Twitter Takes Needed Steps Forward

Though I'm not a parent, I do feel like a relatively close uncle, being able to watch Twitter grow up and get big.  Twitter experienced quite a significant growth spurt today when it acquired the separate Twitter search platform Summize, a buyout that fellow writer Leslie Poston recently explored.

Now Twitter is starting to look like a much more grown-up platform.  It would be unfair to say that Twitter has been doing it wrong all along by not having search functionality integrated, as the platform has seen great success for being such a small operation at such an early stage.  Having a search feature as well-structured as that of Summize is simply a necessity of a platform with such potential like Twitter.  I personally am going to be happier not having to switch between Twitter and Summize to find people and conversations that interest me.  

To all you third party twitter application developers, please don't botch up, mangle, or otherwise ruin this newly-acquired functionality!  Twhirl being my favorite Twitter application, I would request that the Twhirl crew puts in an extra effort.  While I'm on the subject, could a developer please step up to deliver an uncontested winner in the pool of Twitter applications?  I have tried many, and let's just say that none of them have left me particularly breathless.

On that note, blogger MG Seigler at VentureBeat discussed Twitter's takeover of Summize, noting that with search functionality out of the way, Twitter really needs to start developing a solid mobile platform for those who live on-the-go lives.  I feel like I'm preaching to the choir by agreeing with Seigler on the dire need for a solid mobile platform, but I think that it is important to note that at this juncture, a genuine Twitter application (birthed by the actual Twitter team) is a much bigger necessity.  Though we're nearing the time when mobile will be the name of the social game, Twitter needs to make sure it is making all the stops on the way to getting big — the first step was (or should be) establishing quality and consistency, the second should be integrating search functionality and other normal platform tools, and the third should be creating a decent application.  Then, and only then, should Twitter work on a mobile platform.  

Most importantly, as Twitter starts integrating search functionality and possibly explores developing computer-based or mobile Twitter platform, it needs to make sure quality and consistency don't falter.  The Fail Whale is still alive and well, and branching out might only mean we are graced with more visits from our favorite birdie-toted water beast.