The most popular? Automatic status updates related to Xynga’s Farmville. The game continuously prompts users to post status updates involving everything from a lost cow up for adoption to the player’s recent level up.

Next on the list is FML. If you’ve ever been to http://www.fmylife.com/ you know exactly what this status means. If you’ve never been, you need to go now. It’s hysterical, and possibly my favorite site. Anyways, although kind of funny it’s sad that the first real status update on the list is such a negative one. Really the top three real status updates are negative (FML, Swine Flu, Celebrity Deaths).

However, number five and beyond are slightly more positive including family, sports and Lady Gaga.

Image from Betanews

It’s great to see the general consensus of Facebook users, however is this a move copied from Twitter? I’m thinking it is.

Either way, Amazon reports that the Kindle was bought, gifted or wished for more than any other product on their site. While it may be easy to get your hands on the Kindle this holiday season, it may not be as each to get ahold of Barnes & Noble’s Nook or Sony’s Reader Daily Edition. Barnes & Noble and Sony are experiencing problems meeting demand as Amazon has faced over the last two years.

I don’t have much experience with e-readers, personally I just don’t see the real need for it. I don’t enjoy reading something on my computer screen, I’d much rather read it on paper and I feel that the screen on the Kindle could not be much better. And for the occasional book I read, I can handle buying the paperback.

However, I am curious about the high demand on the Kindle. From what I’ve read it seems that the e-readers made by Barnes & Noble and Sony are more technologically advanced, with touch screen and color. Are people willing to compromise better features simply because Amazon has a constant supply on Kindles?

According toTechCrunch, Google is rushing to meet their self-imposed end of the year deadline for the beta release. And they’re skimping on some of the features.

Chrome’s Bookmark Manager won’t be done in time for “milestone 4″ or M4 (Chrome version 4, which Chrome for Mac beta will be). Bookmark Manager is slated to be completed by the next milestone, M5. Also slated for completion in M5 is App Mode, which allows users to run web apps in a standalone browser. Fluid users will probably be happy with this feature in Chrome (Fluid lets you create a Site Specific Browser (SSB) out of any website or web application, effectively turning your favorite web apps into desktop apps). In addition, Mac users will be missing out on Google Gears, which allows offline web app functionality for sites like Gmail and Google Docs.

Also, Multi-touch gestures is being pushed back to M5. The feature that is built into OS X and used by MacBook trackpads and the new Magic Mouse. According to TechCrunch, the two listed gestures, “Three-finger-swipe up” and “Pinch in/out to zoom in/out” are still being debated as to what they should actually do. What!? Didn’t Apple already figure that out? For God’s sake it says it in that sentence!!

Sync for Mac, full extension support, full screen mode and task manager will also not be making their debut anytime soon.

The beta release is expected to be this month, maybe as early as this week. However, Google I have an idea for you. PUSH BACK THE DEADLINE! It’s self-imposed, not legally binding. Steve Jobs wouldn’t be so stingy on the features.

The eBay Deals app is designed to direct customers to the better buys on the online auction site, featuring auctions that have no bids, no reserve, less than four hours remaining and free or fixed-rate shipping already calculated into the price. The app allows users to browse across eight categories, including apparel, collectibles, computers, games and electronics. In addition, you can also search through the deals by entering a product name, price range and category. And just in case, you can save your search results to browse through later. If you happen to find a deal that is better for someone else (maybe you found that iPod Touch you’ve wanted forever and want to forward it to your mom, ok so maybe that’s just me), you can e-mail the deal or share it through your Facebook or Twitter.

If you’re not happy with the deals, shaking your iPhone or iPod Touch will clear the deals and give you a whole new set of deals. And if you do find an item you like, all you have to do is tap on it and a listing will pop up where you can decide to watch the item or bid on it. The app features push notifications to alert you if you’ve been outbid and PayPal integration for payment if you win.

This app is available for download through iTunes in 8 languages. And the best part is the app is free!

