Twitter - What is it good for? A good example for a user interface?

Lately I have been hooked on twitter- a service for micro blogging, and there is a lot of buzz about it nowadays.
The twitter personal page looks like a good example for simplicity, and the main content section is just that.

A Twitter profile has a very simple (first impression) interface:
There is the noticeable Logo, a big question "what are you doing?" and a big text box.
Below you see "twitts" of people I am following. Delicate tabs show the user the ways of interaction.

However, The rest of the page is not understandable at first - what are device updates? what are followers? what are following? what is the difference between them (facebook and such social networks require interaction to be two way).

After some investigation you will learn that your page is customizable, that you don’t need a two way interaction to follow news, and that your own community on twitter needs work.

The service is really a platform, very few people use the web site, there are desktop applications to improve the experience and twitter service it self provide the ability to set your interaction trough IM clients or mobile phones.

The downfall of twitter is that the first question that comes to mind is "Why use it?"
Most people I questioned about this service said they have no desire to broadcast their life on the net and that is because Twitter user experience first impression is - Sending out.
The most prominent item on the screen is the big text box, the design (arrow head pointing at logo) is like a comics text balloon, the ability to create your own world, these items give the impression that it is all about broadcasting and not receiving.
But the lure of the service is what you can take in, the service provide a good platform for incoming news and updates if you follow the right people.

Lots of people and companies find lots of usage for this platform

You are welcome to follow me on twitter - see twitter side panel.