Related topics: facebook , social networking , tweets , social networking sites , google
Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the author's profile page and delivered to the author's subscribers who are known as followers. Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow open access. Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications. While the service costs nothing to use, accessing it through SMS may incur phone service provider fees.
Since its creation in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Twitter has gained notability and popularity worldwide. It is sometimes described as the "SMS of the Internet" since the use of Twitter's application programming interface for sending and receiving short text messages by other applications often eclipses the direct use of Twitter.
Twitter is ranked as one of the 50 most popular websites worldwide by Alexa's web traffic analysis. Although estimates of the number of daily users vary because the company does not release the number of active accounts, a February 2009 Compete.com blog entry ranked Twitter as the third most used social network based on their count of 6 million unique monthly visitors and 55 million monthly visits. In March 2009, a Nielsen.com blog ranked Twitter as the fastest-growing site in the Member Communities category for February 2009. Twitter had a monthly growth of 1,382 percent, Zimbio of 240 percent, followed by Facebook with an increase of 228 percent. However, only 40 percent of Twitter's users are retained.
For more information about Twitter, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with twitter
Phone app providing real-time statistics on physical activity around the world
7 hours ago |
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An iPhone application created by UH researchers is providing first-of-its-kind real-time statistics of physical activity around the world. Those annual rankings of America's fattest and fittest cities that use government ...
Google gives Gmail social-networking 'Buzz' (Update)
7 hours ago |
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Google is giving its free email service a "Buzz" by adding social-networking features which could challenge the supremacy of platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
Australian saint-to-be tweets from beyond the grave
Feb 05, 2010 |
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An Australian nun has taken to Twitter on behalf of saint-in-waiting Mary MacKillop, bringing the late sister's messages of hope and forgiveness to a new audience a century after she died.
Sun CEO leaves post with a post: a haiku tweet
Feb 04, 2010 |
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(AP) -- In a tweeted goodbye, the chief executive of Sun Microsystems bowed out with a haiku.
New Motorola Android phone on Verizon: the Devour
Electronics / Consumer & Gadgets
Feb 03, 2010 |
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(AP) -- Verizon Wireless has a second handset from Motorola Inc. that uses Google Inc.'s Android software: The Devour.
Twitter resets accounts of scam targets
Feb 02, 2010 |
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Twitter on Tuesday blocked the accounts of users who evidently fell prey to a "phishing" scam that stole their log-in information.
Senator seeks information on tech firms in China
Feb 02, 2010 |
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(AP) -- A top Senate Democrat is asking 30 leading technology, Internet and communications companies to provide detailed descriptions of their operations and human rights practices in China.
Use of Twitter, Facebook rising among gang members
Feb 02, 2010 |
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(AP) -- When a gang member was released from jail soon after his arrest for selling methamphetamine, friends and associates assumed he had cut a deal with authorities and become a police informant.
'Alarming' rise in cyberattacks at social networks: Sophos
Feb 01, 2010 |
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There has been an "alarming" rise in spammers and hackers hunting for victims at online social networks, according to a report released Monday by computer security firm Sophos.
The iPad? Also available with wings?
Jan 27, 2010 |
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Twitter users responded snarkily Wednesday to the name of Apple's latest innovation the iPad, pushing the phrase "iTampon" to a number two "trending" topic on the microblogging site.
Twitter to hold 'Chirp,' first conference for developers
Jan 25, 2010 |
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Twitter on Monday announced plans to hold its first conference for developers interested in making applications to synch with the wildly popular microblogging service.
NASA Extends the World Wide Web Out Into Space
Space & Earth / Space Exploration
Jan 22, 2010 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronauts aboard the International Space Station received a special software upgrade this week ? personal access to the Internet and the World Wide Web via the ultimate wireless connection.
Microsoft icon Bill Gates starts tweeting
Jan 20, 2010 |
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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates started tweeting on Tuesday.
Technology comes to the aid of Haiti
Technology / Hi Tech & Innovation
Jan 16, 2010 |
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Online maps, mobile phone donations, wikis and a slew of websites are being deployed as telecoms firms, technology giants and startups set aside their rivalries and put the latest tools to work to help earthquake-ravaged ...
Bing posts modest US search market gain in December
Jan 15, 2010 |
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Microsoft's new Internet search engine Bing posted a modest gain in its share of the US search market in December while partner Yahoo! saw its share dip slightly, online tracking firm comScore said.
