Social Apps

AOL acquired global social networking site Bebo.com for $850 million in an all-cash deal. Bebo has over 40 million members, and ranked third after Facebook and MySpace. Bebo is very popular in the United Kingdom and has a fast-growing global audience.

AOL hopes to leverage its advertising sales business across Bebo’s network. When integrated with instant messaging services ICQ and AIM, it is expected to reach 80 million members.

Link

Technorati Tags: advertising, AIM, AOL, Bebo, ICQ, social networking

Meebo has released an API  to enable social networking sites to incorporate instant messaging into their service.  Users will be able to interact in real time while on their favourite webpages.

The API will automate the creation, configuration and monetisation of Meebo Rooms for partners, allowing them to integrate chat rooms into their user registration databases and content management and publishing systems.

“Today’s API announcement, as well as the launch partners for our ad-supported Meebo Network, will bring Meebo and our partners closer to the goal of giving people the ability to connect, engage and discuss anything of common interest,” said Martin Green, vice-president of business, Meebo.

Link 

Technorati Tags: API, chat, IM, instant messaging, Meebo, social networking

KickApps Corporation has launched ‘KickApps 3.0′ a hosted platform designed to deploy Social Networking, UGC, Programmable Video Players and Widgets. The new release upgrades the ability to manage media, members and reporting, all essential to growing a successful community. Additionally, it contains more site customization and syndication capabilities as well as features that are designed to create a more engaging member experience.

Main Features:

• KickApps API Developer Kit
• The KickApps Widget Studio
• Multi Media Message Boards
• Instant Customization: WYSIWYG Site Styler
• Increased max file size uploads to 100MB for all media
• Upgraded Reporting

Link

Technorati Tags: KickApps, social networking, UGC, video, Video Players, widgets, WYSIWYG

In 2006, people will connect to each other in a new and different ways.  In 2008, Forrester predicts that:

• Corporate participation will bring social applications to the mainstream
• Community manager roles will gain prominence in companies
• Corporate social responsibility will take on a new meaning
• Customer needs will gain a voice and launch demand-platform prototypes
• Micromedia adoption will increase, and marketers will learn to join in
• The social graph will open up
• Social search will make its debut

Technorati Tags: forrester, social networking

Conduit, a web community toolbar developer, has raised $8 million in its second round of venture capital financing, led by Benchmark Capital.

Conduit’s on-demand community toolbar service allows any Web publisher to create a custom toolbar that delivers their content to users’ desktops.

The company claims more than 140,000 publishers.

Link 

Technorati Tags: Benchmark Capital, Conduit, social networking, toolbars, VC

Gaia Online, an online virtual world targeting teens, has received an undisclosed sum as an investment from Time Warner. It has around three million monthly users, and has a virtual economy that sees over $1 million in transactions per month.

Link

Technorati Tags: Gaia Online, social networking, Time Warner

Here is the list of companies utilizing Google’s OpenSocial:

Example Applications

Technorati Tags: Google, OpenSocial, social networking

WhatsOpen.com is a social search engine which has rolled out its public beta today. Users on a first come, first serve basis can signup to use the service on the web, iPhone, or Google Android equipped phones.

By using proprietary algorithms and allowing users to contribute to the site by inputting their favorite locations, WhatsOpen.com has grown a database to over 50 Million global listings. Over 1 Million of which can be found live on the California beta now.

Link

Technorati Tags: Google Android, iPhone, social networking, WhatsOpen.com

Launched recently woofspace.com is already garnering the attention and affection of Dog Lovers everywhere. Find friends, post pics and videos, find resources, and more. It’s a Dog’s World…After all.

Brand new, the site was built to help dog lover’s find resources and each other. Half social networking site devoted to dogs and their owners and half resource finder for everything from Vets and Groomers to Trainers and Fence Builders.

Link

Technorati Tags: dogs, social networking, woofspace.com

Career Connection Network (CCN), developer of the newest social networking technology being launched in December, is partnering with Fortune 500 brands to build Career Social Networks for top professionals.

The Career Connection Network platform creates Online Communities which are one-stop destination sites for professionals to receive fresh content and network with peers across multiple practice areas relevant to their specific careers and industry.

Link

Technorati Tags: Career Connection Network, Fortune 500, social networking