The immediacy of microblogging in reporting world events as they unfold was evidenced again with last weekend's elections in Iran and the ensuing outrage in Tehran streets. Iranian citizens Twittered the drama as it happened, driving the "most talked about topic" at Twitter. Cable TV news operations say they now rely on real-time Twitter tweets to keep them updated in their reportage. At least most of them do.
"Dear CNN, Please Check Twitter for News about Iran."
An example of up to the moment communiqués comes from the Twitter page of Steve Schippert of ThreatsWatch.org, who stayed up all night Saturday into Sunday, corresponding to Iranian twitterers, who reported on Shiraz protests, riot police using tear gas and rumors of a general strike on Tuesday.
Not that we're bashing CNN …
Your flight's been delayed. Overhead, the flat screen TV monitor is piping out CNN News. Not only are you steamed about missing your connecting flight, you're also stuck under the steady drone and drivel of Rick Sanchez or Wolfie. Is there anything worse?
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Well, now you have choices! If you have Internet connectivity, no matter where you are you can watch Fox News, Fox Business News or the Discovery Channel live online – for free! – on BlinkoTV!
BlinkoTV is one more step toward the ultimate convergence of communication media: TV, computer and Internet. BlinkoTV claims to have the highest quality iPTV software available, with 30 frames per second forensic quality streaming with MP3 stereo sound.
Oh, and once you get to your destination, you can create and broadcast your own content too.
Touts BlinkoTV, "Professional and amateur broadcasters alike can start their own online broadcasting business in just minutes! BlinkoTV can design a complete 'white label' streaming portal including pay per view, VOD, advertising insertion with interactive chat."
The applications are unlimited. BlinkoTV iPTV suggests the medium is perfect for broadcasting corporate events, training, concerts, radio TV shows, weddings and other special events:
"Download the FREE iPTV broadcasting software and start broadcasting your content worldwide in high-quality 30-frames-per-second video across the Internet," the site boasts. "The streams are nonrestrictive and can be viewed by any PC or Mac browser worldwide. Anyone with a LIVE stream or prerecorded content (such as a DVD) may setup a broadcast in less than five minutes! BlinkoTV is broadcast capable of up to 4,000 simultaneous channels!"
Of course, if you're into torment, CNN is also offered on BlinkoTV's channel menu. (Twitterer "tahDeetz" gets this week's Tip of the Hat for alerting us to BlinkoTV)
Twitterlings
RevTwt
It was just a matter of time before someone came up with a way to help tweeters make a little extra cash on the side while posting on Twitter. RevTwt, which is not affiliated with Twitter, gives signed-up members links to post on their Twitter account, earning them money each time someone clicks on their link. To learn more, hit the FAQs page.
Five top Twitter tips
Melissa Clouthier, one of the most prolific twitterers tweeting today, shares her top Twitter tips. She writes, "Some of you people still don't think Twitter is useful. You're wrong. This post is for those using Twitter and wondering how to organically grow their influence. Here's five ways to do it."
Biz-tweeting
What's all the Twitter fuss is about? Why might I want to use this social networking tool? For starters, you may be missing out on useful information and professional connections. This guide shows business people how and why to get started with Twitter.
From an upstart airline to the cable company some people love to hate, organizations big and small have reaped success in improving customer service, receiving R&D tips, and marketing their products on Twitter. Here's expert advice on how and why your business should tap into Twitter.
"Twitter Etiquette – Five Do's and Don'ts"
"There's an art to writing on Facebook or Twitter, and no one cares that you're 'eating a sandwich,'" wrote USA Today's Maria Puente last week. The item was featured on CNN's Reliable Sources last Sunday.
Twitter searching
Twitter's search engine has two important drawbacks: it's limited to Twitter and it sorts the results by date.
While there are other search engines like Tweefind that try to sort Twitter posts by relevancy and search engines like Twingly that index multiple microblogging sites, none of them does a great job. Much like Google Blog Search, Google's microblogging search service will sort the results by relevancy, and it will also be integrated with Google's web search engine: the keywords that are frequently used in recent posts will trigger a MicroBlogsearch universal search group.
For curious minds
The name of the place is I Like It Like That.
They found the real "Hotel California" and the "Seinfeld" diner. What will you find? It's Where It's At.
Eyewitness to history
This month in history they took to the streets in Iran? America? Nope. Try France.
King Louis XVI needed money. His financial crisis forced the French monarch to reluctantly convene the Estates General in order to levy a new land tax that would hopefully solve his monetary woes. It was the beginning of the French Revolution, 1789. The streets of Paris erupted in violence and launched the destruction of the French monarchy.
Archduke Ferdinand Assassinated, 1914: "He stepped forward from the curb, drew his automatic pistol from his coat and fired two shots." The shot ignited World War I and shaped the world we live in today.
Evacuation at Dunkirk, 1940: "The beach, black with men, illumined by the fires, seemed a perfect target." The British snatch a moral victory from the jaws of defeat.
Misery index
The unemployment rate is climbing. Here's a chart that illustrates the unemployment index by year, beginning in 1948 with the presidencies of Truman through George W. Bush. A high of 9.71 came in 1982 under the administration of Ronald Reagan. The low? Under Eisenhower, a 2.92 unemployment rate in 1952.
The changing face of everyday design …
From air steward uniforms to Corn Flakes cereal boxes, how has everyday design evolved over the last half-century?
Or changing phones
The cheaper I-Phone? Or the more expensive one? We report, you decide.
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