Microblogging is a network service that allows mobile users to receive frequent updates of 140 characters or less. It can be used for social or pragmatic purposes, including business applications. It can benefit students, faculty, businesses, and bloggers. There are over 100 microblogging services, but users should be aware of their phone plan’s texting rates.
Microblogging is a network service that allows mobile users of cell phones and other Internet-connected devices to stay abreast of group activity by receiving frequent, posted updates, typically of 140 characters or less. Text messages are uploaded to a microblogging service like Twitter, Jaiku, and others, then distributed to group members. All parties subscribed to the target group are instantly notified of the microblog, allowing groups to keep tabs on each other’s activities in real time. A microblog can also be public, with arbitrary subscribers joining and leaving microblogs at will.
Like any other internet tool, microblogging can be used for a variety of purposes. While many are social, more pragmatic uses also apply, including business applications.
Teens can use microblogging as a social service to see what their friends are up to, plan parties, or simply stay connected for the fun of it while engaging in daily activities like school, shopping, and studying. Student officials could also create microblogs for class committees to keep up to date with progress on project assignments.
It’s not just students who can benefit from this modernized and improved version of the phone tree. The faculty could also find uses for microblogging. For example, when preparing for performances, music and drama teachers could use microblogs to network participating students for better organizational efficiency. The fast-paced nature of microblogs makes them a good management tool when the success of a project relies on many different people joining in a timely manner.
Businesses can also use this tool to gather and disseminate bullet-type information to the right parties, such as from a sales conference or client meeting. Courthouse reporters can use microblogging to broadcast updates to producers and hosts in one fell swoop, and politicians can keep in touch with staff. Tour personnel such as roadies, sound engineers and drivers could benefit from being connected via a microblog which would keep everyone with the tour abreast of issues as they arise and resources at hand. Using a microblog one hand always knows what the other is doing.
Another use of microblogging is to increase site traffic. A popular website blogger might announce updates or teasers to their blog via a microblog. An embedded link can take readers directly to the site.
While many question the need for another way to stay in touch, there are reportedly over 100 microblogging services as of spring 2008, with the trend rising. Before you sign up for the world of microblogging, make sure your phone plan doesn’t put you in the poorhouse for extended text messaging. Some plans offer flat monthly rates for unlimited texting, while others charge as little as $0.15 US dollars per message sent or received. In many cases a monthly cell phone plan includes a limited number of “free” text messages, with extra messages bumping up the bill.
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