The problem with shortened URL is that you don’t know what the source is. With this new upgrade, you’ll be able to see the main source of the link and whetyher or not it’s safe to click. That’s one of the reason why many people are more likely to click links on Facebook than on Twitter because Facebook gives you a preview.

I am really glad to see this feature and it certainly sets them apart from other twitter clients. The only reason I don’t use Hootsuite is because of their frame they use when shrinking links through their service. But they seem to be rolling out some cool features, so will see if I’ll make the switch. They have also rolled out some other features such as wordpress integration and more. Visit their blog to learn more about other features.

What do you think about this new feature? I love it!

Image source

Anyway I saw the video on YouTube and while I was trying to show it to my wife, this is what I got

Well, it’s a little too late. The Social Media paltforms are abuzz by Kanye’s behavior and I hope some kind of action is taken against him. His ego is starting to get a little too big, I hope the saying “everything that goes up, must come down” is true in this case. Damn Kanye, you are a moron!

Update 1 : The video is still available here. I am sure there are multiple uploads by many different people and it will be a while before they take them all down. Well, the damage is done. Watch the video to see for yourself the epitome of douchebaggery

Update 2 : MTV has published the video on their site as well. Here is the link Kanye Gets Downright Rude to Taylor

Now that Twitter has rolled out the much anticipated redesign, it’s time to talk. Before I even begin, I want to make sure that you understand (I am looking at you loyal, hardcore users and myself) that this is my personal opinion. For a moment I thought maybe I shouldn’t talk but what the heck, my opinion, my blog and whether anyone reads it or not, likes it or not I am going to drop it. So here I go.

Twitter’s new redesign certainly looks trendy and nice as compared to the 90s design it used to have. However, the main focus of the design has shifted from networking to searching. I use twitter for search, sure I do. But networking still beats my usage of twitter as a search engine. The new homepage kind of gives the feel like Twitter is a search engine rather than a social media, networking tool. Remember, although you and me know what twitter is all about, there are millions who have heard of it but have no clue what it’s about. When someone hears about it on CNN (they just can’t stop talking about it. When you watch Larry King Live watch for messages at the bottom of the screen such as “Follow @kingsthings, larry is the king of Twitter,” etc.) and decides to finally see what the hype is all about, their first impression of the site is going to be that it’s a search engine. And guess what? They use google for search.

My main point is, I agree that the redesign should focus on search capability and the need for real time information, however, that’s not the core model of Twitter. The core model of twitter is networking and that is nowhere to be seen on the new design. Think of it this way, everyone pretty much uses google to search the web but not everyone has an account with google. They use google as a search engine, that’s it. Google is fine with that because search is their core. If twitter wants search to be their core and not networking then this change is indeed effective but the whole being “pulse of the planet” and being the first one to land a billion users isn’t something that this new design is going to support.

If I were a new user and came to twitter to see what all the hoopla is about (there are many, many people who have no clue what it is although they have heard of it. Twitter needs those “many” people to hit the billion mark), I would simply think it was another search engine. I would certainly use it because it gives real time information and what not, but may be I will never sign up, why? Simply cause it may already fulfill my need which is search. Of course, search. twitter.com was there before but that is not what media talks about most of the time. That is not where people go. People go to Twitter.com not search.twitter.com and this redesign may pose a problem there. It might be seen as a search engine and now people like David Letterman who says Twitter is a waste of time, may think it’s useful as a search engine but it will be hard to change their perception in regards to it as a networking and social media platform. Maybe we’ll see a Twitter Redesign 101 soon.

I am ready. I have my helmet on. Start throwing rocks at me but I’ll stand to everything I said.

note : be sure to log out to see the changes if you are already using twitter.

Something has been bothering me quite a bit lately so I thought I would talk a bit about it. It would be safe to say that almost everyone reading this blog has a Twitter and Facebook account. Some are more active on Twitter and some on Facebook. When it comes to social networking platforms, Twitter and Facebook beats pretty much every other platform (besides LinkedIn when it comes to professional networking) that are out there. I am a pretty heavy user on Twitter. I enjoy the service and use it both as a work and leisure medium to network and interact with fellow users. I use Facebook as well but not as aggressively as I use Twitter.

Lately I have been seeing an increasing trend among Facebook users. The trend isn’t really something that I would say is unacceptable but it can be when the true meaning of networking itself is jeopardized. The trend that I am talking about is importing twitter updates to Facebook. Personally, I am not against it but I don’t see a reason to have every single one of your tweets being shown on Facebook. Usually when you are importing your tweets to Facebook anything that isn’t a reply (@username) is shown as a Facebook update, including retweets. This to some of your facebook friends might be confusing. Twitter is huge but it certainly doesn’t mean everyone in your circle is using it, or using it as heavily as you do. Your choice of networking platform might be Twitter, their’s Facebook. Then again it’s your choice. It’s your account….who cares? Well, the network of people you are trying to connect on Facebook might.

The reason why I see importing every tweet to Facebook as a problem is because many people don’t even choose to see if anyone is actually responding to those tweets on Facebook. Although they are tweets on twitter when you import it to Facebook, it becomes a Facebook update. Your friends on Facebook might be commenting on it, they might ask you questions related to the update and never get an answer. Why? Because many people fail to go back to Facebook and see what’s going in that part of the world. This to me signals a huge problem. You are using two platforms simultaneously and ignoring one group of your friends and constantly connecting with the other. That to me isn’t effective networking. It is embracing one group and alienating the other.

I personally am against importing all your tweets to Facebook. I import my tweets as well but I use the application that allows you to send only tweets that you select to Facebook. I am in favor of importing select tweets rather than importing every single one of them is because it helps me become an active participant on both. Rather than embracing one and alienating another. I update twitter multiple times each day but not so much Facebook. When I select a tweet that I want imported to Facebook, it’s much easier to track who is saying what, not just on twitter but on Facebook as well. I will be tweeting this post with a hashtag #fb which will import the tweet to my Facebook. This way my update on Facebook remains fresh and it is much easier for me to see what others have to say both on twitter and Facebook regarding my views on this subject if they choose to.

That’s what’s been bugging me lately. What you choose to do is your choice but I would definitely suggest using the select tweet app to import your tweets to Facebook. It will help you manage both platforms and be a part of both networks in a much more effective and manageable way.

Feel free to add me on either Twitter, Facebook or both.