Personally, I’d rather go to the mall than stare at my iPhone all day looking for good deals. However, the app does have its advantages. It’s nice that eBay is looking out for you and not wasting your time on an item with a reserve set $1000 over your budget or on a 30 day auction. But, from my experience with eBay, you’ll be outbid at the last minute anyways, or end up paying way more than the item is worth after getting caught up in the moment. I’d rather go to the stores with amazing deals, than get outbid at the last minute and end up with no gift for grandma. Yikes.

Oxford tracks how the English language is changing yearly. Researchers choose the Word of the Year “to reflect the ethos of the year and its lasting potential as a word of cultural significance and use.

“It has both currency and potential longevity,” said Christine Lindberg, a language researcher for Oxford’s U.S. dictionary program. “In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year.”

Oxford defines unfriend (which is a verb) as removing someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.

Unfriend beat out several other technology related words for the honor. Other considerations were “hashtag” (the hash sign added to a word or phrase that lets Twitter users search for tweets similarly tagged), “netbook” (a small portable laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet),”intexticated” (when people are distracted by texting while driving) and “sexting” (the sending of sexually explicit text messages and pictures by cellphone).

Before reading this on Google, I had no idea that dictionaries awarded such a thing as the title of Word of the Year. But I am glad that I’ve come across this because I now know what intexticated means, and it may be my new favorite word. Thank you for adding absolutely ridiculous words to the dictionary, now when writing a paper for my Cinema and Violence class I will now know how to spell sexting. What would I do without that knowledge?

Facebook and other social media sites, such as MySpace, are usually given a bad rep amongst us college kids. We’ve all heard how a friend of a friend wasn’t hired by [insert whichever impressive company name you feel fits here] because of a couple of drunken Facebook photos. Or we have a friend who is constantly tweeting while at work, so much so that even you wonder how they get any work done. Well, recently I’ve come across this CNN article written by Rachel Zupek, “Five jobs for Facebook addicts,” which has made me feel a little bit better for all of the hours wasted on the social networking site. The good news is that many jobs in online marketing and other areas see social media expertise as a necessity.

So, what are the top five jobs for Facebook addicts?

1. Recruiter
2. Strategist
3. Enterprise architect
4. User operations analyst
5. Director of social media

1. The recruiter needs no explanation. You’ll be dealing with a bunch of college students that are constantly on social networking sites, you should probably be able to keep up with them. You should also be perky, nobody likes that angry recruiter. You know what I’m talking about.

2. The strategist will help companies figure out how to interact with social sites and their online communities. According to Zupek, your responsibilities will include “interacting with users, growing brand awareness, creating buzz, increasing traffic and providing valuable information.”

3. The enterprise architect involves completely redoing a company’s content management strategy and internal networks.

4. The user operations analyst interact with online communities, answer queries, investigate problems and keep track of user habits. I take it these are the guys in charge of Twitter damage control.

5. And finally, the director of social media organizes company blogging, viral marketing, podcasting, etc. Zupek adds, “these folks should be wary of new technologies and be all over blogs, RSS, have Facebook and Twitter accounts, and know the difference between his or her employees playing and researching on MySpace and YouTube.” I meet all the criteria, and if you’re reading Mr. Jobs, I would be perfect for Apple’s director of social media.

Zupek recommends searching job boards and the Internet for “social media,” “interactive marketing,” “new media” or “branding manager” in order to start your search for the perfect, Facebook happy job.

It’s great to see that companies are adapting to my peers and I. A generation that is constantly using social media will find these jobs appealing. And seriously, Mr. Jobs, I’m your girl.

Rodney Bradford was arrested and held for 12 days after two people were robbed in his housing complex on October 17^th. Bradford, along with his father and stepmother, claimed the 19-year-old was innocent and at his father’s apartment in Harlem when the robbery took place.

What actually proved Bradford’s innocence? His Facebook status update asking his girlfriend where is pancakes were, which was updated a minute before the crime took place. Charges were dropped after Facebook verified that the update had been posted from a computer in his father’s apartment building?

