There’s lots of twttr lovin these days. Om Malik’s talking about it and others are digging it. But doesn’t dodgeball have twttr beaten before it’s even had a real chance to get its twitter on?
As I wrote in my comments to Om’s post:
I am a big fan of the power and viral nature of SMS-based services (see recent post in my blog about good old 4INFO).
That said, what’s the differentiator for twttr? Isn’t it basically dodgeball-lite? As best I can tell, it lacks the “you’re in proximity to peeps” feature of dodgeball, which IMO is killer. Granted, twttr works anywhere in the states or Canada, whereas dodgeball is currently limited to certain cities (unfortunately, not including mine). But that’s a problem that dodgeball can address, and then where’s twttr?
I must be missing the innovation on this(?).
Curious? Check them out yourself with short codes ‘DODGE’ and ‘TWTTR’. Socialize, txt nation!
CNN has reminded us all that starting next month, US passports will be RFID-enabled.
Engadget has a nice discussion and good linkage on the subject. The State Department’s spin is here. Both are worth reading for the security conscious among us.
While I’m a fan of RFID in many retail and transit scenarios, I’m very glad my passport isn’t due for renewal anytime soon. It reminds me of an anti-skimming patent application I helped file way back when I was at Sun. Only in that case, the primary threat we were addressing was stealing credit card information old fashioned ways, whereas this time around a thief could literally swipe all of the key quantifiable components of your citizenship and identity from a good distance away, never even touching your or your e-passport. Bruce Schneier and many others are justifiably concerned.
If you have a US passport due for renewal anytime soon, you might consider submitting an expedited application early to try to get an old fashioned un-wireless. Hopefully the inevitable issues will be hammered out, and any redesigns complete, before my turn comes up.
Whatever you do, make a mental note that now would be a good time to stop flipping through your passport to show off visas in tourist hangouts…
