Twitter via SMS

Twitter’s architects deliberately limited tweets to 140 characters, so that they could be sent and received as text messages (SMS allows 160 characters, but the Twitter people left room for user names). Many newcomers are unaware they can operate Twitter by texting. Login at twitter.com and click settings, then go to devices and add your phone. At first, you’ll get nothing. That’s because, by default, updates from the users you follow aren’t texted to your phone, so you don’t run up a bill. Instead, the interface at twitter.com adds buttons next to each user you follow, so you can turn updates on or off.

Facebook Integration

Are you a Facebook user who also tweets? Wish you could type only one status update, and have it appear in your profile on both social networks? Go to twitter.com/widgets/ facebook and click the button at the bottom of the page that says “Install Twitter in Facebook”. You’ll then have to click through a few pages of configuration. You can use the connection in either direction. I suggest updating Twitter and letting it pass the tweet along to Facebook. It takes fewer steps, and you’ll be kept within the 140-character limit.

Favourites

Another hidden feature: If you like a tweet and want to preserve it for eternity, mouse over it. A star-shaped icon appears at the right of the text. Click that. Then, you can click the favourites link on your home page to see all the tweets whose stars you’ve clicked, no matter how long ago you saved them. You can also go to other users’ pages and browse through their favourites.

... contd.