Tumblr.com - Ideal for Kids, Seniors, more...

I recently tried out a new content sharing, social network site that surpasses any I have tried so far in terms of ease of use, rapid set-up, and flexibility.

Tumblelogs live up to the hype. I really could set up content, which included video, text, links, and graphics in less than a minute. I can post content from my phone, and upload embedded video by adding a single google video link.

The ease of use make Tumblelogs ideal for education from K-12 to lifelong learning. The simplicity of adding content makes it ideal for course projects, collaborations involving gathering and sharing data, and for presentations. It is perfect for individuals who may have impaired vision or dexterity, or may feel uncomfortable with technology. Seniors with limited mobility can use tumblr.com with little difficulty.

Here are a few samples of 60-second tumblelogs made after setting up an account at tumblr.com:

http://www.wemightwin.com

http://excellence.tumblr.com

Benefits:
--Easily add videos and graphics
--Simple design, with choices of layout
--Can post from phone
--Can link to audio files via gcast.com
--Layout is readable for vision-impaired
--Displays nicely on mobile devices
--Easy to share / add rss feeds

Downsides:
--Can't rearrange the sequence of the posts
--Can't easily upload or link mp3 files
--No comments or discussion board features

Tumblr.com is a new company, and tumblelogs will undoubtedly add features in the future. In the meantime, its simplicity and ease of use easily compensate for the limited functionality.

Highly recommended.