Twittering Teddies and Other Modern Time-Wasters

I'm a big fan of an old piece of technology:  the carousel at the Santa Monica Pier.  I love the beautiful carved horses, the ocean air, and the rickety thrill of going high in the air (well, if you're a three-year-old), and swooping back down again.  But what I really love about that carousel is the old-fashioned fortune telling machine in the corner.  Put in a quarter -- or two, because inflation is rampant -- and the animated fortune teller gives you the once over, then flicks you a card with your future written all over it.  It might be nice if she could speak to you, but she would lose her air of mystery if she did.

But then again, maybe not.  Over at Verizon, the folks who are responsible for the FiOS initiative have built a web 2.0-ish version of that fortune teller: the Twittering Teddy.    This animatronic creature doesn't charge you a quarter, but she does talk to you, by reading Twitter tweets.  She's not reading our future, but our present, which in some ways seems to be evolving --or perhaps devolving-- to snatches of shortened conversations, transmitted in digital bits. 

For those not in the know, Twitter is a micro-blogging platform where you create an account, and subscribe to ("follow" in Twitter parlance) anyone who interests you.  They, in turn, can follow you.  Twitter was created to answer the eternal question "What are you doing?" in a maximum of 140 characters.  These statements are called "tweets."  Twitter hit the tipping point at SXSW in 2007, and how boasts nearly 2 million users tweeting multiple times daily.  (If you'd like to follow me, click on the button on the right.)  Twitter also allows developers to build on top of their platform, creating an ecosystem of useful gadgets such as Twittervision and Tweetmeme.  It also apparently can be engineered to turn the lights on and off in your house when you're not home.   

I'm not quite sure why the FiOS folks created the Twittering Teddy -- something about showing off the phenomenal networking ability Verizon is demonstrating by laying fiber to every house in the country -- but the Teddy sure is fascinating.    She blinks her eyes thoughtfully as she reads the tweets you send her in a computerized voice, little snatches of words ranging from the sublime to the mundane.  But be careful:  she also asks why you are laughing at her, and notes that she's wearing pink ribbons in her hair.  It's almost as if she was summoned up out of Steven Spielberg's imagination -- go watch AI:  Artificial Intelligence if you don't know what I mean-- because we simply don't have enough ways to waste time on the web, or heaven forbid, enough people to talk to.  She's an awesome marketing stunt, BTW:  one that pretty much guarantees at least a visit from everyone on Twitter.  She will also be auctioned off on eBay at the beginning of July, with the proceeds going to the Homeless Children's Education Fund. 

In the meantime, feel free to follow me.  If you tweet, and don't get a response, don't fret:  I'm talking to the Teddy, and will be back soon.  I'm still trying to figure out if she can turn on the lights in my house.

Comments

[Michael Monello]

Hi Angela, thanks for the thoughtful article on Twittering Teddy.

Teddy is one project from the My Home 2.0 campaign, which is, at it's core, about showing off all the great things you can do with a powerful network, but in a fun, entertaining, and engaging way. We have three technology Gurus who create DIY projects like Twittering Teddy or the Personal Weather Machine (a diorama that connects to an online weather feed and displays the weather). They also host a technology home makeover show where they upgrade a deserving family's house with the latest tools enhance their lives.

Keep talking to teddy -- we'll see what we can do about getting her to control your lights. :)

[Angela Wilson Gyetvan]

Thanks, Michael. Please let me know when you've got the lights thing worked out!