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Saturday, October 20, 2007
Friendster Newsletter: Now in Chinese
Thursday, October 18, 2007
MySpace to Open Up, Too
MySpace to Open Up, Too
When media tycoon Rupert Murdoch surveys his empire, something looks amiss. His Internet crown jewel, MySpace, boasts 110 million users—more than double the tally for archrival Facebook. Yet Facebook is on the verge of taking a chunk of cash that could give it a value of $15 billion, while shares of Murdoch's News Corp. (NWS) family of businesses have barely budged this year, despite rapid online growth.
What gives? "It tells you that News Corp. is totally underpriced," Murdoch, the company's chief executive, said of his company's share performance at a Web industry conference Oct. 17. Earlier in the day, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of social networking site Facebook, told attendees that the company has nearly wrapped up financing that could value it at $15 billion (BusinessWeek.com, 10/17/07). This year shares of News Corp., which closed Oct. 17 at $23.64, are up just 1.4%, giving the company a market value of $69.61 billion—just five times Facebook's potential value, on nearly 200 times its revenue.
Third-Party Programs
Murdoch and MySpace co-founder and CEO Chris DeWolfe have a plan to change the parent company's online fortunes: They'll make it easier for outside software developers to build MySpace tools and then let them share in resulting ad sales. MySpace is following in the footsteps of Facebook, Apple (AAPL), and other tech trailblazers in harnessing the legions of programmers, many of them independent or affiliated with smaller companies, jonesing to craft the next big consumer application, be it related to games, photos, music, or other interests. "We are opening our platform within the next couple of months to all developers," DeWolfe said at the Web 2.0 conference put on by O'Reilly Media in San Francisco.
For News Corp., the aim is to generate revenue by courting new users and making current ones more active by giving them more to do on the site. Within the next two weeks, MySpace intends to publish a catalog of third-party programs that users can easily find and add to their pages. By December, MySpace plans to test with 2 million members a special portion of the site for installing applications that developers create using tools supplied by MySpace. Most of that software will eventually end up on the broader site, DeWolfe said.
Perhaps most important, MySpace will give outside developers a special page on which they can sell ads. That's big news for developers, whose businesses rest on the booming market for add-on "widget" software for Facebook, MySpace, and other social networks. Facebook's growth has boomed since May, when it opened up. Max Levchin, founder and CEO of widget software maker Slide, calls the ability to sell ads "the single most exciting opportunity for widget makers on MySpace," in an interview before News Corp.'s announcement. "Facebook's innovation was that you don't need a relationship with them to share revenue with them," he says. "They didn't invent the concept of widgets. But they got millions of people to stick around, and they actually made real money. Developers have a financial incentive to play."
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Why Google Won't Help Your VC Pitch
linky:
Why Google Won't Help Your VC Pitch
A conversation with a top venture capitalist yields three cautionary pieces of advice for Web startups seeking seed funding.
Why Google Won't Help Your VC Pitch
A conversation with a top venture capitalist yields three cautionary pieces of advice for Web startups seeking seed funding.
Ancestry.com parent sold for $300 million | Tech News on ZDNet
Ancestry.com parent sold for $300 million | Tech News on ZDNet
The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, said on Wednesday that Spectrum Equity Investors will lead an investment of $300 million to buy a majority stake in the company. Spectrum, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based private equity firm with $4 billion in investments, has been a shareholder in TGN since 2003. Its portfolio includes a variety of financial services, media and communications companies. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Ancestry.com has collected more than 5 billion names from historical records and counts 2.5 million active site members. TGN owns a portfolio of sites including Ancestry.com and related international sites, MyFamily.com, RootsWeb.com and Genealogy.com. Other products include Family Tree Maker software and Ancestry Magazine.
The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, said on Wednesday that Spectrum Equity Investors will lead an investment of $300 million to buy a majority stake in the company. Spectrum, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based private equity firm with $4 billion in investments, has been a shareholder in TGN since 2003. Its portfolio includes a variety of financial services, media and communications companies. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Ancestry.com has collected more than 5 billion names from historical records and counts 2.5 million active site members. TGN owns a portfolio of sites including Ancestry.com and related international sites, MyFamily.com, RootsWeb.com and Genealogy.com. Other products include Family Tree Maker software and Ancestry Magazine.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Seven Steps to Graphing Your Facebook Strategy
For nostalgic hippies in the SF bay area, this was the 40th anniversary of 1967’s famous Summer of Love. But for every Silicon Valley developer, entrepreneur, and VC who has a pulse it’s been the Summer of Facebook.
While it’s easy to put aside geeky exuberance over the latest insanely great technology, it’s impossible to ignore the growing size and scope of Facebook, and the impact it’s having on internet startups and traditional businesses alike. Over half of Facebook’s 43 million users visit every day, spend an average of 20 minutes on the site, and view over 54 billion total page views per month.
In a few short months Facebook has quickly become one of the most impressive user acquisition channels on the web, rivaling SEO & SEM strategies for priority with new startups. Over 60 Facebook applications have more than 1 million total users, and over 40 have at least 100,000 daily users.
With the groundbreaking launch of the Facebook Platform this past spring, and the subsequent runaway growth of Facebook Apps adopted by millions of users this summer, the question on everyone’s lips (including Google and Microsoft) has been: “So what’s your Facebook strategy?”. If you’re still scrambling to figure out yours, read on.
Seven Steps to Graphing Your Facebook StrategyMonday, October 01, 2007
Spotlight on Bebo
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Friday, September 28, 2007
Social Networking Apps for the Enterprise
I've been checking out social networking for then enterprise, here's some stuff to look at in regards to:
BEA AquaLogic Pathways 1.0 http://en.terpri.se/alpathways/demo/demo.html
Cogenz Enterprise Edition 1.0 https://eweek.cogenz.net
Connectbeam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZAwwjm2BEQ
IBM Lotus Connections 1.0 http://demos.dfw.ibm.com/on_demand/Streamed/IBM_Demo_Lotus_Connections-1-Mar07.html
BEA AquaLogic Pathways 1.0 http://en.terpri.se/alpathways/demo/demo.html
Cogenz Enterprise Edition 1.0 https://eweek.cogenz.net
Connectbeam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZAwwjm2BEQ
IBM Lotus Connections 1.0 http://demos.dfw.ibm.com/on_demand/Streamed/IBM_Demo_Lotus_Connections-1-Mar07.html
Monday, September 24, 2007
The Associated Press: Report: Microsoft May Buy Facebook Stake
The Associated Press: Report: Microsoft May Buy Facebook Stake
Setting the stage for a possible bidding battle, Microsoft Corp. is mulling an investment in Facebook Inc. that would value the rapidly growing online hangout at $10 billion or more, according to a report published Monday. Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal said Microsoft is holding preliminary discussions that could culminate in a $300 million to $500 million investment in Facebook, a Palo Alto social-networking site founded just 3 1/2 years ago.
In exchange for the money, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft would receive up to a 5 percent stake in privately held Facebook, which has previously raised nearly $41 million from venture capitalists and other individual investors. Facebook declined to comment on the reported discussions as did Microsoft, which branded the report as 'rumor and speculation.' An outright sale of Facebook is considered unlikely.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's 23-year-old co-founder and chief executive, has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain independent. He rejected a $1 billion acquisition offer from Yahoo Inc. last year.
Setting the stage for a possible bidding battle, Microsoft Corp. is mulling an investment in Facebook Inc. that would value the rapidly growing online hangout at $10 billion or more, according to a report published Monday. Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal said Microsoft is holding preliminary discussions that could culminate in a $300 million to $500 million investment in Facebook, a Palo Alto social-networking site founded just 3 1/2 years ago.
In exchange for the money, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft would receive up to a 5 percent stake in privately held Facebook, which has previously raised nearly $41 million from venture capitalists and other individual investors. Facebook declined to comment on the reported discussions as did Microsoft, which branded the report as 'rumor and speculation.' An outright sale of Facebook is considered unlikely.
