Archive | Twilight Camp
Woo! Fresh blood at Twilight Camp!
We were delighted to have some new-comers, and of course, always great to see some of our regulars. Once again, we did not get kicked out of Davis Kidd, which is really a shame because…
The next Twilight Camp will be at the LunaWeb office! Though I suppose it still wouldn’t be wise to get ourselves barred from Bronte Bistro. After all, there is that yummy chicken salad.
Now for the recap. The conversation kicked off with the news of the hour (of the literal hour), Facebook Places launched in Memphis at approximately 4:30 yesterday afternoon. As of the meeting, only one of us had gotten to use it at all, but what information we did have:
- There aren’t any prizes, badges, or any other “game” element to it.
- You can push check-ins from Foursquare to Facebook Places, but not vice-versa.
- You can tag your friends in your check-ins to let people know they are with you. This could be potentially problematic.*
*If you do not want friends to be able to check you into Places, go to “Account” in the Facebook toolbar, then “Privacy Settings.” Look for “Customize Settings,” then scroll down to the second section, “Things others share.” Find “Friends can check me into Places.” Change the setting to Disabled, and you’re done!
A matter of hours impacted some of the arguments from last night’s discussion of Foursquare vs. Facebook Places. Today, Mashable featured an article on the travel rewards program that will now be affiliated with Facebook Places. Topguest, the service that’s tapping into Facebook’s API, is fresh off the market, rendering its partnerships limited. So limited that, for now, rewards only come in the form of discounted hotel stays, watering down our argument just a bit, but it’s not null and void just yet – and we don’t expect it to be so any time soon… if ever. As for the privacy issues, well, they are still there. All this in mind, it seemed we all agreed that Foursquare is our preferred check-in app/game/stalking mechanism. It seems that it’s becoming that way for many others too. While we were Twilighting, Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley (@dens) was tweeting: “Just heard from The @HarryH that today was @foursquare’s biggest day ever in terms of new user signups. #dball4life.” Because Rachel isn’t giving up anytime soon, stay tuned for http://www.foursquarememphis.com/ (not yet live).
Also in Location-Based news, did you know there are different levels of editors in Foursquare? Well, I know at least one of you did. When you’ve checked in enough, it seems you can become a “Level 2 Editor,” which enables you to combine locations. So, if two people created two different check-in locations for Davis Kidd, say “Davis Kidd” and “Davis Kidd Booksellers,” a Level 2 Editor could merge the two locations into one. Who knew? Andy Glover did!
In iPad news (and there’s always iPad news, isn’t there?), Andy has an awesome new case with a very clever strap on the back to slip your hand through so you can easily hold the device with one hand. So simple, yet so brilliant. Then, our iPad scholars sang the praises of the Academic research sharing application, Mendeley (also available for desktop!).
Is the iPhone coming to Verizon? Well, of course, none of us know for sure, but signs point to… maybe. Verizon customers thinking about switching to a smartphone might want to wait a bit longer to see if any more evidence leaks (and we all know Apple has some trouble keeping their announcements under wraps these days).
Wordpress bloggers – check out the Zemanta plug-in! This thing is nifty. Once you install it, start writing a blogpost. The plug-in combs your content and recommends links, photos, Wikipedia articles, etc., and it’s super easy and awesome. I know another plug-in that does pretty much the same thing was mentioned. What was the name of that one, Andy?
Don’t miss the breakfast on September 1!
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First, a participant created a Foursquare check-in for Twilight Camp, and everyone with access to the program made their presence known. This launched a comparison of Gowalla to Foursquare.
- Gowalla has a better iPad application (Foursquare just has the iPhone app, which you can zoom in on for the iPad’s bigger screen)
- But the Gowalla app is apparently pretty buggy.
- On the other hand, Gowalla has sweet prizes to collect and trade, adding another fun element to the GPS check-in.
- Of course, the main pro for Foursquare is the participation: it has about 5 times as many users as Gowalla, and is growing much faster.
