Your Social - Or Mine - Or Zuck’s (George’s)?
Posted on 7:53 am by Paul ColliganSo, … Google has Friend Connect to bring us all together. Twitter has joined forces with them so we know this is going to be something big.
Microsoft’s Zune Insider certainly hasn’t abandoned the “Social” of Zune.net but as this FriendFeed link shows, they’re, at the very least, expanding their thoughts on what the “Social” means (subscribe to them - snooping in on what they’re doing is extremely valuable market research).
So, is it all folding into one big heep of “convergence love?” This is a question we need to answer sooner than later.
FriendFeed’s impact is considerable on two levels - a) the technology of FriendFeed proper is very impressive and well worth a look (I’m here) but b) the ability (via FriendFeed) to bring all this RSS together into a single location is, and has always been, the “promise” if you will of Web 2.0 and RSS.
We built Premiumcast on that “promise.” Do you think Ed Dale could have sold the Thirty Day Challenge Plus Memberships he did if he told the world they had to download special software and use special devices to make it all work? Watching that man tell hundreds on a uStream broadcast that “it just all runs through the iTunes you already have (or should have)” sent chills down my spine.
This stuff is really happening …
But, oh, Facebook … Zuck’s Place if you will … so clean, so crisp, so simple. As the joke goes, I know people who have “left the Internet” for his closed system.
But it’s not just Facebook.
George Tran who brought the Internet the extremely powerful and important 1ShoppingCart (disclosure, my private labels of 1ShoppingCart.com - FrontPageCart and Automate Sales - have been some of my most profitable online ventures), has recently launched eHive claiming it’s your own personal social network. Impressive features - impressive pricing - don’t think I haven’t considered it.
So, your social? Mine? Zuck’s? FriendFeed? One that hasn’t launched yet?
Leave your comments below …
Enjoy this clip from Almost Famous - my favorite movie ever. Because, everyone … it is all happening.
8 Comments »
December 17, 2008
BloggerSavvy said:
Funny thing is that FriendFeed leaves me cold. I find it too fiddly to deal with. Twitter on the other hand, simple, straight forward and faster for me to access. In my case there’s even a TwitMe pluging for Wordpress. I don’t see FriendFeed doing that? Twitter = Convenience
However, more on topic (I suppose) is that the “Mine” of social will prevail - Meaning more applications that will plugin to various socials (that each user individually picks). No longer a case of participating in one or more social, rather a case of applications connecting one user interface to several selected socials (so much so that they may never visit the actual web site of either social).
December 17, 2008
Chuck Dimmitt said:
As a relative newcomer to Twitter, LInkedIn and Facebook, there is so much information available to tie into, that only the highly technical guru’s, of the Internet world, have a realistic chance of keeping up. Anyone having a job outside of the technical aspects of this phenomenon, are left to trust the insights and expertise of those leading the way and those trying to keep up.
At some point in time, at least a little dust needs to settle, in order to enjoy the fruits that can be harvested, without thinking another change is necessary, to be included in whatever is going on in real time.
I realize there will always be change and improvements, but how can we smell the roses at the pace technology continues to advance? I’m peddling as fast as I can already.
December 17, 2008
Chuck Smith said:
Hey Paul - I know a ton of non-web people who are jumping on Facebook now because of the non-threatening nature of their closed environment. They only have to deal with the people they want, and they seem to enjoy the applications. It’s a way for them to get in touch with friends old and new.
As far as FriendFeed, I like the promise but I don’t really like the interface yet. If someone could come up with some cool plugins or a better interface using their API, I might be tempted to spend more time with it. In the meantime, I’ll just kind of monitor it. And monitor Ed Dale to see what he’s up to.
December 17, 2008
Allison Reynolds said:
Ahh the unifying theory of everything hits the social networking world.
What is it about the “social” we like. is it the actual information that is being passed or the voyeuristic view we get into other’s lives? Is it the opportunity to show off to others how “cool” you are with what you are linking? Is it the attention you may get on the web that you don’t get in the offline world? Is it just a way to reach more people to sell your stuff?
The way I see it is that social networking web style, is just another mirror of offline behaviour. There is nothing “new” in what is happening.
Humans live in family groups
Groups gather in tribes
Tribes live in a village
Industry comes and the villages merge to be cities
Cities interconnect globally with technology
and then….
Hyperconnectivity is being bandied around with the cool crowd…maybe being jacked into someone else’s very thoughts and experiences will be the one platform to rule them all….and then jacking into a million brains.
I can imagine it … kinda. Still if it doesn’t have a simple interface that cuts out the clutter (and gosh, how much clutter is in one brain let alone millions?)….
December 17, 2008
@TraciKnoppe said:
I like FriendFeed it makes me look like I use heavy starch in my SuperWoman cape.
However, my social tool of choice is Twitter. Information arrives faster than a speeding bullet, good thing I have that heavy starch handy to keep up. haha I use Twitter Tools to tweet new blog posts automatically, but I still prefer to do most things personally and avoid too much automation. I use some automation - but not as much as I know I could; that would avoid the purpose of it being social.
I have a love - hate relationship with Facebook. Ed says it’s great, so I’m trying to at least like it; but I hate all those cutesy apps. Truly, if I get one more care bear hug or snowflake ornament I’m gonna scream! Facebook is not a place I hang out at all.
As a Thirty Day Challenge ‘graduate’ and now a Thirty Day Challenge Plus member, I’m doing my best to keep up with the latest in social and internet marketing. Thankfully there’s Ed Dale, and now your Internet Marketing This Week podcast with him, Michelle and Lynn - to help make it all easier for the rest of us. Thanks!
December 17, 2008
LaRon Carter said:
Hey Paul, You know what’s up. But you gotta love doing business in America. Just like business isn’t for everyone, neither is jumping into another social network or ABC’s 2.0 before figuring out “ Hey What’s Going On.”
This whole thing of false evangelism reminds me of someone that was locked up in the house for all of his or her early childhood and then BAM!
They’re off to college or they get sent to stay with the other parent and they can’t breathe, see straight, or stand up straight because they got a whiff of. . . Well you know what I’m trying to say. All of the stimuli generated from the new experiences makes them loose their mind.
And then watch out for the wolves. Did I say that? Yeah, the whore mongers.
Newbies beware!
Remember what you mamma taught you back in the day. Everything that glitters ain’t gold and the grass sure in the hell ain’t greener on the other side of the fence (it’s probably spray painted).
Take your time. Do your homework. And above all else, stay focused on your goals. Low overhead and whatever is over your head isn’t for you right now. KISS!
December 17, 2008
1stAngel said:
I use all of them I think. They are all linked and the friendships I have made through them have been fantastic and irreplaceable. I have learned a little from many countries and some people have learned from me about mine. I have tried recipes for foreign meals, read books I had never heard of, and discussed things I would never have thought of. People follow me, I follow them, or not… My business has taken off too and all through the force of the network. Friendfeed, Facebook, Twitter etc etc the list goes on… Love them all!
December 18, 2008
Michelle MacPhearson said:
Hi Paul! It *is* all happening. Almost Famous is one of my favorite movies too, that scene being one of the best. Every day when I fire up my computer and read feeds, emails, tweets, I hear “it’s all happening” in my head…. And it’s magic.