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's 23-year-old co-founder and chief executive, has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain independent. He rejected a $1 billion acquisition offer from Yahoo Inc. last year.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
ThemBid.com » Blog Archive » Facebook Founder Announces 10 Million Dollar Grant Fund
ThemBid.com » Blog Archive » Facebook Founder Announces 10 Million Dollar Grant Fund
Mark Zuckerberg has announced today, at the Tech Crunch 40, that the investors at Facebook have created a 10 million dollar fund to support companies that develop on the FaceBook platform. The fund is open for application to existing developers as well as start ups. They are looking for ideas that are innovative and disruptive. No formal web site exists; however, you can pitch your idea directly at platform@facebook.com. They do not require re-payment; however, they want first right of refusal upon obtainment of VC capital. The will fund between 25K and 250K.
Mark Zuckerberg has announced today, at the Tech Crunch 40, that the investors at Facebook have created a 10 million dollar fund to support companies that develop on the FaceBook platform. The fund is open for application to existing developers as well as start ups. They are looking for ideas that are innovative and disruptive. No formal web site exists; however, you can pitch your idea directly at platform@facebook.com. They do not require re-payment; however, they want first right of refusal upon obtainment of VC capital. The will fund between 25K and 250K.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Volkswagen 'Nazi' Subpoena Points Up Social-Networking Privacy Policies
Volkswagen 'Nazi' Subpoena Points Up Social-Networking Privacy Policies
A legal spat between YouTube and Volkswagen is throwing light on the increasing copyright surveillance of social networking sites. Volkswagen has filed a subpoena seeking the identity of a YouTube user who posted a Nazi-themed parody of a recent VW Golf commercial.
Volkswagen's move underscores the privacy risks to a blossoming community of users on sites like YouTube and Yahoo Video, and social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Copyright holders and their agents have long been monitoring activity on file-sharing networks such as BitTorrent and Gnutella. Now they're turning their attention to the social networks.
'The social networking sites have definitely become a new focal point,' said Evan Cox, a San Francisco copyright attorney who, with his colleagues, issue thousands of takedown notices a year. 'As a consequence, they've gotten more focus from copyright owners.'
A legal spat between YouTube and Volkswagen is throwing light on the increasing copyright surveillance of social networking sites. Volkswagen has filed a subpoena seeking the identity of a YouTube user who posted a Nazi-themed parody of a recent VW Golf commercial.
Volkswagen's move underscores the privacy risks to a blossoming community of users on sites like YouTube and Yahoo Video, and social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Copyright holders and their agents have long been monitoring activity on file-sharing networks such as BitTorrent and Gnutella. Now they're turning their attention to the social networks.
'The social networking sites have definitely become a new focal point,' said Evan Cox, a San Francisco copyright attorney who, with his colleagues, issue thousands of takedown notices a year. 'As a consequence, they've gotten more focus from copyright owners.'
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Facebook Parts Walled Garden, Triggers Privacy Concerns
Facebook Parts Walled Garden, Triggers Privacy Concerns
Does opening the social networking site to search indexes make Facebook a 'quasi-White Pages of the Web?
Facebook on Sept. 5 made its member listings searchable by outside users and public search engines, and in a seemingly innocuous move to help its 40 million users find each other, threatened its hard-won reputation for strict privacy practices.
The adjustment means a query of a Facebook member's name on search engines such as Google, Yahoo or MSN will return a user's name and thumbnail picture, and thus the end of the walled garden image often touted by the site.
Conscious of the fact that the new approach may raise privacy concerns, Facebook made it clear that users will only appear in searches outside Facebook when search settings are set to 'Everyone' and will allow users approximately one month to set their privacy options before Facebook allows search engines to index public search listings.
But the practice attracted the attention of several high-tech bloggers, including Danny Sullivan, John Battelle and Om Malik, who, in his blog, GigaOm, called the move a switch from social networking to a 'quasi-White Pages".
Does opening the social networking site to search indexes make Facebook a 'quasi-White Pages of the Web?
Facebook on Sept. 5 made its member listings searchable by outside users and public search engines, and in a seemingly innocuous move to help its 40 million users find each other, threatened its hard-won reputation for strict privacy practices.
The adjustment means a query of a Facebook member's name on search engines such as Google, Yahoo or MSN will return a user's name and thumbnail picture, and thus the end of the walled garden image often touted by the site.
Conscious of the fact that the new approach may raise privacy concerns, Facebook made it clear that users will only appear in searches outside Facebook when search settings are set to 'Everyone' and will allow users approximately one month to set their privacy options before Facebook allows search engines to index public search listings.
But the practice attracted the attention of several high-tech bloggers, including Danny Sullivan, John Battelle and Om Malik, who, in his blog, GigaOm, called the move a switch from social networking to a 'quasi-White Pages".
Friday, September 07, 2007
Quechup is rotten: don't accept invites - Boing Boing
Quechup is rotten: don't accept invites - Boing Boing: "Quechup is rotten: don't accept invites Posted by Xeni Jardin, September 4, 2007 6:30 AM # Discuss (38) As blogged here yesterday: While you were Burning / vacationing / spacing out offline this Labor Day weekend, many folks online were hit with invitations from a social networking service called Quechup that violates your address book, and abuses user trust by spamming all your contacts. "
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Twitter Updates: Exploring Twitter
Hello Twitter-ers,
We've launched a new area of our web site featuring different ways
you can interact with Twitter. Our friends at Stamen Design created
a particularly engaging application called Blocks--an interactive
way to discover people on Twitter. Special thanks to Motorola for
their sponsorship of this launch. There will be more cool stuff
here in the future so please come on by and check it out.
Explore Twitter: http://explore.twitter.com
Are You Mobile?
Sure, Timbaland and his MTV pals Twitter by txt but you don't have
to be a rock star to send and receive Twitter updates on the fly.
If you normally use Twitter over the web, why not switch things
up? Activate your mobile phone to work with Twitter so you can send
and receive updates anytime, anywhere.
Activate your phone: http://twitter.com/devices
Vegas, Baby!
Twitter will be in Las Vegas hobnobbing with some of your favorite
musicians and artists at the Video Music Awards starting tomorrow
and going all weekend. The MTV folks made arrangements to have a
bunch of cool artists Twittering away. If you want to follow these
artists as they party in Vegas, just text FOLLOW VMA to 40404.
Or visit the twitter.com/vma profile.
MTV VMAs: http://twitter.com/vma
What Happened This Morning?
We were performing optimizations to make Twitter faster and more
reliable and it took longer than expected. We scheduled some
downtime for the wee hours of the morning but the work spilled over
into normal human daytime. Hopefully, this didn't put too much of
a crimp in your Twittering style. The good news is we got the work
done and Twitter is better for it.
Search Twitter
Recently, we've launched search so you can find more folks to
follow or even discover people you didn't know were on Twitter. We
also built an easy way to find out who from your Gmail Address book
is already on Twitter. To use either of these new features, click
the "Find & Invite" link at the top of of the Twitter web site.
Find & Invite: http://twitter.com/invitations
Other Cool Stuff
There's a geeky new show premiering later this month on NBC and
the character Twitters: http://twitter.com/chuckbartowski
Reactee has created an easy way to make your own t-shirts
customized with your Twitter username: http://twitter.reactee.com
71Miles is using Twitter to send exclusive, limited discounts to
classy resorts and spas in California: http://twitter.com/71miles
Okay, that's all for now. Gotta get back to work.
Happy Twittering,
Biz Stone and the Twitter Team
http://twitter.com/biz
We've launched a new area of our web site featuring different ways
you can interact with Twitter. Our friends at Stamen Design created
a particularly engaging application called Blocks--an interactive
way to discover people on Twitter. Special thanks to Motorola for
their sponsorship of this launch. There will be more cool stuff
here in the future so please come on by and check it out.
Explore Twitter: http://explore.twitter.com
Are You Mobile?
Sure, Timbaland and his MTV pals Twitter by txt but you don't have
to be a rock star to send and receive Twitter updates on the fly.
If you normally use Twitter over the web, why not switch things
up? Activate your mobile phone to work with Twitter so you can send
and receive updates anytime, anywhere.
Activate your phone: http://twitter.com/devices
Vegas, Baby!
