The Almighty Status Update

Six words. One question. "What are you doing right now?" It's staring you in the face, almost mocking you. That's right, mocking the fact that it's been three days since you've updated your circle of friends with a catchy status.

They're dying to know what you're doing this very second. Maybe you're "going through pictures of a schizophrenic poet" or you "will not be taking up rollerskating as a back up profession anytime soon." And if nothing comes to you, there's the all encompassing "is." It's the postmodern take on "Cogito, ergo sum."

To find the origins of this microcosm of monologue, you have to reach way back. I'm talking old school...or at least high school. Back when you first discovered the instant messaging phenomenon.

You would run home from school in order to dial up America Online, wait for that annoying tone, and before you knew it you were conversing with the same friends you hung out with all day long...without even picking up a telephone.

Back then, status updates were known as Away Messages. You might be sitting three feet away from your computer, but you had to tell the world something clever to sustain them while you were taking a hiatus.

Flash forward back to today. Twitter, Facebook, SMS, FriendFeed, and yes IM. We have a nearly unlimited number of tools at our disposal to instantaneously apprise the world with our every thought or action.

This newfound freedom is a double-edged sword. If you're a very interesting person with a healthy dose of humor, the internet is your oyster. If however you lack either one of those. Don't fret. You too can have award winning status updates. It just means you have to work a bit harder.

What do you think...are status updates the greatest thing since AIM or a thorn in your side?

My Predictions for 2009

It's several days into the new year, and no doubt you have read a whole host of predictions for the year ahead. Some serious, some hilarious, and some downright useless.

I decided to combine all three in my predictions for 2009...

10. iTunes U puts community colleges out of business
9. Facebook grows to 500 million members worldwide
8. Mike Tyson vs. George Foreman
7. Chysler/GM merge to form even worse business model
6. Spirit Airlines will begin service to Cuba!
5. Larry King finally admits the truth: he's Elvis Presley
4. Reality TV will outnumber all other TV shows 2:1
3. First black President will take office (oh wait, check.)
2. Oprah bails out 100 million Americans

1. Your mom will began following you...on Twitter


What do you think will happen in 2009, any predictions?

Tune in to see how my predictions play out over the next 361 days, subscribe to john blog.

Really Schweet Apps

As more and more people catch the iPhone craze, I thought I would take a moment to highlight some of my most favorite apps so far.

(In case you haven't drank the koolaid yet, Apple's App Store is what makes the iPhone 10x better than any other smartphone on the market. Basically your phone gets cooler every single day.)

10. Midomi - never not know the name of a song again
9. Weather Channel - hour by hour, radar, and video. beware weather junkies.
8. Wikipanion - perfect for "I told you so" matches
7. ESPN - technically not an app, but one smooth mobile site
6. Facebook - still lacks a few full site features, but great for quick updates
5. AP News - get your news fix on the go
4. Yelp - unfamiliar side of town? hungry? no worries, Yelp can help
3. Twitterific - twitter. iPhone. enough said.
2. Lux Touch - Risk for the iPhone...need I say more?

1. Google - with the addition of voice enabled search, this app just went from good to awesome.

Manic Monday: Facebook Off

Coming to theaters soon...



Kidding aside, did you hear West Wing creator, Aaron Sorkin, is working on a script for Facebook: The Movie?

Get Unplugged

Sometimes our "always on, always updating" culture is a good thing. It can re-connect you with friends you never thought you'd hear from again. And it allows us to be closer than ever when it comes to knowing the intimate details of our friends' lives.

But sometimes it can become a little too consuming. You've just completed your fifth Tweet in the last 6 hours, added your 2,000th friend on Facebook, and blogged about how you're saving the world one micro loan at a time via Kiva.org.

The ironic thing is that the very tools that aim to connect us can often offer a pale substitute for the real thing. Sometimes what we really need is to put down the laptop and connect with other human beings (wait for it) in the real world.

Enter Meetup, the "world's largest network of local groups." It's a great way to find people that live in your neck of the woods who are looking to connect around a common interest.

Here's a great ad from the guys and gals at Meetup that reminds us that it's good to unplug every once in awhile.




h/t to Servant of Chaos

I'm So Totally, Digitally Close to You

Twittering, blogging, life-streaming, checking your Facebook multiple times a day...it's become an obsession for many, but what is it exactly and what causes it?

New York Times has a very interesting article about this "Brave New World of Digital Intimacy." Clive Thompson takes a look at our hyperconnected online culture and how social media is changing the way we communicate and interact in the real world.

From Tumblr to FriendFeed, many tech saavy individuals have up to the minute newsflashes on the most minute details of their "friend's" lives. Chances are if you're reading this blog, you count yourself among this growing community.

As much of a buzz that social media is today, many have predicted in the not so distant future social networks will be as ubiquitous as air. Your entire online experience will be a part of one giant social network.

To be sure, we're only beginning to see the impact of publicly displaying our social graph online for the world to see. I for one and pumped about how it can enhance our day to day interactions.

Think about the next time you attend a high school reunion. Rather than asking what your former classmates have been up to over the last decade, you'll already know about their trip to Europe.

Instead of awkward conversation starters, you'll anxiously ask them to fill in the details behind that crazy night in Prague who's pictures showed up in your Facebook News Feed a few months ago. I digress.

But back to Thompson's article. If you're reading this, I think you'll really enjoy reading that.

Facebook Status Updates, 8/8/08 Edition

It's 8/8/08. Some people are getting married. Others are counting down to 8pm to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Me? I'm packing for Disneyland. But here's what some of my friends are up to...

10. Elyse McKenna pulled her harpoon out of her dirty red bandanna, she was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.

