Twitter Allows Its Users to Debate During the Presidential Debate

At midnight this past Thursday, September 25, Twitter launched a new, specialty version of its Web site.  The new site, www.election.twitter.com, is specifically geared for its users to respond to the presidential debates between Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama and other political festivities and news of the coming days before the 2008 presidential election.

Twitter was originally created to allow people to communicate with friends, family, coworkers, professors, acquaintances, etc.  However, with the addition of Twitter's search engine, the site has come to serve as a viable medium for the expression of public opinion.  People tend to post, or "tweet" (in Twitterspeak), on Twitter in response to sporting events, television premieres, natural disasters, current events, etc.  

The site recorded off-the-chart numbers of posts per second during the candidates' acceptance speeches, so Twitter's executives decided that there would be nothing better to encourage more conversation than the current politicking by both the Republicans and Democrats prior to the upcoming elections, hence the creation of the new specialty site.

By allowing users to critique each candidates' performance, the site also allows users to debate with others on all topics of the debate and as to who won the debate by answering the site's question, "What do you think?"  This question, like Twitter's original site question "What are you doing?," allows users to post their thoughts in responses using 140 characters or less.

The site scrolls every second with new tweets by anyone on the election page and any other part of Twitter's service where posts are obviously related to the election based on the post's inclusion of phrases like "Obama" or "Palin."

The new site is Twitter's way of connecting political enthusiasts during the election similar to Facebook groups Facebook users can join and candidate support postings that are used on both Facebook and MySpace.

The site also links to the Twitter campaign feeds for McCain and Obama.  Links are also included that redirect visitors to tweets about presidential and vice presidential candidates and a list of phrases pulled from recent tweets that represent hot topics like "Government Bailout," "Bill Clinton," "Tine Fey," and "Couric."

As an avid Twitter user, it is my hope that they will set up more of these specialty sites that I will be able to use and meet people that share similar thoughts on Georgia football, the BCS college football ranking system, and the new season of the CW's One Tree Hill and 90210. 

For more information on this new media topic, visit http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes/2008/09/25/if-they-debate-heres-where-to-tweet-all-about it/.

BMW Assist to Include Google Search

BMW will be upgrading their BMW Assist feature to include search capabilities powered by Google Search. The iDrive interface will be upgraded in the company's 2009 model cars.

BMW has been hinting at its partnership with Google since the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show but has just recently announced all of the details of the implementation of this new media in its cars.

BMW owners and users of BMW Assist Convenience Plan will pay an additional $199 per year. The system will use AT&T's GSM network to connect to Google Search to look up information on and locate restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, pharmacies, and public facilities such as schools, city halls, and court houses. Once these locations are found, for example, the user will be able to navigate to the restaurant or call the restaurant to make reservations and ask questions about the menu and business hours using the system's Bluetooth connectivity. Users will also be able to search for the lowest gas prices wherever they are driving and find out what movies are playing and at what times at the local movie theater. Results for searches of this nature will be viewable on a Google Map.

Basically BMW is offering on-the-go internet access in your car using a wireless connection. This connection will enable drivers and passengers to browse the Web from the dashboard.

BMW Assist will continue to offer the following functions: remote unlock, automatic collision notification, and location of stolen vehicles.

For more information on this new media topic, please visit http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10043591-48.html?tag=mncol;txt.

"E.T. Phone Home"

Have you ever lost your cell phone? Or better yet, has your cell phone ever been stolen? If you answered yes to either of the previous questions, you will never need to worry again.

Thanks to Maverick Mobile Solutions, an Indian company that makes applications for mobile phones, if your phone is lost or stolen, it will now be found. The company's latest application, Maverick Secure Mobile, will secure your phone and help you to locate it. The Maverick Secure Mobile encrypts your personal data, sends you a text message with the location of the phone, and plays a loud siren to annoy the thief who may have picked up your phone.

The Maverick software is hidden on a phone so a potential thief will be unaware of its presence. Upon purchasing the software, users provide the company with a second phone number, that of a friend, a spouse, or a parent, to be alerted in the event that they lose their phone or their phone is stolen. Once the thief removes the stolen phone's SIM card and inserts his own, the phone encrypts all data that remains on the phone, like the user's phone book, photos, text messages, etc. so the thief cannot see them. This data is then forwarded to the second phone the user listed so all of their information will be retained.

By sending text message commands to the missing phone, the owner of the phone will be able to see the phone calls and text messages the thief has sent and received and view any new contacts he entered in the phone book.

Another feature of this application, "Spy Call," enables the owner of the phone to call their phone and listen to the thief's calls, without the thief knowing they are listening. Finally, the user can make the phone sound a blaring siren. Then just when the owner thinks the thief has had enough, the owner can send him a text message with their name, location, and, if they want, a reward for returning the phone.

Maverick has a deal with Nokia to begin distributing the anti-theft application on Nokia phones.

Once again, similiar to the CSI Stick blog entry I wrote two weeks ago, I feel that along with this new technology providing some safety to cell phone users there are some privacy issues with the Maverick Secure Mobile application. The biggest privacy issue to me is that the company suggests the new anti-theft application could be used by parents who want to check up on their kids by eavesdropping on their phone calls and using the siren-playing capabilities. I feel has though this is bound to cause controversy between parents and their children. Besides, if the company is encouraging their customers to spy on their children, what is stopping others from spying on their parents, husbands and wives, friends, etc.?

For more information on this new media topic, please visit http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/someone-stole-your-cell-phone-tell-it-to-phone-home/?ref=technology.

Over the River and Through the Woods to New Technology I Go

Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I have a horrible sense of direction, especially when it comes to visiting new places or rural areas with no signs, the same tumbleweeds blowing at every turn, and no Wal-Mart in sight. This explains why I should get the latest addition to GPS technology, the Suunto X10.

This new watch combines a Global Positioning System, or GPS, unit, a stopwatch, a compass, barometer and altimeter into a single item that can be positioned on wrists of all sizes. Boy, did packing for camping trips just get easier! Hikers, campers, travelers, and anyone with a wrist will no longer have to worry about forgetting to pack their compass for their next voyage or having to tote all of these tools around on their back.

Because of the X10's GPS capabilities, wearers of the watch can record and download runs or hikes to Google Earth or other comparable digital mapping programs. The device also alows users to plan routes to take when going on trips.

With the simple push of the "Find Home" button, lost wearers of the watch will be directed back home along the same route they came or a more direct route that the watch will offer.

Other features the watch offers is current speed and distance traveled displays.

The X10 also runs on a 33% longer battery life than its predecessor, the X9i, and charges using a USB cord, included with the purchase of the phone.

For more information on this new media topic, please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/technology/personaltech/28watch1.html.

CSI Stick: Steals data from our cell phones

We've never had to worry about letting a friend borrow our cell phone to make a quick call or leaving our phone on our desk for a moment, until now...

[Enter Paraben's CSI Stick]

The Cellular Seizure Investigation Stick, or CSI Stick, is produced by a company called Paraben. Comparable in size to a BIC lighter, the CSI Stick allows a person to gain quick and covert access to any cell phone's information. The CSI Stick looks like nothing more than a USB flash drive and works just like one, with the capability of copying all data and information stored on a cell phone, including messages that have already been deleted! (How will this affect people recycling their cell phones, if others are able to snag information that has been deleted off of their phones?) This device collects information on contacts in a phone book, confidential e-mails, spread sheets, instant messages, dialed numbers, Web sites visited and other information. The worst part, when a phone has been tampered with using a CSI Stick, no evidence is left behind signifying that the information has been compromised.

This device created primarily for law enforcement, surveillance, and intelligence operations has now become an item available for purchase to the general public for $200. Now, there will be no stopping nosy friends or curious spouses from stealing a peak at our phones to see who we've been talking to and what our calendar looks like.

Currently the product works with most Motorola and Samsung cell phones, capturing all of the data contained within. The next model will work with Nokia, RIM, LG, and other phone types.

This device is an extremely threatening tool that could endanger everyone from corporate employees that work for the government down to teens that depend on their cell phone as being a private medium, free of their parents monitoring. However, this device will be beneficial in secure areas where employees need to be monitored to check that sensitive information is not being compromised.

I do not think this tool should be available to the general public. Although I see its benefits to law enforcement agencies when it comes to catching suspects, I think the product's use by the common man could lead to information being misconstrued by the nosy party, thus damaging relationships and trust. I would hate to have my privacy invaded so much by such a device, that I would choose not use one either!

For more information on this new media topic, please visit http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10028589-83.html?tag=newsCategoryArea.2.

The following video is an interview with the CEO of Paraben Corporation discussing the CSI Stick: