In just five years Twitter has become a massively important tool and resource for the way that hundreds of millions of people share news, stories, thoughts and updates with friends, colleagues, family, brands, peers and clients around the world. Thanks to retweets, replies and direct messages, this information spreads at an incredible speed.

Over on the official Twitter blog, there’s a new look at this global pulse, and the way it moves and grows, particularly in light of the role that Twitter plays in coverage of major world events such as the 2010 World Cup, the royal wedding and the March 11 earthquake in Japan.

Read more

Hashtags, or as you and I used to know them as “number sign” or the “pound key” on our phones, are being used with more and more frequency on Twitter. But often, with a wink to the reader, a sardonic word or phrase is thrown in to illustrate their “real” (read: ironic) mood or thoughts.
Read more

Bing has been getting crucified for its March 12th tweet asking followers to retweet their post in exchange for a $1 donation to help victims of the devastation in Japan. Read more

A full eight of the ten worldwide trending topics this morning were about the devastating earthquake and tsunami that rocked the shores of Japan Friday. Twitter users are in shock after the unexpected natural disaster, but they are sending their prayers and well-wishes to the people of Japan and others around the world who have been affected by the tsunami.
Read more