- More businesses are interacting with Foursquare. Apparently, if you show the cashier at American Eagle that you checked into their location, you can get 15% off your purchase through July 31!
On to iPad apps! And we got a few great recommendations. Starting with Twitter apps, Tweetdeck is of course very popular, but one of our participants had to tout the superiority of HelTweetica. A very pretty interface and the ability to activate a Twitter screensaver are two of this programs nicest features. Definitely worth checking out.
For anyone looking for a great journaling application for the iPad, our friend Andy swears by MaxJournal for $2.99. He downloaded 3 other journal apps, ranging from $0 to $10, and he said this one was by far the best.
The prize-winning iPad app, though, had to be Uzu, a $3 app that puts thousands of particles at your command. With multi-touch kinetic response, you can create a swirling vortex of phenomenal cosmic power the likes of which genie-Jafar has never seen! For the key to that dork Disney reference, skip to minute 3 here. But it’s like that. Only, on an iPad. Apparently, it’s a great stress-reliever/mind-clearer.
The iPad has been a huge success for Apple. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for their most recent iPhone. Much of Twilight Camp was spent in speculation of what Apple should do. Of course, today, we all found out what they are, in fact, giving out free bumpers (and refunds for already purchased bumpers) to all iPhone 4 users, and offering a full refund to those who are still unsatisfied and want to return their device. Oh, the drama.
Those on the Android side of things can simply lean back and chat up the latest apps (as they hold their phones just as they please, of course). Once again, the Advanced Task Killer is ranked as the number one battery saving app of them all. Also mentioned as highly wonderful were Doubletwist (media app), Launcher Pro (an alternate homescreen app), and, just for fun, Retro Camera.
A few other interesting topics that were tossed out onto the table…
- Jigsaw.com is “The world’s largest database of up-to-date, downloadable, & complete contact information.”
- Searching #tcot in Twitter makes for some interesting political debate material.
- Viral videos, especially the Double Rainbow, and of course, the EPIC Old Spice commercials.
Lastly, there were two big issues discussed that we at the Social Expedition will be watching here over the next while. First, we speculated on the complexity of internet anonymity, particularly on forums and comment sections for newspapers. In some ways, the option of anonymity offers users a chance to say what perhaps could not otherwise be said. Especially in the case of countries where dissent is a punishment, anonymity gives a voice to those who would otherwise be unable to bring their opinions to light. On the other hand, you run the risk of receiving a multitude of inappropriate, off-topic, or radical comments. What do you think? Should anonymity remain?
And secondly, we are growing concerned over the lack of conversation happening on Twitter. Maybe DMing has become more prevalent than replying, but we’ve noticed a definite drop in the number of interactive tweets. It seems more like Twitter is becoming a giant billboard, and we definitely don’t want to see that happen. Let us know what you think in a comment, or better yet, tweet it to @smexpedition, and we’ll start a Twitter conversation!
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First, some folks checked into Foursquare. Then, four Expeditioners with iPads made the rest of us green with tablet envy. Oh, they are so so pretty. Have you seen the Alice in Wonderland ebook they made for it? The pocket-watch swings when you rotate your screen! Wired Magazine created an interactive version for the iPad, and you can turn the whole screen into a beautiful, customizable aquarium with the app Koi. For more practical matters, we discussed the InstaPaper app as well as what positions are best for reading on your iPad without getting an arm cramp.
Wordpress 3 is out, and all the Expeditioners are enthusiastic. We just haven’t gotten a chance to play with it yet.
In Twitter news, anyone who tweets (or “writes on Twitter,” if you’re at The New York Times) should check out Paper.li. You put in your Twitter name, or anyone else’s for that matter, and it picks up any links shared by the people that the selected user follows. It then sorts the targets of those links by category into a newspaper. Like this…
The links that were retweeted the most, or posted by the most people, will show up at the top. Further down the page, is a section showing all the videos, another for photos, and different sections for technology, health, arts, etc. It’s pretty nifty.
