Technically Speaking

Sprint is announcing that it will be even easier to get on your MySpace page. No typing, but a single click will get you there. Also, since MySpace is a property of FOX, you will be able to reach other FOX pages.

Instead of typing the entire address, cell phone users will be able to connect to News Corp’s service by clicking a link, the companies said in a joint statement.

The deal will also include links to News Corp’s other Internet properties, including FOXSports.com and IGN.

Technically Speaking, it’s all News Corp to me. exercise bikes

Friendster, Inc., today launched a directory of over 180 applications, enabling its more than 56 million global users to easily discover, add and use applications on and off the Friendster.com website. These applications, called “widgets” throughout the industry, have been integrated into the Friendster user experience by developers leveraging Friendster’s Developer Program, released as a pilot program on October 25, 2007.

Friendster, is surprisingly the #1 social network in Asia and the third largest branded social network in the world, is among the first major global social networks to launch a developer platform and rich directory of applications for its users within a production environment. Others have announced plans or released documentation but have not launched, while others have a limited number of applications available today for their users.

The Friendster Developer Program is designed to provide developers with several key features/benefits including:

– Freedom to Monetize Applications - Developers can monetize their applications using virtually any model for monetization, and no revenue share with Friendster is required.

– Open Platform - The Friendster Developer Program includes APIs compatible with those used throughout the industry. Additionally, when the OpenSocial APIs are completed and secure, Friendster will support OpenSocial APIs, allowing OpenSocial applications to be used with Friendster.

– Equal Opportunity - Friendster released its developer program documentation, testing environment and schedule in advance to provide equal opportunity for developers around the world to compete for mindshare and adoption by Friendster’s more than 56 million users.

To date, six companies have piloted the Friendster Developer Program in the last several months including Rockyou, Slide.com, Clearspring, Imeem, Jangl, and Gbox. In the last several weeks, scores of developers have built applications for Friendster including 360 Gadget, Active Worlds, AmnestyWidgets, Astrology.com, BigDates, Chinese Zodiac Horoscope, Chromacoders, ChronusCorp, Clearspring, Cortex Creations, Experience Project, Fliptrack, Frencaze, Frozenbear, Gamedesire, Gbox, Gigya, Gizmoz, Go Tiger, Guidecast, GWN, Honesty Box, ImageChef, Imeem, Immerse, Improsys, Issue Dictionary, Jangl, Job Board, LE Software, Leafletter, Lukup, Mangokiwi, MashedUp, LLC, Meez, Mesmo TV, Minekey, MixerCast, My Foot Map, MyGoForIt, MyMiniLife, MyTripMap, Ngoprek, Onezine, Pickspal, Pivotal Labs, Pollection, Presidio Media, ProTrade, Pyramid Lotto, Qloud, RateMyBody, Refresh Corp, Ribbd, RJ Softwares, RockYou, Shelfari, ShopPay, Simple Star, Sivrin, Skycore, Slide, Sociallyloud, TravelPod, TripAdvisor, Tripod Computing, TrustPlus, TV Loop, Ubelt, Unype, UserPlane, Watercooler, Wedsnap, Where I’ve Been, Wishafriend, Yepb, YOBO, ZDK Interactive and Zerocode.

Within Friendster’s Developer Program, developers are also currently building browser plug-ins, desktop applications, and mobile applications that help Friendster’s 56 million users do a wide variety of activities even when not logged-in and using Friendster.com.

Friendster has a growing portfolio of patents granted to the company on social networking, with more expected over the next several months. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Friendster is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures and individual investors. golf shoes

Multiply, is another social networking site that isn’t in the big dog group, but still they have 7 million user base. I didn’t know anything about this site until this morning when I read the article that Marshall wrote. So far, I’m actually enjoying the ability to share music, videos, and other nice things that I’m seeing. Yes, I signed up, as it had the MK stamp of approval.

Now will Multiply get bigger or as big as Facebook or MySpace? Does every social networking site out there have to get that big in order to survive? I think the opposite when it comes to these types of sites. What makes a great site is the ease of use. So far this social network seems to be very easy to understand and use.

Technically Speaking, you can see my page - which I like that you get a subdomain - nice and simple, nice clean social networking site that some of you may want to check out. truck accessories

Weblo, a site that believes the virtual world should be for you to take, also believes that you should be able to monetize your Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking pages. Their theory is that you created the content and these sites wouldn’t be where they are without your content.

Now Facebook says that advertising is against what they would like to see happen. Without saying those nasty 3 letters, we all know this really means “against their terms of service”.

Facebook does not allow users to sell ads on their profile pages. Chris Kelly, Facebook’s chief privacy officer, told me on Nov. 6 that is because Facebook does not want people’s profile pages to become cluttered.

“We don’t want a free-for-all,” he said.

Taking a look at the Weblo site it seems they are more than about selling ads on social networks. They really want you to own the virtual world. Quite an interesting concept.

