Novel uses of Twitter
February 24, 2010 12:44 AM   Subscribe

What are some companies and individuals using Twitter in an interesting or unusual way, or for novel purposes?
posted by jedro to Computers & Internet (15 answers total) 19 users marked this as a favorite
 
I don't know how unusual this is, but I think the Massachusetts Historical Society creating a Twitter account for John Quincy Adams' journal entries is pretty cool.
posted by stufflebean at 1:29 AM on February 24, 2010 [1 favorite]


There's a Twitter bot that randomly posts entries from Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies card decks.
posted by thisjax at 2:09 AM on February 24, 2010


Our local commuter bus service, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority uses Twitter to post updates about it's services (delays, re-routing, etc.).
posted by SoulOnIce at 2:37 AM on February 24, 2010


Booktweeting (by Mefi's own Sidhedevil) posts a book review every day, with a letter grade.

Fireland (Joshua Allen) tells jokes in character. (Previously.)

Jenny Holzer states concise common sense in all caps.
posted by Jaltcoh at 4:01 AM on February 24, 2010


Also, if a novel use of a Twitterer by a government counts as a novel use of Twitter, the US is using Ashton Kutcher for Russian diplomacy.
posted by Jaltcoh at 4:03 AM on February 24, 2010


Buffy the Vampire Slayer over Twitter.
posted by unknowncommand at 5:54 AM on February 24, 2010


The Sparkfun Keg, but it's often down.
posted by Confess, Fletch at 6:43 AM on February 24, 2010


Imogen Heap went to the Grammys in a Twitter Dress that allowed her fans to tweet text and photographs onto displays attached to her dress.

Amanda Palmer made a spontaneous music video in one day by inviting her Twitter followers to come meet her on Hermosa Beach in California. They appear in the video and also helped with filming and editing.

(Here is some other stuff she's done with Twitter, including a webcast auction)

The JFK Library is recreating John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign trail on Twitter, which is cool.
posted by castlebravo at 6:58 AM on February 24, 2010


@towerbridge tweets when the bridge opens or closes, and includes the name of the ship that passed.

Charles Darwin tweets from the grave as @cdarwin.

Very short stories @VeryShortStory.

General humor value:
@FakeAPStylebook
@HolyGod
posted by 2xplor at 7:11 AM on February 24, 2010


The Baltimore Police post regularly (mostly homicides and road closings.) I believe several other cities' PDs now do, too.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 11:35 AM on February 24, 2010


(self-link, but relevant) wxtweet.com will, after you tell it your county and state, DM you watches and warnings from the national weather service.
posted by tayknight at 2:58 PM on February 24, 2010


Big Ben
posted by Mwongozi at 3:22 PM on February 24, 2010


I owned MUD and I hooked up the global comm system to broadcast to a twitter account, here. It's kind of surreal and we've gathered a fair number of random followers. Apparently some of our players monitor it and will hop on if it sounds like something interesting is going.
posted by skintension at 3:48 PM on February 24, 2010


Er, "I own a MUD"
posted by skintension at 3:49 PM on February 24, 2010


By far the most entertaining: Newlyweds on the Job. The Twitter feed.
posted by MeowForMangoes at 4:52 PM on February 24, 2010 [2 favorites]


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