Here's a wrap on the week's Twitter news. And what a week it was. Um, let's start with last week.
Last week ended with rumors that Google was in "late-stage negotiations" to scoop up Twitter. (iMediaConnection) And by the middle of this week, Microsoft had stepped in, setting the stage for "yet another [Google v. Microsoft] pick-me face-off." (All Things Digital) (My gut tells me Twitter's not going to pick a side, by the way. They're smarter than that. They'll find clever ways to leverage both giants to the mutual advantage of all three.)
What's muddling acquisition, merger and partnering talks right now is the revenue question. Twitter's not making any money. But they're drifting in that direction. Last month, Twitter confirmed "they'll [someday] sell commercial accounts to power users and companies." (Silicon Alley Insider) But advertising is sure to play a big role in the future, too.
Last week, Twitter announced an integrated search product (dubbed Discovery Engine) that will launch "as soon as possible." This sets the stage for AdWords-ish advertising. And this week, Twitter announced a stake in "Twitter Partners," which handles more complex marketing ops on the platform. The group (which has already worked with Universal and Virgin) "will help media clients develop marketing strategies around Twitter through services... Read more
Archive for April, 2009
Thin and inexpensive netbooks. Coming to a household near you.
This article in the NY Times highlights how there is a wave of new smaller, lighter, and most importantly, cheaper, laptop computers coming onto the market. Appropriately called ‘netbooks’.
There a lot of change indicators on the Internet’s horizon. Mobile is certainly a big one, as is higher broadband rates. But I think the laptop trend could change things quickest of all.
Accessibility can’t be overestimated when it comes to the Web. Time and again, we’ve seen as computers and technologies get cheaper, simpler to use, and easier to transport, there’s a resulting surge in usage.
I remember my first home WiFi network in 2001. Spectacularly liberating. Suddenly, instead of being sequestered in an upstairs office, the computer could now move down to where the people were, and quite literally join the conversation. Simple online tasks improved noticeably. Receipes were researched online in the kitchen, where you could quickly check the ingredients needed with what was in stock. Looking up TV schedules could be done while actually watching TV! And simple things like planning a vacation happened on the couch instead of the office, an environment far more fitting for the task.
With the netbooks slated to practically be given away with an accompanying... Read more
