So I Wrote a Book…About Twitter!

So I wrote a book! I co-authored a book, actually. In partnership with Bob Walsh, the man behind 47hats, I spent a good portion of this past year working on The Twitter Survival Guide. It’s a downloadable ebook that covers the gamut of hings you’ll need to know as a new (or veteran) Twitter user.

All the basics are covered, so The Twitter Survival Guide is an excellent starting place for newbie Twitter users. We’ve got a brief history of Twitter, some pointers on how to get your profile set up for personal or professional purposes, and a short list of some of the most powerful third party applications that will help you get the most out of the Twitter service.

Also important to note are the interviews we have with some heavy-hitting Twitter users, including Guy Kawasaki, Gary Vaynerchuck, and more.

Can We Really Blame Arrington? Sure.

So, Mike Arrington, founder of TechCrunch, has denounced embargoes. That’s silly. I’ve been blogging professionally for a long time, and admit that delving into the big league after becoming Mashable’s first employee was a rude awakening as to the ugly politics of blogging. And from working with one of the most professional men I know of in the business (over at VentureBeat), it’s safe to say that such ugly politics aren’t unique to the new media sector. A stunt like Arrington’s however, is.

Apple Abandoning Macworld–and its Cult?

Apple has announced today that next year is the last year the company will be exhibiting at the Macworld Expo.  The reason? Apple has gotten big enough that it doesn’t need trade shows to reach consumers anymore. 

From Apple:

“Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers.“

I can understand from many perspectives why a company would scale back on trade shows, especially given the current economic climate.  And Apple has also been scaling back on its trade show appearances for the past few years. 

But I still think it’s a bad idea for Apple. 

This company has created a cult following that is still going strong, and there are a lot of people that look forward to Macworld, if only to hear from Apple itself.  Having already pulled out of Macworld New York and Tokyo, the announcement today to discontinue appearances at Macworld in San Francisco makes me a little sad and disappointed. 

Admittedly I do have a Macbook and an iPod Touch (no iPhone here, folks), and I am generally a fan of the company’s products. Even though I’m not a die-hard fanboy, I still respect the company’s ability to maintain its cult-like following, which has been a combination of its internal leadership, foresight in cross-industry presence, and marketing. 

I’m just hoping that Apple’s plans for continuing to “reach out” to consumers doesn’t include even more Mac vs PC commercials.  They’re cute, but they’re not everlasting.