Hi Robert - I did indeed do a double take when I logged into Twitter this evening (I use both the web and Tweetdeck). I am lukewarm on this new look, most likely because I personally prefer an understated design without a lot of hoopla. But that's just me.

The Twitter stream, however, did nothing for me... Perhaps I am showing my age, but who in the world is Justin Bieber and why are there warring camps of fans? :) My point is that a continuously updating stream does little to engage if the viewer is not a part of the target audience. Still, if the stream is representing what most people on Twitter find relevant, then it's doing it's job and I am probably in the minority anyway.

I only briefly glanced at Twitter 101, so I cannot comment on it's quality, but it's nice to provide some "official Twitter" info for the newbies. Recently I guided a friend on using Twitter for her business and I found myself more than once saying, "it's something you must experiment with... learn the nuance of your customer." And while I still believe you must join in to learn the best way to communicate with your audience, it's good to have a guide.

So, just my two cents, Robert! Have a great night! :)

Great post, Robert - in fact I'm printing it off for a friend/business owner that is relying on the old model.

Looking forward to reading more of your posts! Will watch for them via Twitter.

-Tracy