I’ve been social networking for years. The professional networking site LinkedIn since 2007, Facebook since 2008, and Twitter in 2009. That’s largely how it remained until recently when I got my new wi-fi mini tablet (which I still need to write about). Since getting the portable Android device, I’ve added a few more social networks.
I’m now on FourSquare, the locational social network that allows you to check-in online to places you’re at in the real world. It’s fun but I’d use it a heck of a lot more if I weren’t completely dependent on free wi-fi hotspots. Patty thinks it’s creepy for people to follow where I am, but I decide where and when to check in – it’s not like it’s tracking me all the time. My favorite check-ins so far have been at Bank of America Stadium. It’s cool to be part of a “Super Swarm” on game days, and it’s also cool to check in to the press box due to its exclusivity.
And I’m on GetGlue now too, which is similar to FourSquare but instead of checking-in to places you’re at in the real world you check in to media – like what you’re watching on TV or what books you’re reading. It’s fun to see what shows your friends are watching at the same time. It’s also cool to see real-time trending stats, sort of like instant Nielsen ratings. Or to know that when you’re watching an obscure old DVD that’s not popular anymore, that there are at least a few other people somewhere out there that happen to be watching the same movie as you at that same moment.
And finally – having nothing to do with my Android device – I’m on Google+ now too. I was one of the earliest people with a Google account – a private beta tester – but I had to wait until just recently to be able to get on Google’s new social service because they didn’t roll it out to their Google Apps customers until recently. Most people think it’s like Facebook, only not nearly as good. They are wrong. Google+ isn’t trying to compete with Facebook as a destination. Google+ is a social layer to Google’s existing products. Perfect example: I was searching Google for something and one of the results just happened to be a site that a friend of mine had +1′d. His photo showed up next to that search result as a recommendation, and possibly boosted its ranking in the search results.
I must admit that all these social networks make blogging more difficult. The blog is good for longer posts and subjects of broader appeal, but shorter posts to friends and family are easier to fire off on a social network.
- My Facebook profile
- My Twitter profile
- My LinkedIn profile
- My FourSquare profile
- My GetGlue profile
- My Google Plus profile
- My Flickr photostream
