billpalmer.net

Some bloggers have their Twitter feed piped right into their blog on a daily basis, but I've never been sold on the idea that a stream of Twitter posts makes all that much sense when taken out of context. The whole point of Twitter is to read them while they're happening, in amongst those of the other people you're following, reply if you want to, but mainly the idea is that they're digested in real time and within context.

Every once in awhile, though, they serve as documentation of a certain event or time period, and that more or less happened this evening. I received an iPod touch armband for review and felt like heading out to begin the first round of product testing, so I strapped it onto my arm and headed out on an aimless walk which took me to Hollywood Boulevard and back. Since I was really just looking to spend a few hours wearing the product while walking and didn't have a further agenda, I ended up just twittering pretty much everything I was randomly doing or seeing.

So the next time you wonder what goes into the process of testing a new iPod accessory for review, well...not sure you always want to see how the sausage is made, but here it is. Because this is out of context it's missing the replies people sent to me in real-time, and I went ahead and removed the replies I sent back since they wouldn't make any sense here at all. But it'll give you an idea I suppose...

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ah, an armband for the iPod touch. time to dust off the touch...doesn't get a lot of use when there's an iPhone in the house

we'll see if the touch is too heavy/bulky to work on your arm. it's the thinnest/lightest full-size iPod ever

I have a few Grand Central invites. Holler if you really want one

walking down Hollywood Blvd for no clear reason

didn't realize Hollywood and Highland center had so many hidden shops upstairs

here four months and I finally find a French dip shop by accident

one attractive female patron is walking into this French dip shop after another. Maybe they need me for a part time job or something?

I don't want to get in the way of you taking a picture of Grauman's. But I also don't want to step into the road. Hit by one car is enough

she asked me what my "pink floyd / pig" shirt means. I don't know, my mom bought it for me. Probably not the right answer

laughing so hard at @lifespring's last tweet that the homeless people on La Brea were looking at me funny. I'm not kidding

they opened a strip club across from Jim Henson Company. The giant Kermit statue is looking directly over at the club

now I understand why the Kermit statue is dressed in a blue suit, tophat, and cane. Miss Piggy will not be amused

after 2 hours I can say that the iPod touch on an armband is infuriating. Apple's fault, you can't turn the coverflow gyroscope off!

but if the last two hours count as "work" then I have nothing in this life to complain about

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If the above hasn't scared you off and you'd like to follow me on Twitter in real time, you can do so at twitter.com/billpalmer. Don't let the above fool you; I rarely talk about iPod-related stuff on Twitter. It's more of a documentation of my life when I'm out and about. And it's a great way to keep in touch with people you don't get to see in real life as often as you'd like to. When I twittered on Tuesday night that I'd been tapped into by a car while walking down the Sunset Strip, I had a few different people asking if I was okay the next night at the OC Podcasters meeting.

You can watch my updates at the above link without needing to post anything (or even needing to create an account), but the fun begins when you dive in yourself...particularly when you find the other people you know in real life (or follow online) on Twitter and start following them as well. Create an account, click the follow button, check out my "following" link to find other people I find interesting and follow them, and that'll get you started.

PS: if you start following me and I don't start following you back within a few days, please email me since I don't always seem to get the "new follower" notifications. See you on Twitter!

...and yes, I still have a few Grand Central invites left. Use Twitter to ask me for one and you shall receive :-)