• Sparrow ($5/mois): limite de caractères élargies à 145 caractères, 5 followers aléatoires supplémentaires.
• Dove ($15/mois): limite de caractères élargies à 160 caractères, 25 followers aléatoires supplémentaires, 1 follower célèbre aléatoire supplémentaire, correcteur orthographique, un tshirt “Fail Whale”.
• Owl ($50/mois): limite de caractères élargies à 250 caractères, 100 followers aléatoires supplémentaires, 2 followers célèbres aléatoires supplémentaires, présence de 30 minutes sur la recommend list, correcteur orthographique, un hoodie “Fail Whale”
• Eagle ($250/mois): limite de caractères élargies à 500 caractères, 1000 followers aléatoires supplémentaires, 3 followers célèbre au choix, présence de 5h par mois sur la recommend list, correcteur orthographique, ainsi que de nombreux avantages supplémentaires.

Une autre fonctionnalité payante ferait également son apparition: le EmbellishTwit add-on. Le principe est simple, pour $100/an vous pouriez acquérir un add-on qui vous permettrait d’envoyer vos tweets à une équipe qui se chargerait de les embellir et de les styliser.

Je suis content de voir que Twitter avance dans sa recherche d’un business-model viable, mais je ne suis pas convaincu et pas attiré par ces comptes payants. Ce n’est pas le fait de payer qui me dérange, mais plutôt le fait de dénaturer le principe qui a fait l’efficacité et le succès de Twitter: envoyer un message de 140 caractères où on est forcé d’aller à l’essentiel!

Quel intérêt de poster des tweets de 500 caractères? Parle-t-on encore de microblogging là? Et puis quelle drôle d’idée d’attribuer aléatoirement des followers supplémentaires? Je n’ai pas envie de me retrouver à suivre un utilisateur inconnu dont la vie et les tweets ne m’intéressent vraiment pas, uniquement parce que Twitter a décidé de me mettre dans ses extra random followers. Et vous, qu’en pensez-vous de ces nouvelles formules? Vous seriez intéressés de prendre l’un de ces abonnements payants?

Update: il semblerait que je me sois fait avoir, comme pas mal de monde, pas un gros canulard. Ceci étant dit, mes commentaires et réflexions restent valables.

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As these figures show, the Twitter phenomenon is something new in the underground music “industry”. Facedown Records was the first to join the movement in July 2007, but didn’t really understand how it works, posting only 42 tweets in almost two years. Victory Records was the last to join but seems to be better at tweeting, with already 80 tweets in less than three months and more than 2 400 followers!

Most of these record labels use Twitter for the same purposes: promoting new records or events, sharing videoclips and sounds, and sending updates about the label or the bands. But some of them came with better ideas. Deathwish Inc. launched a twitter account that broadcasts updates exclusively about their Sound and Fury festival, they also post random news and pictures (using Twitpic and cellphones) from their bands and staff. Epitaph Records came up with another great idea: Twitter contests.

Respond to this tweet with your fav Epitaph band to enter to win a prize! Just tweet @EpitaphRecs (band name here)! epitaph.com/artists

Facedown Records seems to use Twitter as a channel to broadcast updates on mobiles phones, but doesn’t tweet regularly. The most “mainstream” label from the list, Trustkill Records, found another original use of Twitter: tweeting the “Song of the day” everyday. This tweet comes with links allowing the followers to download (and buy) the songs from Itunes or Amazon MP3.

One thing is sure: most of these records labels still need to engage and start conversation with their followers. Deathwish Inc. and Relapse Records are really interacting with people (using @replies and sometimes even retweeting). but the others labels don’t. Another thing that really struck me is the fact that all these labels are tweeting without naming the person who is actually posting the updates. Victory Records is the only one who is clear about the person who’s in charge:

Mike at Victory Records tweets for the #1 Independent Rock Record Label. We run the streets.

Underground record labels still need to find their way in the Twittosphere. I think they’re still experimenting and trying to understand how to use this new communication channel. It would be interesting to compare this with how mainstream record labels work with Twitter and engage with their audience.

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We’ve seen a lot of new applications, mashups and companies working with Twitter lately, but the Go Media team comes with a fresh use of the n°1 microblogging service: they now offer design help via Twitter.

Have you ever found yourself stuck on a design project with nobody to ask for help? You Google for tutorials and pour over support forums for the answer but nothing seems to solve your specific problem? This is common with freelance designers who work alone. They don’t have the luxury of working next to other designers who just might know a quicker way to achieve the same effect. So Go Media is going to try to help as best we can, using Twitter!

Working with Twitter will give users a more customized service and something more personal than common tutorials. The other great thing is that, no only Go Media can answer your question, but the other followers too. It creates an interaction between the designers and builds a network of users helping each other. Their twitter account already got 297 followers in a couple of hours, and it’s still growing.

I’ll keep an eye on this project because I think it’s a really great idea. If you want to know more about how it works, just take a look at the project page.

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