Chumdinger

Back in the day, people were in real authentic community with each other… in that, I mean they knew those around them, were involved in each others lives, celebrated in the good time, and helped each other during the bad.

Mainly because people were isolated to smaller areas. Before cars, they walked. Before telephones, they talked to those around them. Before suburbs, they lived in closer proximity. Before computers, televisions, video games… you get the idea.

Now, we’re all busy. In our cars, driving everywhere, stuck in traffic, wearing bluetooth headsets. We’re spread out all over the city living very isolated lives in comparison. Having that same sense of community is pretty difficult.

I think it’s easy to maintain relationships with a handful of close friends and family members. You know, those that really truly know us. Or as Mark Brewer puts it, those that “will pick you up from LAX”.

But what about everyone else? You know, those that may not be your best friends but are more than acquaintances. Or even the strangers around us?

Social networking sites like Facebook have made it a little easier, finding friends old and new, staying connected through photos, emails, and status updates. But who wants to sit in front of their computers all day? Messaging, chatting, emailing, blogging… (not that there’s anything wrong with blogging).

But a proliferation of new technologies promises to change all that.

The iPhone – It’s changing the way we use our phones. Now, we have the internet at our fingertips, the web made mobile.

Facebook – It’s going mobile too. A light version you can take with you on your web enabled phone. Even if you have a regular mobile phone, you can now receive SMS updates when friends post on your wall, send you a message, etc… and you can respond back via SMS messages as well. Ok, let me back up a little. Here’s a little bit about Social Networking in Plain English:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc&hl=en&fs=1]

Twitter – It’s microblogging, but really it’s updating your status or writing whatever you want in 140 characters or less though your mobile phone. Friends can follow what you’re up to, and in turn you can keep up to date on their adventures. Here’s a brief explanation of Twitter in Plain English:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o&hl=en&fs=1]

Brightkite – It’s location based social networking. Like Twitter, Brightkite allows you to microblog your status via mobile phone but with photos too. It allows you to “check-in” at your current location, and geotag your photos with your current location, and without needing GPS.

And with the iPhone soon to be adding automatic geotagging to photos taken on it’s camera, it’ll make it even easier.

But who wants to manage all these different sites. And does anyone expect all of your friends to sign up for each and every one?

This is where the simplicity lies. Brightkite works with Twitter, and Twitter works with Facebook, and Facebook is now mobile so you don’t have to be in front of you computer. So all one has to do is send one update and all the different platforms talk to each other.

And how does all of this techno stuff help to build real authentic community? In which people and involved in the lives of those around them, and interact with each other face to face?

Here’s Part 2