Jewel Gopwani: Washington politicians, check Twitter. Americans are ticked
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
After weeks of debt ceiling negotiations — where politicians, economists and financial analysts made it clear that the nation’s economic recovery hangs in the balance — there appeared to be no progress for a meaningful deal Sunday. And there was one response to that on Twitter.
An obscenity-laced hashtag the equivalent of #ScrewYouWashington
The lack of progress so close to the critical Aug. 2 deadline, ticked off journalism professor, buzzmachine blogger and author Jeff Jarvis, who expressed his own outrage. And soon the F-bombed hashtag was born.
It proved to be cathartic. Twitter users posted it with their frustrations — from the left and the right — including concerns about the economy, the housing market, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, prisons and the environment. From specific issues to the overall perception that Washington politicians don’t truly work for their constituents, it was a time to let it out, at least on Twitter.
And if you don’t mind seeing the F-bomb over and over again, scrolling through the tweets offers a sense of the issues that are vexing people. They also offer a view into how much the federal government means to individual citizens — from the soldier who said his tours of duty still haunt him at night to a chant that minimum wage is not living wage. The tweets are a testament to the public’s interest in the political system and the power of social media to offer anyone a voice.
Here are a few examples, sans the tag:
@Steak14: for putting the interests of a few millionaires and billionaires in front of our nations wellbeing
@spirallygirl: for assuming that the populace is apathetic stupid.
@halleysocean: for every senior you are threatening on august 2nd! They worked for those ss checks! Pls rt!
@stfudvs: im not a teapartier or a progressive, I’m an American Citizen, and I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore
@indivixen: Free Trade Agreements are pure double speak
@trishkahle: Nuclear is NEVER the answer. Alternative energy is NOT “too expensive.” It IS completely viable and necessary.
@TheNewDeal: for Every Senior Citizen Living in Poverty
@Pierrecharleboi: for putting 2 wars on Americans credit card asking middle class to pay for it.
RT @Friendlysmoker: for selling us a gimmicky President!
@Ziggy_Daddy:, for thinking it’s always about you, your lobbyists, your crooked congressmen and your complete disconnect from reality.
As use of the tag surged Sunday night, several Twitter users asked how to turn this outrage into action. There was no clear answer. But if nothing else, every politician should be watching and listening.
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Lauryn Hill Delivers Sixth Child Over The Weekend, Fans React
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
Singer and rapper Lauryn Hill made the worldwide trending topic list for Twitter over the weekend, not because the former Fugee rapper is set to release a new album but because the proud mother of five has welcomed her sixth child into the world this past Saturday (July 23). Hill, 36, had announced news of her pregnancy during a show in Detroit this past June.
An exclusive report from website Black Celebrity Kids states that Hill and her newest addition are doing well. ““Mother and baby are fine,” says a source to Black Celebrity Kids. The source also shared that Ms. Hill and family “had a little scare because the baby came out the womb with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. All is well now and everyone is happy.”
Fans of the singer have shown the proud mother an overwhelming amount of support on Twitter. Fan @MrWordsWorth humorously tweeted, “Lauryn Hill dropped her latest release this weekend. If you’re keeping score she has 6 kids, 5 Grammys and two albums.” User @lilmisscicada added, “I thought Lauryn Hill trending was because she was back making music. But, congrats anyway for her 6th child.”
User @candicenicolePR was obviously shocked by the news as many others were by saying, “[Wait], lauryn hill had her baby already? guess no one knew she was preg until 7/8 months..” while @captainbruisin88, also surprised by the news, said, “I didn’t know lauryn hill has six kids.”
Fan @MurdaSheWrote1 tweeted a shared sentiment among many users with, “Congrats Lauryn Hill on givin birth to baby #6….I will gladly wait another 9 mo if it means she’ll give birth to anotha ALBUM!!”
Congrats to Lauryn Hill and family.
Want to wish Lauryn Hill congratulations on the birth of her new son? Tweet to us @MTVRapFix or leave us a comment below.
Article source: http://rapfix.mtv.com/2011/07/25/lauryn-hill-delivers-sixth-child-over-the-weekend-fans-react/
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NFL Lockout Ends: Players, Teams and The Rest React on Twitter
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
It’s all but official now – we will have a 2011-2012 season in the NFL.
And I will crush the souls of everyone in my fantasy league. This is a good thing.
After four and a half months of negotiations, frustration and worried players, owners and fans, the players associations and the owners have unanimously agreed on a multi-billion dollar, 10-year deal. There are still a few remaining strings that need to be tied up, but those are a mere formality.
The only real casualty other than training camp time is the Hall of Fame game, which has been cancelled. There will even be a preseason. Soon, I expect, this whole thing will become a distant memory.
Free agency could open up as soon as Tuesday and the proposed schedule allows for 10 of the 32 teams to open up camps on Wednesday, 10 more on Thursday, 10 more on Friday and the remaining two teams on Sunday.
NFL Players and Organizations are both sounding off about the end of the lockout on Twitter. Here is some of the response –
Tha Grey WolfHey @sportscenter- can u put my tweet on TV today like every other @nfl player? lol seriously tho, LETS PLAY SOME FOOTBALL!!!
8 minutes ago via WhoSay · powered by @socialditto
@Seahawks
Seattle SeahawksFrom his office this morning, @PeteCarroll watches the announcement of the end of the NFL lockout – http://moby.to/o7m2fd 28 minutes ago via Mobypicture · powered by @socialditto
@MiamiDolphins
Miami DolphinsNFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has just confirmed that a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement has been agreed to. Football is back. 40 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
@49ers
San Francisco 49ers#GameOn. The #NFL and NFLPA have agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement. 39 minutes ago via TweetDeck · powered by @socialditto
@mvp86hinesward
Hines WardJust got off the Bat Phone…Football is back in business baby!!! Here we go! Hines 1 minute ago via Facebook · powered by @socialditto
@BQ9
Brady QuinnThank the Lord! And all parties involved. Time for some football!!!!! 9 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
@JasonWitten
Jason WittenFootball Is back! Great work by our leadership! It’s time baby! 20 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
@LarryFitzgerald
Larry Fitzgerald“Hey Laaaa hey Laaaa my girlfriend’s (Football) back” 49 minutes ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry · powered by @socialditto
Patriots owner Robert Kraft looks to have been influential in the deal being reached. He issued this apology to fans after the agreement was announced today –
First of all, on behalf of both sides, I want to apologize to fans that for the last 5-6 months we’ve been talking about the business of football and not what goes on on the field and building the teams in each market. The end result is that we have an agreement that is going to allow this sport to flourish over the next decade and we’ve done that in a way that’s unique among the major sports in that every team, all 32j, will be competitive. We’ve improved player safety and we’ve remembered the players who played in the past.
He is currently a trending topic –
@danecook
Dane CookI’ve spent time w/Robert Kraft his amazing family. Truly a remarkable family/business man. Myra will be missed. Comments today pure class. 11 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
@wingoz
trey wingoJeff Saturday hugs Robert Kraft, says he was the reason deal got done. great theatre, raw emotion 39 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
@SI_JimTrotter
Jim Trotterif there is one owner whom players involved with these negotiations credited most for the deal getting done, it was robert kraft. #truth 57 minutes ago via Echofon · powered by @socialditto
Some even see a parallel between the NFL negotiations and the debt negotiations going on in Washington right now –
@RobLowe
Rob Lowe#Patriots owner Robert Kraft: Stud. “If we can solve this, Washington can solve debt crisis.”. #NFL 42 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone · powered by @socialditto
@johnlegend
John LegendThe NFL is back! Now let’s raise that debt ceiling. 2 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® · powered by @socialditto
@JCLayfield
John LayfieldHallelujah!!! NFL lockout is over!!! now can these guys go help the morons in DC agree to a debt deal! 27 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
@scenesfromahat
Bryan ChoateIt’s encouraging to know that, if our country defaults on its loans and its economy crumbles, at least there will be football this fall. 29 minutes ago via web · powered by @socialditto
Are you excited about the return of the NFL? As a fan, have the labor disputes left a sour taste in your mouth? Let us know in the comments.
Article source: http://www.webpronews.com/nfl-lockout-ends-players-teams-and-the-rest-react-on-twitter-2011-07
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Google+ and the loss of online anonymity
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Facebook News
As Google rolls out its Google+ social network, it is struggling with the same questions about identity that have caused problems for Facebook in the past: namely, how much should it force people to use their “real” names? The web giant has been disabling user accounts on Google+ for a variety of reasons over the past few weeks, but it has caused an outcry from many who feel it is being too strict in some cases and not enough in others. The big issue at the root of this battle, as we have pointed out before, is that in many cases anonymity (and pseudonymity) has real value. Are we losing that as a result of Google and Facebook’s real-name obsession?
Those who have seen their accounts suspended in the recent crackdown by Google+ include some prominent members of the hacker community, including one programmer who goes by the single name “Skud,” as well as one well-known iPhone developer who’s usual moniker is “MuscleNerd.” According to some reports, certain users have had their accounts restored despite the use of obvious pseudonyms, including Limor Fried — also known as Lady Ada of Adafruit Industries, who was recently profiled in Wired magazine, according to ZDNet writer Violet Blue (also a pseudonym).
Like wearing a shirt in a restaurant?
Google senior vice-president Vic Gundotra, the man who is in charge of Google’s social efforts, said in response to a post by blogger Robert Scoble that Google doesn’t necessarily want to force people to use only their legally given names — he says the web company is fine with users setting up accounts under “commonly used” names, although it’s not clear how this is defined. This would presumably cover celebrity users like 50 Cent or Lady Gaga (Gundotra noted that even he doesn’t use his legal name on Google+). The Google executive said he simply wants to maintain a “positive tone” on the network, and compared it to requiring people to wear shirts in a restaurant.
While this is an appealing metaphor, it’s not as simple as that, unfortunately. In a lot of ways, identity is like the “third rail” of online services — a hugely charged issue that splits many online communities down the middle and causes vociferous debate on both sides — and there simply are no easy answers. While the internet used to be the place where no one knew if you were a dog, now services like Google not only want to know whether you’re a dog, they want to see your papers too.
As observers such as Jillian York of Global Voices Online have described, a real-name policy like the one that Facebook tries to enforce and Google has adopted can have real consequences for dissidents in countries in the Middle East and elsewhere. If they try to use these social tools to rally support and plan activities, they run the risk of either using their real names and being tracked down and targeted by the authorities, or using pseudonyms and then finding that their accounts have been blocked or deleted without notice.
Real-name policies have negative consequences
It’s not just dissidents in repressive countries either — gay, lesbian and transgender advocacy groups have also noted that many users may wish to go by pseudonyms when they are online for personal reasons. Another commenter on a post about the issue noted that he works in law enforcement, and could be targeted by criminals if he uses his real name, while someone else said that she has been the victim if sexual abuse and is worried about her family members being able to track her down.
Christopher Poole, the founder of the 4chan community, gave an eloquent TED presentation last year (embedded below) in which he argued that anonymity has very real benefits online, and that we would be wise to consider those before we switch to exclusively “real name” policies. And as we’ve pointed out before, many of these arguments also apply to comments on news stories and forums: many people believe that requiring real names will solve the problems of trolls and bad behavior, but they don’t — and that policy can have negative consequences in terms of suppressing dialogue about important topics.
As a number of users have pointed out, Google and Facebook aren’t just focused on requiring real names because they want to improve behavior on their networks — there is also a very real interest on their part in being able to build a profile of a user for advertising and marketing purposes as well. And more than one user of Google+ has raised concerns that Google’s crackdown on pseudonyms or fake names has apparently resulted in users being blocked from using any of Google’s various services, including email, because their profile is tied to all of the company’s other products.
At this point, the company seems to be trying to find a happy medium between blocking or disabling user accounts that don’t belong to actual human beings — or are set up to spam or otherwise cause problems for users of the service — and allowing those who routinely employ “persistent pseudonyms” to continue being members of Google+. But when we’re talking about a service that has grown to 20 million users in less than a month, that’s going to be a difficult and potentially even impossible task. And even if Google is successful for the most part, as Facebook has been, what will we as a society lose because of this focus on eradicating anonymity?
Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr user Kat B Photography and Richard Engel of NBC
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
- Flash analysis: prospects for Google+
- Don’t relax, Google. Integrate
- NewNet Q2: Google closes the quarter with a bang
Article source: http://gigaom.com/2011/07/25/google-and-the-loss-of-online-anonymity/
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Five Small Businesses Win Digital Facelift from American Express OPEN at …
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Facebook News
NEW YORK, Jul 25, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
The voting is over and the results are in. Five small businesses are
headed to Palo Alto, CA to get personal tutorials to learn how to make
social media work for them at Facebook.
Out of more than 11,000 entries, five winners of the “Facebook
Big Break for Small Business” contest can rest easy knowing they are
headed to Facebook with $20,000 to help them optimize their social media
presence and grow.
The winners are:
Winner Name of Business Location Type of Business
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Dawn S. Grosvenor HOPELight Media, LLC in Plano, TX Activity magazine for children with special needs
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Darquia and Gordon Biffle Big Daddy's Bar-B-Que in Gary, IN BBQ eatery services
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Lisa Bud Lefevre Distinctive Gardens Inc. in Dixon, IL Garden center
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Mark A. Carson Karen Carson Fat Brain Toys in Elkhorn, NE Toy retailer
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Stephen D. Fraser Gart Davis Spoonflower in Durham, NC Fabric design and printing service
------------------------------ ------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------
Background:
American
Express OPEN and Facebook teamed up to create the “Facebook Big
Break for Small Business” contest to give five small business owners
access to social media experts. Through one-on-one consultations in a
classroom setting, the five winners will receive valuable insights that
they can implement in real-time while they’re at Facebook. American
Express will also package lessons from the contest to help educate other
small businesses on how to better leverage Facebook for their marketing
efforts. The content will be available on OPEN
Forum, American Express’ award-winning online resource and
networking site for small business owners.
“Social media marketing is rapidly moving from nice-to-have to must-have
for small businesses,” said Julie Fajgenbaum, Vice President, Brand and
Social Media, American Express OPEN. “These five businesses have great
potential and will make excellent case studies for the millions of small
business owners out there who are looking to accelerate their social
media marketing efforts in order to grow.”
“We’ve always been committed to small businesses, and we’re inspired by
their initiative to adopt Facebook and use it to find new customers,
grow new communities and bring people into their stores,” said Adele
Cooper, Director of Global Customer Marketing and Communications at
Facebook. “Any company, big or small can use Facebook to be more social
and harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing at scale.”
The Specifics
Each winner will be tutored on how to maximize the power of Facebook to
better market their businesses, products and services to their existing
customer base, and target new customer segments. Each will get practical
and personal training on best practices for using Facebook
Pages, Ads
and Social
Plugins, and will also receive consultation about their current use
of Facebook. All expenses will be covered.
To enter the “Facebook Big Break for Small Business” contest, small
business owners submitted answers to a short questionnaire describing
how they would utilize the competition’s winnings to better their
business. From the more than 11,000 entrants, a panel of judges
including Laura Fink of American Express, Adele Cooper of Facebook, Guy
Kawasaki of Alltop
and John Battelle of Federated Media chose ten finalists based on the
following criteria: commitment to their business and growth; overall
social media need where Facebook could improve their business; and
energy and enthusiasm for small business. Fans of American Express
OPEN’s Facebook page then voted for their five favorite small businesses
based on videos of the business owners explaining why they deserved to
win. All ten finalists won $2,500 in Facebook advertising to help them
target and acquire new customers.
American Express and Facebook
Earlier this year, American Express OPEN and Facebook teamed to offer
OPEN Cardmembers the ability to pay for Facebook Ads using Membership
Rewards(R) points, marking the first time any company has connected a
rewards program to advertising spend in this way. Cardmembers can redeem
Membership Rewards points for Facebook Ads through American Express
OPEN’s Facebook Page at facebook.com/OPEN
or the Membership Rewards program website at membershiprewards.com.
