The questions of social media

As someone who experiments in various fields of social media: facebook, twitter, blogging, RSS feeds, and web authoring, not to email and texting, I often catch myself indulging in the constipation of multi-tasking. I can spend hours planning and preparing, learning and reading on the internet, and then find myself having nothing accomplished. It's not just a matter of checking off boxes, its a matter of accomplishing goals that lead to fulfilling a priority.

This front line episode explores a few questions.

FRONTLINE: digital nation: watch the full program | PBS

What is happening to the skill and ability of students at the university level who multi task?

What happens in the brain of multi-taskers?

What does the fact that those who text message while driving are 23 times more likely to have an accident say about productivity and success in life for those who multi task excessively?

Is the vast social network and social web just the next evolution of our species? (Just like moving from oral tradition to the written word?)

Can virtual experiences change us in non-virtual life? For better or worse?

There are a few answers of questions for which I am searching:

How is multiasking changing they way that people funciton in the world?

Who will buy an iPad?

According to this poll, 16% of iPhone users will buy an iPad. What I think will be an even bigger percentage is those iPhone users who will buy a second generation iPad. That's what I might do.

A couple days ago I entered a contest to win an iPad. If I win, I'd say there's a 60% chance that I will just sell it for a little under the original price, pocket the money, and the use that money to buy a much improved iPad in another year or so.

So, what will you do? See my poll to the right.

What is the iPad?

Watched this really interesting segment on the iPad today.

Yesterday I was sitting in my office and looked up and announced to my colleagues, "I think I could really use and iPad."

"It's just the way things are going."

My friends call me the best Apple marketer they know. I tell them I'm just doing what feels natural.

Important points in this MacWorld video:

1. iPad will change the landscape of where computing will go.

2. If iPad will take the market on eBooks with the "iBook" app, that will be HUGE.

3. It is an intermediary device.

4. Our kids will think about using a keyboard and mouse with puzzled looks on their faces just as this generation looks back with bewilderment at using dos and unix to use a computer.