TwitterProbably one of the coolest things to hit the web in recent years is the sensationally huge network — Twitter. Everyone from little old ladies to full fledged pop artists [aka Britney Spears] give up their status via Twitter. From the President of the United States to Israeli Defense Forces pounding Gaza — all are Tweet’ing like mad.

First on the scene in spring 2006 via a small side project out of San Francisco, Twitter brought simple yet effective real-time communications to the web in the form of shouts (also affectionately known as Tweets). From this small side project [as Twitter puts it] developed a full fledged real-time short messaging service that interfaces globally across a mix of networks and devices.

Twitter as your blog-

No desire to be a concise 1000 word-per-post blogger, but still want to get the word out? Consider blogging through Twitter. One catch — each entry is a skimpy 140 characters [including spaces]. But regardless of keystroke shortage, just set your Tweets to hit the Public Timeline and now you’re ‘blogging’ out over a million users on Twitter alone. Throw in some APIs and now you’re connecting to millions more outside Twitter.

Twitter as your Newsfeed-

With major news organizations like CNN and BBC Tweeting away on breaking news events, you have no shortage of real-time newsfeeds. Even somewhat more obscure [nonetheless highly relevant] newsfeeds like BNOnews become can’t-live-without Tweets. And of course, not to leave behind the Tweets from people you choose to ‘Follow.’

Information overload? Not according to the folks behind Twitter. They translate overload into this eloquent depiction:

“Twitter solves information overload by changing expectations traditionally associated with online communication. At Twitter, we ask one question, “What are you doing?” The answers to this question are for the most part rhetorical. In other words, users do not expect a response when they send a message to Twitter. On the receiving end, Twitter is ambient–updates from your friends and relatives float to your phone, IM, or web site and you are only expected to pay as much or as little attention to them as you see fit.”

To Tweet or not to Tweet.