Dave Winer is media-hacking* Twitter and coming up with some fun, trivial stuff that one day we’ll all realize was serious, important stuff. For example, he just posted an announcement that one can subscribe to an RSS feed of any account on TwitterGram, something he developed using the Twitter API that provides a means to post brief audio messages that are automatically linked to and announced via ones Twitter account. (Here’s my feed: http://mp3.twittergram.com/rexhammock/rss.xml) In other words, TwitterGram has evolved into a podcasting platform for 20-second messages. You can subscribe to the feeds via iTunes or any other way you get podcasting feeds.
This may sound trivial, but, think about such a service in the context of an emergency like Virginia Tech. In five minutes, from start to finish, using Twitter and Twittergram, one can set up an emergency broadcasting system that sends out text-message alerts and audio-alerts via RSS. With a little bit of preparation and planning, the channel can be set up in advance, allowing hundreds, even thousands, to subscribe to the Twitter feed (available via SMS, IM or Web) or, now, podcast feed.
Perhaps, such a platform can become another distribution channel of the Emergency Alert System? I think others are working on SMS and email distribution of such alerts, but Twitter — and, at least conceptually, now iTunes and any other podcasting platform — can, via TwitterGram or a similar service, be a distribution channel for such alerts.
It’s day one of this Twitter-alerted mini-podcast hack, however, I have a prediction: Within one year, we’ll hear of TwitterGram being used in a serious, live-threatening emergency. (I’m sure Twitter already has been used in such a way.) Another prediction you can take to the bank: When others realize what’s going on — not the goofy stuff now being Twittergram’d, but the soon-to-be obvious ways it can be used that no one has yet considered — the idea of using Twitter to automagically announce mini-podcast messages will have lots of people claiming they created it years ago.
Side observation: Dave seems to be in the spirit of burying the hatchet these days, so I apologize for that lame swipe at some of his detractors.
*Dave, in many places, describes himself as “a media hacker.” I’ve decided that’s my profession, as well.
Technorati Tags: podcasting, Dave Winer, twitter
July 9th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
[...] Then I read a post on Rex Hammock’s blog that made me see something that I hadn’t thought of and realized like Rex that something as trivial and silly as TwitterGrams could actually be the beginnings of a whole new way for first responders and other emergency volunteers to communicate during times of disasters or other similar types of events. [...]
July 9th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
I think this is perhaps one of the most significant additions to the space since Twitter itself. Soon a Facebook app will support the playback of the .mp3. Next stop, an app that allows playback on mobile phones. The .mp3 page could readily be made to support ads and revenue sharing. Yep, the sky is definitely the limit. The only caveat will be the bandwidth. Eventually it will be overwhelming. Apparently Twitter has a special deal on bandwidth, but does Dave?
Regardless, this is really, really cool. This just took podcasting to an entirely new level.
July 10th, 2007 at 9:31 am
[...] Rex Hammock on Twitter and TwitterGrams. [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 9:58 am
[...] Rex Hammock on podcasting Twittergrams: This may sound trivial, but, think about such a service in the context of an emergency like Virginia Tech. In five minutes, from start to finish, using Twitter and Twittergram, one can set up an emergency broadcasting system that sends out text-message alerts and audio-alerts via RSS. With a little bit of preparation and planning, the channel can be set up in advance, allowing hundreds, even thousands, to subscribe to the Twitter feed (available via SMS, IM or Web) or, now, podcast feed. Perhaps, such a platform can become another distribution channel of the Emergency Alert System? I think others are working on SMS and email distribution of such alerts, but Twitter - and, at least conceptually, now iTunes and any other podcasting platform - can, via TwitterGram or a similar service, be a distribution channel for such alerts. [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 10:48 am
I am trying to figure out how to post school assignments on my sweet new RSS Twittergram feed. This way, if students forget what I said in class they can listen to a quick version online to jog their memories. This is only the beginning in my opinion!
