Semester Conclusion

Social networking is a concept that has quickly begun to work its way into the lives of people across the world. Because of its usefulness on so many different levels, many different types of people can utilize social networking for many different reasons. Most commonly, social networking sites are used for personal motives. However, people are starting to realize the diversity of social networking and its potential uses for much more.

Connecting people is essentially the goal of any social networking site. Anyone from anywhere can choose whatever site they wish, and immediately begin chatting, sharing material and making friends. Typically, it has been students and younger adults that take advantage of social networking. But we are seeing more and more demographically and psychographically different people joining. For example, sites like SagaZone.com for adults 50 years of age and older, are welcoming an entirely new group of people to social networking. It’s a great way for parents and grandparents to keep in touch with family, former colleagues and friends on a more frequent basis.

The latest trend in social networking, specialized sites, also welcomes new users. Previously, some people may not have joined a social network because they were not sure of its benefits or uses. But, with the concept of specialization in one single topic, people can more easily see exactly what these sites are for. Among these specialized networking sites is Zolve.com for property and estate realtors, Sawxheads.com for Boston Red Sox fans, and a site designed for Xbox live users.

However, with so many new people getting online and joining a social network, safety and security become an issue. Most sites promise their users that they are constantly monitoring the site and making sure that any explicit or inappropriate content is removed. However, many sites aren’t keeping their word, and the risk of running into material like this is growing. The lack of supervision also makes social networks a playground for online predators, and a very unsafe place for children and young adults.

The solution? People need to be responsible for themselves when joining a social network. Like we saw in the case of the British pro tennis players, putting up any compromising material of yourself is not the smartest decision, and can get you into trouble. Stay safe by keeping any of this type of material off of the Internet. Also, it seems like people today are more concerned with the number of friends they have, instead of the quality of their friends. Another way to stay safe on social networking sites is to remember that just because someone wants to be your friend, doesn’t mean you have to accept the request. Okaying a friendship with someone on a social networking site is Okaying a friendship with a complete stranger. Without knowing exactly who the person is, means you cannot fully trust them, and doing so may result in an unfortunate event.

With the popularity of joining a social network continuously growing, so is the number of networking sites. Company after company sees this trend as an opportunity for them to get their foot in the door and eventually grow to be a successful networking site such as MySpace, Facebook or Bebo. However, what most of these companies don’t realize is that with these three sites leading the social networking field, there is realistically a very small chance for them to actually become successful. Each new site that is launched claims that it has something new to offer users. Most times they don’t. Yahoo! is a great example of trying to keep up with the social networking phenomenon. Yahoo! has introduced two new social networking sites, Mash.com and Kickstart.com, both of which are not doing very well. There are just too many different companies trying to dive into a very shallow pool, and failure is likely.

But how are the sites that have so far been successful, staying that way? The introduction of personalized ads onto the Facebook social network is a new concept that is hopefully going to keep the site at the top of the competition. It is a way to receive advertising dollars from large corporations such as Coca-Cola, Sony and Microsoft but stay in the advertising safe zone, meaning that users won’t get annoyed with advertisements. Facebook predicts the strategy to be extremely successful. Bebo has taken a different route to innovation, by partnering with major media companies who will add music and videos to the site.

Even though growth is supposed to trail off in the year 2012, technologies surrounding social networking are still advancing. Spinvox has come out with a social network that allows users to take advantage of voice technologies. And, a company called Six Apart has come out with a standardized networking site that any company can easily implement to help employees start networking.

Social networking relates to audience research in that it is a new and very improved way of finding out exactly what consumers want. Whereas before, marketers could only look at consumers’ buying patterns, behaviors and what surveys said, they can now go to the audience directly. Network users are publicizing their interests, wants and needs. Companies can then take this information and use it to better market their products and services to the target audience.

Social networking will undoubtedly affect me in my search for a job as well. With the establishment of sites like LinkedIn.com, I have already begun to network with professionals in the public relations and communications field. It is a great way to connect with the people that have the job that I want in the future. I can get my name out there and hopefully provoke some interest in my abilities among potential employers.

Xbox Gamers Soon to Get Their Own Social Network

Microsoft has created a new feature for the Xbox 360 update, available on December 4th. Xbox Live users will soon have their very own social network service.

Currently, Xbox Live allows users to play games online with other people. The gaming system has always had a buddy list type of feature, but new changes reflect the feel of a social network. Ars Technica says that Microsoft is headed in a MySpace direction, but with a slightly different twist. Xbox Online game collaboration already includes voice chat, so profile pages and the other typical social networking features will not be used. However, Microsoft hopes that the addition of a network to make friends and share insights will open up new gaming opportunities.

Although I am not exactly sure how a social network will be successfully incorporated into a gaming system, I am still anxious to learn more about it. I think the concept has a lot of potential, and could open many doors for Xbox Live users. I think this is a new, trendy way to encourage gamers to make friends and work with other people. But I do wonder if Xbox Live members see the benefits in this so-called social network, and if they will actually take advantage of the new feature.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/26/microsoft-brings-social-networking-style-feature-to-the-xbox-360/

Bebo Takes a Step to Stay in the Game

Bebo, currently the third most popular social networking site is trying to stay in the game with industry leaders like MySpace and Facebook. The plan? Partnering with major media companies, who will add music and videos to the site for free, and keep any generated revenue.