Weblo is a parallel universe that is the only virtual world based on the real world. Members own and manage websites that are virtual replicas of real cities, states, properties, domains and celebrities. Members earn real money via hits, Internet ads and by selling or auctioning assets for a profit. Members enhance their online portfolios by claiming popular social networking profiles, blogs, emails and videos in Weblo’s Calculate Your InterNET Worth section.

Technically Speaking, on one hand I believe they do have some validity in what they are saying. On the other hand it seems to be an extension of the million dollar page theory. Either way, Weblo is a site that you may want to keep your eye on, or join if you want to make some real money in a virtual world. Corvette wheels

College Tonight, Inc., the evolution of collegiate social networking, announced today the completion of its merger with Simex Technologies, Inc. As a part of the transaction, before and at closing of the merger, College Tonight raised $1,639,500 in equity capital in private placements to accredited investors.

Over the next several months, as College Tonight’s national “Disorientation” college tour continues, College Tonight will introduce its members to an array of fresh and unique features including mobility. Through this dual online/offline marketing platform, sponsors will have an opportunity to expose their product to what has been called the most difficult to reach and fragmented audience in history

College Tonight is a social networking experience and marketing platform, which is designed to promote actual social interactivity among college students. Due to the mobile nature of the site, the service’s design is also structured for the mobile user, focusing on nightlife events and social opportunities both directly on a student’s campus and within their broader communities. College Tonight’s platform intends to allow advertisers an opportunity to tap into the world of active, outgoing and socially motivated college students - the “trendsetters” and “tastemakers” of society.

Simex issued College Tonight shareholders a total of 2,412,800 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, which are automatically convertible into approximately 74% of Simex’s common stock upon the filing of certain amendments to Simex’s Certificate of Incorporation. Simex intends to file an amendment to its Certificate of Incorporation to increase its authorized common stock from 50,000,000 to 100,000,000 shares, to effect a one for four reverse split, and to change its name to “College Tonight, Inc.” upon compliance with SEC proxy regulations.

Technically Speaking, this is a niche social networking site cashing in with corporate backing. Read some more on what TC had to say back earlier this month. land for sale

It is something that I have been saying about the social networking scene for awhile now. The smaller, more intimate gated communities are starting to take a foot hold. These are more like private country clubs where only the people you want in are invited to the party.

Along with this, the more local social networks that are not so gated, but more geared towards the local scene where you live are going to be sprouting up in mass droves. I think this represents the evolution of the social network. Again, there will always be the mega-social network; MySpace, Facebook, etc…

Those mega-social networks have a place to actually gather more, or rather recruit for the smaller or the elite gated-social networks. Not only that, the $150 million or billion dollar valuation that these hold will keep VC’s and investors interested.

So what do you do if you want to start your own private country club? Get it started. There are many resources out there to build your own gated-social network. Do you charge a fee or be free? My advice would remain free until you can build it into something worthwhile.

I think there are too many supposedly private country club networks that try to charge too early in the game. People are not use to paying for anything online, and will balk at the idea of paying for a social network. The best thing to do is remain free, and monetize with advertising which seems to be in abundance these days.

If you can drive the decent amount of traffic to your gated community, you will succeed to the next level where you can charge a few dimes to access better options. Now the whole point of the gated-social network is to be where you can hang out with people that are like minded. It’s a place to interact, plan events, and generally do the silly things that mega-social networks offer.

Technically Speaking, I am by no means an expert, but I do tend to see things coming down the road. I also tend to spot some trends that usually are right. If you want to start that private gated-social network, today is the better time to do so, and in other words - quit waiting for tomorrow, because it will pass you by. Here is something else you shouldn’t wait for until tomorrow to read. box cutters

It looks like Yahoo believes in the e-mail social network. I was using a program called Xobni when I was still on a PC, and while the concept is great, I just don’t believe that e-mail is entirely a social network. Yahoo mail as a matter of fact has a lot to be fixed before it could be considered a social network of any kind.

For one thing, when I open up my Yahoo e-mail account, I see too much information that I’d rather not. When I check my e-mail, that is all I want to see - simple interface where I can see what is in my inbox, etc. I don’t need to see news, sports scores, and other miscellaneous information beaming at me from my Macbook.

Of course the argument would be you see the same thing on MySpace when you log in. Just garbage tossed at you in mysteriously increasing numbers. Yes, that is part of the money making scheme of social networks. But your e-mail should be somewhat a sacred place to just do that. Why is it that everything must be turned into a social network these days?

E-Mail might be a good place to start one, but why not just put together a better social network plan? Why should you limp along with a system that is not regarded as one of the favorite mailing systems overall. I agree that there should be a sound plan when launching or talking about launching a social network via your bread and butter e-mail system.

I believe that the social networks of today are going to look like gigantic dinosaur ads that use to float across your screen to first - enjoyment and than annoy-ment. It is becoming quite clear the leaders are going to stay where they are, and the future of social networking lies in the fact to go back to square one before you launch one.

