Srcasm

If you’ve known me for more than about, oh 5 minutes, you’ll know that I’m always connected to the internet.  I live, breath and eat bits (not my cat) and bytes for breakfast and I love to chew on the latest and greatest Web 2.0 awesome-taffy that I find every day.  That’s why I was so excited when I found the greatest Twitter app for Blackberry (or Nokia, Sony Ericsson or any Java-capable mobile device) AND a great Twitter desktop app too boot.

Twibble (by spider labs GmbH in Hamburg, Germany) brings simplicity, convenience, power and control all into one tiny mobile application.  Not only does it work properly (auto updates, vibrate/alert on direct messages and @replies) but it also provides some pretty awesome additional features that I haven’t seen in the mobile Twitter application realm (at least not for Blackberry):
 

1. Send a tweet via your data plan or SMS! — Why is this important?  Well, sending a tweet takes data.  For many people, they don’t have unlimited data plans so being able to send via SMS could save some moolah.
2. GPS/Location awareness — Twibble can not only update your status or your location based on your GPS coordiantes but it also has built in support to map where your Twitter friends are.  Simple click on a user and choose to locate them on a map and off it goes.
3. Auto-refresh — This feature sounds simple but I have yet to find a Blackberry Twitter app that properly refreshed both tweets, DMs and @replies automatically in the background.
4. Hotkey support — While using Twibble, you could navigate the large and comprehensive menu structure or you could use some of their hot keys.  Press 2 or “R” and you’ll form an @reply to the person, 3 or “D” will direct message the current user you’re highlighting and 1 or “T” starts a brand new tweet (which can then be sent via SMS or data)!
5. Data savings — Not only does Twibble help to save data by Tweeting via SMS, it also only retrieves the latest tweets.  Some applications refresh all three timelines (making 3 API calls) to get your DMs, @replies and latest updates.  Twibble doesn’t.
6. Integrated twitpic support — While posting a tweet, you can select an image off of your phone and upload/refrence it automatically in your tweet.  Nice for the on-the-go web reporter.

There are a bunch of other neat features that Twibble mobile provides and you can check them out on the product page.  What I was surprised to learn was that Twibble also made a desktop Adobe AIR client as well.  This client is cleanly designed, supports multiple accounts and follows some of the same shortcuts and features that Twibble mobile has.  This makes the transition from desktop easy and fun.

Personally, I would pay for this app (maybe $10-$20) becuase it’s that good.  What do you think of Twibble?  What are some other clients that you have used?

As Bart and I were walking into a networking/mobile information event, I started talking about an idea I had. People have done something very similar to this in the past but I think there are a few key steps missing in the process.

Virtual/connected business cards

The idea is simple, instead of handing out a card that has your name, phone numbers, emails, web sites, address, and more on it, why not hand out a Moo card with a short set of directions (Send a text to 84782273 (VIRTCARD) with:) and then a unique username (SRCASM). That’s it. When you meet someone new (and they best have a cell phone), you simple either tell them these steps (and save the environment) or hand them a tiny set of instructions. They can text that at their earliest convenience and be hooked up.

Now, this is where it gets a little better. After sending that text message, a few things happen…

• If the person sending the text has an account:
  • Your information is added to their online account (this includes all of your social networking links, email, contact info and any other information you wish to provide), AND
  • They then receive a text message with your pertinent immediate contact info such as name, phone number and email address, AND
  • They receive a text message with a vCard (or whatever compatible format works for their specific phone) attachment to add your info directly to their address book.
• If the person sending the text does not have an account already:
  • They receive a text message with your pertinent immediate contact info such as name, phone number and email address, AND
  • Next, they receive a text message with a vCard (or whatever compatible format works for their specific phone) attachment to add your info directly to their address book, AND
  • Finally, they get a specific activation ID that can be used on the web site later to both activate a new, free account, for them and with your info already included in their profile.

There is so much more that could be added to this service, I am only beginning to scratch the surface. Tie it in with Brightkite for location specific info, Twitter for updates of the people you know and add it into my aggregated address book idea for even more contact power!