Twittermania came to television last night as Andy Bumatai (@Andy_Bumatai for Tweeters out there) broadcast a show dedicated to Twitter and social networking. Guests on the show included tech businessman Lincoln Jacobe, Internet marketing specialist Arleen Anderson (@AlohaArleen), and Twitter guru Deborah Micek (@CoachDeb).
What really surprised me was the audience turnout. Now I’m fairly new to Twitter and haven’t had the opportunity to meet many fellow Tweeters IRL (in real life). There were approximately 30 (I should have taken an actual count) who showed up to watch the taping and they filled every available seat. It was like a geek truckstop and it was quite a sight to see everyone sitting there with their mobile devices, tweeting and snapping pictures to post.
The taping went by very quickly because it is shot in real time. Commercial breaks allow for a pause but there are no re-takes and Andy really keeps things moving. Thirty minutes went by in a flash.
What struck me as being significant was how easy it was to move from online personalities to face to face interaction. I definitely didn’t know (follow in Twitterese) at least half of the people there, but it was second nature to introduce myself and my online persona, @avharris. Before the evening was over, I’d guess that I’d requested “follows” from nearly all of the attendees. Naturally, I’m hoping that they will reciprocate and follow me but it isn’t really that important in the scheme of things.
As it pertains to the theme of my blog, I was exposed to a widening world of online personalities. I heard stories of potential blockbuster online opportunities as well as vignettes of people who were surprised that an event in their life had become common knowledge. I saw that a personal connection can be made from the initial online ovetures. I also saw the power of celebrity and how a small community of Twitter users in Hawaii can potentially demonstrate the power of effective social networing to the public at large.
So That's Life? 
Back in Black(berry)
01/24/2009Hi. My name is Art and I’m a recovering Blackberry abuser. I’ve been holster-free for 26 months. I still feel the phantom buzz and reach for my device while driving. I know there’s a greater power that I can never overcome but I continue my struggles. Could we hear from brother Barry?
I was listening to HPR this morning about president Obama’s struggle to keep his Blackberry. The thrust of the coverage revolved around increased security that would prevent hackers from using the phone as a listening device. The reporter droned on about how a White House server was more secure and blah, blah, blah. What they entirely missed was the addictive nature of the crackberry and how this might have shaped the 44th president.
Yes, it is true. I did own one a few years ago. I was faithful and carried it everywhere and diligently (obediently) and compulsively checked my email at every opportunity. When I finally did switch, I was completely devastated because I would lose my favorite breakout game. But I’m here to tell you, it can be done and it is a liberating feeling. I didn’t have that phantom buzz to keep me on edge and I wasn’t concerned that I might be missing some vital email announcing my winning Nigerian lottery ticket.
Granted, notification that North Korea has launched another long-range missle pales in comparison to my boring life, but do we really want the text “n kor cmd launch… explosion 10 min into flght… FAIL-WHALE!” to be in the national archives? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that you agree. Plus, given all the new laws regarding texting and driving, can you imagine the traffic jam in D.C. if the Wizards ever made it past the first round of the NBA playoffs?
OK, I’ll have to admit that having the First Geek in the White House does intrigue and thrill me. It’s a form of validation for the lifestyle that I’ve chosen and surely a great way to promote it.
As for me, I may be a recovering Blackberry addict but I did give in to the dark side and bought an iPhone. Does anybody know if there’s a technology equivalent to the needle exchange program?
Posted in Blogroll, commentary, tech | Tagged blackberry, commentary, obama, tech | 4 Comments »