American Express OPEN also unveiled a first-of-its-kind marketing tool, “Go
Social,” for small business merchants to create and distribute
coupon-less cardmember offers for mobile users of Facebook Places and
other location-based social networks, this past week. The announcement
was a part of American Express’ “Link, Like, Love,” the unique
application on Facebook(R) that delivers cardmember deals and experiences
based on the likes, interests and social connections of cardmembers and
their Facebook friends.
In 2010, American Express and Facebook partnered on Small
Business Saturday, a day designed to recognize the importance of
shopping at small, independently owned businesses. Small Business
Saturday falls on the day after Black Friday. Small Business Saturday
2011 will be held on November 26.
About American Express OPEN
American Express OPEN is the leading payment card issuer for small
businesses in the United States and supports business owners with
products and services to help them run and grow their businesses. This
includes business charge and credit cards that deliver purchasing power,
flexibility, rewards, savings on business services from an expanded
lineup of partners and online tools and services designed to help
improve profitability. Learn more at
www.OPEN.com
and connect with us at
www.openforum.com ,
www.facebook.com/open
and
www.twitter.com/openforum .
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with
access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build
business success. Learn more at
www.americanexpress.com
and connect with us on
www.facebook.com/americanexpress ,
www.twitter.com/americanexpress
and
www.youtube.com/americanexpress .
Facebook(R) is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.
SOURCE: American Express OPEN
Media:
M Booth for American Express OPEN
Sal Della Monica
212-539-3272
sald@mbooth.com
or
American Express OPEN
Rosa M. Alfonso
212-640-1712
rosa.m.alfonso@aexp.com
Copyright Business Wire 2011
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Facebook iPad App Preview Leaks Out [PICS]
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Facebook News
Update: It looks like Facebook has blocked access to the app at this time. Still, you can check out our screenshots to see how the app looks.
Facebook users were able to get a sneak peek of the social networking site’s long-rumored iPad app on Monday by using a jailbroken device and tweaking a file embedded in Facebook for iPhone.
The hack appears to have been first uncovered by Marvin Bernal on Twitter, and TechCrunch has since confirmed “with a source who had previously seen the Facebook iPad app” that this is indeed the iPad app that the company planned to launch with.
Facebook for iPad
Mashable used a jailbroken iPad 1 and made the necessary changes so we could try out the app ourselves.
As you can see from our gallery, it’s quite good. It takes many of the features we have come to see in third-party Facebook apps, but uses its full access to the Facebook API to make the user experience better and more fluid. Facebook Chat is supported, though video chat isn’t (yet) and browsing through the application is much like using Facebook’s web interface, but with a more refined, iPad twist.
Take a look at our screenshots and a description of some of the other features below:
View As One Page »
View As Slideshow »
Article source: http://mashable.com/2011/07/25/facebook-ipad-app-2/
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Amy Winehouse Dead: Sudden Death Leads Stunning Celebrity Twitter Response
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
Celebrities are taking to their Twitter to pay their respects and express their grief in regards to the sudden death of singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, who was found dead at her London home on Saturday.
-
Amy Winehouse Dead: Highly Acclaimed Artist Found Lifeless in London Home on Saturday - How to Share Your Faith Using Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’
Music
The cause of death is still unknown for the Grammy Award winning artist, only 27-years-old at the time.
Many are suspecting that her death may possibly be the result of her long-term battle with substance abuse, having also struggled previously with manic depression and eating disorders.
Best friend and fellow singer Kelly Osbourne, who had previously helped the late singer check into a drug addiction treatment facility in 2008, according to The Associated Press, tweeted her disbelief.
“I can’t even breath right now i’m crying so hard I just lost 1 of my best friends. i love you forever Amy and will never forget the real you!”
Other stars took the time to tweet their respects as well, including Rihanna, Jessica Alba, Ashton Kutcher, and Kate Moss.
Like us on Facebook
Rihanna: “I am genuinely heartbroken about this,” and “Dear God have mercy!!! I am SICK about this right now!”
Jessica Alba: “So sad about Amy Winehouse- she was so talented. Really tragic.”
Ashton Kutcher: “I nevr know wht 2 post after paying respect 2 sum1 who died. Just seems lk anything funny is inappropriate. mayB I’ll just go C Harry Potter.”
His wife, Demi Moore also tweeted: “Truly sad news about Amy Winehouse. My heart goes out to her family. May her troubled soul find peace.”
Fellow Brits Kate Moss and Lily Allen shared, “R.I.P. Amy Winehouse, So upset, my heart goes out to her, sad to see such talent vanish from the world.”
Allen: “It’s just beyond sad, there’s nothing else to say. She was such a lost soul, may she rest in peace.”
Richard Roeper found it surprising that several singers also died at 27. “Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Kurt Cobain and now Amy Winehouse: all died at 27.”
Moby, who was last with Winehouse during her infamous drunken performance last month in Serbia where she was booed off stage, also expressed his feelings via Twitter.
“After our show in Serbia I wish I’d been able to help amy. I’m sorry,” he tweeted.
Winehouse’s autopsy is scheduled for Sunday.
ALSO READ:
- Amy Winehouse Dead: Details of Tragic Death Emerge
- Amy Winehouse Dead: Janis Winehouse Says Death Was ‘Only Matter of Time’
Article source: http://www.christianpost.com/news/amy-winehouse-dead-sudden-death-leads-stunning-celebrity-twitter-response-52747/
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Delaware’s delegation using new ways to communicate
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
<!–Saxotech Paragraph Count: 13
–>
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said offering new ways to communicate online allows people to feel “a bit more in touch,” share their concerns with his office in different ways and hold him accountable.
“My hope is that we’re able to serve them better than we otherwise could,” he said.
Social media sites may help politicians engage political junkies and young constituents, but they also have a self-promotional purpose, helping politicians look “cool and connected and up to the minute,” said Ralph Begleiter, director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication.
It’s doubtful that most members of Congress are spending a great deal of time reading their Twitter or Facebook pages — or that they’re posting comments themselves, he said.
Carper’s and Carney’s tweets and posts are in the first person, but they’re typically posted by a staffer based on input from the lawmaker.
Some lawmakers have turned social media into a competition.
House Republicans held a six-week contest in the spring to see who could get the most new Facebook friends, Twitter followers and YouTube subscribers. Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana took first prize: an iPhone.
Senate Republicans and Democrats competed for viewers in their “YouTube Townhall” initiative, asking Facebook followers which questions they would like answered.
Members are also thinking about ways to include social media in their 2012 election campaigns. Carper suggested his campaign’s use of social media will look much different next year than it did in 2006, particularly to attract young voters.
“It’s a new world,” Carper said. “For folks that continue to live in the old world, they may be disappointed with the results of their elections.”
Lawmakers still learning social media dos and don’ts can benefit from some recent object lessons.
Former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner resigned after he accidentally posted a suggestive photo of himself on Twitter, then lied about it.
More recently, a district staffer for Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., resigned after tweeting violent messages, including one about shooting up a post office because of slow service, the Capitol Hill publication Roll Call reported.
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Google+ Really Has the Hang of the Follower Count Game
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Twitter News
More than 10,000 people have added me to one of their Google+ “circles” in the past month. Just under 12,000 have followed me on Twitter in the past four years.
These numbers don’t define me, and I’m not writing this post to boost them. But I do think it’s worthwhile to try to understand why Google’s equivalent of the follower count is growing so quickly for some users (and it’s not just me).
Google+ doesn’t have the exact equivalent of a “follow,” but if you add someone to one of your circles, you’re saying you would like to tune in to what they post, which is almost the same thing as following them on Twitter.
At this point, I essentially use Google+ like I use Twitter; almost everything I post is public, and more often that not it relates to my stories about the social Web — which tend to be topical to the early Google+ discussion. (I use Facebook more for personal relationships, so I’m not including it in this comparison.)
As another apples-to-almost-apples benchmark, Twitter says officially that it has registered 200 million accounts over its entire history, while Google+ had 10 million as of July 15 (likely many more by now; it’s growing like crazy).