July 10th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
[...] rexblog.com: Rex Hammock’s weblog » Blog Archive » Podcasting Twittergrams: A prediction Have you TwitterGram’ed yet? Well, don’t worry, many haven’t - but I think Rex is correct in his analysis of TwitterGram. The service has huge potential on many fronts - good article. (tags: twitter service web-2.0 web-services) [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
[...] Podcasting Twittergrams: A prediction “TwitterGram has evolved into a podcasting platform for 20-second messages. You can subscribe to the feeds via iTunes or any other way you get podcasting feeds” [...]
July 11th, 2007 at 8:26 am
I predicted the the ability of the iPhone to “Wreck A Nice Beach” would be a killer application. With TwitterGrams you have half of the capability of recognizing speech and having it command and control the iPhone and other computers connected to it via voice.
Inventory control is one use I thought of for this technology. Point of sale transactions would be another closely related one.
July 11th, 2007 at 8:45 am
Beyond silliness and emergency alerts, how else can this be used? I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of something useful to do with it, but I’m at a loss. I’d love to hear how others are using it. I liked the one suggestion of the teacher posting assignments. Any others?
July 11th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
[...] Rex Hammock has enrolled in journalism school. [...]
July 12th, 2007 at 2:26 am
The trackback above is from the blog I started recently.
I’m a journalist as well as an API developer, and the same thoughts were occuring to me.
But the volume is going to be incredible! The only feasible solution is metadata included in the messages.
Ay carumba - metadata? Reporting breaking news or emergencies should be available to the masses.
That’s why i want to get the conversation started as soon as possible as to what our options are for very simple, very easy to remember best practices for getting our message across.
You didn’t seem to really get into that in the post - do you agree with my position? It gets a little more interesting when talking about Twittergrams. Is the solution to have a different Twittergram number/service for different types of messages? Or maybe to do content analysis on the speech? (”Icon wreck a nice beach!”)
August 26th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
[...] Since I first posed the question in April “Has a Twitter emergency alert system been built yet?”, I’ve noted that several other people have pondered the same concept. Some examples are here, here and here. [...]
August 31st, 2007 at 11:37 am
[...] General observation about how some people react to Twitter: I enjoy reading the comments whenever Techcrunch posts something about Twitter, because for some reason, Twitter really riles certain individuals in the geekosphere. For example, here’s a comment from the afore-linked Techcrunch article today: “Twitter is useless and annoying regardless of all the hype around it.” I love that, because it sounds just like some print-centric editor reacting to the Internet, starting about ten years ago. That it’s coming from the type of geeky-readers who hangout at Techcrunch is delightfully ironic. I agree, if you just “observe” Twitter for a few days, you will quickly write it off as useless and annoying. However, the site’s users are, through “playing” with it, innovating some creative, meaningful uses. I’ve blogged before about Twitter’s potential in emergency situations and how, for example, the LA Fire Department uses it. I have no idea where Twitter’s users will take it, but I have no doubt that it is far from “useless.” [...]
February 6th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
[...] Nashville is Talking’s Christian Grantham has a collection of links to posts by area bloggers regarding the tornados that passed through the area last night. Also, as I typically read his posts via an RSS newsreader and not on the site, this is the first time I’ve noticed the site’s “Nashville Tweets” feature that aggregates Twitter posts from area users of the service. Looks like something fun, but last night, it also served as very helpful service in aggregating messages posted on Twitter (tweets) directly related to a breaking disaster story, something I’ve written about before and that others with the resources and know-how to make it happen are doing. [...]
February 6th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
[...] Rex has talked about this type of use of Twitter before but noticed last night how NIT’s aggregation of Nashville tweets was yet another example of how Twitter can act as a real-time emergency broadcasting system. Also, as I typically read his posts via an RSS newsreader and not on the site, this is the first time I’ve noticed the site’s “Nashville Tweets†feature that aggregates Twitter posts from area users of the service. Looks like something fun, but last night, it also served as very helpful service in aggregating messages posted on Twitter (tweets) directly related to a breaking disaster story, something I’ve written about before and that others with the resources and know-how to make it happen are doing. [Nashville is blogging and Twittering about tornados - RexBlog - 02-06-08] Spread It Around: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
May 12th, 2008 at 7:40 am
[...] this is a sidebar to a breaking story, but (as I’ve written about for a long time) the folks “playing around” with Twitter are creating something that is not just about [...]