Twitter will be in Las Vegas hobnobbing with some of your favorite
musicians and artists at the Video Music Awards starting tomorrow
and going all weekend. The MTV folks made arrangements to have a
bunch of cool artists Twittering away. If you want to follow these
artists as they party in Vegas, just text FOLLOW VMA to 40404.
Or visit the twitter.com/vma profile.
MTV VMAs: http://twitter.com/vma
What Happened This Morning?
We were performing optimizations to make Twitter faster and more
reliable and it took longer than expected. We scheduled some
downtime for the wee hours of the morning but the work spilled over
into normal human daytime. Hopefully, this didn't put too much of
a crimp in your Twittering style. The good news is we got the work
done and Twitter is better for it.
Search Twitter
Recently, we've launched search so you can find more folks to
follow or even discover people you didn't know were on Twitter. We
also built an easy way to find out who from your Gmail Address book
is already on Twitter. To use either of these new features, click
the "Find & Invite" link at the top of of the Twitter web site.
Find & Invite: http://twitter.com/invitations
Other Cool Stuff
There's a geeky new show premiering later this month on NBC and
the character Twitters: http://twitter.com/chuckbartowski
Reactee has created an easy way to make your own t-shirts
customized with your Twitter username: http://twitter.reactee.com
71Miles is using Twitter to send exclusive, limited discounts to
classy resorts and spas in California: http://twitter.com/71miles
Okay, that's all for now. Gotta get back to work.
Happy Twittering,
Biz Stone and the Twitter Team
http://twitter.com/biz
How Mark Zuckerberg Turned Facebook Into the Web's Hottest Platform
How Mark Zuckerberg Turned Facebook Into the Web's Hottest Platform:
"How Mark Zuckerberg Turned Facebook Into the Web's Hottest Platform By Fred Vogelstein Email 09.06.07 | 2:00 AM Photo: Emily Shur He didn't have much choice but to sell. It was summer 2006, a little more than two years after Mark Zuckerberg had created Facebook in his Harvard dorm room as a way for him and his friends to better connect with schoolmates. In the intervening years, he'd raised $37.7 million from venture capitalists and transformed his modest Web site into a certified social phenomenon. College kids across the nation clamored for access, which Zuckerberg doled out, school by school. By mid-2006, about 7 million users, most of them college students, had a Facebook account."
"How Mark Zuckerberg Turned Facebook Into the Web's Hottest Platform By Fred Vogelstein Email 09.06.07 | 2:00 AM Photo: Emily Shur He didn't have much choice but to sell. It was summer 2006, a little more than two years after Mark Zuckerberg had created Facebook in his Harvard dorm room as a way for him and his friends to better connect with schoolmates. In the intervening years, he'd raised $37.7 million from venture capitalists and transformed his modest Web site into a certified social phenomenon. College kids across the nation clamored for access, which Zuckerberg doled out, school by school. By mid-2006, about 7 million users, most of them college students, had a Facebook account."
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Startup Offers Privacy For Sale -- But Is Anyone Buying?
The commercials have started on TV also - a $1,000,000 guarantee that you won't be a victim of identity theft. The inevitable product of social networks and the internets.
1. Sign up for service
2. Hire script kiddie to break for $10,000
3. PROFIT!?!?!?!
Startup Offers Privacy For Sale -- But Is Anyone Buying?:
Privacy is fast becoming the trendy concept in online marketing. An increasing number of companies are flaunting the steps they've taken to protect the privacy of their customers. But studies suggest consumers won't pay even 25 cents to protect their data. In one week in July, Ask.com unveiled AskEraser, a tool that will allow users to obliterate their search histories; Microsoft announced enhanced privacy controls for its Windows Live service; and Google and Yahoo shrank the amount of time they retained IP addresses and search logs, reducing the ability of government agencies to subpoena such data.
1. Sign up for service
2. Hire script kiddie to break for $10,000
3. PROFIT!?!?!?!
Startup Offers Privacy For Sale -- But Is Anyone Buying?:
Privacy is fast becoming the trendy concept in online marketing. An increasing number of companies are flaunting the steps they've taken to protect the privacy of their customers. But studies suggest consumers won't pay even 25 cents to protect their data. In one week in July, Ask.com unveiled AskEraser, a tool that will allow users to obliterate their search histories; Microsoft announced enhanced privacy controls for its Windows Live service; and Google and Yahoo shrank the amount of time they retained IP addresses and search logs, reducing the ability of government agencies to subpoena such data.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Social Networking Hits Investing
Social Networking Hits Investing:
"Social Networking Hits Investing More investors are meeting and sharing ideas in online trading communities. Should you base your portfolio moves on the wisdom of crowds?"
"Social Networking Hits Investing More investors are meeting and sharing ideas in online trading communities. Should you base your portfolio moves on the wisdom of crowds?"
Friday, August 24, 2007
Your Social Network Can Make You Skinny! (Wellsphere Blog)
Your Social Network Can Make You Skinny! (Wellsphere Blog): "Your Social Network Can Make You Skinny! Harvard researchers prove that being part of a social network of people getting in shape can help you lose weight! San Francisco, Calif., August 16, 2007 — A groundbreaking study released by the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that weight loss can spread from person to person through social networks of friends and families. The study showed the same effect for weight gain and weight loss, finding that “the relevance of social influence also suggests that it may be possible to harness this same force to slow the spread of obesity. “Network phenomena might be exploited to spread positive health behaviors… People are connected, and so their health is connected.” This mirrors the model underlying Wellsphere (www.wellsphere.com ), an online community recently launched by Stanford graduates that is specifically designed for people to help each other eat better, lose weight get fit and unwind"
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog:
There is about 15 different sites available:
"Web 2.0 Invites for August 23rd, 2007 August 23, 2007 — 01:30 AM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Share This — 6 Comments masinvites.PNG Happy Thursday, fellow early adopter. Invites await!"
There is about 15 different sites available:
"Web 2.0 Invites for August 23rd, 2007 August 23, 2007 — 01:30 AM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Share This — 6 Comments masinvites.PNG Happy Thursday, fellow early adopter. Invites await!"
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog:
"Yahoo Teachers: Social Network for Teachers August 23, 2007 — 11:37 AM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Share This — 3 Comments yteachers.PNG Yahoo is building a combination of social network, collaborative space and (most of all), lesson plan creator for educators called Yahoo Teachers."
"Yahoo Teachers: Social Network for Teachers August 23, 2007 — 11:37 AM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Share This — 3 Comments yteachers.PNG Yahoo is building a combination of social network, collaborative space and (most of all), lesson plan creator for educators called Yahoo Teachers."
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog
Mashable! - The Social Networking Blog: "YouTube Users Hate Ads; Won’t Make Money Anyway August 23, 2007 — 12:33 PM PDT — by Pete Cashmore — Share This — 3 Comments vidads.PNG The reactions are in from YouTube users about the addition of video ads, and it’s a wholly negative response. Part of the issue is that the YouTube blog tried to spin this as a way of putting users in control (obviously unwanted ads provide less control, not more), and partly it’s the end of the free lunch that YouTube has given users thus far. Some selected responses to the announcement:"
Looking To Invest In Social Media? Check Out Classmates Media's IPO (Social Networking Stats also)
Looking To Invest In Social Media? Check Out Classmates Media's IPO
Larry Dignan ( ZDNet) submits: United Online's (UNTD ) Classmates Media (CLAS) unit filed for a $125 million IPO in what could be a good litmus test for social media plays on Wall Street. Classmates isn't Facebook ( all resources), but does have enough name recognition to garner interest for investors looking to buy into the social media hubbub.
The company plans to trade under the ticker "CLAS" and has lined up some heavyweight investment bankers-Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank.
With the IPO it appears that Classmates is trying to front run some buzz ahead of social media peers such as Facebook and LinkedIn. MySpace is already part of Rupert Murdoch's empire. Classmates, which seems like it has been around forever, has 50 million registered user accounts as of June 30 and 2.7 million paid accounts.
Not too shabby for a site I've basically left for dead aside from a few visits following email prodding. It's also not bad for a site that doesn't rank among 
After the IPO, United Online will control the company's Class B shares and Classmates. Classmates' IPO filing didn't detail how much United Online will own. United Online , which also owns NetZero, acquired Classmates in November 2004. MyPoints went public in 1999, and was acquired by United Airlines' parent in 2001. United Media then bought MyPoints in April 2006.