Facebook and privacy made a short appearance in the conversation, as did the recent Intuit breakdown. We oo’d and ah’d over iPad and iPhone cases, and lamented the late arrival of a certain Expeditioner’s HTC Droid Incredible. It’s on the way.
We learned that social media has broken new ground – multi-level marketing. The social network Yournight.com has discovered how a social network can function as a layered, profiting system. It’s hard to get details without signing up, and it’s invite only.
Lastly, the Expeditioners offered an interesting perspective on speeches and mobile phones. In social media land, it is customary, and in no way considered rude, to be constantly looking at one’s mobile phone during a convention or workshop. It is presumed (or hoped) that you are tweeting about the event. Yet, in lands other than social media, this may not be so accepted. So if you find yourself in a conference, make sure to observe the general mobile vibe of the room, since looking down at a mobile device is still considered inappropriate in some settings.
Thanks for a great conversation, everyone. We hope to see you at the next one in July!
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This past Thursday, members of the Social Expedition gathered over coffee and quiche-of-the-day for our casual monthly chat on media, social networks and technology. The hot topic this time was Android and a couple of its new applications. After a short foray into Twitter clients, we discussed Scvngr, a new Google-backed app for Android and iPhone. Like Foursquare, it’s a location-based check-in app, but with a little something extra. After you’ve checked-in, you can earn points by completing a challenge, like taking a photo or updating info about your location. By using this user-created content, Scvngr can build virtual tours and create guides to exploring your hometown or a vacation destination. It’s definitely up-and-coming, so keep an eye out for it and the 21-year-old creator, Seth Priebatsch.
Also, for those of you having trouble with your Droid battery dying too fast, try out the Advanced Task Killer Free application. It helps you close out of the applications you haven’t used in a while so your phone is using less power!
After few netbook recommendations, our views on gambling in Tunica, podcast talk, an explanation of the difference between torrents and regular downloads, we once again found ourselves in Facebook privacy discussion. It almost seems inevitable. Every news source in the country has been running articles on the issue for weeks now. Every word out of Mark Zuckerberg’s mouth is a new story. Every high-profile person who deletes their account gets media coverage. Congress is getting in on the action by trying to pass restrictive measures on Facebook, and now, one Twilight Camp participant revealed, there’s even going to be a Facebook movie!
Yes, in October of this year, Columbia Pictures will release The Social Network about the founding of Facebook. The script is written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing), and stars Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland) as Mark Zuckerberg and, get this, Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, founder of Napster and founding president of Facebook, Inc. None of the Facebook staff has been involved in the film production. It may not end up as a great movie, but it will certainly be interesting to watch the marketing for the film (and Facebook’s reaction) unfold.
In the meantime, though, if you’d like to show your anger with Facebook, visit FacebookFreeFriday.com. If the site can generate enough support to make a sizable dent in Facebook’s usage this weekend, maybe they’ll finally listen to the pleas of their users.
Don’t miss the next meet-up, which will be our Social Expedition Breakfast at the University of Memphis on June 2nd at 7:30 a.m. The speaker this month is Melissa Moon of WREG, and then as usual, we’ll have our Core Conversation to talk about whatever is on your mind in the social media world! Head to this link at Meetup.com to RSVP!
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It’s been a while since we last saw each other outside of the early morning hours, as our evening meetings – better known to us as Twilight Camps – have gone by the wayside a bit in the past couple of months. But on October 21 they make a comeback at our usual location, Davis Kidd Bookseller’s Bronte Bistro on Perkins Extended. Meet us there at 5:30 for good food and a catch-up session. There’s no structure or formal presentations, just free-form conversation, mixing, mingling and the chance to share ideas.
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Social Media Expedition’s TwilightCamp is no longer a new part of our regular event schedule. It has graduated to simply being a regular event. That hasn’t stopped it from being a refreshing catalyst for burgeoning relationships and ideas.
