Twitter launches new login API

In a bid to attract new users and stem stunted growth, Twitter has created a new ‘Sign-Up’ API (application programming interface) which will make it possible for anyone to create an account when away from the site.

So far the functionality is only live on US local online guide, Citysearch, and has not been released publicly. Businesses with profiles on Citysearch which create Twitter accounts using the new API, will have their tweets appear on their Citysearch business page.

Technology blog, Mashable, thinks the fact that Twitter chose Citysearch to launch the API on is indicative of Twitter’s future business model.

Twitter turns red for World Aids Day

The makeover is designed to mark World Aids Day, which aims to raise awareness and funds for HIV/Aids projects across the world.

Twitter’s new red livery also contains a link directly through to the Twitter page of Product Red, the HIV/Aids awareness charity founded by U2 singer Bono which hopes to fight the spread of Aids in Africa.

Twitter users are also able to add a virtual red World Aids Day ribbon to their Twitter picture. The virtual ribbon, known as a Twibbon, is displayed on top of a user’s profile picture on all of their tweets.

Space firm to send Christmas Day tweets to dead people

Bereaved Brits desperate to send a message to their departed loved ones this Christmas could instead simply alert hostile aliens to our tenuous Earthly existence.

The Bereavement Register – a useful service to help bereaved families avoid being deluged with junk mail and cold calls targeted at their dead relatives – is offering the chance to beam into space “a personal message in remembrance of someone who has died”.

The Bereavement Register will forward the messages to “Our broadcast service provider, Deep Space Communications Network (DSCN)… located next to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA”.

Twitter launching paid business accounts

Personal and corporate accounts will remain free, but businesses will have the option of signing up to a paid account, which will offer a “special layer of access”, including feedback and statistics. Many big name brands and companies have embraced Twitter as a way of communicating directly with consumers and engaging with customers.

“This takes advantage of some of the commercial use of Twitter we’ve seen from businesses like airlines and big box stores,” said Stone. “We want to present to them a layer of features that allows them to become better at Twitter, show them some of the analytics.”

Stephen Fry says Twitter lets celebrities bypass media

Speaking today at the event held in London, Mr Fry, who passed the million followers mark at the weekend, complimented the site for changing celebrities’ relationships and reliance upon the media.

Twitter offered $500,000 to run advert

Microblogging site Twitter has been offered half a million dollars to feature a single banner advert on its pages for just one day.

Microsoft strikes search deals with Twitter, Facebook

Microsoft has reached collaboration agreements with Twitter and Facebook to get their members’ public status updates and messages indexed and presented in useful ways on the Bing search engine.

Twitter to introduce live video-tweeting

Twitter users may soon be posting real-time video tweets in addition to text tweets under plans to modernise the site.

Twitter slaps itself with $1bn price tag

Twitter is trying to raise another $50m, pushing the (self) valuation of the company above a billion dollars, despite lacking an income of any kind.

Twittering ferries alert passengers to delays

The world’s first tweeting ferries are sailing across The Solent, thanks to an inventor who took matters into his own hands after becoming frustrated with delays to his commute.

Twitter to release revenue-generating feature by year’s end

So Twitter looking to make some money at last. I can’t see the problem with that, nor do I think they have to look far to figure out how to get loads of revenue …… On the basis that every other DM or Tweet these days seems to be from people saying how much they are making on Twitter there must be loads of people more than willing and able to pay a subscription. Unless that is they aren’t (dare I say it) telling the truth!!!!!!

Edwardians discovered ‘Twitter’ first

In the days before micro-blogging, text messages and social networking sites, the public were using the humble postcard to impart their thoughts and opinions.

Twitter more popular than MySpace in Britain

Twitter, which has proved a hit with Barack Obama, Stephen Fry and Sarah Brown, picked up one in every 400 UK internet visits last week, according to data from Hitwise, the internet research company.