As for the financial outlook, Classmates Media is running a small loss. For the quarter ending March 30, the company had a net loss of $250,000 on revenue of $42.4 million. For 2006, the company had a profit of $171,000 on revenue of $152 million. The annual results are on a pro forma basis as if MyPoints and Classmates had been combined. Both were subsidiaries of United Online.
The biggest risk factor mentioned by Classmates is competition with the usual suspects. From the SEC filing:
Our social networking services compete with a wide variety of social networking Web sites, including broad social networking Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook; a number of specialty Web sites, including LinkedIn, Reunion.com and Monster.com 's (MNST) Military.com service, that offer similar online social networking services based on school, work or military communities; and an increasing number of schools, employers and associations that maintain their own Internet-based alumni information services.
And...
Our MyPoints loyalty marketing business faces competition for members from several other loyalty programs that offer competitive online products and services, including Ebates, Upromise and ThankYou Network. We also face competition from offline loyalty rewards programs that have a significant online presence, such as those operated by credit card, airline and hotel companies.
The company's plan seems to be increasing and maintaining paying subscribers, a tough chore considering "only a small percentage of members initially registering for our social networking services sign up for a paid subscription at the time of registration."
I have seen a few folks pay for Classmates.com, but it takes repeated emails. More often than not people try Classmates, but don't buy. To wit:
The number of free members returning to our Web sites has been decreasing, and if we were to continue to experience such decreases, it would likely adversely impact our number of paying subscribers.
Bottom line: From United Online's perspective the IPO is a nice move to monetize Classmates at what could be the peak of the social media buzz. For investors, the deal may not be such a no-brainer.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Twitter, new features - Introducing People Search
Via email:
Hello Twitter-ers,
It's new feature season and we're starting with People Search.
This new Twitter feature is great for finding more people to
follow because it searches profile information such as name,
location, bio, and url. Come on by and find out if your friends
are already Twittering and you just didn't know it! The search
field is on the right side of Twitter when you sign in:
http://twitter.com
Twitter & MTV
We're partnering with MTV for the Video Music Awards next month.
They have some fun ideas which involve artists and celebrities
including the MTV Moonman twittering from Las Vegas during the
whole weekend leading up to the VMA broadcast on Sunday,
September 9th. Also, Twitter's gonna be on TV! We're looking
forward to it. The artists who will be joining Twitter are popular
and you can get their updates by following the Video Music Awards
on Twitter.
Follow VMA: http://twitter.com/vma
Nelson is Twitter Family
Speaking of celebrities, the genius behind Google's Search API is
Nelson Minar. Nelson left Google a while back but joined Twitter
months ago as a permanent advisor. Nelson continues to provide us
with engineering advice, helps us work through scaling and
infrastructure details, and in general brings more engineering
"gravitas" to our operation. Nelson is a such valued part of the
Twitter team we gave him an iPhone preloaded with all our phone
numbers. So yeah, Nelson rocks. http://twitter.com/nelson
A Fine Frenzy
Alison Sudol is the young musician behind A Fine Frenzy and it's
been really fun following her on tour for her first album, One
Cell in The Sea. Some of us from Twitter listened to her sing when
she came to San Francisco and had the opportunity to say hello to
Alison and her grandmother who she brought to the show. Her
grandmother told us she prints out every twitter Alison makes and
worries when she skips a day. (She also prints out Barack Obama's
twitters.)
Follow Alison: http://twitter.com/afinefrenzy
We don't recommend everyone print out Twitter updates as it's not
ecologically sustainable. However, when Alison's grandmother does
it, it's awesome. Okay, that's all for now.
Happy Twittering!
Biz Stone and the Twitter Team
http://twitter.com/biz
Hello Twitter-ers,
It's new feature season and we're starting with People Search.
This new Twitter feature is great for finding more people to
follow because it searches profile information such as name,
location, bio, and url. Come on by and find out if your friends
are already Twittering and you just didn't know it! The search
field is on the right side of Twitter when you sign in:
http://twitter.com
Twitter & MTV
We're partnering with MTV for the Video Music Awards next month.
They have some fun ideas which involve artists and celebrities
including the MTV Moonman twittering from Las Vegas during the
whole weekend leading up to the VMA broadcast on Sunday,
September 9th. Also, Twitter's gonna be on TV! We're looking
forward to it. The artists who will be joining Twitter are popular
and you can get their updates by following the Video Music Awards
on Twitter.
Follow VMA: http://twitter.com/vma
Nelson is Twitter Family
Speaking of celebrities, the genius behind Google's Search API is
Nelson Minar. Nelson left Google a while back but joined Twitter
months ago as a permanent advisor. Nelson continues to provide us
with engineering advice, helps us work through scaling and
infrastructure details, and in general brings more engineering
"gravitas" to our operation. Nelson is a such valued part of the
Twitter team we gave him an iPhone preloaded with all our phone
numbers. So yeah, Nelson rocks. http://twitter.com/nelson
A Fine Frenzy
Alison Sudol is the young musician behind A Fine Frenzy and it's
been really fun following her on tour for her first album, One
Cell in The Sea. Some of us from Twitter listened to her sing when
she came to San Francisco and had the opportunity to say hello to
Alison and her grandmother who she brought to the show. Her
grandmother told us she prints out every twitter Alison makes and
worries when she skips a day. (She also prints out Barack Obama's
twitters.)
Follow Alison: http://twitter.com/afinefrenzy
We don't recommend everyone print out Twitter updates as it's not
ecologically sustainable. However, when Alison's grandmother does
it, it's awesome. Okay, that's all for now.
Happy Twittering!
Biz Stone and the Twitter Team
http://twitter.com/biz
Thursday, August 16, 2007
MTV Networks to invest big money in games | Tech News on ZDNet
MTV Networks to invest big money in games | Tech News on ZDNet
MTV Networks to invest big money in games Reuters Published on ZDNet News: Aug 16, 2007 2:11:00 PM TalkBack * Share o Digg o Del.ico.us * Print * Email * * + 1 1 Tags: Reuters, Games MTV Networks plans to invest well over $500 million in video games, seeing the red-hot entertainment category as a major pillar of growth in its goal to reach consumers wherever they spend time. The two-year investment is part of a global strategy to incorporate games development at the inception of all new programming plans and not as an afterthought, executives say.
MTV Networks to invest big money in games Reuters Published on ZDNet News: Aug 16, 2007 2:11:00 PM TalkBack * Share o Digg o Del.ico.us * Print * Email * * + 1 1 Tags: Reuters, Games MTV Networks plans to invest well over $500 million in video games, seeing the red-hot entertainment category as a major pillar of growth in its goal to reach consumers wherever they spend time. The two-year investment is part of a global strategy to incorporate games development at the inception of all new programming plans and not as an afterthought, executives say.
Mobile Social Networking: $6 B by 2012
Mobile Social Networking: $6 B by 2012
"Mobile Social Networking: $6 B by 2012
User-generated revenues from social networking sites are expected to grow exponentially as users go mobile by Gemma Simpson Related Items * Leader: Is it safer to hide cash under your mattress? * Editor's Blog: Tech improves... but we don't? * The Weekly Round-Up: 22.06.07 * The CIOs transforming government IT * Bloggers driving change in Egypt Story Tools * post a comment * e-mail this story * print this story * order a reprint * digg this * save to del.icio.us partner logo Social networking fans will drive mobile user-generated content revenues to nearly $6bn by 2012. User-generated revenues from social networking services, dating and content uploaded to third party sites will increase from $572m in 2007 to more than $5.7bn in 2012, analyst house Juniper Research predicts. Social networking is expected to bring in half of the $5.7bn total revenue by the end of the 2012 forecast period, according to Juniper."
