I've been tempted once or twice, but I don't Twitter. However, each time I log onto Facebook, inevitably I see at least one or two twittered status updates from LIFTers. And while it's constantly mentioned across the blogosphere, I was still surprised by Compete's estimate that twitter.com visits have experienced growth exceeding 1650% in the year since Twitter's explosion at SXSW 2007.

Today I'm thinking about Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain, which - as its 1971 film trailer exclaims - "covers 96 of the most critical hours in world history!" and inspired this post's title. A&E, the cable television channel, is premiering a re-make of this classic next month. But what about Twitter?

Folks have been talking about Twitter's role in engaging customers - just the other day, David Armano blogged some great examples. Looking at A&E's page for the upcoming version of the movie, you'll find a couple ways to connect: sign up to receive email newsletters or SMS alerts. As expected.

However, check out A&E's What Happened in Piedmont? (and its players at unfiction.com). Launched two days ago, this alternate reality game appears to mirror the story from the perspective of a university student who can't get in touch with anyone in his rural Utah hometown, presumably wiped out by the alien microbe Andromeda. So far, the game now includes 3 blog posts, some Facebook action, and - yes - 4 Tweets.

Despite the ubiquity of text messaging, surrendering a mobile number for an SMS subscription (or potential in-game phone call) is a commitment some aren't willing to make. In that light, I admire this opportunity for players - well, players demanding continuous situational awareness - to stay connected through SMS, using Twitter as the intermediary for their personal information.