What I've been up to: TwitterPeek

This summer, the buzz about TwitterPeek hit the Internet. Some were excited about a dedicated Twitter device, some confused as to its purpose, and others ridiculed it as a Unitasker. Although I'm always skeptical of unitaskers, I've mentioned my love for my Peek before- having my email in my pocket is convenient and sometimes a lifesaver.

As much as I like my Peek, there are a couple limitations that have annoyed me. First, I can send tweets via twittermail but can't receive them, except for direct messages, which get emailed anyway. Twitter is one of the primary ways I keep up with friends, so is was problematic. Second, I can't open links in emails on my Peek, and some emails are entirely useless and out of context without being able to follow the links.

TwitterPeek obviously solved the first problem- it is a dedicated twitter device and sends and receives the tweets flawlessly. I really appreciated the numerous keyboard shortcuts that made reply, re-tweeting, and direct-messaging a breeze.

Will this device "make it"? If you have a smartphone with a data plan, the TwitterPeek is unnecessary- but probably easier to use, and cheaper than your data plan. If you don't have a smartphone, and are using Twitter via texting, the TwitterPeek definitely makes sending and receiving tweets easier- it would depend on whether you're up for carrying an extra device, because the cost is comparable to a texting plan, with a MUCH better interface. If you're like me and have a plan ol' cell phone (or no cell phone) with just a voice plan, but you'd rather stay in touch via Twitter, the TwitterPeek is awesome. I have a feeling I'm in a pretty narrow market share, but we're here none the less.

Pros:

• Concept - if I had to choose between my email Peek and the TwitterPeek it would be a close call. Email has important, targeted messages for me, sure, but Twitter's more fun, and I'm able to stay in touch with more friends more easily.
• Keyboard shortcuts - These are necessary to make it easy to use, and they were executed well. I'm able to do what I want to do on the device quickly and without using lots of menus
• Speed - Tweets seem to deliver to the TwitterPeek in almost-realtime. It's as good as a desktop client, I'd say.
• Links - You have no idea how excited I was when I saw that the TwitterPeek woudl open links and retrieve the text of the webpage. If I said above that emails can be out of context without reading a link, tweets even moreso. This is a hugely helpful feature.

Cons:

• Yet Another Device. Carrying my phone and email Peek for the last almost-year hasn't been so bad. I barely use my phone, and the Peek is thin enough to fit in my pocket. The TwitterPeek is identical hardware-wise to the Peek, but have three devices in my pockets proved to be too much.
• Default settings - I follow somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 twitterers, so the tweets come quickly and at all hours. I don't need a notification every time someone posts- just when the post is directed at me. This is a setting, but not the default.
• I broke it :(

The picture explains why this entire post is in past tense. My TwitterPeek met its demise just days after I met it, and I'm bummed. Now, I'm back to the twittermail-from-my-Peek route- so if I'm out and about and you need to get a hold of me, email, don't tweet :)

Disclosure: I was sent a TwitterPeek to review with free service, and was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed are enthusiastically my own.