"Mobile Social Networking: $6 B by 2012
User-generated revenues from social networking sites are expected to grow exponentially as users go mobile by Gemma Simpson Related Items * Leader: Is it safer to hide cash under your mattress? * Editor's Blog: Tech improves... but we don't? * The Weekly Round-Up: 22.06.07 * The CIOs transforming government IT * Bloggers driving change in Egypt Story Tools * post a comment * e-mail this story * print this story * order a reprint * digg this * save to del.icio.us partner logo Social networking fans will drive mobile user-generated content revenues to nearly $6bn by 2012. User-generated revenues from social networking services, dating and content uploaded to third party sites will increase from $572m in 2007 to more than $5.7bn in 2012, analyst house Juniper Research predicts. Social networking is expected to bring in half of the $5.7bn total revenue by the end of the 2012 forecast period, according to Juniper."
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Failure of Second Life's Ginko Financial Leads to Calls for Regulation
Failure of Second Life's Ginko Financial Leads to Calls for Regulation
Bank Failure in Second Life Leads to Calls for Regulation By Bryan Gardiner
The recent collapse of Ginko Financial, a 'virtual investment bank' in Second Life, has spurred calls for more oversight, transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to business practices in the metaverse. Last week, Ginko Financial -- an unregulated bank that promised investors astronomical returns (in excess of 40 percent) and was run by a faceless owner whose identity is still a mystery -- announced it would no longer exist as a financial entity.
The declared insolvency meant the bank would be unable to repay approximately 200,000,000 Lindens (U.S. $750,000) to Second Life residents who had invested their money with the bank over the course of its three and a half years of existence.
Bank Failure in Second Life Leads to Calls for Regulation By Bryan Gardiner
The recent collapse of Ginko Financial, a 'virtual investment bank' in Second Life, has spurred calls for more oversight, transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to business practices in the metaverse. Last week, Ginko Financial -- an unregulated bank that promised investors astronomical returns (in excess of 40 percent) and was run by a faceless owner whose identity is still a mystery -- announced it would no longer exist as a financial entity.
The declared insolvency meant the bank would be unable to repay approximately 200,000,000 Lindens (U.S. $750,000) to Second Life residents who had invested their money with the bank over the course of its three and a half years of existence.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Wikipedia is only as anonymous as your IP
Wikipedia is only as anonymous as your IP: "Wikipedia is only as anonymous as your IP Virgil Griffith, a good friend and fellow hacker, reminds us today that anonymity on the internet does not really exist. With his newly released search tool Wikiscanner, you can search an index of 35 million Wikipedia edits by IP, allowing you to find edits coming from within organizations like the CIA or the EFF (bonus if you can find something about Kevin Bankston smoking)."
STUNNING: Facebook on the iPhone
STUNNING: Facebook on the iPhone - Go to themob.facebook.com on your iPhone or web browser to behold what might be the best iPhone app so far.
I think stunning may be pushing it a bit. , but it is very good, esp. that fast.
I think stunning may be pushing it a bit. , but it is very good, esp. that fast.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Apple's new iMac - Engadget
Apple's new iMac - Engadget:
Who could've seen this one coming? Apple surprised no one this morning with brand new iMacs. Built from aluminum and glass, the new all-in-one desktops feature a complete, slimmer redesign and will come in two sizes: 20-inch and 24-inch. There's the usual compliment of ports like USB 2.0, Firewire 400 / 800, a slot loading SuperDrive, iSight camera and so forth. The new look features a glossy display to match the majority of Apple's consumer lineup, and new keyboards are indeed coming along for the ride -- in an extended wired version as well as a mini wire free model, running the Bluetooth 2.0 spec. Under the hood Apple has up to a 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme processor, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro graphics, up to 1TB of storage, 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.0, with 8x SuperDrives and 1GB of RAM standard across the board. Prices start at $1,199 for the 20-inch, $1,499 for a processor and graphics bump, $1,799 for the 24-incher and $2,299 for Core 2 Extreme. The full rundown of Apple's stock models is after the break."
Who could've seen this one coming? Apple surprised no one this morning with brand new iMacs. Built from aluminum and glass, the new all-in-one desktops feature a complete, slimmer redesign and will come in two sizes: 20-inch and 24-inch. There's the usual compliment of ports like USB 2.0, Firewire 400 / 800, a slot loading SuperDrive, iSight camera and so forth. The new look features a glossy display to match the majority of Apple's consumer lineup, and new keyboards are indeed coming along for the ride -- in an extended wired version as well as a mini wire free model, running the Bluetooth 2.0 spec. Under the hood Apple has up to a 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme processor, ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro graphics, up to 1TB of storage, 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.0, with 8x SuperDrives and 1GB of RAM standard across the board. Prices start at $1,199 for the 20-inch, $1,499 for a processor and graphics bump, $1,799 for the 24-incher and $2,299 for Core 2 Extreme. The full rundown of Apple's stock models is after the break."
Education 2.0: The College Student's Guide to File Sharing
Education 2.0: The College Student's Guide to File Sharing: "Education 2.0: The College Student's Guide to File Sharing"
College: You finally made it. But now that you're here, how should you spend your first few weeks at school?
Filling up the hard drive of your brand-new Toshiba R500 with loads of music and video files, that's how -- harnessing the full file-sharing power of a high-speed university-class network?
But how? Is it safe? Legal? Faster than asking your parents to burn a few DVDs and put them into their monthly care package?
Excellent questions -- the mark of a true student. Welcome to File Sharing 101.
Digg - Best. Ad. Ever
Digg - Best. Ad. Ever
This ad is in the latest issue of Linux Journal has been run before (in 2000), and it offended some folks. Well, that didn't stop them from running it again.
Not really social networking, at all, but, funny.
This ad is in the latest issue of Linux Journal has been run before (in 2000), and it offended some folks. Well, that didn't stop them from running it again.
Not really social networking, at all, but, funny.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A simple introduction to social networking (and some more up and coming sites)
The year is 2007 and the most popular meeting place on earth is the World Wide Web! Just what does this mean? Quite simply that there are millions and millions of internet users that are connecting to each other online and creating “virtual meeting places”. Whether you are a chess enthusiast or an avid cook, whether you collect rare insects or are devoted to keeping up with the latest fashion trends, or even if you simply enjoy being in touch with people around the world, there is a virtual gathering place for almost every interest and taste.
For an affiliate, the potential contained in these social networks is enormous. With their rate of growth, the possibility of gaining new customers and establishing relationships with potential partners within specific verticals is endless. A large number of networking sites make it easy to find users that are interested in similar topics, which means a marketer can find profiles and networks of users suited for their particular vertical(s) with relative ease. Growth and profits derived from social networks start with a proper understanding of these social portals.
Tips:
- Start by getting to know the biggest and most popular networks.
- As you get more comfortable, identify social networks within your vertical(s).
- Become an avid participant in the area(s) you have identified.
- Beware of the hard sell.
- Have a creative site that has original content and is in tune with the target audience.
It is advisable to spend a good amount of time perusing some of the bigger existing social networks. This will allow you to understand the inner workings of these sites and to get to know their specific lingo – key factors in getting you comfortable enough to become an avid participant. LinkedIn, a profile-based website, is one of the fastest growing networking sites for professionals. An affiliate can benefit from LinkedIn by creating their own profile which highlights their main portals and the programs they have worked with successfully in the past. Using a service like LinkedIn allows affiliates to reach not only affiliate and marketing managers, but can also help establish relationships with other sites with which they may want to partner or provide co-registration services.
The hottest social network sites:
Digg ~ http://www.digg.com
Myspace ~ http://www.myspace.com
LinkedIn ~ http://www.linkedin.com
Del.Icio.Us ~ http://del.icio.us
Newsvine.com ~ http://www.newsvine.com
StumbleUpon.com ~ http://www.stumbleupon.com
Yahoo 360 ~ http://360.yahoo.com
Growing social network sites:
RepVine ~ www.repvine.com
Netscape ~ www.netscape.com
MyBlogLog ~ www.mybloglog.com
Magnolia ~ http://ma.gnolia.com
For the intrepid affiliate that is on the continuous search for new and innovative opportunities, tapping into social networks is a great strategy. After all, the internet is all about relationships – building relationships, expanding the boundaries of existing relationships and creating communities where the relationship sky is limitless.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Sulake Enters The Social Networking Market – Acquires a Highly Successful Social Networking Service in Finland with Intention to Launch Internationall
The company behind easy-to-use virtual world Habbo expands its product portfolio and becomes the largest online community company in the Nordics.
