Follow This: The Tech Year in Tweets

We've been collaborating on the @PCWPluggedIn Twitter feed since September 27 of last year. Our mission: to find the humor in such fundamentally humorless tech-related phenomena as work, robots, vanishing privacy, online scams, patent infringement lawsuits, Steve Ballmer, and Steve Jobs.

Over the past year, we've posted some 1375 tweets on these and other tech subjects, tying each one to a story newly posted on PCWorld.com. Going through all of the entries is like reading a demented tech diary written by someone who has no attention span whatsoever. Still, certain recurring themes of 2010-2011 emerge: Facebook's privacy issues, the media's fascination with the white iPhone, the contested triumph of the tablet, the depredations of Anonymous, and endless tech industry litigation.

In this collection, we revisit some of our favorite tweets from @PCWPluggedIn, covering the months from October 2010 through March 2011. Next week we'll take you the rest of the way through the year.

10/1/10

“Smart” traffic signals coming http://ow.ly/2N8FG. I’d prefer a chip in drivers’ brains so they’d use the $&#%* turn signal.

10/6/10

7 ways to stay fit w/o leaving your cubicle? http://ow.ly/2PtJU. No mention of the most effective: a sturdy chain & no food.

10/9/10

North Korea launches 1st official site http://ow.ly/2Rc4Z. "Glorious DPRK demands access to Star Wars Kid training video," says Kim Jong-un.

10/13/10

Huge, body-controlled Tetris game in Madrid http://ow.ly/2T6k1. Event was preceded by traditional Running of the Blocks.

10/14/10

New technology lets body organs send updates to your phone. http://ow.ly/2TX6n. Be still my tweeting heart!

10/18/10

Human-punching robots test our pain threshold http://ow.ly/2VvN3. "Science schmience. I’d do this for free," says unit X6G97.

10/25/10

Google apologizes for collecting personal data http://bit.ly/bRqVsW. "Ned Zils of 9 Mason St, Flint, MI looks especially upset. Sorry, Ned!"

10/26/10

Japanese robot can investigate crawlspaces http://bit.ly/9ZQBzQ. Firmware update lets it negotiate with raccoons, skunks.

10/29/10

Facebook tool lets visitors track evolving friend relationships http://goo.gl/PmNK. Advance hailed by PIs, divorce lawyers.

11/1/10

Are custom ads getting too personal? http://goo.gl/1tS4. "Don't deny you need a great deal on suppositories," ads respond.

11/3/10

Artist conducts Lego frog dissection http://goo.gl/Wijze. However, attempt to pith Lego frog fails painfully.

11/5/10

North Korea gets new PDA http://goo.gl/CU5Lc. Consumers line up to buy it after rumor spreads that it is edible.

11/16/10

Youngest black hole discovered http://goo.gl/gjvNH. 30-year-old denies being vortex of emptiness, just hasn't found "the right one" yet.

11/17/10

500 million people to use mobile health apps by 2015 http://goo.gl/wTGwK. But 6 billion to use GPS apps to find nearest McDonalds.

11/22/10

Murdoch, Jobs teaming on news app http://goo.gl/R6CyF. Meetings to occur at Superdome to accommodate both egos.

4G label becoming meaningless http://goo.gl/6YxaM. "We should have held the line at the deeply meaningful 3G," analysts say.

Mac Pro desktop rejects sleep mode http://goo.gl/6tJrA. Blames insomnia on Apple's infatuation with "trophy tablet."

12/1/10

Robots don't need us anymore http://goo.gl/QidBL. But they still ask if they can borrow the car next weekend.

Apple responds to Android threat, recruits lawyers http://goo.gl/6b0Om. Suggested new company slogan: "Think litigious."

12/8/10

Analyst: Google Chrome OS is no Windows killer…yet http://goo.gl/b1Dyt. Fact that Windows is still alive is "important clue."

12/9/10

Violinist's $2m Stradivarius stolen while she focused on iPhone games http://goo.gl/Eqcy5. Plans to end tour with ringtone concert.

12/10/10

NASA sells PCs containing secret data http://goo.gl/jwr5n. Luckily, WikiLeaks already posted all the sensitive material.

12/17/10

Yahoo pulls plug on AltaVista http://goo.gl/TikZ5. Remaining six users ponder switch to Magellan.

12/27/10

Attempt to rob restaurant with iPhone “gun” fails http://goo.gl/e215I. I bet the Justin Bieber ringtone gave him away.

Next: The new year begins...