Google Launches OpenSocial

Google Launches OpenSocial. OpenSocial is a set of APIs that will allow independent developers to build applications that run on any participating network, using the data stored by that network.

Techcrunch, which posted the first details of the announcement, claims that OpenSocial’s hosts, or the participating social networks, include Google’s Orkut, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle.

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Microsoft Pays $240 Million for 1.6% Stake in Facebook

Microsoft announced on Wednesday that it will pay $240 million for a 1.6% stake in Facebook, which puts a $15 billion valuation on the less than four-year-old online social network.

Microsoft also sells online ads for Facebook.

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Woman sues Facebook over Unwanted Text Messages

An Indiana woman has sued online social network Facebook, claiming the company is profiting when its users mistakenly send unwanted text messages to mobile phones whose numbers previously belonged to other consumers, the Associated Press reported.

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Web 2.0 technologies could trigger boom

Web 2.0 technologies could trigger a boom similar to the dot.com bubble of the 1990s.

John Chambers, chief executive of Cisco systems, said that the technology behind sites such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace would improve productivity and dramatically change the way businesses work.

"We are at the very beginning of the next phase of creativity that will last, I think, a minimum of 10 years," he told the Financial Times..."


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Latest Facebook rumors: IPO, IPO, IPO

Facebook filling out for an IPO? The company is growing , doing $100 millions in revenues, and has powerefull advertising clients.

Here is the link from Facebook job postings

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Facebook plans to allow embed widgets.

Facebook plans to allow its users to embed widgets from third-party providers, Wired reported, citing an unnamed source.
Rival MySpace has drawn criticism from some for banning third-party widgets from certain companies including a high-profile widget from Indie911and Photobucket.

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Law Enforcement utilizes social networking resources

There are over 300 known social networking sites on the internet. Myspace.com has over 110 million users and Facebook.com adds 20,000 new users each day. Too often, investigators overlook or underutilize this valuable resource.

This one day (8 hour) course provided by our Cyber Crime Training Division, is designed for police officers, detectives, and criminal analysts.

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Friendster looking to capitalize on its patents?

Since Friendster has failed in comparison to rivals MySpace and Facebook, it is looking for a strategy to make money out of their patents. Friendster gets another social networking patent; third in last 9 months, which makes you wonder.... They don't charge anyone now yet, but my feeling is theat they will. Time will show...

The company says the patent covers adding friends, personalizing a profile through arranging, ordering and classifying connections made in an online community, and managing these connections at will.

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Should a newspaper be a social network?

In light of USAToday's re-design, should a newspaper be a social network?

1. Yes, newspapers should become social networks

2. No, leave the social networking to MySpace, Facebook, KickApps