The Daily Poll: Are You Suffering from Social Networking Fatigue?
Jan 31, 2008 Mashable
Chris Williams from The Reigster has penned a fairly critical piece about the state of social networking, based on some recent data from comScore that shows user engagement (the amount of time people spend on a site) falling at a number of leading sites including MySpace and Bebo. While the numbers are pretty grim for some sites, it should be noted that November and December are typically slow due to the holidays, and some networks such as Facebook and hi5 actually showed user engagement growth year-over-year.
The article is also laced with bubble talk, as Williams quotes Ted Dzuiba of Uncov, “I remember a time, long long ago, when tech companies spent their own venture capital on each other, so revenues were all booked from the same small pool of money. Yeah, as I recall, it didn’t end well,†alluding of course to the tech bubble of the late 90s.
In any event, today’s poll, to our highly unbiased audience of social networking aficionados, web startups, and VCs who back such companies:
Are you suffering from social networking fatigue?
Popularity: 6% [?]
16 More Years (at least) of Brin, Page, and Schmidt at Google
Jan 31, 2008 Mashable
A brief interview with Fortune Magazine reveals that Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, along with CEO Eric Schmidt, made a pact shortly before the company’s 2004 IPO to stay at the company for at least 20 years. That means that we’ve got at least 16 years left with the trio leading what is currently the world’s biggest search engine.
It also means that they are firmly committed to seeing through Google’s many initiatives outside of search, such as wireless, print advertising, Google Knol, and countless other projects currently sitting in Google Labs.
So, what will the company look like in 2024 when the top Googlers start thinking about retirement? Pontificate in the comments.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Amazon Dishes Out $300 Million for Audible
Jan 31, 2008 Mashable
Amazon has announced the acquisition of Audible, one of the biggest online providers of audio content, including audiobooks, radio and TV programme, and audio versions of magazines. Audible.com offers over 80,000 programs, and its roster includes audiobooks from authors such as Stephen King, Thomas Friedman, and Jane Austen. The $300 million dollar deal is expected to close by the second quarter of 2008.
Let’s hear that in marketingese:
“Audible.com offers the best customer experience, the widest content selection and the broadest device compatibility in the industry,” said Steve Kessel, Amazon.com’s senior vice president for worldwide digital media. “Working together, we can introduce more innovations and bring this format to an even wider audience.”
It’s not hard to guess that this acquisition has everything to do with Kindle, Amazon’s not-so-pretty but promising e-book reader, which can also reproduce audiobooks. The Kindle provides users with the ability to wirelessly download 90,000 e-books; together with Audible’s catalog this number is almost doubled. Now, if only the Kindle could be a bit more iphoneish in its next iteration…
Popularity: 5% [?]
KickApps Version 3.0 Released Today; New API Dev Kit Inside
Jan 31, 2008 Mashable
KickApps, a Web platform development company that provides tools to a variety of clients – from individuals to big businesses (spotlight partners include ABC Family, The CW, and Vibe) – unveiled Version 3.0 of its SaaS application suite today.
The updates made to its social media utilities are meant to enable publishers and Internet developers “of all levels and experience†easier deployment of creations ranging from online communities (a.k.a., social networks), video players, widgets, and more.
Highlighted in the newly introduced v3.0 suite is the KickApps API Developer Kit. It allows users the option to delve to “deeper levels of integration and customization†than was possible with previous iterations of the software package. The “robust and secure†APIs offer developers the ability to more tightly integrate designs with already existing materials – including both applications and content.
All facets of KickApps software solutions are built with ease of use and openness in mind. With Version 3.0, you’re given the power to establish social media communities in minutes. Registration, choosing templates and themes, and establishing applications ranging from video and audio devices to blogs to message boards are tasks that KickApps now claims requires considerably less effort.
Provided within KickApps Version 3.0 is a WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) construction environment called “Site Styler,†great benefit for those who wish to work with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to perfect their designs if the basic provisions won’t do. A Flex-based Widget Studio is present as well. The WS is also constructed in WYSIWYG fashion, giving users a friendly, drag-and-drop visual development center in which to build small and adaptable applications. A feed management system is provided within the WS, simplifying the organization of RSS preferences as well as optioning “one-click syndication to all major social networks and portals.â€
(Widget Studio is in BETA form; a final, official release is schedule for March.)
The most profound addition presented in Version 3.0 is certainly the API developer kit. KickApps has implemented an open standard for its REST-based APIs, effectively offering near complete power to the coder. (That’s you.)
One can customize just about everything, from the workflow to design to management. If you wish to leave it up to the default systems KickApps provides in Version 3.0 to help you get the CSS, the HTML, the Flash, and all else out the door, you may of course do so. But if you want all controls firmly under your command, the API kit is built to give you that freedom.
And we can’t forget to mention the new KickApps 3.0 Affiliate Center. That’s where developers handle everything from deployment to monetization. The new version of the AC delivers real-time data readings, “essential to growing audience and engagement.†All major advertising networks may be accessed from which the AC’s advert manager.
Check out KickApps.com to give Version 3.0 a spin.
Also, KickDeveloper.com is a great information resource and support center that can help you make the most of the software suite.
Popularity: 4% [?]
Hookups Get More Random, with Jangl on Plenty of Fish
Jan 31, 2008 Mashable
What’s this? Plenty of Fish is doing something somewhat innovative? The very successful , “no-gimmicks” dating site run by one man in his apartment is not known for its great user interface design, or even for its feature set. So it’s a noteworthy thing when we find out that Plenty of Fish is the latest to integrate Jangl VoIP services in order to offer click-to-call options for its dating users.
I’m already imagining in what direction Plenty of Fish could potentially head towards with such integrated calling options, but I don’t think the users, or PoF owner Markus Frind, will mind.
Speaking of hookups, the match between Jangl and Plenty of Fish seemed like one made in heaven, considering PoF is very much involved with the promotion of a free, ad-supported network and Jangl is just now beginning to get its feet wet for running ads on its phone service.
Aside from that, we’ve had a front seat to Jangl’s wild ride of growth this past year. The VoIP service worked hard to get its calling features in front of as many faces as possible, with an integrated solution that presented a call to action that was irresistible–putting its call buttons on social networking profiles around the world. From Facebook to Bebo, and even PoF competitor Match.com, Jangl is achieving its goals.
Popularity: 8% [?]
