Watching Twitter Become the World’s First Ubiquitous Computing Brand

27 November 2008 by Michael Leis, View Comments

The range of human experience I have been watching unfold in Twitter is a significant turning point in how people around the world communicate.

Considered by many to be an “early adopters only” technological fringe of microblogging, (Twitter is only estimated to have around five million users) the major media outlets are competing with Twitter for breaking news on the tragedy unfolding in Mubai.

Watching live from Tweetdeck, a desktop application built on the Twitter platform, instant news flooding in from people tweeting as events in Mumbai happen is only part of the entire story.

Tweetdeck_mubai

In addition, @simplybrad is teasing me with his incredible Thanksgiving-eve lambchop dinner outside Chicago. @scubachris shares the test video from his flip HD. @comcastcares is sorting out my trouble with digital cable service in Philadelphia. @russu is driving his sleepy family through the Midwest. @fatheaddesign and @tonyafathead are cooking and cheering on the Blackhawks. I’m wondering why I haven’t seen anything from @yuyudin, who’s in India. Turns out she’s on the other side of the country, and came in to work late with a cold.

What’s happening here is a global, ubiquitous computing experience shared by hundreds of millions of people. From their desktops, their laptops, their mobile devices. And from the myriad microblog services out there, the brand that carries it all is Twitter.

How powerful of a communications brand has Twitter become? After watching many live entries from the conflict, fears that terrorists would be watching Twitter for information rippled through. Personally, I think that communication can never be a casualty of fear. Regardless, the fact that these messages were being passed, and discussed is really a validation of the instant, fluid nature of the medium.

The US election, followed by the MotrinMom mini-movement were both showing us hints of how emotionally charged topics can race through Twitter and appear on the pages of national newspapers and television, affecting the national discourse.

Just yesterday, Facebook (which itself has recently surpassed 120 million users to make this the first mainstream social media thanksgiving) offered $500 million to buy Twitter. Today the brand has gone global. Twitter has established itself as the singular source for connecting with people or events: wherever, whenever they happen.

As I finish this post, maybe the most fitting ending is the tweet that just appeared on my screen:

Twitter_mubai

What do you think? Add your voice to the conversation below or on Twitter @mleis

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  • You're right! Wow, that would be something if you could pull that off... Has anyone tried that yet?

    Heard @craigcomeau from radian6 speak recently at our local social networking night at the pub. He seemed to think that the truth straightened itself out quickly via twitter because of the sheer volume. I'm not so sure. Would be an interesting experiment.
  • Hi Michael, Once again, great post.

    Twitter is definitely becoming more ubiquitous because it is at the center of the social media/networking world. Blogs, Flickr, Twitpics, YouTube and cell phone vids all flow through it then are blasted out, just like a giant jet nozzle.

    The scary part is that Twitter is still only being used by innovators/early adopters.

    -Jesse @jesseluna on Twitter
  • Molly,

    Your comment made me think of the original War of the Worlds radio play. Could we see something similar done through Twitter, with supporting spoof web articles seeded strategically? Flickr photos 'depicting' events as the occur. Mainstream media "still struggling to catch up"...

    Steve
  • Hiya - I've created a twitter monster! LOL. Actually, I echo your sentiments completely. I was thinking last night that someday twitter could potentially become as commonplace as email or IM (assuming regular people can get over the i-don't-get-it issue)... but unlike email the concept is really owned by a specific company. Which, in some ways is a crazy and scary thought.

    I've also been mulling over truth, rumor & twitter - lately. I see that you have also been relying on the technology as a source of "news" lately. Curious to know what you think - does an increased volume of tweets helps to bring some veracity to the information?
  • I'm more of the opinion that Twitter is ubiquitous for some people, rather than it being a 'ubiquitous computing brand,' which would imply that:

    a. It's on everyone's computers - being on the web doesn't count bc then everything is ubiquitous. Most people aren't using Twitter.
    b. It's a computing brand - it's a communication brand.
  • Ben Leis
  • Great post. Funny how it's really starting to change things. I heard about the events in Mumbai first on Twitter and long before any mainstream media, and was following events live as they happened. It was quite something.
  • Mike, you've inspired me to write my own take on the Mumbai/Twitter events. I'll be linking back to yours. Fine work fellah!
  • Actually Michael, you may have missed the fairly significant switch of roles today between Twitter and CNN: http://twitter.com/rotkapchen/statuses/1025274447
  • The thing about twitter is there's a bunch of streams of thoughts that are happening at the same time. These can be clustered and there are automatic niche groups being formed. I find that the more you tweet about the subject the more people of that field will follow you.
    I'm just really surprised by the support of folks on twitter about the Mumbai blasts. The platform value of twitter is that you don't have to be here in India to have a say, you can watch the story unfold at real time, comment, be heard, and even ask questions. The folks on the ground or around the country will respond to you at real time. Forget about citizen journalism, this is people talking to people and understanding issues at a new level. THAT's the essence of twitter.
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