Daily Dispatch: Google launches Twitter Timelines; Plerts personal alert service

Combing through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily, Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through the noise to bring you the tech news most important to consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.

...The timeline lets you go back in time to see what people were saying about any particular topic. It searches updates on Twitter, Facebook, Buzz, and MySpace. It is an attempt to recreate the conversation which occurred at a specific point in time about any topic.

The Number of People Giving Up TV for the Web Is Slowly Gaining Pace (techdirt)

A new report estimates that some 800,000 American households now watch TV only via the Web, as the move to abandon cable, satellite or OTA broadcasts starts to gather pace. This represents a small percentage of the pay TV industry's 101 million subscribers, but the number is expected to double by the end of next year.

What Websites Do You Like? New Twitter Tool Will Tell You (ReadWriteWeb)

The Website Taste Predictor is a new Twitter tool that analyzes your Twitter account in order to recommend websites you would like.

Gadget Inspector: Simplifying The Complex Process Of Buying An Electronic Gizmo (Netted by the WEBBYS)

...The easy-to-use site employs a decision tree process, asking you a series of detailed questions that includes your budget, how you plan to use the device and what your priorities are (in terms of size, picture quality, need for durability, etc.). Measy then calculates a score based on your preferences. From there it selects the five models that come closest to matching your score.

Make your own Search Story video in minutes (Official Google Blog)

...Making videos out of Google searches isn't exactly elaborate Hollywood film-making, but to help everyone get in on the fun, we've made a really simple video creation tool, which you can try today. All you need to do is type in your Google searches, pick some music and — presto! — you've got your very own Search Story to share with your friends or showcase on our YouTube channel.

Plerts Blends Check-Ins With Medical And Personal Safety Alerts (TechCrunch)

Today, startup Plerts is unveiling a service that combines accessibility, geographic location, and privacy for medical and personal safety. It's like Foursquare meets safety alerting system Life360.

BMW introduces smartphone app for roadside assistance (autoblog)

...It works on iPhones, BlackBerries and Android phones – sorry, Palm and WinMo – and expedites requests for any BMW registered in the U.S. since 1975.

Lighter Side: Iggy the cat investigates an iPad (YouTube)