Revealed this past Tuesday, Bebo says that by adding popular entertainment, users can share their favorites with network friends, which will hopefully encourage audience growth, as well as keep audience’s attention for longer. And, with numerous partnerships with multimillion dollar media corporations already in the works, Bebo has high hopes. Launch partners include Viacom Inc.’s MTV, CBS Corp., Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, Yahoo! Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment Co.’s Crackle, and JibJab Media Inc.

Bebo is the leading social networking site in Britain, but has not yet distinguished itself as the top network in the US. Recent figures show MySpace still dominating the market with 107 million worldwide visitors in September, followed by Facebook with 73.5 million and Bebo at 19.7 million. (ComScore Inc.)

Steps have already been taken to introduce media to Bebo users with the online drama series called “KateModern” launched this year. This original programming was to help users make connections through entertainment, and is proving to be successful move, as an estimated 25 million people have tuned in to the daily four-minute episodes. More shows are to follow, including “Sofia’s Diary,” and reality series “The Gap Year”.

Bebo President Joanna Shields says, “Social networking for us was act one. Act two is using user-generated content, dramas created for Bebo and content from the majors to engage users. Forging strong ties with major media players was the logical next step.


Users will be able to post their favorite music and video clips to their profile page and share them with network friends. However, is Bebo actually the first to come up with this idea? I know from personal experience that Facebook already has music and video sharing applications. I think the difference may be found in the partnerships that Bebo is making, and in the agreements made between Bebo and media companies.

Taking part in Bebo’s media outreach plan is a good move for entertainment companies. These large corporations are always trying to think of new tactics, enter new markets, and take advantage of new opportunities. This is a way for them to tap into a new audience, and still stay in complete control of their materials, while still keeping100% of the profit.

This post is in response to the article found at http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bebo14nov14,1,6593801.story?coll=la-headlines-business

Social Networking in a Box

Six Apart has just revealed a solution to implement a social network for any company that is looking for a way to jump on the social networking bandwagon. Movable Type Community Solution (MTCS) is a standardized networking site for individual companies that are looking for a quick way to set up a social networking site for employees as well as customers.

Six Apart, also the creator of Movable Type and Typepad, says that MTCS is “a complete, out-of-the-box social media solution that enables the quick and easy deployment of online communities.” Though it is not free, I’m sure commercial users will be more than willing to pay the price if it means they can finally participate in the social networking craze.

There have been previous attempts at selling a pre-packaged social network, including Ning, a program that allows you to build a custom social network by first picking from a selection of pre-built pages.


The development of MTCS is a good way for companies to install simple, community applications to encourage relationship building and feedback. However, the idea that one size fits all is questionable. Most social networkers choose the sites that they belong to based on a few unique attributes. Maybe one member really likes the game applications, while another user likes the ebay-like feature. There are things about each social network that make it original, and therefore ensue the feeling of uniqueness and exclusiveness in its members. With a solution like MTCS, users probably won’t receive anything special in the network. They will only receive standard options and applications.

This post is in response to the article found at http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/11/six-apart-revea.html

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try…and try, again

Yahoo! launches yet another social networking site, this time for college students who are trying to get a start in the professional world. Kickstart promises users a happy medium between more lax networks like Facebook and uptight, professional networks like LinkedIn. The launch comes after two previous attempts at a social networking site including Yahoo!360 and Mash, which is still in beta testing.

Kickstart is coming into the already saturated field of social networking, claiming that other sites like Facebook and MySpace don’t give recent college alums any help in entering the work force. Yahoo! says that Kickstart “is a professional network with a distinct purpose, as current college students and recent grads can use the service to find internships or jobs, or even garner career advice if they need it”.

Setting up a profile is pretty straightforward, but when it is completed, it looks more like a resume than a profile. Users are advised to keep their profile strictly professional, which means no posting drunken pictures of yourself and friends. Take a look at an example of a profile.

Right now Kickstart is only in “preview mode”, but judging so far, many are saying it needs a few fix ups. For starters, when adding a job, current or previous, to your profile, the length of time at which you worked is designated only in years. Most college students have only had serious jobs for a few months at a time.

But will college students and alum even join the network? Currently, Yahoo! is trying to lure professionals to sign up, because without them, joining the network is completely pointless. Students are looking to meet professionals, not other students in the same position they are. Yahoo! says that they will donate $25,000 to the university or college that has the most alumni sign up.

Personally, I think at this point Yahoo! is just trying to do whatever it takes to get a piece of the market. Why would college alumni need three different networks? They need one for their friends and family, and one for their professional life. Sounds to me like using Facebook and TEXTLinkedIn should be just fine. It’s a good thing that Yahoo! isn’t afraid to fail, because the introduction of Kickstart could very well be their third.

This post is in response to the article found at http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/005867.html

Personalized Advertising Hits Social Networks

Facebook has announced today that they have created a new advertising campaign called FacebookAds. Among the 60 advertisers already signed up, include global brand giants like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Sony and Blockbuster. FacebookAds is a new, strategic way to target the interests of users on a more personal level.

Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, says that "Social actions are powerful because they act as trusted referrals and reinforce the fact that people influence people”. He continued, "It's no longer just about messages that are broadcasted out by companies, but increasingly about information that is shared between friends. So we set out to use these social actions to build a new kind of ad system."

FacebookAds will allow companies to create their own Facebook profile page and use it as a spring board to launch brand stamped viral apps like games and e-commerce apps. Users will only be exposed to ads that come from the applications their friends are using. The most important feature of FacebookAds for participating companies is that users cannot avoid the ads, which will appear the in their news feed.



There is controversy surrounding the introduction of this new campaign. Some are saying that tailoring ads specifically to users based on their interests is a betrayal of trust. Furthermore, the Federal Trade Commission is concerned that advertisers may have access to too much information about people’s activities.

I think that Facebook has come up with an amazing opportunity for interested companies. Unlike television, radio, and print ads today, advertising on social networks disables the option of skipping advertisements. Users will be forced to see the ads because they will show up as soon as users log in, and, until they click to go to another page, they will see it continually.

For users, I think this is a campaign of only minimal concern. There is no hurt in seeing an ad every once in a while showing up in your newsfeed. However, there is a potential problem that in the future, users will not see an ad every once in a while, but instead they will be bombarded with ads whenever they logon. Facebook needs to ensure users that they will keep a watchful eye on the amount of advertisements we are seeing. If too may ads start appearing, people may get frustrated with the network, and discontinue their membership all together.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.bigmouthmedia.com/live/articles/social-networking-dont-you-mean-social-advertisi.asp/4215/

Just For Kids? Not Any More…

A new social networking Web site, Saga Zone, has just been launched today. However, the targeted demographic for the site is adults, 50 years of age or older, unlike most social networking sites currently.

Most of us today have the perception that social networking sites are for young adults and kids. But, with the introduction of Saga Zone, the creators have proved that social networking isn’t just for kids.

The site was created by Saga Group, an organization that focuses on developing services specifically for adults over 50, and provides this audience with numerous specialist forums, personal profiles, online groups and contact possibilies.

So far, the site has developed a following of about 13,000 users during its four month trial period. According to Andrew Goodsell, CEO of Saga Group, “The Internet is a place where the over-50s are thriving.”

UK communications company, Ofcom, agrees, and has presented data that shows almost 30% of all time spent online is coming from the over-50 demographic.

I think the creation of this site is long overdue. The over-50 demographic has been calling for their own community that doesn’t include younger (and what some may call the “less mature”) demographics. The addition of this website means older adults can now communicate with their friends, family and co-workers quickly and easily. It will also help adults start to become more familiar with the newer technologies that are rapidly advancing, and becoming more foreign to these people. It is a chance to become more comfortable with the internet, and take part in the technological age.

This post is in response to the article found at http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1370760.php/Internet_users_over_50_receive_Saga_Zone_social_network_

Winner Takes $1m

A new social networking site has launched today, offering users a $1m prize for posting the best clip. The site, Clipstar.com, is said to be a “democratic global talent contest” that combines the idea of social networking with the ambitions of any artist, hoping to be scouted by music and entertainment agents.

The site enables users to upload video clips of any performance in one of nine categories: singing, band or group, dance, music, comedy, acting, director or film, animation or “any other”. Users will vote (for free) for the best clip. Then, once every three months a winner from each category will be chosen and will win $10,000. At the end of the year, a “grand final” will be held, where the winner of each category will be automatically entered for the million-dollar prize.



Paul Barnes, Clipstar’s managing director, says, “Clipstar.com was created to ensure that undiscovered talent was found, recognized and shared with the world.”

Users will be forced to take part in the social networking experience, and engage in different relationships in order to be considered a competitor for the grand prize.

Brand new social networking sites are literally being launched every day. Creators of this particular site, however, have tried to organize a community that takes social networking to a whole different level. Competitors will need to seriously consider what they can do to get people to vote for their clip. Self-promotion will be a huge factor in determining the winners, and those who do it best will succeed. Winning the money is obviously the ultimate goal, but I have a feeling that for most of the competing artists, this site and contest is really about getting their name and their talent recognized.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/oct/30/web20.digitalmedia?gusrc=rss&feed=media

SpinVox Brings Mobility to Social Networking

Voice-to-Screen provider, SpinVox, has announced the launch of a new social networking site that will take advantage of developing voice technologies.


Bloggers and social networkers alike can create an account on SpinVox’s website to use these innovative voice capabilities. But, even better, SpinVox has made it possible to create one centralized page on their website to manage three other networking sites, Facebook, Jaiku and Twitter, where many already have an account. From this main page, they will be able to apply the voice technology to these other sites.

Users simply speak the text via mobile phone, and it will be posted directly to one, or all three of the services.

The implementation of this voice-posting technology means extended mobility for bloggers and socialites. It builds upon the concept launched earlier this year called “Spin-My-Blog”. It means staying connected to their personal space possible in most any situation. Any mobile user is now easily able to share updates and information with their online community at a moments’ notice, no matter where they are. No need to find an internet connection or even a keyboard.

"The use of social networks and micro-blogging sites has exploded in the past few years, but, so far, they've lacked true mobility and so are not achieving their full potential,” commented Christina Domecq, CEO and co-founder of SpinVox. “Whether you've just walked out of a concert or have discovered a great new place to eat, your voice can now be used in place of the keyboard to tell the world the news and capture your thoughts, emotions and experiences `in the moment` as and when they happen”.

SpinVox says that they expect to soon offer connections to other well-known social networking and micro-blogging sites.

This is huge news to social networkers and bloggers. Although most of us have internet capabilities on our cell phones already, and can even post to our online personal pages through text messaging, the introduction of this voice technology has opened numerous opportunities. I am predicting a serious increase in not only posts from previous users, but also an increase in new members to social networking and blogging sites. People no longer have to take time out of their day to sit down at a computer and work out their thoughts. When driving to work, making dinner or even while getting ready for bed at night, we are now able to literally speak our minds.

This post is in response to the article found at http://internetcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/broadband-mobile/articles/13210-spinvox-breathes-voice-into-social-networks.htm

Red Sox Fans Get Their Own Online Community

Yes, Red Sox Nation finally has its own social networking site. It is called SawxHeads.com and was launched in July 2007 by a company called Boxcar Media. The site has recently been teeming with activity, with over 60,000 fans from more than a dozen countries.

The social networking site is yet another example of niche communities, where users belong to a network for a more specific, specialized need. In the case of SawxHeads.com, Boston Red Sox fans finally have a place where they can build their own dream team, have slugfest debates, trade and rumor information, and get popular on-the-road features for all the places to which team travels.



"Niche social networking sites are a natural outgrowth for passionate fan bases,” says Osmin Alvarez, president of Boxcar Media. “It allows them to have a more focused and personal experience than what is found on larger social networking sites”.

And, with such success stemming from SawxHeads.com, fans are asking for more niche social networking sites for other teams as well. Boxcar Media has just launched PatsHeads.com for fans of the New England Patriots and CeltsHeads.com for fans of the Boston Celtics. Alvarez says that because of their popularity, they have been given the opportunity to “launch hundreds of these niche sites in a short amount of time to support passionate fans of teams everywhere”.

I think that these niche sites are a prime example of exclusiveness. All people have a sense of wanting to be a part of something that is special, distinctive, and restricted to allow participation of only certain people. It is this same principle that drives the sales of top designer and luxury brands and the success of exclusive clubs and organizations. In this case, the SawxHeads.com website is a private place where only Boston fans are welcome.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/10/prweb563636.htm

Adweek Interactive Marketing Virtual Conference and Trade Show

I was given the opportunity to listen to three extremely important people in the internet world through a virtual conference that Adweek Media held. I listened to a lecture called "Embrace Social Networking And Extend Brand Awareness". It was a great learning experience, especially in relation to what my entire blog is about...social networking! Alan Schanzer, managing partner of MEC Interaction, Todd Wasserman, editor of BrandWeek and Barton Goldenberg, President of ISM Inc., all gave their insight on social networking, and a number of other topics surrounding it, such as its remarkabley fast growth, the future for these sites and how businesses have begun taking advantage of all that social networking has to offer.



Personally, I found one part in particular extremely interesting. I really liked listening Alan Schanzer on consumer opinions and how to utilize them. Social networking is such a great tool for collecting consumer insight on the most frequenctly discussed topics. Listening to what customers are saying not only helps marketers realize what people are talking about, but also the volume, sentiment, tonality, and reach of the discussions. This information can in turn help marketers promote their product or service more effectively, and help them understand what their consumers' wants and needs are.

I think that I found this part of the lecture so interesting because it is taking advantage of the tons and tons of great data and information that social networking sites help provide. It means that social networking is more than just a place for people to just post pictures and make friends. Businesses have finally started to realize that social networking is a tool that can be put to good use.

The Trend Will End by 2012

According to a recent report conducted by Datamonitor , growth in registration on social networking websites is expected to plateau to a more “realistic rate” by the year 2012 or earlier.

Research suggests that although profits will rise from $965 million to nearly $2.4 billion, growth in all regions will have already peaked by 2009 and will level out in the next three to five years.

Mike Stopforth, CEO of Cerebra, a social and mobile media company, says that, “Every technology innovation has an adoption curve of around seven years, and the social networking phenomenon is no different”.



The slowing of the social networking trend can be attributed to over saturation of the market. With more and more social networking sites entering the market, it is becoming harder for each site to stay independent. The explosive growth in social networking right now is due to the fact that many users have multiple memberships. With so many different sites, most people are still in the experimentation stages of usage. However, within a few years people are likely to adopt a single site and terminate the use of all others.

What does this mean for social networking sites? Specialization is key for success in the future. I think that users are going to start preferring sites that are uniquely specific to their interests and needs. Sites that are closely tailored to members’ career paths or personal hobbies, as well as sites that offer exclusive tools and applications, will be able to withstand the decrease in growth.

This post is in response to the article found at http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/internet/2007/0710191038.asp?S=Business&A=BUS&O=FPTOP

Social Networking for Profit

Social networking sites may be popular, but that doesn’t mean they are as profitable. In fact, social networking sites are seriously struggling to bring in any substantial amount of money. And, according to the Parks Associates’ Digital Media Habits II report, 72% of social network users said they would stop using the site if they were required to pay a monthly fee of only $2.

The alternative is quite obviously advertising, but research shows that almost 40% of users would stop visiting the site if it contained too many ads.

John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates says, “To really succeed, social networking sites must consistently deliver to advertisers a desirable consumer demographic, preferably when they are about to make a purchase decision.”

I think the best option is to simply pick the right advertisers. Advertising is only an annoyance when people are not interested in the product or service being promoted. Therefore, advertising products that the heaviest users of social networking sites may have an interest in or are may be looking to buy won’t be as aggravating. For example, if research finds that the most frequent social networking users are college-aged people, advertising iPods, laptops, or sports related products would probably prove to be the best advertisements.

This post is in response to the article found at http://cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0246.htm

eBay Socializes

Oddly enough, I briefly mentioned eBay in my last post. Some coincidence that eBay has just launched their latest service, eBay Neighborhoods, on Tuesday, to allow shoppers to socialize with a community of other users.

Brian Bolan, an analyst with Jackson Securities said that eBay is "…really trying to get shopping to become a much more social experience. Users aren't spending the majority of their time on eBay anymore. You have to be in the space where people are, which is why you'll see more tools that will wrap around social networks."

eBay has been dealing with some tough truths recently. They have faced stagnant growth in active members and have seen a decline in the number of items listed for sale, all within the past year.

eBay says that the addition of this social network-like chat is to help make shopping on eBay easier. Users can set up profiles and invite friends to the site. This will not only enable members to buy things more easily, but they will be able to make safer transactions and feel more comfortable in selling or buying items.

But will eBay Neighborhoods really help eBay in gaining back their lost ground? It may help shoppers feel they can trust the site a little more easily because they will be able to talk to the seller. But we all know how easy it is to come across a seller that says one thing, and does another. If seller sounds friendly enough, shoppers can easily be lured into completing a transaction, and find that when the item hasn’t arrived after a week or two, the person they thought would never stiff them, is gone.

Simply put it in comparison with online predators. They sound innocent enough in the beginning. You become friendly, keep talking, and just when you’ve put some trust in that person, you find they aren’t who you thought they were.

At the same time though, I do see some positives. For those people who are actually ethical and use eBay appropriately, this could mean a serious increase in sales. It could also be the beginning of a way to build an honest reputation. I think that this can be considered a valiant effort on eBay’s part, but could potentially lead to further problems down the road.

This post is in response to the article found at http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/11/technology/ebay_neighborhoods.fortune/?postversion=2007101203

Specialization is Newest Addition to Social Networking

Zolve is the newest real estate social network, launched today, that allows real estate professionals to do all the things other social networking sites allow you to do, plus the ability to create and accept digital contracts for real estate transactions.

The site was created by Brian Wilson of Colorado Springs, CO. He has been a real estate broker since 2001 and says "I was thinking it would be really neat to build a transaction-based platform for real estate professionals". Wilson’s goal was to create a site specifically for professionals rather than consumers.

He claims “Zolve goes a step further in facilitating actual online contracts for real estate services among the members of the community. A series of pull-down menus allow members to specify the services they are seeking or offering, and to establish a level of compensation”.

Users set up a profile and then keep track of referrals, feedback, blog posts, invitations they have sent for others to join the network, and other communications. All users also belong to a “sphere of influence”; a network that other close members of their profession also belong to.



There are a few fees involved, but they seem like very minor drawbacks in comparison to the doors that this site opens for real estate professionals. Brian Wilson has found a way to not only open up channels of communication between real estate professionals around the globe, but has also come up with a safe way to help these people initiate business and close deals and contracts. It is a specialization of social networking. In essence, Zolve takes the best aspects of social networking and combines them with the business-like characteristics of ebay.com. It is creative, innovative, and a brilliant way to connect millions of people.

This post is in response to the article found at http://www.inman.com/inmannews.aspx?ID=64834

Zune Tunes In

Microsoft Corporation has announced their plan to release the all new Zune, a campaign to blend social networking with the sharing of digital music, next month.

Experts say that the idea is a good one, but the chances of Microsoft beating out Apple Inc.’s iPod and iTunes duo are slim to none. Chris Swenson of the NPD Group said, "Microsoft can't just do something a little bit different, they have to match the experience of iTunes, and find ways to surpass it. But they're not even close now to what Apple and iTunes have."

Three different Zune players, paired with a community site called Zune Social, will allow users to automatically share their current playlists with friends using what Microsoft is calling a Zune-to-Zune Social sync.

The online site will be dependent on user-made profiles called Zune cards that other Zune owners can view and play a short sample of posted songs, or buy that track off of the Zune MarketPlace online store.

Last year, Microsoft experimented with Zune and its application of wireless capabilities. The outcome was a failure because there weren’t enough people with the player to make any experimentation practical.

I think that Microsoft could have a potentially very successful product. Whereas Apple has combined the software and the player, Microsoft is adding a third element, where people will be able to share things with each other. I think the idea is great, but I’m not too sure how it will pan out. I’m curious to see how the music world and social networking world fuse together. As of right now they are very different, and I’m not sure that all social networkers will be interested in sharing music. They might see it as an elementary form of social netoworking and be turned off to participating. Microsoft needs to come up with a way to make help Zune be seen as the newest trend in the eyes of social networkers.



And, as Michael Gartenberg of JupiterResearch said, "Microsoft must find a way to grow the coolness of the Zune…This isn't a bad strategy, and at least it's found a way to differentiate from Apple."

By the end of the year, Microsoft hopes to be holding the No. 2 spot amongst its digital music rivals.

This post is in response to the article found at http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,138042-c,mp3players/article.html

Facebook Predators

When Facebook.com decided to open its site up to more than just college students, you can guess the concerns that came along with it. Whereas before, only college students with valid emails ending in .edu could register, today there are over 42 million users – of all ages.

The problems that came along with making Facebook available to more people, is the issue of safety. Facebook claims that it takes the content of the site very seriously, and will not tolerate anything explicit or obscene. However, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is investigating to see if privacy controls actually keep younger users safe.

The attorney general’s office created its own Facebook profiles of fictitious 24-year-olds and sent inappropriate requests for nude photos.

Another investigator then posed as a parent of a child that received the request and sent the content and a message to Facebook’s executives stating that it is misleading to represent the site as safe.

The attorney general’s office says they are concerned. After an entire month, a response or action from Facebook execs has yet to be received.

I think that Facebook’s safety controls can be useful, if set up properly. There are a number of different measures that you, or any parent, can take to ensure safety. If they wish, users even have the option of making their entire profile hidden from everyone but their friends.

However, I do think that Cuomo’s investigation has found an issue with the Facebook monitors. Whatever or whomever is supposed to be controlling the information on the site and making sure that it does not violate Facebook’s code of conduct, doesn’t sound like they are doing their job. This should be of major concern to users because the people who should be policing the site are on a 24 hour break, which means no one is making sure that whatever cyberpredators are out there, stay out.

Personally, I don’t feel threatened or worried about the issue. This could be because I live an extremely sheltered life and I don’t think that people could actually be stalking me. Or, it could be because I am responsible enough to know what is okay, what is not okay, and how to protect myself when it comes to networking sites.

This post is in response to an article found at http://graphic.pepperdine.edu/news/2007/2007-09-27-segal.htm

Tennis Players Caught Up In Social Networking Deceit

The Lawn Tennis Association has suspended two of Britain’s top junior players for “unprofessional behavior” and “lack of discipline”.

David Rice, the second-best British junior and Naomi Broady, the national Under-18 champion, have both had their funding withdrawn after the association was notified that photos publicizing their partying and drinking were posted up on Bebo, a social networking site. It has been confirmed that the two have breached their contracts with the LTA that requires them to act professionally.

Roger Draper, LTA chief executive says, “It’s about taking responsibility, being accountable and sorting their lives out…I don’t think sometimes they realize the opportunities they’ve been given”.

Dean Evans from Tech.co.uk says, “It's the latest example of how employers are starting to judge the attitude and lifestyle of their employees by looking at personal photos on sites such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace”.

I think that anyone who wants to put up photos to display drinking, smoking, partying, etc. should be able to do so. When it comes down to it though, it reflects upon our own image. There is this funny little thing called a ‘reputation’ that I think people sometimes forget about. What happens behind closed doors is of nobody else’s business but our own. However, when we post pictures and videos of it for everyone to see, we need to take responsibility for our own actions.

Personally, I see benefits to the new trend of employers creating pages on social networking sites. I think that they can be used to our advantage, to show our bosses or potential bosses, our true personality. You know, the things that aren’t important enough to put on our resume. What my interests are, what I like to read, my favorite movies and whatever else a typical profile shows.

In fact, one of my employers and I both have profiles on Facebook. We joke about some of the things that are in my profile, but she says that it was a side to me she never would have known and been able to appreciate.

This post is in response to the article found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7010983.stm

Do You ThinkMTV?

Viacom’s MTV recently announced that they too will be participating in the social networking race. However, MTV says that its new network is not your typical social networking site, and that the new online community will help promote youth activism.