9. Ben Wilkins I left my iPhone at home and feel so.... empty inside.

8. Samantha Brooks is in the mist of color wars.

7. Mike Slack is ready.

6. Melissa Hearn is breaking the cycle.

5. Philip Brown Went to Cinderella's Castle Suite and look who I found...

4. Mark Hodges is wondering what the concessions at the Olympics will be, and does soy sauce replace ketchup and mustard?

3. Patricia Hillard gets to see the Dear Hunter tomorrow night, how lucky am I?

2 .Rachel Cox will never stake her word of honor on cows.

1. Logan Light actually just spent 2 minutes trying to think of something clever to put here...

The New Facebook

I want to like it. I really do. But I'm not there yet. If you haven't taken a look at it yet, check out new.facebook.com to see the beta version of the new layout for the social network juggernaut that launched yesterday.

Silicon Valley's golden child has made many such changes in it's short history that were initially accepted as drastic and now widely accepted by it's huddled masses. Many of you probably remember the expanding of membership beyond college students, introduction of the news feed, addition of status updates, and the list goes on and on.

With the launch of the Facebook Platform more than a year ago, the network was able to separate itself from the giant that was Myspace (who is ironically playing catch up with a developer platform of their own.)

So back to the latest development in the evolution of Mark Zuckerberg's social platform site. The goal seems be further broadcasting users' online activity by implementing FriendFeed characteristics while simultaneously placing applications closer to the backburner.

Granted, many of the applications on the site are childish and utterly useless...spam really. But many of the apps add tons of value to the site. iLike, Where I've Been, Visual Bookshelf, and others allow users to share content in ways FB's official apps don't currently offer. So right off the bat, I'm not a fan of sidelining my apps in another tab.

Although the new site appears to be a bit cluttered, I do like the emphasis on the wall being a user's mini-feed. If nothing else it should encourage casual users to interact more with their friends by posting content in order to have activity in their profile's main page.

So check it out, and let me know what you think. Is the new version a marked improvement or a step backwards in the evolution of a site that labels itself a social internet revolution?

What say you?

You Are What You Blog

In follow up to yesterday's post, I came across this article in Ad Age about your online profile. Most of you reading this blog probably have a Facebook profile and maybe even experimented a little with Twitter. If you're a working professional, chances are you have a LinkedIn account as well.

Those are all good things, but why not blog too? It's a great way to establish your online presence and personality in a way beyond listing what movies you like and bands you follow on Myspace. Blogging is the best way I know to establish an expertise within your industry, document your hike on the AT, or opine about your day to day happenings.

Blogs are blank canvases on which you can paint any picture you wish. So come on, what are you waiting for? After all, you have something to say. Why not share it with the rest of us?

Looking forward to it.

Celebrating with Facebook Status Updates

It's the day after our Nation's birthday bash and I'm void of an original thought at the moment. So it's time to use yours again. Here's this week's Top 10 Status Updates on Facebook:

10. Nick Faris is fat and you know it.

9. Amanda Moore will never put her face in front of a gas stove again!!

8. Nathaniel Barnett finally saw a BEAR!!!!!

7. Jared Davis is gonna cut grass soon.

6. Logan Light is celebrating with drywall...

5. Amy Sauls is in marseille.

4. Randi Tribble should probably not use this to express her true feelings at the moment...

3. Sam Peters loves America more than you.

2. Brad Bellamy is 10 people from the stage at the boston pops/Rascal Flatts spectacular with Marcus.

1. Matthew Nixon is celebrating a "Salute to all nations but mostly America."

This Week in Facebook Status Updates...

It's Saturday, I haven't blogged in a bit, and felt like adding something to the conversation.  Instead of really thinking, I thought I would mooch of off your well-thought out status updates again.

This Week's Top 10 List:

10. Jessica wants to be lazy.

9. Morgan has finally put up pictures of the coach.

8. Bill is 12 stones.

7. Kristen: still a great pic!

6. Dave will soon be a blues legend.

5. Mustafah: harder, better, faster, stronger.

4. Charlotte is tim mcgraw'ing it up!

3. Jason got a new design up.  artwork that will make your heart work.

2. Katherine is now an unemployed social worker.

And the one that takes the cake this week...

1. Katie is most definitely a maybe.

Which one are you?

Here's an interesting post about multiple Facebook personalities I read the other day. Find out if you are a Crusader, De-tagger, Late Bloomer, Minimalist, Poser, etc.

I'm trying to decide which category I fall into. Unfortunately (or fortunately) none of them fit me that well, though I'll admit I'm a bit of a Crusader at times.

For those of you that discover you're indeed a Stalker, Awkward Adder, or Poser please feel free to remove our status as Facebook friends. Or let me know, so I can do so.

And if you're reading this on JohninOrlando.com, which means you might be one of the 220 million Americans without Facebooks, what are you waiting on?

Top 10: Status Updates of the Week

Have you ever logged into Facebook and seen the most random, ridiculous, or just plain witty status update from a friend? Yeah, me too. That's why I thought it would be fun to take a look at my friends' top 10 status updates of the week on Facebook.

Enjoy...

10. Ryan is trying not to get too concerned about small sample sizes.

9. Clay believes that all of this global warming we're having is making it this cold at night. Thanks a lot Manbearpig!

8. Bret is back in the saddle.

7. Rachel is twittering: processing a lot.

6. Shane is chillaxin at work cause there ant nothin better to do.

5. Five Times August in SEARCY, AR this Friday and EVANSVILLE, IN this Saturday. check out www.fivetimesaugust.com for all details.

4. Drew is cheeking his wife.

3. Amber can't tolerate rednecks.

2. Kristi would take a chance if there were a chance to be taken.


And for my favorite status update of the week:

1. LaTanya is.