Technically Speaking

It is quite amusing to me to see the number of social networks on the scene today. First up is one of the newer niche social networking startups, fabfemme, who I talked about a bit the other day. Now even though it is a lesbian and bi-sexual woman’s network, I figured I’d tool around to see what it was all about.

I will have to be honest, I don’t see any user base yet. I did a global search on the social network. I only found less then 30 users. Now the distressing thought here is, even though one of the main complaints about MySpace these days is the only “5 tracks on myspace” music thing, they still have numbers.

This is in direct reference of course to MySpace being FREE, and fabfemme wanting to make it a pay social network. I am starting to think that FabFemme may need to rethink their business model, as they do not seem to be gaining any traction so far. I actually hope this post helps them gain some traffic, as you will see below.

Another social networking startup I recently talked about is Vertagio. They are free, and the last time I talked to the founder there, he told me that network traffic was up 2000%! That is a huge leap, and I am glad to have (I hope!) helped. Every time I log on, I see new users signing up there; new profiles listed.

When it comes to social networking, I believe the free is always going to win out. Allen of CenterNetworks even nicely enough syndicated that article.

Case in point. Look at the mass growth that MySpace China (MySpace.cn) has going on; talked about here/with screenshots. I read somewhere that one user already had 1500 plus friends on his friends list!

I guess that is like a few hundred in America, when you consider that China is 1 billion strong population wise! With regards to this, I have not heard any statistics about MySpace Espanol. Nor have I heard anything about MySpace LatinoAmerica, both which I talked about here. The other launch this past week.

I almost forgot one. There of course is the other new twist on social networking which is that place called - inpowr. The social network about yourself! Woo Hoo!

Their motto should be “When you get tired of looking in the mirror, jump on inpowr!” Please understand, I haven’t had a moment of sarcasm in a few days. Seriously, it does sound like a cool place, but I wouldn’t really classify it as a “social network”. Socializing with yourself is kind of, well, “weird“.

Technically Speaking, social networking is on the rise still, and to try to make money by charging is still not the way to go online; especially when everyone else is still running the free business model. Always stick with what works. When you are in beta, don’t charge; at least those are my thoughts on this.

AT&T CEO Retires - With a nice $158.5 million retirement package. Even MBG had some parting words to say.

Jamglue - Growth is the key here. Remember the interview I did?

Optisolar - I really don’t think it’s much of a secret now!

Virtual Earth V5 API - They released the new V5 API for all the coders this weekend. I am thinking by middle or even early next week, we will see some implementation of the new API? At least if I could code, I’d tinker with it. Maps are cool, and the virtual earth kind of maps are even cooler!

Pikspot - This sounds like SplashCast meets Vertagio. Mashup social network.

Presidential Debates - I guess MSNBC wanted to jump on this before the other place (Huffington Post, Yahoo, and Slate) does their’s in September.

Firefox for ZCubes - Thank goodness for that! Remember the interview I did with Joe? That was unlike the 5 Question ones I did, but a real phone interview.

Obama on twitter - is there not a reason to be on twitter? If you are running for President, you better get on twitter, then of course, follow me!

Ubuntu vs Windows - Side by Side comparison.

Which one first? UStream.tv gaining traction? Or do we go with the MySpace Adoption Agency? Interesting dilema here. Both are compelling top stories anywhere, and I get to decide which one to run with first. Aw, what the heck, let’s get it on with MySpace!

MySpace Adoption Agency - I’m sure that my buddy in Texas is going to get a big smile when he sees this one. It’s no secret he could take the MySpace executive team to the mat, bodyslam them and not break a sweat.

Seriously now, I am sort of scratching my eyeballs about now. Making sure that the article is real. I guess it must has to be, it’s on CNN. That red stamp 3 letter approval tells me it’s the real deal. Ok, not yet, better sarcasm upcoming.

Now is this a good way to work an adoption? Maybe. I can’t be overly critical, as I was an adopted child. Back in my day, there was not a thing called MySpace. In fact, “MySpace” was the same as stating “get off my cloud“. Unfortunately the era that I was born in was laced in controversy, not technology.

Will this work? I wish the couple luck, but personally I would have recommended Facebook to post the item. Seriously, Facebook isn’t that bad when compared to the junk you have deal with on MySpace. Vertagio is going to even be better if it can gain some traction!

