I’ve been quiet here but have been reading. And playing games – I think I am quite addicted to some of them – Alphattack is my current fav and I’m determined to crack level 18 on hard to get the award. And I’m trying to get back sculpted arms!!!

I find myself opening GoogleReader less often these days – I seem to be getting most of my info off Twitter. I’ve more or less stopped using delicious (when did they delete the dots from their name???). Moreover, conversations that used to happen on blogs are moving to Twitter too.  It continues to amaze me how effective 140 characters can really be.

I thought I’d share some links here on what I’ve found interesting and thought-provoking, some of which I have tweeted over the last few days:

1. Google Analytics Maximized – Deeper Analysis, Higher ROI and You I learnt a lot!
2. Fantastic collection of the best of blogging in Anthropology in 2008 – Parts 1 and 2
3. Web 2.0 and Transience -Manu questions what it means for brands to ‘engage’ in social media ending with “Perhaps the more meaningful discussions lie in figuring out how the basic pillars of web 2.o – connecting, sharing, collaborating-  can be used to build brands. The ‘How to use Twitter/Facebook for Marketing/PR’ are based on tools, and that would mean that we’ve been confusing tactics for strategy.”
4. Asfaq questions the social media echo chamber
5. Shefaly throws light on language as a challenge for global businesses
6. This made me smile – a satire on Satyam Chairman’s trial by Web 2.0
7. Top 20 iPhone applications for bloggers, designers and freelancers
8. Peter has an amazing set of links to great writing at his post which is meant to attract writers for his new project with Forbes – Network 18 magazine. Smart strategy Pete!
9. Stuart’s really honest review on Phweet - there are plans for a revamp – keep watching!!!
10. A good round-up of statistics and milestones on the mobile phone market in India in 2008
11. Social Mobile applications Myth and the LongTail - “There have been many positive blog posts calling 2009 the “Year of Mobile”. I think they could be right. I also think 2009 is going to be the “Year of the Searcher” (see my earlier blog post). As I argued back then, let’s never forget it’s the users of our tools who we answer to. Social change happens on the ground, often through them, and not online.”

Meanwhile, help Gaurav Tandon, who’s bravely battling AML (a type of blood cancer).  And, thanks Stuart for updating my blog to WordPress 2.7 – takes a bit of getting used to but is a much neater-looking interface!

Been meaning to post this video – it was fun talking to Rajiv Dingra and Navneet from the WATShow on Phweet and the Social Media scene in India.

Dina Mehta On Phweet – A Tool That Enables Voice Conversation On Twitter (Via WATShow)

I look forward to Part 2 where I have demo’d how Phweet works.

This morning, I set up an Open Phweet around the Future of Social Computing, triggered by Jan Chipchase’s paper called Future Social, and my subsequent feeling of reinforcement and validation around a study we recently did around the future of Mobile Social Computing.  It’s been an interesting day, talking to a few people who joined my Phweet Cafe on this!  Am going to keep it open for a few days more!

@whitelight007 on Twitter then asked me – what’s my take on the future of social networking.  Had to keep the words to the bare minimum given Twitter’s 140 character limit so here’s what I said in two tweets and edited down here to:

“Networks based on & layered around location, access, presence & context. Those that enhance real-world interactions. Enabling choice, privacy and control”

Do you believe this is in the zone? Makes sense? What’s missing?  Would you like to share your shot at describing your perception of the future of social networking in say 140 characters?

Come and discuss it! All you need is your Twitter ID and password to enter the conversation.

I’ve been helping out with the PhweetTalk – the Phweet blog and I’m cross-posting this here. I’ll probably be doing more of my blogging there for a while. And I’ve become a real Twitter monster – I update stuff I am doing very regularly there – so do check me out!

Since the public alpha launch on July 30th, we’ve been asked several times whether Phweet is a noun or a verb. We’d like to think it’s both.  Phweetisms we like, even more! Here’s a collection of user-generated comments around Phweet afloat in the Twitter world and the blogosphere:

Twitter’s curry; it is called Phweet: TeachEng.Us

A CB radio – space for spontaneous conference calling: Chinarut

Post Cards, and Now Phone Calls, from Twitter Island Tweet-Phweet: Ed Moltzen

Michael Bauwens,P2P Foundation – Phone + Twitter = Phweet

Ruthlessly Simplified Disintermediation – Jim Courtney at Skype Journal

Jon Husband at the FastForward Blog:Twitter Conjoined With Instant Calling (TM) = Phweet

VoIP is Unstoppable – It’s Simply our Infrastructure – Ken Camp

Jeff Pulver: a new application promoting the End-to-end principle.

Christopher Herot: (Try doing a Twitter search on “Skype”.)  The result: Phweet.

Who says you can’t VOIP on Aircell, I just did it – Andy Abramson

PhoneBoy : because I can?

Mark Mayhew: @comcastcares are you using http://phweet.com yet (to enhance your customer support)?

This one made us laugh – Phweet-Phound-of-Phuccess: Doug Haslam

Phweet has that wild-west VoIP feel – ntheory

“On-Demand Consulting” and “The principle of talk radio”: Mark Mayhew in a Phweet conversation with Stuart and me.

Phweet Rocks!: Scott Baird, @mediapirate

VOIP from your browser (via Twitter) direct to my Truphone and Phweet to front-end calls to Truphone – James Body of Truphone

A cool visual representation of Andy’s Aircell-Phweet experience, from ValleyWag:

Atmasphere: it’s pretty damn simple

Do drop in more Phweetisms at the comments – you may get as creative as you wish