Twitter's Growth Rate Accelerating?

They say that about the universe. Not only is it expanding, the rate at which it is expanding is accelerating.

Twitter Passes 200M Monthly Active Users, A 42% Increase Over 9 Months

This does not surprise me. Twitter can come across as geeky. But once you know how to use it, it is actually more delightful than Facebook. I am glad I am not being forced, but if you were to force me to pick between the two, I'd pick Twitter.

But the experience can be simplified further. And photo filters on Twitter would be a big hit, I think. One huge blind spot Instagram has is it is not on the web.

I have not yet joined Instagram because my first smartphone is still on its way. But if Twitter filters show up I might not even join Instagram. Except that I am on Facebook, and if there is closer integration I might have joined by default.

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I still don't understand why I can't access all my tweets, why all my tweets don't show up in Google search results, why I can't embed multiple tweets at once. Why can't I search through all tweets, mine and that of others?

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Online Payments

Online shopping has been growing by leaps and bounds. Every year the holiday shopping season seems to bring with it an increased percentage of online sales. There are advantages and disadvantages to shopping online:

Advantages:

Convenience - You can shop at any time, and won't have to wait in line.

Certainty - You can search for the best deal on any given product without having to drive around to different stores. Simply click and purchase.

Conjestion Free - You don't have to fight the crowds, or deal with sitting in traffic.

Disadvantages:

Confusion - Sometimes it's hard to tell what a product is like without seeing it. Make sure you check a websites return policy before making a purchase.

Cost of Shipping - Sometimes there is a cost involved in shipping a products. Look for sites that offer free shipping. Many websites offer this during the holidays.

Customer Service - If you have a question, sometimes it can be hard to get the answer. This is getting better as more websites are figuring out ways to serve their online customers better. Some websites have a section of their site dedicated to FAQ's, have a live chat option, or a toll free number to call.

While the rest of the world (read "old economy") has been reeling in deep recession, Amazon.com, the ultimate online retailer seems to have no signs of hard times.

The ability to make an online payment is fundamental to the growth of e-commerce. It's important for the consumer to be able to make payments safely and securely. Online retailers are working with merchant accounts to make this part of their customer satisfaction guarantee. Check a website before making a purchase to make sure they have a reliable online payment option.

(This post sponsored by The Merchant Account Guru)