Twitter: new instant messaging tool Enables instant messaging via mobile and the web
A MOVEMENT, fuelled by the new messaging tool Twitter, is gaining shape on the Net. NetSpeak explores the features and potential of this disruptive service. A variety of free communication channels such as the web, email, instant messenger (IM), blogs and Net telephony (Skype, Gizmo Project and the like) enable netizens to connect with each other with ease. Also, efforts are on to invent new methods to integrate these diverse tools (for communicating with any of these channels irrespective of the recipient's preferred one). For instance, you can send a message via email, which can be read by the recipient using his/her IM client. We have already come across such services meant for integrating diverse communication tools. The integration of IM and email by Gmail is an instance of this trend. Yet another example is the IRC-Web interface project DiaWebLog, featured in this column a few years ago (The Hindu of December 22, 2003: http://www.thehindu. com/thehindu/biz/ 2003/12/22/stories/20031222006516 00. htm). DiaWebLog (http://www.diaweblog.com) helps its user post on to a blog from an IRC chat room (like this: http://tinyurl.com/2joa3u). In this context, Twitter assumes significance. Twitter (http://twitter.com/) lets you send/receive small messages in real-time to /from a group of friends or the whole world via any of the three different channels such as IM, mobile phones and the web. Though it is being projected as a tool for updating others on `What you are doing now,' Twitter's applications in real life go far beyond that and its disruptive potential could be phenomenal. To use the service, just register with it, give account details to your friends and tell them to `follow' you. You can update your twitter page by visiting it or by sending a tweet (a twitter message is also known as a `tweet') via your IM client or mobile phone. It supports IM systems such as AIM and Gtalk. You can set up your IM system from the options available at the settings page. For example, if you are a Gtalk user, select Gtalk and set it up by entering your Gtalk id. Add [EMAIL PROTECTED] to your contact list and go through the verification procedure. After a while [EMAIL PROTECTED]' will become green/live. Twitter beginners could find this guide useful: http://www.webware.com /8301-1_109-9697867-2. html. To link your mobile phone with Twitter, you need to register the mobile number with Twitter and later send a verification SMS to a number specified by the service. Once the mobile phone is registered with the service you can start receiving free updates from your clients/friends across the globe, on your mobile. However, if you want to send updates via your mobile (from India), it may turn out to be a costly affair. Once you twitter-enable your IM client/mobile phone, the fun starts. Whenever you wish to send an update with the IM client, just click on the twitter buddy and enter the message. It will immediately appear on your twitter page and also automatically prompt the twitter account holders who have agreed to receive your updates (your followers). Each of your followers will receive the update on one of her preferred channels (IM or mobile phone) and also on her twitter page. If you wish to receive updates from a fellow Twitter user with the username `her name,' just send the message `Follow her-name' to the twitter buddy. For instance this author's user name is `jmurali,' and to receive updates from him, send the command `follow jmurali.' J. MURALI He can be contacted at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/26/stories/2007032600091700.htm Vikas Kapoor, MSN ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype ID: dl_vikas Mobile: (+91) 9891098137. To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
