Social Media & Japan Disaster; Which Twitter Accounts To Follow

It started with the ability to tell friends when you’re taking a shower, going grocery shopping, or how your day was going. Then Twitter grew up. As did Facebook. When you think of social media on the Internet, it was these two.

Governments feared them. Ask Tehran during the Green revolution when the conservatives stole the election from the voters. And then in Egypt just mere weeks ago when the government of more then decades were toppled by protests passed through the Internet, and specifically, Twitter and Facebook.

And since the 9.0 earthquake that struck Japan, ravaged the eastern coast of northern Japan with a powerful tsunami, and created a nuclear disaster that has already achieved the level of the Three-Mile Island incident in the US.

How did Twitter and Facebook changed things in the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan this week? And which Twitter accounts to follow to get the best information on the latest nuclear and humanitarian news from Japan?

More at Greenjava

Loopt: Keep In Touch

As you may know, I loaded my iPhone with the 2.0 update over the weekend.  Then I went crazy with the App Store.



I spent  the last couple of days playing around with the new found power that is on my iPhone.  Besides the two Twitter apps I've got (Twinkle and Twitterrific), there anotherlocation-base app that lets you broadcast to your friend where you are and what you're up to. Loopt.

I tried using it with Dave last night but his app crashed and then my app started acting up.  But the potential is immense.  Loopt prides itself as our "social compass".  And they're not too far off the point.  Registeration is easy.  You simply input your mobile number and create an account with an e-mail and password.  It was very user-friendly.  Here are some major Loopt features:

• It supports the Blackberries and iPhones.  In fact it has over 80 phones that it supports.


• You can comment, sharing information, and it works with Yelp.


• Geo-tagged phones.


• Link with address books. It doesn't specify what address book.


• Works with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter
  
  

I've connected Loopt with my Facebook and but the app crashed when I tried linking it with Twitter (I've linked my accounts in case you want to be my friends :)

I just found out there is an update available.  I will try it at home and update tonight. Maybe Twitter will work then.



If you get a chance and your phone is supported, give it a try.  Let me know what you think.