Twitter

Okay - so now I've discovered what Twitter is...http://twitter.com/ (Click Watch a Video!)
Its the messages you send, between blog posts and e-mail, that tell your friends what you're up to.

I can see there are practical applications that I would find useful - breaking news alerts, or real time reports from an event.

But, I wonder about all this personal connectedness that technology is providing. It seems artificial. It reminds me of a diet pill. Don't exercise to get skinny, just take this pill. Don't make an effort to be friends, just use all this technology.

The effort to be a friend is what gives friendship value. Are people satisfied with the illusion of friendship?

Factors such as age, profession, personality, and energy level contribute to how the new technologies are being used and what effect they have on relationships. For me, its too much for personal use.