New Facebook Messaging

Facebook announced today that it is integrating e-mail, instant messaging and texting into its own messaging system on Facebook.com.  Facebook will be slowly rolling this out over the next several months and right now it is an invite-only feature.

What's interesting is that every Facebook user can sign up for an @facebook.com e-mail address that will be linked to their Facebook Messages.  Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg explicitly stated at today's event that it is not trying to displace Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail but trying to integrate it into Facebook.

It seems Facebook is trying to bridge the generations:  old = e-mail;  young = SMS, IM.  But, do the generations want to be bridged on this massive scale?

I want to use this Facebook messaging for my SMS-happy friends.  I'm trying to wean all of my friends off of SMS so that someday I can just chuck my SMS plan.  So, if they text me through Facebook, I can still get it instantly since I have Facebook push notifications set on my iPhone.  That would be cool.

Mass messaging would also be easier since you would only have to write one message and then choose where to send the message for each person.

What do you think?  Would you use the new Facebook Messages and/or use the @facebook.com e-mail address?

Bye, Bye Wade

It's just about official, according to ESPN.  Wade Phillips is no longer the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.  Even though most of us have called for his head for weeks, even years, it still is shocking to hear it.

Perhaps the most shocking part is that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had the guts to pull the trigger after saying that Phillips would coach out the rest of the season.

Will a head coaching change at this point save the Cowboys season?  Probably not.  Jason Garrett will have his hands full as the new head coach trying to instill confidence in a Dallas team that is reeling toward a possible 1-15 season.  But, I guess for Jerry Jones the team can't get any worse and it's better to install Garrett now than at the end of the season.

What the team really needs now is a coach like Bill Parcells who won't put up with an undisciplined team.  At least the team knows Garrett.  But can they respect him as a head coach?  I don't expect a discernible change in the team overnight.

RockMelt Social Media Browser? I'm in!

Remember when Netscape Navigator was the browser of choice?  This was way before Google, Facebook, and Twitter.  This was when America Online (aka AOL) was the preferred portal and AltaVista, Yahoo!, and ICQ were major players in the internet scene.

Netscape founder Marc Andreessen is back and wants to challenge Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and even Safari in the browser wars.  Andreesen is backing a Silicon Valley start-up called RockMelt.  You can sign up for an invitation to use the new browser which is focused on social media.  I connected with Facebook to get the invitation and I should be getting it in e-mail within the next few days.

I like trying out new technologies before it is released to the general public.  I loved Gmail when it was in its early days of beta.

Check out this video to see what the RockMelt browser is all about:

Surfer Andy Irons Dies At The Age Of 32

Three-time world surfing champion Andy Irons, 32, has died.  Irons missed a competition in Puerto Rico because he became ill and was in Texas due to return to Hawaii.  The Kauai native had reportedly been battling dengue fever.

Picture courtesy: ASP

Irons was a three-time world surfing champion.  He is survived by a younger brother, Bruce, and a wife who is due to give birth soon.

My condolences go out to the family and friends of Andy Irons.

Here's a video about how Andy Irons felt about surfing:

Moss Waived By The Vikings

I knew Randy Moss was in trouble for criticizing the Minnesota Vikings and fondly reminiscing about his days with the New England Patriots like it was his long lost childhood in yesterday's press conference after the Vikings lost to the Patriots.  But, I had no idea that the Vikings had the cojones to release him.

The Vikings lose next year's 3rd round draft pick and gain a 7th round draft pick from the Patriots in 2012.  I guess the Vikings organization felt it was time to cut its losses in its 2-5 season.

Vikings linebacker Ben Leber said head coach Brad Childress did not give a reason for Moss being let go.  Moss' agent said that his client is "very sad" about being released.

Reaction is already being posted on YouTube: