Tag: Facebook

My Google+ Anecdote: Engagement Gone Missing

May 13, 2012May 15, 2012 Bob Caswell No Comments

Google+ launched nearly a year ago, and I remember it vividly. It seemed like such a cool concept: an answer to all the annoyances that were found throughout Facebook. I got in on the action early, before the wider unveiling. And I found myself meeting new people and engaging in fascinating conversations.

The Google+ crowd was savvy and smart. Granted, much of the conversation initially was pretty meta. We were using a new tool to discuss how cool it was to be using a new tool to discuss how we were using it… that sort of thing.

Google, Internet

Blogging vs. Twitter/Facebook is Exercising vs. Walking

February 26, 2011February 26, 2011 Bob Caswell 3 Comments

About a week ago, a New York Times article titled “Blogs Wane as the Young Drift to Sites Like Twitter” painted a bleak picture for blogging by making pronouncements like “blogs were once the outlet of choice for people who wanted to express themselves online.” The article then goes on to suggest that Twitter and Facebook are the culprits stealing blogs’ thunder.

While some prominent bloggers came to the defense and proved these pronouncements to be inaccurate or at least misleading, there were still some thoughts in this article that really resonated with me. For instance:

Internet, Just For Fun, Web 2.0

What’s MySpace?

August 15, 2010 Bob Caswell 3 Comments

A couple weeks ago, my wife and I were on a road trip through northern California when we decided to stop for lunch in a little town named Eureka. I couldn’t help but notice (and overhear) a few grandmas sitting in a booth across the way. They were very engaged in a lively conversation about sharing photos with daughters/grandkids.

One in particular was explaining how she preferred to use Facebook over MySpace because of her preference for how picture sharing works on Facebook. But then, one of the other grandmas interrupted and asked: “What’s MySpace?” Good question, I thought to myself, what is MySpace?

New Uses for Twitter: Tweeting History vs. MTV Show

April 28, 2009April 29, 2009 Bob Caswell 2 Comments

Back when I originally reviewed Twitter (over a year ago), I asked the question: Is it a waste of time or extremely valuable? At the time, I had no idea it would take off like it has today. But now that it has, it seems to moving more toward “extremely valuable” and further away from “waste of time” (though I still think it’s kind of both).

Internet, Media, Tech News, Web 2.0

My Social Networking Spring Cleaning

April 1, 2009 Bob Caswell 6 Comments

This past weekend I spent quite a bit of time doing some social networking spring cleaning. I use too many services, have too many “friends,” and don’t have good filters to get to the signal I want through all the noise. But that’s ok. Before I get complaining, I realize I should reflect on the fact that all of this social networking stuff didn’t even exist 10 years ago.

Internet, Netflix, Web 2.0

When Comments Come Before The Blog Post

April 1, 2009 Bob Caswell 10 Comments

So I used a cool new tool called Twickie that I discovered via Scobleizer. The below conversation (i.e., comment/tweet thread) came before this post and before another post which is coming shortly. Not sure if this will turn into a trend (by me or other bloggers), but it’s an interesting concept. Are we going to see comments before blog posts more often? (FYI- read comments below from bottom to top.)

Internet, Web 2.0

My First MySpace Friend: SPAM

March 10, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 2 Comments

So I joined MySpace about a week ago and was already annoyed at the way they sent me my password over email. But then, just a few days later, I got an email with my first MySpace message / friend request from someone named Riley whose profile picture is a girl in a swimsuit. Originally, her (or his?) profile showed the same city and state that I live in, though now it’s been changed to Greenville, Ohio. Here’s the text of the message:

Privacy, Tech News, Web 2.0

Twitter Review: Waste of Time or Extremely Valuable?

February 12, 2008August 20, 2008 Bob Caswell 11 Comments

So I finally gave in and started using Twitter this past weekend (if you’re on Twitter, follow me at twitter.com/bobcaswell). What is Twitter? It’s a mix of instant messaging, email, Facebook, and text messaging. It’s a network of users that follow each other. Here’s how it works:

Internet, Just For Fun, Tech Reviews, Web 2.0