to increase."

How about you? Do you have a MySpace account? Are you still using it? If not, what are you using instead?

And most importantly, do think you'll be using whatever you're using now in another 12 months?

New iPhone anyone? OS 3.0 is coming...

Is a new iPhone on its way? CNN thinks so.

"As Apple kicks off a much-anticipated developers' conference Monday in San Francisco, California, much of the buzz is about the possibility of a new iPhone release."

"An iPhone 3.0 could include new hardware like a video camera, a better photo camera and a new design... That would be in keeping with the spirit of the Worldwide Developers Conference, which has become known for groundbreaking announcements."

You can find info on the iPhone OS 3.0, right here.


You can even watch a video on the new OS 3.0 at YouTube, right here.

Billy Ann Tweet-Up

Thanks to everyone who attended the most recent Tweet-Up at Billy Ann's in downtown Bluffton on Wednesday.

Two dozen News-Banner staffers and Twitterers joined together for dinner, drinks and sharing some laughs.

Thanks to @unitedwaywells, @libraritarian59, @thanecast, @Mar_sha, @jerrybattiste, @newsbanner, @hwall1018, @dylanmcintosh, @aprilmcintosh and assorted guests.

(And special thanks to @coffeepink!)

Thanks again! See you next time!!

Social Media and Small Business

As Online Editor at the News-Banner I get a multitude of questions from merchants who want to know what all the online excitement is about; they don't want to participate, necessarily, but they don't want to be left out of the action.

The question is always, "what do I do?"

The best suggestion is talk to your customers and see what they are doing, then do the same thing. Barring that, consider Googling social media and work blindly until you find what you're looking for.

Or, read this helpful blog. It's a place to start.

Tweet-Up Today

Tweet-Up is today, 5 p.m. at Billy Ann's.
Several News-Banner staff, (besides jerry) are planning to come. Editor Glen Werling has family plans, so he is excused.

Benevolent News-Banner Publisher Mark Miller will liekly be there, as will advertising director Jean Bordner.

This is your chance to tell the News-Banner what you think of our recent forays onto the Internet...
and if you'd like to put in a positive plug for me, that's ok too.

:-)

Cloud Computing: A first-hand experience

We've been hearing about Cloud Computing, now CNN has tasked a blogger to live the dream, so to speak. Here's his account of spending an entire week working only with web-based apps; no desktop programs allowed, strictly programs from the "cloud."

There's an informative YouTube video link here.

Cloud Computing could further open the Internet to the masses because it relies more on shared software than individual computing power.

Check it out.

American Idol Unfair-- Who cares?

Was the latest American Idol winner unfairly chosen?

Does anyone truly care? No, really. I find it hard to believe as many people care about American Idol as Fox executives claim.

Their method of allowing multiple votes per caller has always been controversial. However the fact it generates huge numbers of phone calls which can be touted on every news show and newspaper around makes it a very good idea from a marketing perspective.

Go Twit Yourself

TwitThis is a great way of spreading the word with a couple clicks. Log into TwitThis, type the name of the web site you are reading (www.news-banner.com for instance) and a Tweet is sent.

Seems slightly less complicated than pasting it into your Twitter stream yourself, but whatever works.
So, if you have a web site I recommend you immediately go Twit yourself...do it...right now!

Thank you.

Tweet-Up Thursday

At 5 p.m. this Thursday catch me (@jerrybattiste) and the rest of the Bluffton Twitterers at Tyger's Pizza in downtown.
We will swap Twitter tales; talk tech/games/pop-culture/media/local and non-local news; generally have a good time.

Stop by and check it out if you're around...

Don't Die Without a Locker

Just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't send an e-mail. Or, allow someone else to send it for you.

That's the gist behind this new service called Legacy Locker. 

The site allows user to create a sort of online will, passing on passwords and online property rights to whomever they wish. Creating an account costs just $30 a year, a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Besides, without Legacy Locker, that level 50 Dwarf fighter you created on Warhammer will never be able to avenge his owner's death...

Twitter biz model not ad based-says founder

It's being blogged to death that Biz Stone put the kibosh on an advertising business model for Twitter during a speech Monday.

This may or may not the case when Twitter begins to debut new tools later this year. What will drive the future business model for Twitter is what will work best. And what will work best for the service no one saw coming remains to be seen....