Technically Speaking, it’s not time to reinvent the wheel, but more like time to go back and evaluate if your wheel can be made better before throwing it out into the tire lot to begin with. Now that I put in my 2 cents on that, another Mike questions if you have started your holiday shopping!

There is one blogger out there that seems to sense what I was referring to with the local guys who run ImThere. I have already termed it to them as the next generation of social networking.

No longer will you have to be a part of a big group, but smaller groups that have the same services will be more of what the future entails. Now many of you are use to your Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, etc. and I’m not saying they will go extinct, but what I am saying is the proliferation of the niche social network will take over.

Many feel that just because I’m older, it’s not the case. That my ideas are way past their prime and the internet is passing me by.

I was at a social gathering at my club this evening and I had the pleasure to talk to some of the younger people who just joined. Younger being in their early to mid 30’s.

Well if you believe that, than I have a bridge to sell you in Las Vegas! You see, the perception that is sold online to the masses is that everytime MySpace or Facebook has a conference announcing something, that it’s the be all and end all to everyone else. That is not the case, as they only have a bigger audience.

Audience’s are a funny thing actually. Most of the time, you could have a huge audience and if you are lucky to hit 7% of the people there; meaning you strike some sort of bond with them or click, you are lucky. The other 93% will be answering their e-mail, text messaging, or bored and only there in body and not mind.

So you now have 7% of the 1,000 people in your audience. So approximately 70 people are there really paying any attention. It’s all just a big percentage game. A good example is today’s announced Facebook new way of advertising. All good, all nice to hear. But out of that big audience, how many naysayers will hit the web on their own blog in a few hours?

Now while I agree with the direction they are going, is it something that only they can accomplish? Not at all. Many companies are applauding the efforts and announcement, but yet many companies exist that are pushing towards a new advertising model.

The big difference is that other companies are pushing towards that model world wide live. Not enclosed in some social sphere that if you read the linked article at the top, it is becoming widely known as a love hate relationship by the hand that feeds them.

The conversation really got into a frenzy when we go to the love hate relationship people have with Facebook and MySpace,

So there you have it. The 30 somethings are tired of the big groups. The big groups are making announcement after announcement in the past week, and if you think hard - maybe you get that only 7% of the people are listening and paying attention.

Technically Speaking, that 7% quote of course goes back to the man - DLR. Quite amazing that I actually see the application of the 7% rule in real life situations in the 21st century we all live in.

Facebook A Fad - Ballmer may be correct in his evaluation of the social networking site. But comparing it to Geocities is like saying Windows is a flawless system. Sure, Facebook, MySpace, BeBo and all the rest of the social networking groups may be just a passing fad, but sometimes fad’s evolve and mature. I am for one interested to see what Facebook does to keep in the just one step ahead of a passing fad. A clue for Zuckerberg would be to listen to the 13-16 year olds and not become too adult.

** UPDATE ** - Scoble put in his 2 cents, and so did Duncan from TC.

Minnesota Mans Up - About time that Sprint/Nextel is sued for it’s faulty practices. I myself dropped them about 1 year ago after being with them for 8 years. Than earlier this spring, I almost bought their EVDO card, and when I found out it didn’t work in my laptop, I promptly returned it. Of course, they tried to charge me an early termination fee, and I had to wait for exactly 20 minutes before I was able to talk to someone. Now the customer service did take care of my issue, but the queue in order to talk to someone is ridiculous.

Technically Speaking, just a few of the interesting things I have seen this morning. drug rehabs

There are many detractors to Facebook apps, as well as many people over the last few days that have been publicly writing their manifesto’s on the closed platform of Facebook, MySpace, and other social networks. I won’t address the later, as I partially agree that opening things up would really make the business of social networks take off 10 fold.

Let’s address the first item. This morning, I just received an e-mail from Marshall talking about the new NPR player. Where is it? The NPR player can be found here, available inside Facebook. While browsing around and reading more about SplashCast’s new initiative to make more branded player’s, I found this great branded player called - Raw Vegas TV; again - inside Facebook. You can find both the NPR and the Raw Vegas TV players on my Facebook page.

So how do you view them? Well you need to have a Facebook account! Why don’t you have one? Not only is SplashCast proving that business is working on the Facebook platform, so is the company that I work for currently, Lending Club. How do you use their service currently? Via Facebook!

Not only has Lending Club taken the business of doing business inside Facebook to a new level, but the other company I most recently started working for has done the same thing - Lookery. Both companies have ramped up so quick that it would make the average old timer’s business head spin like Linda Blair’s did in The Exorcist.

Why is it working? Well people have finally realized that if you have an audience of 30 million, and that audience is becoming more influential in today’s marketplace daily, you have a winner. Can MySpace or the other 100’s of social networks do the same thing? I believe they can leverage their own place, but that goes back to the part I won’t address - the opening up of the social network realm.

Technically Speaking, it feels good to see SplashCast doing well with their new branded players. Maybe I should get a Rex Dixon branded player? To answer your other question, yes, the Link Blog was updated! Many of you readers only just want a few free poker tables.