MTV claims that its new site, Think.MTV.com, is unique from other social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, in that it has collected an assortment of pop culture icons, nonprofits and community organizations that they will use to help young people get their voices heard about politics, education, health, and other issues they care about,. Organizations such as the United Nations and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, as well as celebrities like Bono, Shakira and John Legend have all teamed up in the hopes that they can drive a new type of social networking.

MTV says that multimedia is the key component to help young people to engage and educate their peers. And, to reward members that use the site “to do good”, MTV is offering opportunities to meet celebrities, attend exclusive MTV events, and even get exposure on MTV and other national media outlets. Grants and scholarships will be awarded as well.

ThinkMTV could very well revolutionize the social networking industry and start an entirely new trend in the way young people use of the Internet. MTV has come up with a way to globally spread knowledge peer-to-peer, by using tools that to young people today is second nature, for a purpose. It could be the ultimate new teaching device! I think the idea is ingenious, and I can’t believe that the other, already popular social networking sites haven’t already thought to do the same.

This post is in response to the article found at http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201807956

Mash? or Mess?

In an attempt to keep up with the times, Yahoo Inc. is in the testing stages of its new social network service called Mash.

Mash will enable Yahoo users to sustain their own profile, share photos from Flickr.com, create their own customized news feed, and add mini-applications. Yahoo says that Mash gives users the ability “to edit their friends profiles and add personal blurbs, subject to approval by the profile owner”. Yahoo also said on Friday that it had recently acquired a company called BuzzTracker.com, which promises to offer users, “a way to create customized news feeds around a limitless number of topics of their own choosing”.

Yahoo will capitalize on their already 500 million monthly users to gain feedback in the experimental stages, and hopefully capture as future users.

But is there room in social cyberspace for yet another networking site? With top-of-mind sites like MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and Orkut already dominating the field, I’m not so sure that Yahoo can compete. What will Mash give users that these other sites don’t already?

The creation of Mash is clearly Yahoo’s effort to get a piece of the growing market. But personally, I think they missed the boat. Smart Yahoo users have already created an account with one of the other, more established, social networking sites. It has simply taken Yahoo too long to enter the field. The earliest origins of social networking can be traced back to 1998 with the launch of Xanga , a site for sharing book and music reviews. The ever-popular Myspace launched in August of 2003, with Orkut following closely behind in January, 2004. Facebook got its start in early February of 2004, and although Bebo was the latest, founded in January of 2005, it is still the third most popular social networking website. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bebo)

As for user popularity, Myspace takes the prize with over 200 million users on September 7. “The service has gradually gained more popularity than similar websites to achieve nearly 80% of visits to online social networking websites” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myspace). As for Facebook, “from September 2006 to September 2007, it increased its ranking from 60 to 6th most visited web site, and was the number one site for photos in US, ahead of public sites such as Flickr [owned by Yahoo] with over 8.5 million photos uploaded daily. As of August 2007, Facebook had 39 million registered users” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook). Also in August of 2007, Orkut had over 67 million registered users (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkut)

To give credit where it is due, Yahoo 360 is the closest Yahoo product to the other, more popular, social networking sites,
which launched in late March of 2005. But a spokeswoman said Friday that Mash is a “next-generation service that is independent from the company's 2-1/2 year-old Yahoo 360 degree profile service”.

Unfortunately, the reality is that Yahoo cannot expect to contend with these numbers and statistics of their competitors. Had Yahoo jumped in the game a year or two earlier with a “next generation service”, there might have been a chance. But unless Yahoo can give users a revolutionary site with brand new ideas and tools, they are setting themselves up for failure.

This post is in response to an article found at http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2007-09-17T190408Z_01_FLE756827_RTRIDST_0_TECH-YAHOO-MASH-1-COL.XML&archived=False

Networking Friends: Quality or Quantity?

What do you find more important in your friends? Quality? Or quantity? Social networking is taking harsh criticism for its untraditional way of helping people make friends.

On average, a person involved in a social network like MySpace or Facebook has around 150 friends. Still, others have befriended hundreds, even thousands of other users.

According to behavioral ecologists, making new friends is about more than just ‘friending’ and writing on someone’s wall a few times. Making new friends is about a commitment of time and energy and receiving similar benefits from the other person in return.

Are online networks reducing this investment in making new friends by lowering the perceived risk? Most certainly. But to those who take quality over quantity, taking that in-person risk is what it’s all about.

Dr. Will Reader at Sheffield Hallam University says that according to his online survey, he has found that face-to-face encounters are still the most important part in sustaining a close friendship.

I think that these face-to-face encounters are, and always will be, the most important factor in not only making friends, but also keeping those friends. Dr. Reader says that face-to-face contact is the only time that you can use facial and bodily cues to get honest information.

However, I think it is even much more than cues that makes face-to-face befriending important. I think that one of the best indicators of a great friendship is actually silence. Let me explain further. I find that I can tell my best friends apart from my good friends by being able to sit in silence with them, and not feel awkward. This concept may seem a little weird to you. But in my life anyway, it is the people that I can drive in the car for 20 minutes and not say a thing to, that I feel the most comfortable with. The thoughts of, “Oh my gosh it’s so quiet. Should I say something? What should I say? Maybe comment on the weather? Or maybe I should tell her what bad hair day I’m having. No, wait. I shouldn’t talk about myself. I might come off as self-centered.” These are the typical thoughts that cross one’s mind if they aren’t completely comfortable with the person next to them. Sure, a stimulating conversation with a friend is always exciting. But I think a stimulating conversation can be held with most anyone. It is sitting in a silent room with one other person, and feeling at ease (and without mind-racing thoughts) that is a true indicator of a great friend.

And although social networking sites will probably keep growing, as will people’s friend lists, it still remains the truth that our closest friends are the ones that we can call up on the phone and ask them to meet us for lunch, go see a movie, or even just sit in silence. Although some people may believe that the number of friends they have is the most important aspect of their relationships, those who still believe in the tradition quality over quantity will unquestionably be the better friend.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070912161147.htm

Social Networking; Connecting Students

Social networking may not just be a tool for distraction anymore. Two Arizona junior high schools are taking advantage of the latest online trend, and using it to further their students’ education.

I think that schools across the country, even across the world, would probably find great uses for these sites. Not only would students be exposed to collaboration with others on a global basis, but it could potentially be something that kids take beyond the classroom and into their own homes. Furthermore, it is my hope that social networking becomes the “cool” thing to do, and will encourage other kids to get in on the action.

At Chandler’s Santan Junior High, advanced computer students are working on a project called virtualclassroom.org . Schools compete against each other in building a web site on a topic of their choice. Students were able to interact with competing schools across the country, and comment on other sites.

Students at Mesa’s Kino Junior High are conducting classroom science experiments, but with on looking professors from Arizona State University.

The potential for learning opportunities are endless with the use of social networking sites. Again, it enables kids across the world to work together and open their eyes to so many other things. Boundaries will be erased and students will realize that they really have no limits. They will be able to take control of their own learning and their own experiences. And I know personally that being able to control what you learn about is a very freeing concept.

Other interesting facts from the article:

97% of students age 9-17 are now using social networking sites to connect with their classmates for educational purposes.

The national survey found teens who use social-networking sites spend about nine hours a week online, compared with 10 hours a week watching TV.

Want to learn more about the Kids’ Social Networking Study? Log onto www.grunwald.com, or click here.

This post is in response to an article found at http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0907cr-neted0908.html.

Letting Consumers Take Control

I found a similar tactic in learning about an audience in both of the articles I read, Consumer 3.0 and Calling All Pets. In each instance, with some slight variation, experts and researchers are finding that by letting people take control of their own media experience, they can learn a whole lot more about consumers.

The first article I read, called Consumer 3.0, described a way of reaching an audience and learning about them in a way that is a quickly growing trend. “Consumer 3.0 writes, edits, splices, shoots, and manipulates original or reproduced content to aggregate its own audience for its own media ecosystem.” By providing people with all of the necessary tools to create their own media encounters, they can do whatever they want. Observation is the key ingredient for any researcher at this point. Simply follow consumers in their media travels, and a wealth of information is right at their fingertips.

Calling All Pets also talked about letting consumers take control of their own media experiences, but with more of a focus on pet-related products and services. Pet producing businesses help consumers in their search for trustworthy products by appealing to our emotional attachments.

"Part of what we do [in marketing] is appeal to people's sense of logic," Iverson says. "Better ingredients mean a better pet food. The brand's personality is that of a caring brand. We have to reflect that the pet is really a part of the family."

To me, it’s like consumer bait. You put a product exclusively online, without much advertising. This translates to most people as being high-end. (For example, designer fashion lines have little or no advertising.) High-end product means quality, and quality means pricey. “They go online in droves, looking for small companies creating high-end, niche products.” How do researchers then learn about their audience? Simply by people visiting their site. If people come, they can usually get their information, and with their information comes learning and observation.

Podcast Boredom

I'm not going to lie, this podcast was painful to listen to. Although it was only 15 minutes (a lot shorter than typical podcasts), I found it boring and uninteresting. It couldn't hold my attention for more than a few seconds at a time.

There was a point, though, that I zoned back into the discussion, and actually listened to a few minutes. It was when Albert Maruggi started talking about the 9 things that can lead to successful marketing practices. I think the reason for this was because he started the podcast saying that he was going to share these 9 things. However, he didn't get into discussing them until 6 minutes into the podcast. But another 2.5-3 minutes later, my mind was wandering once again.

For anyone in the industry who finds Albert Maruggi interesting, or what he was saying relevant to their own business, I can definietly see how listening to this podcast would be helpful. If you can find some common ground with a discussion like this, it is fairly easy to pay attention and really listen closely to what Maruggi is saying. However, being only a college student who is not too far into the industry yet, I found it hard to keep my mind tuned into this cast.