This story seems so unbelievable. It seems odd that Facebook, the same site that all my friends use to take care of their fake farms and open up their virtual restraunts, can also be used as a legitimate alibi. Can you imagine what would have happened if Amy Fisher had updated her Facebook status a minute before Mary Jo Buttafuoco was shot in the face?

LinkedIn, has over 50 million members, with a focus on professionals. LinkedIn is a professional social networking site allowing members to connect with new clients, jobs and information. Twitter, on the other hand, is a microblogging service (allowing users to connect using 140 character tweets) with more than 58 million unique visitors monthly.

On his LinkedIn blog, Allen Blue (co-founder) writes, “The idea is simple: When you set your status on LinkedIn you can now tweet it as well, amplifying it to your followers and real-time search services like Twitter Search and Bing. And when you tweet, you can send that message to your LinkedIn connections as well, from any Twitter service or tool.”

There is one thing that initially bothered me about this. I don’t know if I really want to combine my professional relationships on LinkedIn with my old high school/college (and other various) friends on Twitter. I obviously don’t talk to the two groups the same way, and up until now I could tweet whatever I wanted (this really doesn’t apply to me so much on Twitter because my account is public, but if LinkedIn collaborated with Facebook it’d be tragic). However, my logic remains the same. I don’t know if I want my colleagues knowing every little detail about my mundane life. And then I read a little bit further in Blue’s blog. Luckily the companies thought about this too, and there is a way to set it up on Twitter so that only tweets containing the #in hashtag will be shared with LinkedIn.

With that out of the way, I wish you many years of happiness Twitter and LinkedIn.

Computerworld’s Matt Hamblen reports, “Apple Inc. will launch a smaller ‘worldmode’ iPhone next year that will be ready for Verizon Wireless to sell in the third quarter of 2010, according to an analyst report citing unnamed handset maker sources in Taiwan”. You can read his article here.

According to the OTR Global analyst report, quoted by Apple Insider, the global iPhone would have a 2.8 inch diagonal display screen (the current iPhone has a 3.5 inch diagonal screen) and will have a hybrid chip from Qualcomm Inc. that makes it compatible with GSM/UMTS 3G networks (including AT&T), as well as CDMA2000 networks (including Verizon). Hamblen says, “The worldmode hybrid, using Qualcomm technology, will allow Apple to sell iPhones to AT&T and Verizon in the U.S., as well as other carriers globally.”

I’m pretty excited about this, although a little skeptical. I mean, the current iPhone is a bit larger than I would like it to be, but can Apple make a smaller iPhone that still does so much? If the global iPhone isn’t as amazing as the original, I would be really disappointed, even if my 3G coverage was way better. In his article, “Verizon To Offer An iPhone Nano? Daniel Indiviglio mentions that the keyboard on a traditional iPhone couldn’t get much smaller and that viewing a video on such a tiny screen is pointless, pointing out that “an iPhone nano would be more of a traditional phone than a robust smart phone. That ignores the essence of what separates an iPhone from the pack, and I’m not sure which consumers this would really appeal to.”

I also don’t know why Apple would only make this mini iPhone available across multiple carriers. I’ve heard many times that Apple made a mistake when choosing AT&T, and solely AT&T (ask my dad how upset he is about the whole situation, I think he may have actually considered moving to an area with better AT&T coverage in order to get an iPhone). There have been many rumors that Apple may turn to Verizon to boost sales, which makes me think it’s odd that only the global iPhone would be available. If you can make the technology available, you could certainly use it to improve the current iPhone. And you can certainly use it to improve profits.

And there’s one more thing. Indiviglio asks the ultimate question, why is Verizon running anti-iPhone ads if it is really in talks with Apple about carrying an iPhone? It’s a good point, and leads me to believe that I will never be able to get my hands on an iPhone. Well, at least not until I move somewhere with better 3G coverage.

The Washington Post is giving away a TwitterPeek to one TechCrunch reader tomorrow. In order to enter “the Just Because We Love You TwitterPeek Giveaway” all you have to do is retweet their post with the URL (http://bit.ly/3U2Yhy) and the #crunch hashtag (must be in the United States to enter). The winner will be drawn randomly tomorrow (November 7^th) and will receive the gadget in the mail along with a bonus TechCrunch t-shirt.

