Me, Myself, and Mine

No I'm not asking if you listened to the birds today. Or sung in the shower or somewhere. One 'Tweets' when they send a message to the 'Tweetverse' using 'Twitter'. And for those of you who think I'm kidding using these 'cutesy' terms, Twitter has a whole vocabulary, and even a 'Twictionary' of its own.

Twitter is a two-year-old, free micro-blogging site that is racking up high-profile enthusiasts. Those who support it call it both a "hyper-grapevine" news resource and an innovative business tool for more timely and effective customer service.

Another writer, a lawyer specializing in its use, has touted it in the Times recently as a business-building tool as well as a customer service one.

Some of Twitter's heavy-hitter users include: The New York Times, Huffington Post, Comcast, General Motors, YouTube, and both U.S. presidential candidates.

This fast-growing communication service is said to have more than 2 million accounts set up for sending and receiving 'tweets'. These are concise text messages that are limited to just 140 characters. The San Francisco-based Twitter has 24 employees and recently won $15 million in funding.

Jack Dorsey, 31, is widely acknowledged as the man behind the Twitter concept. A St. Louis native and New York University computer-science dropout, he recently also dropped his nose ring. Mr. Dorsey says in a recent interview that he is excited about his media's rapid acceptance, the new Twitter show on CNN, and possible models for actually making money with Twitter.

He must be doing something right. Even newer communication upstarts are nipping at his heels.

You can read the brief, interesting interview with the GenY genius behind Twitter here.

Do I, a GenTraditionalist, Tweet you ask? You bet! And I do so for fun, to serve and to make money @GaryFPatton. You can check me out here. "Following" me will get you real value-added through my Tweets.

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues involved and/or what the various article writers say about Twitter. For example: "Is it a truly useful business-building and/or customer service tool in your opinion?" or "Might it be just another techie 'flavour of the month'? and "Do you feel we are doing more and more social networking while enjoying it less?" or "Is Twitter dangerous by creating more 'thick of thin things' to deal with and promoting the 'tyranny of the urgent' in already too-stressed people?"

(My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Jack Dorsey, New York Times, Social Networking, Society and Culture, Twitter

What do you think about the title of the above article from the August 1st Washington Post here? Is this your experience?

I'm one of the supposed 50% of those over 65 who have a cell Phone. And one of the only 2% who have a PDA. And I'm not texting. I use the phone, e-mail and three different social networks ...FaceBook, FriendFeed, Linked-in, Plaxo and Twitter.

Why do I need to thumb on a ity-bity keyboard?

I find it interesting that the article makes this statement right at its beginning: "The helpful young man sitting beside [the 69 year old woman], trying to figure out why in the dickens that tiny envelope kept appearing on her cellphone's screen, explained that it was a text message, and it was far more useful than one of those old-fashioned voice mails."

Then the writer never explains what those benefits are! But, she sure does her best to send a powerful advertising message to we Seniors on behalf of of the high-paying Mobility company advertisers in the Post.

Dah! We may be senior. But we're not all senile!

I'd use texting, some, if I could get Joopz to work from my Office computer where I spend most of my day. But, a VoiceMail or personal call is more helpful and relational for me.

Right now I vote with the Senior in the article who said: "I've got lots of better things to do with my time!" But, then, I'm the guy who said he'd never own a cell phone ...as as my wife keeps reminding me! (I've now had one for almost 20 years. That's longer than many of the so-called, tech-savvy generation have been alive.) Having given in, I then swore 10 years ago that the mobility companies were gonna blow their brains out combining a camera and a cell phone asking: "How dumb is that?" (OK! OK!! So I now use it more than my high-priced Canon camera and take not bad pics of the action the pros miss at weddings.)

But, this Senior texting? Come on now!

Now It's Your Turn!: Please share how you feel and what you think about the issues and/or what Ms. Hart, the Post writer, says in her article. For example: "Is texting more beneficial than relating by phone?" and "Are 50% of seniors who have cell phones as helpless using them as she implies?" or "Should Seniors even try to keep up with modern technology?" (My 'Comment Section', in which you may share anonymously, will open to you when you click on "comments" immediately below this post. The simple “Word Verification Procedure” there before you can post is included to prevent spammers from spoiling your enjoyment of my site.)

Until next time, how can I help you? (You can contact me by clicking here. Also, you can contact me directly to be added to Patton Associates S-M-A-R-TBriefing™ Mailing List. Check out recent samples here.)

Labels: Cell Phones, Facebook, Mobile phone, Plaxo, Social network, Social Networking, Text messaging, Twitter, Web 2.0