What makes Twitter Great

What makes Twitter great is the ease with which you can pass along interesting stories. Stuff like this Twitter gem: http://ioanghip.googlepages.com/ which came to me compliments of @dylanmcintosh

Here's the whole Tweet--or Re-Tweet:

RT: @dylanmcintosh Best usage of Twitter ever:http://ioanghip.googlepages... (via @timnovinger)

@dylanmcintosh is a very interesting guy; always has his finger on the latest cool technical innovation, even if it's simply a cat door. If you are following him then you have seen his often off-beat Tweets and probably have noted his interest in miniature games.

I've also started following @backyardpoultry

Here's his latest "RT: @backyardpoultry In case you missed it, here is the CNN special about backyard poultry that aired this weekend.http://tinyurl.com/owum2q"

You might ask yourself, "why would I want to follow @backyardpoultry?" My response is, "why wouldn't you want to follow someone calling himself @backyardpoultry?" 

@backyardpoultry is actually Andy Schneider, better known as the Chicken Whisperer which is about the best nickname I could think of.

In my opinion, the more likely it is someone will send me a link to something truly off-beat and interesting, the better. And being a part of the Twitter community makes that much more likely....

Twitter (Really Short) Fiction

Saw an interesting article at Salon.com on Twitter fiction, thought I'd pass it along.

The concept of serialized, extremely short stories is nothing new. In fact it's popularity as exploded in Japan recently, driven by the large numbers of cell-phone toting young women with ravenous literary appetites.
A recent (Keitai shosetsu) cellphone novel publication by a noted Japanese author sold more than 3.5 million copies.

The stories themselves are brief and use texting lingo. Talk about interacting with your favorite author, in Japan authors will actually craft their story from e-mails received during the creative process.

This type of social interaction during the creative process means readers have a vested interested in the story they are consuming. Anything that creates a tighter bond between the artist and their audience is a good thing.

Twitter Counter

Don't just count Followers, get yourself a Twitter Counter.

Twitter Counter is one of a handful of sites that will help gather and collate statistical data about visits (and visitors) to your Twitter profile.

According to the site: "TwitterCounter tracks millions of Twitter users and generates daily updated lists of who is social, active and popular."

It also has a nice list on the front page of the Top Ten most followed Twitter users. Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) is still #1 with 1,7 million followers. But he is followed closely by The Ellen Show (@theellenshow) with 1.4 million.

Twitter fans unite at the Wiki

Don't just Twitter away in the dark, share your Tweeting love with other twitter fans at the Twitter Wiki page.

The Wiki is an interactive site edited by users (Twitter fans) to provide the latest news and information about the fastest growing social networking service since the CB radio...

All Twitter News; All The Time; AllTop

Looking for all the Twitter news your brain can handle? Look no further than Alltop: Twitter news without the fail whale

With links to stories like "It’s not just for kids and geeks - Twitter is good for business too!" and "Nonprofits Benefiting from Social Media and Online Contests" it covers the complete spectrum of Twitter and Twitter-related news.

Check it out!

Social Media News at Mashable

Looking for the latest news regarding Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, blogging or any of the multitude of other social-networking services? Look no further than Mashable The Social Media Guide.

Topics run the gamut from "Which Social Network is the Most Generous?" to "The New York Times, 31 Years From Now" and everything in between.

It's worth a look if you like to stay current.

"New & Improved" Twitter coming soon, whether you want it or not.

Check out Twitterfacts.blogspot.com for an interesting look at the future of Twitter. We know changes are coming to the social networking service, but exactly what those changes will look is still anyone's guess.

Twitter: So E-Z an astronaut can do it

NASA astronaut and mission specialist for STS-125, Mike Massimino, has been Twittering during his training for the upcoming mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
Massimino has said he is unsure if he will be able to twitter while space walking, but he's going to try.

Follow @Astro_Mike here.

Twitter bidders line up

In a shocking move, Apple may buy Twitter.

No it isn't.

Since 2006 Twitter has gone from weekend brainstorm to cultural phenomenon. It's no wonder people have stopped wondering how it's going to make money and started asking who's going to buy it first.

News-Banner 'Hyperlocal' is cutting edge

Hyperlocal news may be the life preserver traditional print media has been looking for.
For me, it just seemed like common sense. Like the old adage, "write what you know."

And we know Wells County.


Read more here:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/05/01/future.online.news.hyperlocal/index.html?iref=t2test_techtues

POTUS is blogging

Check out the new White House profiles at Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. In fact, all sorts of politicos are now online; get the latest spin before its spun too far out...