I don’t know about you, but of course I’m retweeting. I can’t wait to get my hands on a TwitterPeek, and I absolutely love free stuff!

In his article, “IPhone Application Translates Babies’ Howls,” Charlie Sorrel explains, “The Cry Translator listens to a whining child and analyzes the pitch, volume, tone and inflection of his nerve-jangling noise. Ten seconds later, it provides you with one of five ‘translations’.”

The Cry Translator seems to take the guess work out of parenting, or in my case babysitting.

Another great feature of this app is that it allows you to enter emergency contacts for quick and easy access. But, the best part about the Cry Translator is that it actually tells you what will make baby happy again with a fair amount of accuracy. Biloop Technologic, the developer of the application, cites clinical research conducted in Spain reported a 96% success rate of the suggestions displayed by the Cry Translator to calm the crying babies. The developer also suggests that the 4% of cases that did not respond to the suggestions, may have been adversely affected by external noise or other issues not related to the five types of cries the app deciphers.

I’ll admit that I hate the fact that I’m completely clueless and the baby can’t just tell me when he’s hungry or tired. For the $9.99 I would have to pay for the application, it would be more than worth it (the app originally costs $29.99, but is on sale for $9.99 through November 11^th). I’m sure that most people would be willing to spend much more to know what their little guy or gal is thinking.

However, its recently come to my attention that many apps remain buried deep within iTunes’ page listings unused. The majority of users don’t navigate beyond iTunes’ top and front page listings, with placements on the top page depending entirely on unit sales (this means users are mostly viewing $0.99 applications). How can this happen? Maybe iPhone owners are given too many options. After all, do they really need 100,000 apps?

AppsFire, an app tracking and sharing service, has analyzed Apple’s applications to see what was being installed on consumers’ iPhones. What did they find? 51.5% of users have installed the app ranking number 5, but by the 1000^th app only 1.76 % of users have the app and beyond that the numbers are miniscule.

It’s all about choices and maybe not everyone feels they need to bargain shop with Redlaser, but for those that do want to have the option. Yes, Apple has a staggering amount of apps available. And, yes, users should certainly take advantage. I was surprised to learn that there are so many apps sitting unused. So iPhone users, go a little bit further down in the page listings and find yourself a great app!

Peek introduced its tweeting mobile device on Amazon today, with a price of $199 with lifetime service or $99 and an additional $7.95 per month after the initial six months. That means the device will cost $95.40 per year (seems like a lot to pay for the ability to tell your followers what you ate for breakfast). The idea is to make Twitter available to users whom do not own a smartphone. Peek also makes Peek and Peek Pronto, two gadgets that are e-mail only devices.

Key features of TwitterPeek are:

• Unlimited tweets and direct messages
• Always-on instant tweet delivery
• Views links (as plain text) and Twitpic images
• Nationwide coverage. No wi-fi signal necessary.
• Full QWERTY keyboard, color screen, click scroll wheel
• Long battery life lasts up to 4 days

However, as Sharon Gaudin points out in her article, “Is Twitter-only gadget TwitterPeek a one-hit wonder?,” TwitterPeek’s major perk is also the major drawback. The device only focuses on Twitter. Gaudin poses the question if users are going to be willing to pay money for a gadget that doesn’t also function as a cell phone, camera, digital organizer, video camera and GPS system.

Well, I honestly think that they will. TwitterPeek is a great way to keep in touch with people, without upgrading your cell phone (and the bill) to include a data plan. I know that I spend TwitterPeek’s entire cost for the year in a month. And what do I really use my data plan to look at on the web? Facebook! I would use it for tweeting as well, but as I mentioned earlier my phone is incapable of showing me Twitter. I admit that I occasionally Google a takeout number or two, but primarily I’m checking out what my friends are doing and who has added new photos. Therefore, I would be enticed to use a tool that allows me to keep in touch with my friends without emptying my pockets. In fact, this little guy may just go on to my Christmas list.

