It’s basically the same Tweetdeck application but now you can have a dedicated pre-set column for the latest news from both websites, as well as a shiny Mashable or TechCrunch logo on your Tweetdeck skin.

But are they worth changing to?

Personally, I can’t see the major benefit at this time. Yes, it’s great that now both Mashable and TechCrunch have their logo on Tweetdeck’s interface. But will that really expand their brand?

I’m guessing that most users who already have Tweetdeck installed know about both websites. And you can always just set up your own preset column in the standard Tweetdeck to watch the Mashable and TechCrunch feeds.

What about new users? Mashable promotes their version by saying it’s great for new Twitter users to “get up to speed”. I’m not so sure – new Twitter users might be better getting used to Twitter itself first before trying to control a multi-column app.

Comments on both websites are mixed – some think it’s great while others think it’s a waste of time.

I have to say that I’m with the second camp at the minute. It’s always interesting to see brands experiment with ways to get their name into people’s collective. I’m just not sure this is it.

And with some Tweetdeck users still complaining about performance issues (the new iPhone app crashing, memory hog, etc), wouldn’t it be better for Tweetdeck to concentrate on that first?

What about you? What’s your take on Mashable and TechCrunch’s new Tweetdeck app?

Would it make you question their bias when discussing third-party Twitter apps? How can they make real use of it down the line? Will you be downloading one of them?

photo credit: dprevite

Branded Tweetdeck – Great Idea or Waste of Time? originally appeared on Danny Brown | Social Media Marketing Blog - The Human Side of Media and the Social Side of Marketing under a Creative Commons license.

He is the founder of TechCrunch, one of the leading weblogs dedicated to profiling new Internet companies and products as well as those that are making a cultural impact on the Internet. From a small beginning as just another blog, TechCrunch has been built by Arrington and his team into a site that is consistently featured in online Top 100 lists.

As well as TechCrunch, Michael Arrington has also been involved in numerous other social media start-ups. These include OmniDrive, Dogster and Seesmic amongst others. This has led to Arrington being named as one of the most influential people on the Web.

As much as he is respected for his role in online and social media development, Michael Arrington also draws his fair share of criticism as well – most notably, that he often uses TechCrunch as nothing more than a soap box for his Silicon Valley friends. He’s also been criticised for posting stories on TechCrunch and lambasting people without knowing all the facts, as the debate about a recent story regarding a dying ex-corporate lawyer attests to.

Whether you’re a fan of Arrington or feel he’s been overhyped by both the mainstream and specialist media, there’s no denying the part played by both him and his companies in the rise of social media as a viable medium. For that alone, he deserves his part in the A-Z of social media.

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The A-Z of Social Media Part 1 – Michael Arrington originally appeared on Danny Brown | Social Media Marketing Blog - The Human Side of Media and the Social Side of Marketing under a Creative Commons license.