Helsinki, Finland (rushprnews) April 24, 2007 — Sulake Corporation, the company behind Habbo, one of the world’s largest virtual worlds for teenagers, takes a strong step towards the social networking scene by acquiring Finland’s leading social networking service IRC-Galleria.
The acquisition makes Sulake the biggest company in online communities and virtual worlds in the Nordic region. Sulake’s online services now reach more young people than any other media in Finland.
Sulake’s long-term goal has been to broaden its product portfolio with new online services, which can be launched internationally by utilizing the unique international network Sulake has built for Habbo. Currently Sulake has offices in 19 countries with a staff of over 300, over 150 payment methods in 32 countries, global hosting centers as well as distribution and marketing partners all over the world.
The objective of the deal is to launch a new social networking service based on IRC-Galleria concept to carefully selected countries using Sulake’s infrastructure and experience. The IRC-Galleria concept has localized versions already in Russia, Estonia, Lithuania and Germany.
Timo Soininen, CEO of Sulake Corporation: ”Sulake’s objective is to become a major global player in online entertainment by focusing on virtual worlds and social networking services. We want to build a portfolio of products, which offer a wide range of social interaction services and entertainment for different target groups and for different user needs. Our new service IRC-Galleria fits this goal perfectly. The company behind the service and its skilled employees together with Sulake’s current resources gives us a magnificent opportunity to build up a new internationally successful social networking service. Sulake has managed to make Habbo one the most spectacular success stories in the area of virtual worlds and communities and I’m confident we can do this again.”
Taneli Tikka, CEO of Dynamoid comments: ”Our service has always been about real and active users. Our average user spends more than 20 hours in the service monthly, which is over ten times more than an average user in MySpace. An active IRC-Galleria user spends more than 35 hours per month using the service. Being a part of the Sulake group gives us a perfect chance to develop our business for international markets. We are thrilled about the opportunity to join the international network that Sulake offers.”
2.2 billion monthly page impressions in IRC-Galleria
IRC-Galleria is by far the largest and most used social networking service in Finland. The site is visited by more than 850 000 Finns every week (source: TNS Metrix) and the service has over 415 000 active members. The site receives an astonishing 2.2 billion monthly page impressions, which makes it one of the most active online communities in the world.
IRC-Galleria is an interactive service where users can e.g. post and share their photos and music on their own customized site, joint different communities and communicate with people in many ways. Currently the members are on average 19.5 years old and over half of the registered are over 18. Basic usage of IRC-Gallery is free, but users have an option to purchase additional services and enhancements. The service can also be used with a mobile phone. (wap.irc.fi)
Finland: http://irc-galleria.net/
Russia: http://my-gallery.ru/
Germany: http://ircgalerie.net/
Estonia: http://minugalerii.ee/
Lithuania: http://manogalerija.lt
Habbo has over 75 million registered avatars
Sulake’s main product Habbo, one of the world’s largest and most popular virtual worlds for teenagers, has already over 76 million registered avatars. Currently operating in 29 countries, the Habbo communities are visited by 7 million users per month, each user spending an average of over 30 minutes per session in the virtual world and community.
For more information please contact:
Sulake Corporation Oy, Timo Soininen, CEO, tel. + 358 50 564 8269
Dynamoid Oy, Taneli Tikka, CEO, tel. +358 40 771 9828
General press contact:
Sulake Corporation Oy, Juhani Lassila, Communications Manager, tel. +358 40 541 2365
Press images: http://irc-galleria.net/press
About Sulake:
Sulake is an online entertainment company focused on virtual worlds and social networking. Sulake’s main product is Habbo, one of the world’s fastest growing virtual worlds and online communities for teenagers. There are localized Habbo communities in 29 countries on five continents. To date over 76 million Habbo characters have been created and 7 million unique users worldwide visit Habbo each month (source: Nielsen Netratings). Habbo brand is being extended to include mobile games and content as well as real-life products.
Sulake was established in 2000 and it has more than doubled its annual revenues each year. The main shareholders in Sulake include Taivas Group, Elisa Group, 3i Group plc, and Benchmark Capital followed by Movida Group (in Japan), the company’s founders Sampo Karjalainen and Aapo Kyrölä, Sulake’s CEO Timo Soininen and other personnel.
Sulake has offices in 19 countries. Headquarters is situated in Helsinki, Finland. Currently the company has 300 employees worldwide.
About DynamoidDynamoid Oy is a company behing Finland’s most popular social networking service IRC-Gallery. The company was founded in 2003 and has grown significantly every year. Currently the company has 27 employees and besides the Finnish IRC-Galleria, the company has opened services in Russia, Estonia, Lithuania and Germany. The company’s product portfolio also includes the Dark Portal game community, aimed at World of Warcraft players.
Blogs, social networks used by the wealthy
Marketers wanting to make inroads to wealthy clientele should target blogs and social networks. That, according to a new study which indicates that the wealthy in America are interacting on social networking sites and reading blogs more than the general public.
According to a recent survey from the Luxury Institute, a full 76% of wealthy Americans are reading blogs. That is up from 57% in the 2005 study. Also interesting is that more wealthy Americans are blogging themselves (24%), up from 18% in 2005.
Compare that with the median income Americans and it is clear that those with more money appear to be more interested in technological advances. According to the report, only 25% of the general American population read blogs and only 9% maintain their own blogs.
Instant messaging is also a mode of communication that more wealthy Americans are using (55%) than the general public (39%). Also, 31% of wealthy Americans are active on a social networking site compared with only 16% of the general public.
For the study, the Luxury Institute polled 1,000 web users making $150,000 or more each year.
This is a clear indication that marketers with high-end merchandise need to accommodate the wealthy in their online advertising campaigns. Rather than simply purchases display ads on supposed-high-end websites, marketers may get a better response from advertising within the social mediums - advertising within high-traffic blogs or on social networks.