"Last Wednesday, Alaska governor Sarah Palin also debuted on Twitter feed and is reported to have attracted as many as 14,000 fans but currently the most popular tweeting politician is Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is reported to have more than 65,000 fans."

http://www.domain-b.com/infotech/itnews/20090504_white_house.html

Tweet-Up Friday, Noon, El Camino

Rescheduled from last week, let's Tweet-Up for lunch Friday at El Camino. That's Noon. 12 p.m.
The hour just before 1 p.m.

If you can, let me know. If you can't let me know. Otherwise, I'll see you there!

No Tweet-up Tonight; Free Comics Day Tomorrow!

Tonight's Tweet-Up has been cancelled. Stay tuned next week. We'll be Tweeting-Up as soon as everyone is at 100% (This means you @libraritarian59 (we can't Tweet-Up without you!)

Also, tomorrow is free comic book day. Drop by MCS Comics and Cards on Wabash in downtown Bluffton tomorrow and score a freebie. Here's more info: http://www.freecomicbookday.com/

Check it out!!

Hide your Tweets at Work

Let's face it, most of us are doing our Tweeting at work, but only a few of us actually have our bosses approval while we do it.
Enter SpreadTweet.

This cool program opens and looks like an Excel spreadsheet, but is actually a Twitter application. Bloggers are praising its ability to provide cover from the boss while you Twitter away the hours...

Check it out.

Can Twitter deliver the Big Picture?

Great story at TwiTip from Nov. 2008. That's long before Twitter became so mainstream even your grandmother is doing it (www.twitter.com/ossiangrandma)

Author Darren Rowse asked this November 23, 2008:

"On Twitter more than any other new service the question arises: can you be a journalist? Is 140 characters enough to convey more than a headline would? Do multiple tweets make a narrative?
Is Twitter a viable, standalone medium for journalism? What do you think?"


Check it out. What do you think?
http://www.twitip.com/twitizen-journalism-can-twitter-be-a-real-news-platform/

Oklahoma man arrested for Twitter threats

Check it out:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/apr/27/twitter-threat-arrest-fbi

Being a public forum, Twitter is no more a place for making threats than a city street would be. Although, I think people are much less likely to listen to you if you shout foul things in the street than if you whisper them on Twitter.
Don't you think?

Confessions of Twitter Turn-around

Do you have reservations about joining the growing ranks of social media advocates?

So was this guy until he saw the error of his ways. Or at least, until his bosses did.

he makes a good argument for giving in to the peer pressure, however. Check it out.

Twitter Mount Redoubt

Twitter is not just for celebrities, politicians, soccer moms, businesses and journalists anymore: Now the volcanoes of the Earth are getting involved.



Check out this CNN story on the Redoubt Twitter page.

Then visit the Redoubt Twitter page.

Twitter Universe Expands Reach

Saw this great story on a new use for Twitter. You are likely familiar with the technology which reads brainwaves, translating the signal into electronic signals which can control anything from a computer console to a prosthetic limb.

Someone saw a way to incorporate Twitter controls. Great idea!

Twitter Me This Batman

Yes, Batman is on Twitter.

Need to send up the Bat Signal or call Commissioner Gordon, Batman seems quite capable of Tweeting his encounters with the Riddler, Dr. Freeze and Poison Ivy all by himself.
If you're Batman fan, or if you're looking for a way to entice your kids to use Twitter (@jackiedaily) check it out...

http://twitter.com/Batman

Tweet-Up Delay

Sorry I've been a little quiet this week, but I have been battling back from a cold I picked up from my kids.
Stay tuned--I'll be back on track in no time!

If you guys would like to meet, feel free to let me know and I will get the word out for you.

Keep me posted!

Wells County Twitter Guide

@jerrybattiste
Online Editor
Bluffton News-Banner


@UnitedWayWells
Wells County United Way

Next Tweet-Up?

Looking for a date, time and location of our next Tweet-Up. Send us your ideas, if you have any...

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wells County Twitter Guide. Brought you by News-Banner.com your source for Wells County news and information, online and in print.

To be added to the guide e-mail jerryb@news-banner.com

The following is meant as a guide to the Wells County Twitter network. It also includes addresses of related Tweeters.
Check the calendar for the next Tweet-Up or social networking event.
Get involved!

Help make Wells County a well-connected community, in real life and online.