Twitter launches automatic link-shortening feature

By: Aseem Gaurav on June 8, 2011

Popular microblogging site Twitter has just announced its own link shortening service that enables users to paste long URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) directly into messages sent through its website.

“Users can paste a link of any length into the message composition box on the site,” the company said in its blog post.

"After you've composed your Tweet and you hit the "Tweet" button, we'll shorten the link so that it only takes up 19 characters," it said.

Thus a user now doesn’t need an external URL shortener like bit.ly when you want to shorten a link.

To shorten the link, your message will be assigned a t.co link ID. And the way Twitter shrinks the link allows you to see the site that the link points to.

Twitter has also made an effort to make link sharing more reliable. Thus, clicking on a link that is reported to be malicious, Twitter will give you a warning page, before taking you to the linked page.

Twitter also added language support for Brazilian Portuguese to its site. Twitter already supports nine languages, including French, German, Spanish, Korean, Russian, and English

Experts say the service could also shorten the Twitter’s relationship with the community of developers that build applications and services focused on Twitter’s platform.

Twitter to launch own photo sharing: Reports

By: iPadfanzz.blogspot.com on May 31, 2011

Tech blogsphere is abuzz with talks about Twitter close to launch its own photo-sharing service. Experts say the move by the company will help the microblogging site in becoming a rich social networking medium as it sets its eyes on profitable business models.

A report by Techcrunch said: "According to multiple sources, Twitter is on the verge on announcing its own built in Twitpic competitor."

Although Twitpic and Yfrog enable Twitter users to share photos on their Twitter streams, the report mentioned that a built-in service would place it ahead of the competition.

Despite immense popularity and over 200 million users, advertising is still elusive. Its recent acquisition of TweetDeck for $40 million is a fight-back by the company that quickly needs to monetise its network.

The launch of the service would also mean that Twitter will get into the core of Facebook's advantages, and thus the competiton between 'likes' and 'tweets' can assume another dimension.

UK climber sends first Tweet from the top of Mount Everest

By: Aseem Gaurav, May 6, 2011

A UK climber has become the first person to add social media content to Twitter and Facebook whilst at the top of Mount Everest.

There were reports in the blogsphere that Kenton Cool has Tweeted, used Facebook and made a 3G phone call from atop the highest mountain in the world. Cool climbed Everest for the ninth time.

Cool used a Samsung Galaxy S II to tweet from Everest. “Everest summit no 9! 1st tweet from the top of the world thanks to a weak 3G signal and the awesome Samsung Galaxy S2 handset!” he twitted.

The climber made use of 3G masts that were erected last year to bring online services to Nepalese inhabitants and mountaineers.

Hugh Hefner posts wedding invitation on Twitter

By: Aseem Gaurav, May 5, 2011

Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner and fiancé Crystal Harris gave fans a preview of his wedding invitation on Twitter.

Around 300 people will be invited and the pair will exchange vows on June 18 at the Playboy Mansion.

"Crystal Harris and Hugh M Hefner request the pleasure of your company at the celebration of their marriage," the card reads.

Hugh Hefner, 85, is marrying for the third time to model Crystal, 24. Hefner began dating the model almost two years ago.

The reception which will be held at the Playboy Mansion.

"Friends and family are already receiving our wedding invitation," he wrote on Twitter.