UStream.tv gaining traction; Justin.tv fading? - Well of course! When the rex.tv showed on the scene, we knew that UStream.tv was going to be a gigantic success. You didn’t think you would have one day without some sarcasm, did you?

Seriously, the points made about Alexa are well put. If someone jumps on Justin.tv and sits there and watches him type and answer e-mails for 4 hours, that counts as ONE page view/hit. There is something definitely wrong with Alexa being used everywhere as a standard measure of how good your site is.

UStream.tv, at first I was not really liking it. I didn’t think they were going to succeed due to the Justin.tv factor; being called a “cheap second rate ripoff“. The thing we forget is the rex.tv factor. I know, my usually empty chair is such a big hit stream. Sarcasm hits late today, but it hits well. egotistical sarcasm at that.

One improvement, you know to help with the overly popular rex.tv stream, is an auto restart feature. I do hope that UStream.tv puts that in there in the full release. That would mean, all rex.tv, empty chair watch, all the time. No intermissions!

* the rex.tv stream has been dead since about 9am this morning. To be revived live, in terrible color because I have an old webcam that doesn’t even have audio, some time after 6pm central time.

Technically Speaking, that is it for now. More later possibly.

Forbes nails the joint MySpace-Isobar study to the wall. More paper was published on this study then necessary. I think more trees paid the ultimate price due to this paper. While I sit here and play the jester, Forbes played the King and slammed home some key points.

“When we factor in the momentum effect, the return on investment for social networking is among the best we have ever measured and it requires us to suggest that more brands should conduct this research,” the report reads.

ROI, it’s a favorite phrase by the business types. They say that all this friending is what is causing the advertising industry to be swooned by this misleading number. It is a misleading number, and a misleading statement.

The study, cornerstone of a daylong MySpace-hosted event Monday for an exclusive group of marketing executives at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, also serves as a plug to those marketers to bet their dollars on MySpace banner ads and fancy profiles. The event comes just weeks before many of those marketers begin planning their advertising budgets based on the television upfront season. Spare a bigger chunk for MySpace this time around, won’t you?

The true reason always surfaces to the top, and we all know why they created the hype on this study. I don’t quite blame them, as to make that reported $30-60 million,

MySpace generates more than $30 million a month in revenue, and that will double to $60 million a month by early 2008

, there will have to be a lot of advertising dollars spent each month.

The final thought, is one that should be read. Remember, MySpace did this survey or study:

However, the independent researchers who conducted the study admit it might be useful for other companies to test the hypothesis.

Technically Speaking, that is called the “fine print”, as in “your mileage may vary by usage” - the key sticking point - you have to use it to be successful. I see strong competition in the coming months, and I will say this much, at least there is a marketing department worth saving at MySpace.

The MySpace marketing team know they need to sell now while the stock is high. Facebook is licking at their heels, and new startups such as Vertagio are in a fast pack of cleaned up social networks right behind Facebook.

I did have fun with this MySpace / Isobar comprehensive study/poll that was done. I admit, I went off the hook; off the grid on it. I will state now, that MySpace is on the top of the world still. I have already ripped on this, and what else can be said?

I am guessing that one of the main reasons MySpace is so entrenched in news releases lately is that Facebook is catching up real quick. Then there are other social networks that are coming up quickly and gaining traction.

Speaking really quick on Facebook, as many of you know, I did sign up there last week. I will apologize now for all the sarcasm sent Mark Zuckerberg’s way by this blog. It actually is a very clean service. I’m starting to like the way it is set up. No more OTS jokes, well maybe an OTS joke or three, but as far as bashing Facebook; honestly it is a nice and clean service.

One that comes to mind right away is Vertagio. I talked about them, Mashable talked about them, and the story I wrote was even syndicated on CenterNetworks. All that says to me, that MySpace needs this now to run the smoke and mirrors show they are so good at producing. I am on Vertagio.

Don’t believe me? What about MySpace News? Another bang up service time will tell service produced by the clowns running the show well paid programmers and network engineers at MySpace central command. Let’s not forget the bozo in charge of signing off extremely educated and experienced project managers who sign off on these projects.

Technically Speaking, I have stated it quite clearly, “Yes, I can be a sarcastic prick. MySpace news releases give me the opportunity daily to practice my sarcasm.”