Gary Duke shares his Social Media Yay
We were happy to see new faces and familiar friends at the Bronte Bistro in Davis-Kidd Bookstore this past Thursday doing exactly what Social Media is meant for… socializing.
We had a lot of good conversation about our individual Social Media “yays” and “boos” for the past few weeks. People shared their big wins with the group and some of the things that they were struggling with in the social realms. We had a lot of awesome yays from the group and by the end of the dinner, many people had helpful suggestions on how to fix some of their boos.
Here’s some of what we heard from the group:
Yays –
- New Facebook Public Profile
- General social well-being
- New social opportunities
- Fun community involvement from Social Networks
- New Facebook widget
- Posterous
- A successful campaign
- A start up realizing that Social Media is an integral part of its strategy
Boos -
- Facebook app trouble
- WordPress struggles
- The Need for a Facebook Public Profile
- Needing to learn more about social
- Lack of motivation for blogging
- Ignored reccomendations
- Sleazy marketing links on Facebook walls
- Social media regulations and policies (social buzzkills)
- Always having LOTS to learn
Thanks to everyone who came out! We’ll see you at the breakfast on August 5th.
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A word of gracious appreciation goes out to Arts Memphis for hosting at their wonderful offices next to Folk’s Folly.
Being a gathering without an agenda, June’s Twilight Camp provided a great opportunity to learn of more regularly-scheduled agenda-free gatherings. A couple that were mentioned include the weekly Mercury Tech Coffee meeting, which happens Mondays at 7:30 am at Republic Coffee on Walnut Grove; and the First Thursdays meeting of the Sierra Club, which takes place each month at Otherlands Coffee Bar on Cooper Street in Midtown, from 5-7:30 pm.
We also talked about how consumers are gaining more and more social equity with service providers. Though businesses like Google and Facebook keep adding features to their social networks, they aren’t forcing anyone to use the new features.
It’s increasingly all about choice now. With growing frequency, when new features are added to a service, it’s up to the user whether or not they get used. The user’s power is so great that networks would rather wait for the right customer to begin using a new tool than risk turning anyone off.
This is one of the reasons why our discussion also found itself mentioning the idea of an Early Adopter tax credit – the people who jump into new services, tools, and devices frequently pay a premium for the opportunity to figure out how best to use things (like the new iPhone, the Palm Pre, or even netbooks).
One interesting point we drug up while talking about that is whether early adopters are being productive, or whether they’re really being progressive.
Both “productive” and “progressive” seem like – and are – positive adjectives, but there are subtleties there that have really nothing to do with anyone’s political views. “Progressive,” in this case, can be equated with “experimental.” If early adopters are being progressive, they’re experimenting with a new device or new software, trying to figure out how to be productive with them.
Those who wish to be “productive” will eye these technological progressives for new ideas, techniques, and uses. Without the progressives, we would likely not know how to be productive. It seems that the proper term for those of us who wait for those instructions would be “pragmatic.”
There was also interesting discussion of Google Latitude and social currency. There’s more room in those topics than it would be fruitful to discuss here, so keep your eyes peeled for a couple posts here later this week.
Again, a hearty thanks to Arts Memphis for their magnificent hospitality.
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A shot from April's Twilight Camp
This month’s Twilight Camp will be switched up a little from the usual pattern. Rather than holding the event at an area restaurant, we’ll be gathering at ArtsMemphis.
The same habits remain, however – we get together for food, networking, and informal conversations about how we use social media in our day-to-day lives. (ArtsMemphis itself has a solid social presence, as we learned from Lindsay Coates at our last Breakfast; check them out on Twitter and Facebook.)
ArtsMemphis is located at 575 South Mendenhall. The event is free, and the mingling starts at 5:30 p.m. Parking is available at Holt Tire on Mendenhall or on Black Street (same street as Brown Dog Lodge). As usual, RSVP is preferred.
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