I'm all a-tweet with Twitter

No doubt you've heard of Twitter in the last couple of months because it's suddenly gone mainstream. As in 'Oprah is using it' mainstream, meaning there can be very few people in North America who haven't signed up for an account yet.

But people who spend too much spare time in front of a computer (i.e me) have known about, and been using, Twitter for a long time.

I like to think I'm a bit of a geek, an early adopter who strives for the latest gadget and knows about the up-and-coming websites before other people do (otherwise I wouldn't be writing this blog).

I made my leap into micro-blogging on January 29th, 2008 with this tweet I suddenly wish I hadn't bothered with: "I like the idea of telling the whole world I'm having a shit, but what's the real value of Twitter?"

Thankfully, I now know what the value of Twitter is. Sure, some people use it to tell people about the mundane aspects of their life (e.g most of the celebrity Tweeters out there), but it's real strength is in information sharing.

In the last few months I've used Twitter to break a story, get the latest information on the airplane ditching in the Hudson River and the shootings in the US.  And that's just at work.

When it comes to outside interests, Twitter has allowed me to share information with people all around the world with whom I have a common interest. I suddenly get a whole lot of relevant information presented to me in a format which suits.

It's really become something of a game-changer, from something that had some curiousity, to a tool which can really make a difference.

And, of course, it's all free.

There are even (free) tools that you can install on your computer to keep you updated day and night and avoid having to actually log on to the Twitter website, which makes it almost completely hassle free.

Twitter, undoubtedly, is having a massive impact on the way people communicate and socialise on the internet. And in the next installment of 'Tech Talks' I'll briefly cover the main tools that you can use to integrate Twitter into your life.

Of course, my Twitter tale isn't to boast about me being quick off the mark. The hardest thing about a new blog is establishing what you're going to cover - so what I've written about is simply an indication of what I hope to share with my readers over the coming months and years.

As well as sharing with you the latest and greatest internet tools, I'll also be reviewing gadgets of all shapes and sizes and trying to answer as many of your queries as I can.

In the near future I'll be looking at web browsers, alternatives to using Windows on your home computer and what's happening in the world of mobile phones.

But this blog isn't intended to be a one way communication.

If you have any ideas, questions or anything you want covered in a future blog then feel free to e-mail me at techtalks@ymail.com

Oh, and of course, there's a Twitter account for you to follow as well!