Sucked into Twitter world

I must admit, it took me quite a while to understand what all the fuss was about. Twitter that is! The micro-blogging platform that brings strangers together with their simple answers to ‘What are you doing?’ in 140-characters. After all, why would anyone, let alone strangers, want to know what I’m doing morning, noon and night.

You won’t find me twittering about a secret rendezvous with a stranger, or the time I sat next to Madonna in a London restaurant! Its more likely to be: What Are You Doing? “cycling to work in rain – must remember wear waterproof mascara – panda look not good” or “eating peppermints today – cos read article can lose weight quicker.”

I think you’ve got the picture! My 140 characters are generally uninspiring (unless you want to lose weight quickly; I’ll share with you the peppermint diet!) But surely the majority of people on Twitter, live a similar non-eventful existence, so why is it so popular?

To answer my own question, let me share a blog post that I stumbled across, by Samir Bharadwaj. He explains how you get sucked into Twitter, what keeps you there and living with the growing idiosyncrasy’s of Twittering.

Twitterpated with Twitter by Samir Bharadwaj

So I went ahead and joined Twitter, and I am currently quite twitterpated with it. I’m always a late adopter of social media and online social network sites, as I am with this 140 character restricted micro-blogging sensation. This is mostly because I don’t always assume the latest cool thing is actually going to be of any use to me. After plenty of waiting through, Twitter seemed like a mature enough idea to join in on the fun. Not that I’m saying Twitter is used for anything mature, but at least it has all grown up as a platform for fun.

Twitterpated
I know there are few of you who are just jumping up and down there in the back dying to ask the most important question: What does twitterpated mean? And most of you in the front are just too shy to ask, so I will try to define twitterpated for you. The Urban Dictionary does a very comprehensive job at a definition, but in case you’re more in the mood for the dummies version which makes just as much sense here goes. To be Twitterpated is to be aroused, intensely attracted, enamoured, smitten, practically in heat!
Click here for full article

One click instant chat room

There’s nothing I like better than a girlie chat, but get me talking on the phone, the minutes turn to hours, leaving me with an astronomical bill to look forward to.

Of course, I could always use Skype online but whilst mum, sister, niece and best-girlfriend don’t have an account or the equipment, its pointless! Thankfully, some of my girlfriends like to use instant messaging but then this brings with it a new problem; keeping up with who is using what service!

TinyChat.com

So, I’ve come up with a plan to introduce them all to TinyChat, where after all, you only need an email address and the ability to type, for an instant online 1-to-1 or group chat.

Via the TinyChat no-frills website, you click ‘Create Your Chatroom’ button and email your contacts the generated link which appears on the screen. To enter the Chatroom, your contacts need only click the received link and then create a nickname to join in the conversation.

Every TinyChat Chatroom is disposable, unless you save the log, otherwise upon exiting all content is non-recoverable. Needless to say, as with any Chatroom, don’t share your private information unless you can account for all the participants present.

Cool Stuff Spot: KDDI create new collection

Spotted at Au by Kddi Spring Collection 2009

Free technology offers greener printing

If you’re not already using the GreenPrint Software on your PC or Mac then you’ll need little persuading to download this free software that saves money and trees!

On those ocasions, when you need a website print-out, GreenPrint reduces wastefulness by analysing content pages and eliminating banner ads, disclaimers and footnotes before printing.

GreenPrint - saving the trees

Still not convinced? Then its good to know that GreenPrint made it onto PC Magazine’s list of Best Free Software of 2009 and claims that if all US households with a computer used GreenPrint over $6 billion a year would be saved.

Check out the website for more information.

Partying with the Pokens

Following my recent post about the latest fad gadget; the Poken.I had the opportunity to see the little blighters in real live action at the Amsterdam Twestival.

Real Live Poken Action

Facebook & 25 facts about yourself

If you’re an avid Facebook user, you might be slightly offended by the article from Times Entertainment reporter Claire Suddath, criticising the application: ‘25 Random Things About xxx’. Of course, for some people its the applications that make Facebook all worth while.

In her article, 25 Things I Didn’t Want to Know About You. , she’s picked out twenty five facts disclosed by her friends, friends-of-friends, co-workers and so on, which I have to agree are somewhat bizarre but at the same time very comical. After all, why would you willingly tell anyone that “Sometimes I think pee smells like Cheerios.”

Puma hits 60 in style

Refusing to fade into the background, Puma has reached the grand old age of 60 and to mark the occasion launched a clothing collection to take you back in time. For those nostalgics amongst us, you can find 50s rock ‘n roll leather jackets, 70s button up polo shirts, right the way through to more modern day 90s hooded sweatshirts.

And to further coincide with the celebrations, Puma has created the ‘Puma Past Masher.’ This is a kind of fashion time machine where you can upload your photo and create a look based on any of the Puma decades. Its definitely worth a play with, when you get some time. As you can see from my mashed up photo, I always wanted to be a rock chick!

Me Mashed Up!

Cool Stuff Spot: Kimono Pattern Caps

Kimono patterns turned to hot streetwear by Zillion Caps

Limited edition - French designer David Guarino revives old traditions with a stylish twist.

Goodbye laptop, hello netbook

Article originally published by Jack Schofield, The Guardian

‘Women and children first” is not a cry you hear often from computer companies: they know male geeks and gamers are more profitable targets. But handbag- and schoolbag-sized netbooks are the latest craze. They’re cheap, too, unless you want the £850 Sony Vaio P.

Asus got the market started in 2007 with its dinky Eee notebook PC. This had a 7in screen, like a portable DVD player, and a tiny keyboard to match. Which was fine, because Asus was selling them to schools for use by quick-fingered children. Grown-ups quickly became interested: they cost only £200. So Asus and Acer brought out new models with bigger screens and more user-friendly keyboards.

Other companies noticed sales were taking off and brought out their own mini-notebooks, which by then we had decided to call netbooks. Today’s examples have 10.2in screens, plus built-in Wi-Fi. Increasingly they’ll also connect via the 3G phone network (in which case look for a netbook that takes a Sim card).

These machines are less powerful than full-fledged PCs. They are not good for serious gaming, video processing, or cracking secret codes before breakfast. They are, however, fine for web browsing, word processing, email, instant messaging, Skype, and using the fast-growing range of online applications. Which is what most people do.

Unlike conventional laptops, which are increasingly 17in monsters, netbooks are light enough for you to carry around without noticing the weight. That may be bad news for physiotherapists, but it’s good for everybody else.