TwitterPeek may also come in handy for companies that are loyal Twitter users. The gadget may make it easier for employees that are in charge of reviewing customer feedback on Twitter. The device is small enough (only 2.7 x 0.4 x 4 inches) for employees to take with them anywhere, just in case damage control needs to happen when outside the office.

Another selling point for the TwitterPeek is the fact it comes in one of my favorite colors, aqua!

Twitter’s lists feature is one of the first major changes to the site since it’s beginning. Lists, which have been offered to more and more users of the social networking site, allows users to group the people they are following into appropriate, well, lists. The feature allows you to access a certain group of people (i.e. your family or coworkers), and read tweets from members of that group only. There are many good things about lists including the ability to make them public or private. Other users are able to view your lists and subscribe to the tweets of a list without having to subscribe to the tweets of each individual user. You can add someone to a list by searching for individual users, through the list of people you’re following, or adding them from their Twitter page. You can read more about lists in Dan Moren’s “Twitter Rolls out Lists Feature to Most Users.”

In addition, Mozilla released the first beta of Firefox 3.6. Features that have been added since the June 2009 release of Firefox 3.5 include:

• Personas, which give users the ability to personalize their browser.
• Quicker startup time, improved browser responsiveness and improved JavaScript performance.
• Videos on webpages with the HTML5 video tag can be viewed in full screen.
• And my favorite feature… the ability to drag and drop from your desktop to your browser!

Mozilla has released a list of changes for developers if you would like to learn more.

Personally, I’m looking forward to checking out the new version of Firefox, even though I am a devoted Safari user. I like the fact that Mozilla has made Firefox “personalizable.” If you have a MySpace, you know how people love to express themselves digitally. I also love the drag and drop feature, in fact its the reason that I use Cyberduck for FTP(check Cyberduck out if you don’t use it already, it’s worth it). I know it seems like I’m just lazy and don’t want to search for anything, but it really just makes everything so much easier!

However, recently I have come across a Time article called “What Happens to Your Facebook Profile When You Die?” that has given me another perspective on the new Facebook feature. Apparently, Facebook was displaying reconnection suggestions for profiles whom users that had passed away.

Facebook’s Max Kelly posted on his blog, “Memories of Friends Departed Endure on Facebook” that Facebook has created the idea of “memorialized” profiles. According to Kelly, a memorialized profile is “a place where people can save and share their memories of those who’ve passed.” If a profile is memorialized the user will no longer appear in the suggestion section of the homepage and information like status updates will not appear in the news feeds of other users. In addition, when a profile is memorialized Facebook sets the privacy settings of the profile so that only confirmed friends will be able to see the profile or locate it in a search. Memorializing an account will make sure that no one will be able to log into it in the future, while keeping it available for friends to post on the user’s wall in remembrance.

If you know of a profile that should be memorialized, you can find the form here. Facebook requires that proof of death (an obituary, news article, etc.) is provided before the profile is officially memorialized.

Before reading the article I was aware that Twitter is an excellent way for corporations to gauge consumer sentiment. Companies like Starbucks, JetBlue and Dell can use Twitter to see how customers feel about a product, and also as damage control when negative tweets are posted. Starbucks has also found other ways to use social networking to their advantage. For example, Starbucks started a Twitter contest where the company is challenging people to be the first to find and tweet a picture of one of their posters. According to The Web PR Blog, Starbucks’ social media presence gave it an advantage over competitors with gigantic ad budgets because its fans wanted to talk about it online. The idea for the Starbucks photo contest came from watching what people already do on Facebook and Twitter. What amazes me is that there are some companies without a Twitter account. Twitter is a helpful tool giving companies access to the public’s opinion. Errors can be corrected and suggestions can be considered immediately after a tweet is posted. Twitter is giving companies the opportunity to connect with customers.

In addition, Twitter could also be very influential in the medical field. Twitter could enable scientists to track epidemics by allowing a search of tweets recently posted about an illness or allow doctors to tweet asking for help from colleagues, as well as tweet during a surgery to relay progress. Twitter could also be a useful tool for patients to connect with others suffering from the same illness or a tool to keep doctors and patients in better contact.

