TechKrunch

Two big moves have began to revolutionize my tech blood. Those of you who haven't realized it, we all have tech blood, the blood that pumps for technology and finding new ways to network and build relationships and see the computer age as a tool. Of course a lot of this centered around the social networking aspect. The two areas that has my blood pumping are Twitter, now this is not new, I have been using Twitter faithfully for well over a year. The newest one is Utterz, not like the utters on a cow that I had assumed it meant, more like the sayings we utter. I seem to explain to many people regularly what Twitter is and try to get them to understand the micro-blog craze. To be honest this type of blog, true blogging, is the most difficult for me, I seem to underestimate the commitment it takes to keep up with my desires for blogging. Welcome Twitter, the world of micro-blogging. Now that I have unlimited texting it makes this service great. One can send micro-blogs such as, "Hanging with the family" or "Going to see The Incredible Hulk" and anyone who is following you can get your updates as well as you can receive anybodys updates via texts for whoever you are following.

Ministry related, our youth ministry, eikon student ministries has it's own Twitter and at the beginning of our services I have students follow us and we send out 'tweets' to all the students who are following us. My philosophy is instead of fighting the war of phones and texting in services we have decided to fight fire with fire. Unbelievably, unexpected satisfaction is all I can say as a result. Currently as of this post we have 136 followers following us. This is just students who have shuffled through our services or some parents as well. We know students are forwarding texts as well so hopefully our tweets are getting forwarded too. Another big use for this is the ability to send updates for events and reminders to students. I believe this is one of those tools if you do not get in now you will be regretting it later.

Now on to Utterz, a social aggregate. The Utterz website allows you to send in pictures, text messages and audio or video recordings via your cell phone then it has it's own mico-blog on it's website. Now what some of you are thinking, just another site to keep up and manage... not true. It's all how you use it, because it's and aggregater it shoots it to a host of other blog/micro-blogs. So if I send in a photo on my phone it sends it to utter.com then Utterz posts it to my Twitter and this blog as well, all on it's own. Another powerful well thought out tool of utterz is the ability to send in a photo then it gives you ten minutes to send in voice recording, text messages, or video and it automatically attaches it to that post.

P.S. Ok I decided to throw in another HOT tool on the net. Pinger, amongst the best tools available. Pinger allows you the ability to upload all your contacts then build groups if you need to then you call a specific number that Pinger provides and you speak the name of the person or group then at the tone leave a voice mail. That voice mail is then delivered to that person/group as a text message that they click on to listen to. There is even an option to get text replies once the recpient/group listened to the VM. The receiver also can hit reply and send you a message back. This is amazing if you want to send 15 people a message and don't have the 15-20 minutes to talk. This is a lifesaver and yet still personal. Voice is always more personal then a text, heres a mixture of both.

All around us are tools that are coming onto the scene. We must always be looking at ways for networking and finding new ways to be a part of our world. The truth is we are moving into a highly social networking enviroment that we can try to be on the front line of and ride the waves. I don't feel it will let up as soon as some speculate. This wave will have lasting affects just like the iPod changed how we listened to music the social network will change how we interlink in our world. If you have any tools that would be useful comment on this blog and share. I would love to hear your thoughts on the direction for the future of social networking. I have a lot of input and some really great ideas. If you are a programmer leaver feedback, maybe we can get in touch and share some ideas that I ahve that could change a lot of our culture.

www.twitter.com/shaunmayfield
www.twitter.com/eikonlive
www.utterz.com/pastorshaun
www.twittervision.com for fun.