Basics of Attention Profiling through APML

"If you want to inform yourself of the basic principles of attention profiling or need to explain the concept to others then please read on. Feel free to add your clarifications, your conclusions and your constructive criticism to this deliberately non-geek conversation." 

In recent months quite a few bloggers covered the growing adoption of APML, a proposed standard for attention profiling. Those about to give up reading here already, please don't. I personally found most of these posts delving in rather deep. If you want to inform yourself of the basic principles of attention profiling or need to explain the concept to others then please read on. With today's post I'd like to make an attempt at writing a layman's article answering exactly these three questions:

1. What is attention profiling and what are the benefits?
2. What tools and services already support or endorse attention profiling?
3. Where could you go next?

As usual, this post concludes with a news radar.

I encourage you to participate in this deliberately non-geek conversation about attention profiling, either by posting a comment or by writing a blog post of your own. Feel free to add your clarifications, your conclusions and your concerns.

Meebo Integrates MeBeam Video Conferencing

As of today, users of the web-based instant messaging client Meebo can instantly open a live video conferencing session with each other, neatly integrated into the Meebo chat window.
From its launch in September 2005, Meebo has developed into a full-fledged multi-protocol chat client. In the very beginning it impressed heavy chat users a lot because of its Ajaxy look and feel and of course because it offered web-based access to the four leading IM networks from one interface. After that, the Meebo developers started their mission to adding numerous new features:
- Jabber support, allowing Gtalk users
- password encryption
- universal sign-on
- extensive localization
- public chat rooms
- widget
- iPhone app
- file transfer
- Firefox add-on

Twitter to Skype Mood Message using Twype

"Twype allows you to grab tweets from *any* Twitter account (there's no authentication) and lets you publish that stream as Skype mood messages. Twype only works from Skype for Windows PCs."

A new Skype add-on named Twype was just released by its developer Julian Bond. I'm very excited about it because it offers tremendous opportunities and because it fulfills a desire I've felt for years ever since I started using Skype. Let me explain what Twype does with a mix of screenshots and text: