POPE BENEDICT XVI SENDS FIRST TWEET FROM IPAD

Using the handle @Pontifex, his personal account, the 85-year-old's message read: "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart."
Benedict sent his first tweet from a Vatican account last year when he launched the Vatican's news information portal.
The @Pontifex account is his own, although it is doubtful he is writing his own messages.
Benedict, who writes longhand and does not normally use a computer, will more likely sign off on tweets written in his name.
As of 11am (GMT) today, he had 660,000 followers and was following seven Twitter accounts - all foreign language versions of @Pontifex.
The @Pontifex Twitter name was chosen because it means 'pope and it also means bridge builder'.
Benedict's twitter profile picture shows him waving cheerily in front of a photo of Vatican City.