I’m sure there’s some inflation going on from me getting on Google+ the first day it was open to outsiders, and from the alignment in interests between me and other early Google+ users. Plus, Google+ is not yet cluttered up with business accounts, though many people are clamoring for them.
More than any other social network I’ve used, Google+ has the feeling of having been birthed fully formed, having learned from what came before it. And it’s not just Google that’s learned from experience: Tens of millions of people are already using Google+, and these users are quite familiar with how social networks work, and how they’re often more interesting when you are connected to more people.
My Google+ contact David Calderon put it like this:
“When I signed up for Twitter, I did not know what it was all about, and I only knew a handful of people there at first. When I signed up at FB, I was so lost and it took me awhile to learn my way around. Years later I sign up here on G+ much more well seasoned, in terms of social networking. I want to dive in, and I already have a much better working knowledge of what it’s all about. Consequently I am much more inclined to add people quickly.”
Google+ also has some very nice features around following batches of people by dragging them and dropping them into circles. (My contact Hassan Hassan called extended bouts of this a “Circlespree.”) The Google+ “find and invite” tab of circles contains people Google has determined you’ll be interested in circling, and those recommendations seem to be quite good.
Louis Gray suggested that Google+ users may be more liberal in adding people than on Twitter, because circles allow users to selectively tune in to posts rather than flowing everything together.
Versus Twitter, Google+ posts often seem like more of a conversation. On Twitter, not only are posts constrained to 140 characters, but responses to posts are basically one-to-one conversations and aren’t all that easily threaded. On Google+, comment threads can stretch into lengthy discussions.
“On G+ it seems like people are talking to you, on Twitter it feels more like they are talking at you,” commented Rory Swan.
Another factor suggested by Google+ contacts of mine, including Tim Carmody, Bill Cammack and Pete Meehan, is that Google+ users tend to have much fuller profiles than on Twitter, with links to their Web presences and work information.
Even though Google+ seems to be so effective at getting us to click to make connections between each other, that isn’t necessarily its goal. Google+ was obviously built to compete with the business and mindshare currently held by Facebook more than Twitter.
Already Google has said that more than two-thirds of Google+ activity so far is private, which would mean it exists out of the realm of follower counts. But all the while, Google seems to have figured out ways to fertilize a more public style of sharing, too.
Please see the disclosure about Facebook in my ethics statement.
Article source: http://allthingsd.com/20110725/google-really-has-the-hang-of-the-follower-count-game/?refcat=social
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Google+ Games Stream Could Overtake Facebook, Top 10 Games Users Want to Play
July 25, 2011 by admin
Filed under Facebook News
Google+ knows the gaming industry will be huge in their quest to get on par with rival Facebook. After numerous assumptions that the online search giant are in pursuit of adding games to their latest social network project, a leak indicates that games may be on the way.
Facebook already has Zynga under its control which produces 266 million monthly active users who combine to spend 2 billion minutes a day for online games. Those who play Facebook games come out to 200 million monthly users. Facebook obviously holds an advantage getting a head start but Google will have several advantages as it rolls into the games scene with cash, developers, and reach.
Based on reports from Engadget, a leaked source code indicates that a gaming feature is currently in production. Another source from Slashgear reveals a new games section called Google Games Stream mentioned in the ‘Google+ Help Page.’ Other clues include a Google job posting that seeks a head position for a Games department within Google. Rumors also reported that Google will receive less than 30% or revenue, bettering Facebook’s offering to game developers.
Opportunities to work with game companies such as Zynga, Wooga, and EA could allow Google to level the playing field once the feature is released. Top game company Zynga now has the opportunity to work with another tech giant to possibly deploy games to its $100 million investor.
As reported in VentureBeat, the games industry still lacks a variety of games such as RPG, Fighting, Romance, Christian, Fishing, Urban, and Shooting. Google’s entrance could fill those gaps and offer a wider variety to gamers online.
Users are now pondering on which games Google+ will offer upon its launch. Check out the top 10 Games that gamers may want to play on the new Google Games feature.
Click “START” to begin.
Article source: http://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/articles/186166/20110725/google-games-stream-facebook-top-10-games-users-want-to-play.htm
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