I think we really need an alternative to Twitter and it could be a service which simply runs alongside Twitter. There are many features which would make Twitter

I think we really need an alternative to Twitter and it could be a service which simply runs alongside Twitter. There are many features which would make Twitter a better service. One area which is a little neglected is simply having a online identity for the purpose of logging into multiple resources on the web and from applications. This is done now with Twitter as well as Facebook but many are concerned about privacy due to the fact that social networks sustain themselves with advertising. Providing at least an identity service which carefully handles privacy would be a good start that would get more people on board. Then there has to be a way to segment the noise. Discussions about some TV show or a ballgame can suddenly fill up your Twitter stream. It would help if these conversations could happen in a category or topic that would allow you to choose to participate or ignore. Twitter is not really set up to do this right now. Twitter also does not aggregate trends very well. Being able to ping a service with your status such as your location and/or activity could be aggregated and done so anonymously if you choose. I'd use this sort of service to share what I am watching or listening to so that the trends can be captured. I would like to know what music is popular in my area or what movie everyone seems to being seeing. And I would also open it up to locations with the goal of making people aware of more of what is going on around them. I'd like to have people select a persona or demographic they identify with so they can better discover things which would be more of interest to them. And these interests can go well beyond music, movies and restaurants. Ideally it would include events in your community to foster a greater sense of community which Twitter is not capable of doing. I hope this does emerge. It seems it is a matter of time but the success of Twitter, as it is now, is preventing something else from catching on.