John Edwards + Social Networking
Much has been said about the candidates and social networking, however, I just think what they did here was really a good approach:
http://johnedwards.com/action/networking/
http://johnedwards.com/action/networking/
list of social networking sites
Check here for all the latest, I will repost as I find them:
| Name | Description/Focus |
|---|---|
| 43 Things | Tagging |
| Advogato | Free Software and Open Source developers |
| aSmallWorld | European jet set and social elite |
| BlackPlanet.com | African-Americans |
| Bebo | Schools and colleges |
| Blue Dot | Link sharing |
| Broadcaster.com | Video sharing and webcam chat |
| Blurty | Blogs, based on LiveJournal |
| Bolt | General (music and video) |
| CarDomain | Car enthusiasts |
| Care2 | Green living and activism |
| Classmates.com | School, college, work and the military |
| Consumating | "Consumeetings" |
| Couchsurfing | "Couchsurfing" |
| Cyworld | Young South Koreans |
| Dandelife | Collective narratives or "shared biographies" |
| DeadJournal | "Dark" blogs, based on LiveJournal |
| Dodgeball.com | Mobile location-based service, owned by Google |
| DontStayIn | Clubbing (primarily UK) |
| Doostang | Careers |
| Ecademy | Business |
| eSPIN | Teen Dating |
| College/High School students | |
| Faceparty | British teens and 20-somethings |
| Flirtomatic | Flirting/Dating |
| Flickr | Photo sharing |
| Fotki | Photo sharing |
| Friends Reunited | School, college, work, sport and streets |
| Friendster | General |
| Frühstückstreff | General |
| FUPEI | General (Photo, Video, Music, Games, Event, and Chat Room) |
| Gaia Online | Anime and Games |
| Gazzag | General |
| Geni.com | Families, genealogy |
| GoPets | Virtual pets |
| Graduates.com | School, college, and work |
| GreatestJournal | Blogs, based on LiveJournal |
| Grono.net | Poland |
| Hi5 | General |
| Hyves | General; focus on students and Dutch speakers |
| imeem | Instant messaging |
| IMVU | 3D chat software |
| IRC-Galleria | Finland |
| iWiW | Hungary |
| Joga Bonito | Football (soccer) |
| JuiceCaster | General |
| Last.fm | Music |
| Business | |
| LiveJournal | Blogging |
| LunarStorm | Sweden |
| MEETin | General |
| Meetup.com | General |
| MiGente.com | Latinos |
| Mixi | Japan |
| MOG | Music |
| Multiply | "Real world" relationships |
| MySpace | General |
| myYearbook | General |
| Netlog | European young adults (14-24). Formerly known as Facebox. |
| Nexopia | Canada |
| orkut | Owned by Google |
| Passado | General |
| Phrasebase | Foreign Languages (education) |
| Piczo | Teenagers, Canadians, photo sharing |
| Playahead | Swedish teenagers |
| ProfileHeaven | British teens |
| RateItAll | Consumer ratings + social networking |
| Reunion.com | Locating friends and family, keeping in touch |
| Rimzu | Sociometric rankings |
| Ringo.com | General |
| Ryze | Business |
| Sconex | American high schools |
| Sportsvite | Recreational Sports |
| Studivz | University students, mostly in the German-speaking countries |
| Stumbleupon | Websurfing |
| TagWorld | General (tagging) |
| TakingITGlobal | Social action |
| The Student Center | Teens and colleges |
| Threadless | Custom T-shirts |
| Travellerspoint | Travel |
| Tribe.net | General |
| Update friends with your status through SMS, IM, web interfaces | |
| Vampire Freaks | Gothic industrial culture |
| Vox | Blogging |
| WAYN | Travel & Lifestyle |
| WebBiographies | Genealogy & Biography |
| Windows Live Spaces | Blogging (formerly MSN Spaces) |
| Xanga | Blogs and "metro" areas |
| Business | |
| Xuqa | Colleges |
| Yahoo! 360° | Linked to Yahoo! IDs |
| Yelp | United States adults |
| Zaadz | Social consciousness |
Social Networking 3.0
If there were a competition for "Internet Buzzword of the Year," last year's winner would have been "social networking," as a cohort of companies such as Ryze, Tribe, LinkedIn, Friendster, Spoke, and Visible Path, rolled out new or improved services that let Web users create online mirrors of their circle of real-life acquaintances. The idea was mainly to let users build online profiles that advertised their interests and to help them connect with friends and friends-of-friends around one of those interests -- whether it be finding a job, making a sale, or repairing an old motorcycle.
But with the exception of Friendster and Myspace, the initial response to these services among average Internet users was sluggish. Many users signed up for one or more services, created online profiles, formed connections with a few acquaintances, and drifted away, uncertain about how to use the networks.
But today, not only have all of these companies survived; they're experiencing record growth, introducing new technology and new money-making features, and being joined by sophisticated new competitors such as iMeem. Moreover, they're joining the parade of sites offering "rich media" -- the big buzzword of 2005 -- by encouraging users to share their own content online, including photos, videos, music, and other digital files.
Social networking, in other words, is finally becoming a real business with a convincing product.
"A year ago a lot of our users were pretty unclear about what they could do," says Konstantin Guericke, co-founder and vice president of marketing at LinkedIn, a social network focusing on business connections. "They knew they were getting invitations to join the network, and they knew how to accept invitations, and sometimes they sent their own invitations -- but they weren't sure what else to do with that."
A year later, LinkedIn's membership has grown from 1 million to 4.2 million; users are conducting 5 million searches a month for potential contacts within their own networks, and the company has launched several revenue-producing features, such as paid subscription options that allow members to search profiles outside their immediate circle of friends and friends-of-friends.
Rather than simply passing requests for introductions back and forth through their networks -- which was about all they could do a year ago -- LinkedIn members are using their networks for practical purposes, like finding job candidates, locating business and legal services, and coordinating group activities.
What makes all this possible, says Guericke, is the user-generated content LinkedIn holds in its members' profiles, such as resumes and testimonials. "First, we are a search engine. But second, we are a publishing platform -- about yourself and what other people say about you," Guericke says. "It just creates a more powerful business."
MySpace to Exclusively Stream Rip Curl Shows
Rip Curl, a company dedicated to products and events surrounding action board sports.
With the exclusive partnership, Rip Curl content will be broadcast and promoted on MySpace. Rip Curl Search TV shows, their International Films back catalog, and streaming and event video productions from Rip Curl contests will show on MySpace and their own website. As both companies have a global audience, the deal is beneficial for all parties involved. Rip Curl reaches a broader audience, and MySpace ramps up their online video offerings, moving beyond the realm of user-generated content to more premium offerings.
The deal signifies the onset of a new video strategy for MySpace, which is important as they play catch-up to YouTube, who has landed several deals with broadcast networks, and Joost, who has recently signed deals with several players in the indie film market.
NeighBorrow : Social Borrowing?
Now you can borrow, trade or outright get things from other people. NeighBorrow is a social networking site that will let you find other people that have the things you need and want.
If you have something you don't use often and don't mind lending it, or if you have something but want something else, or if you have something you just don't need anymore at all, consider lending it, trading it or donating it to someone else. That's what NeighBorrow is all about.
Right now you can only share with groups you belong to. You can create your own group. Maybe you can get everyone in your family to sign up as a group, or everyone at work. Then when someone has something they can lend they can list it and someone else will know the item is available and can borrow it.
They will be adding a shipping feature in the future to make sending items to each other easier. In the meantime you can't borrow within the entire network so you'll need to search around and find some groups to join so you can share across the Internet.
If you have something you don't use often and don't mind lending it, or if you have something but want something else, or if you have something you just don't need anymore at all, consider lending it, trading it or donating it to someone else. That's what NeighBorrow is all about.
Right now you can only share with groups you belong to. You can create your own group. Maybe you can get everyone in your family to sign up as a group, or everyone at work. Then when someone has something they can lend they can list it and someone else will know the item is available and can borrow it.
They will be adding a shipping feature in the future to make sending items to each other easier. In the meantime you can't borrow within the entire network so you'll need to search around and find some groups to join so you can share across the Internet.
Five reasons social networking doesn't work
older, but interesting:
The word on the street lately is that social networking is in trouble. Friendster's CEO, Scott Sassa (most famous for firing a blogger who wrote about the company) recently departed in the face of a rapidly dwindling user base. Friendster has also introduced its own for-pay blogging tool as an all-too-ironic money-making scheme. Business networking site LinkedIn started charging for its job listings. Meanwhile, the recent launch of the Yahoo 360 beta has the blogosphere speculating that Friendster, the pioneer, is already on its deathbed. And Business 2.0 has a good article in this month's issue (subscription required) about how the indie music networking site MySpace is, for all intents and purposes, the only successful site, with more than $20 million in ad sales this year and plenty of long-staying subscribers.
Social networking is laboring under the inescapable weight of the dot-com curse: you have to find the money. No matter how cool your idea is, it's dead on arrival without an actual business plan. At least, that's the theory. If that's true, though, why has blogging, which seems like a neat idea dependent on interest but without a concrete revenue stream, managed to not just thrive, but really dominate the Web? How is it that free instant messengers are as indispensable as any search engine, and little guys like Trillian are still going strong? Is it really true that free services can't be effective business plans? Or is it possible that--gasp!--social networking isn't really that tenable an idea after all?
The social networking experience
I've gotten a lot of invitations to Friendster over the years, which, to be honest, I ignored. I always just assumed I didn't have time for that tomfoolery. Plus, I already had a boyfriend, and I already had friends. I know that all sounds horribly snobby, but there it is. But then, along came Orkut. Suddenly, because I was working in the Geek Zone, my coworkers were sending me Orkut invites. Every geek I knew was into it, and the peer pressure got too strong. I signed up. I filled out my little Orkut profile (I think I even uploaded a photo), and for about three weeks, my friends, coworkers, and I obsessively hung out on Orkut. And then, suddenly, we just got bored--weirdly, all at the same time. My entire Orkut generation, all the people who'd found it at the same time I did, just up and lost interest. Of course, round about that time, Orkut got painfully slow, and although it's better now (I just checked it out in the course of writing this column--hey, maybe I'll have a resurgence of interest!), it's still a heck of a lot easier to just e-mail or instant-message the people I know.
The five horsemen
Therein, I think, lies one of the five problems I've identified with social networking, and a good segue into my list.
1. There's nothing to do there
As Business 2.0 points out, a simple destination site won't cut it. My big beef with Friendster was always, "Well, what would I do there?" Visiting most social networking sites is akin to getting invited to a party where all the cool kids are going, then showing up and finding out there's no food, no drinks, no band, no games, no pool, nothing. Just a bunch of painful small talk and leering grins. The people-watching can hold your interest for only so long.
2. It takes too much time
Yes, I know I can choose where to devote my time, but Orkut, Friendster, and even LinkedIn (which I do find more useful than the purely social sites) are interesting but less information rich than news sites, blogs, Google news, or any of the other sites I could visit on the Web. It's interesting, for example, to blog about the experiences I had on a given day, but it's tedious to make sure my personal stats, favorite books, and current reading list are up-to-date. One of the reasons I think personal blogs win out over social networking is that they're inherently more personal, more inwardly focused, and a better chance to show more than a snapshot of yourself.
3. Traffic alone isn't enough
The reality of the new Web is that traffic alone just doesn't cut it. You can get all the visitors you want to your site, but you can't just blanket the thing with ads and hope to survive. Advertisers today are a more sophisticated bunch, and they're looking to send targeted, rich-content messages. That means that reliance on a generalized supply of banner ads is not a sustainable model, because no matter how much data you collect about your audience, if the audience isn't specific, the ads can't be, either. Witness MySpace's projected $20 million in ad sales. According to Business 2.0, it's working because MySpace attracts primarily what it refers to as "16- to 34-year-old hipsters." The Web is becoming an elitist sort of space. If social networking sites are a way to bring the masses together, advertisers are begging for a way to prune those masses into smaller, easier targets.
4. Strangers kind of suck (or, put nicely, the social hierarchy is really not that attractive)
Speaking of elitism, getting to know people is, frankly, a less attractive proposal than it first seems. Sure, business networking is valuable, and it's great to have a lot of resources who might know someone who can help you with...something. But that argument gets a little thin when you're suddenly bombarded with date offers or all-too-frequent postings about the unsavory or just plain uninteresting habits of the strangers you suddenly know. Moreover, social networking sites pretty quickly and inevitably degenerate into cliques. That's normal, it happens on the blogosphere, and it's not really even that deplorable. It's just kind of tiresome on a daily basis. If you restrict your friends list to only the people you already know, well, then the boredom sets in. Why would you read their profiles over and over when you can just IM them, e-mail them, or meet at the baseball game?
5. We already have the Internet
The only lasting argument about social networking that's ever made sense is that these networks are a valuable resource if you're adrift in the sea of online information. You can, in just a few hops, get to someone who knows someone or knows something that you need to know. That may be a valuable proposal in the business world, which gives a site like LinkedIn a better chance of survival than Friendster. But the argument's a little thin in a world where search is the king of the hill. If I need information online, I can find it. And I can probably find it faster using Google than I can by e-mailing one friend who'll e-mail another who'll e-mail another while my deadline slips away. Sure, it's helpful--once in a while. But once I have all these folks in my address book, I won't be much help in terms of ad impressions.
http://www.cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6240543-1.html
The word on the street lately is that social networking is in trouble. Friendster's CEO, Scott Sassa (most famous for firing a blogger who wrote about the company) recently departed in the face of a rapidly dwindling user base. Friendster has also introduced its own for-pay blogging tool as an all-too-ironic money-making scheme. Business networking site LinkedIn started charging for its job listings. Meanwhile, the recent launch of the Yahoo 360 beta has the blogosphere speculating that Friendster, the pioneer, is already on its deathbed. And Business 2.0 has a good article in this month's issue (subscription required) about how the indie music networking site MySpace is, for all intents and purposes, the only successful site, with more than $20 million in ad sales this year and plenty of long-staying subscribers.
What do you think? Am I missing the point about social networking? Let me know!
Post your comment hereThe social networking experience
I've gotten a lot of invitations to Friendster over the years, which, to be honest, I ignored. I always just assumed I didn't have time for that tomfoolery. Plus, I already had a boyfriend, and I already had friends. I know that all sounds horribly snobby, but there it is. But then, along came Orkut. Suddenly, because I was working in the Geek Zone, my coworkers were sending me Orkut invites. Every geek I knew was into it, and the peer pressure got too strong. I signed up. I filled out my little Orkut profile (I think I even uploaded a photo), and for about three weeks, my friends, coworkers, and I obsessively hung out on Orkut. And then, suddenly, we just got bored--weirdly, all at the same time. My entire Orkut generation, all the people who'd found it at the same time I did, just up and lost interest. Of course, round about that time, Orkut got painfully slow, and although it's better now (I just checked it out in the course of writing this column--hey, maybe I'll have a resurgence of interest!), it's still a heck of a lot easier to just e-mail or instant-message the people I know.
The five horsemen
Therein, I think, lies one of the five problems I've identified with social networking, and a good segue into my list.
1. There's nothing to do there
As Business 2.0 points out, a simple destination site won't cut it. My big beef with Friendster was always, "Well, what would I do there?" Visiting most social networking sites is akin to getting invited to a party where all the cool kids are going, then showing up and finding out there's no food, no drinks, no band, no games, no pool, nothing. Just a bunch of painful small talk and leering grins. The people-watching can hold your interest for only so long.
2. It takes too much time
Yes, I know I can choose where to devote my time, but Orkut, Friendster, and even LinkedIn (which I do find more useful than the purely social sites) are interesting but less information rich than news sites, blogs, Google news, or any of the other sites I could visit on the Web. It's interesting, for example, to blog about the experiences I had on a given day, but it's tedious to make sure my personal stats, favorite books, and current reading list are up-to-date. One of the reasons I think personal blogs win out over social networking is that they're inherently more personal, more inwardly focused, and a better chance to show more than a snapshot of yourself.
3. Traffic alone isn't enough
The reality of the new Web is that traffic alone just doesn't cut it. You can get all the visitors you want to your site, but you can't just blanket the thing with ads and hope to survive. Advertisers today are a more sophisticated bunch, and they're looking to send targeted, rich-content messages. That means that reliance on a generalized supply of banner ads is not a sustainable model, because no matter how much data you collect about your audience, if the audience isn't specific, the ads can't be, either. Witness MySpace's projected $20 million in ad sales. According to Business 2.0, it's working because MySpace attracts primarily what it refers to as "16- to 34-year-old hipsters." The Web is becoming an elitist sort of space. If social networking sites are a way to bring the masses together, advertisers are begging for a way to prune those masses into smaller, easier targets.
4. Strangers kind of suck (or, put nicely, the social hierarchy is really not that attractive)
Speaking of elitism, getting to know people is, frankly, a less attractive proposal than it first seems. Sure, business networking is valuable, and it's great to have a lot of resources who might know someone who can help you with...something. But that argument gets a little thin when you're suddenly bombarded with date offers or all-too-frequent postings about the unsavory or just plain uninteresting habits of the strangers you suddenly know. Moreover, social networking sites pretty quickly and inevitably degenerate into cliques. That's normal, it happens on the blogosphere, and it's not really even that deplorable. It's just kind of tiresome on a daily basis. If you restrict your friends list to only the people you already know, well, then the boredom sets in. Why would you read their profiles over and over when you can just IM them, e-mail them, or meet at the baseball game?
5. We already have the Internet
The only lasting argument about social networking that's ever made sense is that these networks are a valuable resource if you're adrift in the sea of online information. You can, in just a few hops, get to someone who knows someone or knows something that you need to know. That may be a valuable proposal in the business world, which gives a site like LinkedIn a better chance of survival than Friendster. But the argument's a little thin in a world where search is the king of the hill. If I need information online, I can find it. And I can probably find it faster using Google than I can by e-mailing one friend who'll e-mail another who'll e-mail another while my deadline slips away. Sure, it's helpful--once in a while. But once I have all these folks in my address book, I won't be much help in terms of ad impressions.
http://www.cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6240543-1.html
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