Now on to a more fun note, Kickbee, developed by Corey Menscher as a way to keep updated on his wife’s pregnancy while he was at work. Kickbee is an elastic band with vibration sensors that a mom-to-be can wear around her belly, updating friends and family via Twitter every time the baby kicks. I love this idea! My best friend has recently just had a baby, and Kickbee would have been a great way to update everyone on Dominick (without even getting off the couch!). The development of Kickbee has made it clear that machines can Twitter as well. Twitter could be used to send home security alerts or alert doctors when a patient’s blood sugar or heart rate is too high.

As the title of my post suggests, I feel that Twitter is simply amazing. Twitter is still a relatively new service and we have already seen so many uses for the social networking site. It’ll be exciting to see what else Twitter will be used for!

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the article, “The Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500” by Gary Hamel.

Before adding my thoughts, I would like to offer a quick summary. Generation F refers to the generation who has grown up online. Hamel believes this experience of growing up online will shape expectations of the workplace, with Generation F expecting the social environment of the Web to become the social environment of work. Hamel expects this younger work force to measure a company’s work environment with the following 12 work-relevant characteristics of online life:

1. All ideas compete on an equal footing.
2. Contribution counts for more than credentials.
3. Hierarchies are natural, not prescribed.
4. Leaders serve rather than preside.
5. Tasks are chosen, not assigned.
6. Groups are self-defining and -organizing.
7. Resources get attracted, not allocated.
8. Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it.
9. Opinions compound and decisions are peer-reviewed.
10. Users can veto most policy decisions.
11. Intrinsic rewards matter most.
12. Hackers are heroes.

I couldn’t agree more with Hamel that the Facebook Generation is expecting more out of the workplace than previous generations. But what does all this mean? What are Hamel’s 12 work-relevant characteristics referring to? And what companies are implementing these ideas? Below I will expand on some of the characteristics.

All ideas competing on equal footing means that every idea has a chance to catch on with the masses. This also means that anyone’s idea can catch on. I can’t think of a company that demonstrates this idea better than Twitter. Did you know that using the @ symbol before a name was a user generated idea? Within the coming weeks the company will implement two new user generated ides, lists and retweets.

Contribution counts for more than credentials is demonstrated constantly online. Does YouTube’s VenettianPrincess have any professional film experience? Does she have a prestigious film degree? Do you care? Probably not. As long as her videos make you laugh, you will continue to subscribe. Or do you care if the person that posted the latest entry on Wikipedia has an advanced degree in the subject? No, as long as the information is accurate you could care less about the author’s qualifications.

Tasks are chosen and not assigned on the web. The web offers everyone the opportunity to participate or not. Open source projects, such as WordPress and Netscape, are improved by users willing to contribute. The web offers people the opportunity to become involved with projects that interest them, not something that their boss feels they need to get done. Google is an amazing example to other companies, allowing employees to use up to 20 percent of their work week working on projects that interest them.

Groups are self-defining and -organizing refers to the fact that employees should be able to work with whom they want to work with. Online users are given the choice with whom to connect with and whom to avoid, and employees should be given the same choice.

Resources get attracted, not allocated. Therefore, only ideas that are worthwhile will be rewarded with sufficient resources. Unlike the traditional corporation with a traditional top-down cost structure, any idea will have a chance to succeed based on merit and will be rewarded with the attention of the web’s users.

Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it and we see that with many open source projects. Why would WordPress or Netscape be willing to allow any web user to access it’s source code? According to Hamel, the incentive is to gain influence and status, and to do so you have to give away your expertise and content .

And finally, users can veto most policy decisions on the web. If a company wants to keep loyal customers, they need to listen to what the users of their products or services want. Are you a member of the online social networking site, Facebook? You probably are. Remember when the “is” was automatically placed in your status update? Facebook users hated it and made sure Facebook was aware by using such tactics as the “Remove the “is” from the Facebook status” group. Facebook eventually listened to it’s users and removed the “is.”

Although many companies have a long way to go to meet the needs of Generation F, others are adapting to the changes.