Where is Social Networking Going?
Yesterday Google announced that they were has purchased Jaiku for an undisclosed amount. I used to use Jaiku alot and technically still do as one of the great features of Jaiku is being able to add RSS feeds of yours do that other people can get ahold of them. Anyway. I think that this is great news for the folks over at Jaiku, they have worked very hard and lets face it Google doesn't buy just everyone (or do they?).
I think that we will see a lot from them over the coming months. If you ask me this is another step towards Google making their own social network, similar to Facebook or even My Space. But obviously better in the case of the latter. I think one of the key issues that Google will have if they do decide to get into this space, which they obviously have, is getting everyone off Facebook.
Now how did Facebook get everyone off MySpace?
1. At first they only let kids onto Facebook - smart move, most of the time kids want their own space without adults interfering.
2. Giving a clean design - I still find Facebook to have some garing holes in the design but you can have a concurrent design throughout the whole experience, something you can't get with MySpace with all the different themes.
3. They listened - There is no point doing what you think is right because half the time your wrong. Facebook have listened to what people have said and (within reason) given them these things
I think that it is going to be a hard one for Google to get everyone from Facebook, they seem to have done very well, if you ask me the only reason people went to MySpace in the first place is because there wasn't really anything else.
We will see.
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I use facebook but don’t like all the silly applications like vampires and so on - but I suppose some people like them. Google will have to do a lot with Jaiku to turn it into anything like facebook. I just don’t think that’s possible.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:51 pmAs I said, Jaiku is only the first step I think that in the future Jaiku will be a part of the “Google Social Network”.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:02 pmI’m using Facebook, but it’s for me just a page to display. Like Christopher, I don’t like the ton of applications. Ok it’s cool that anybody can create thing to put in Facebook. Thanks to the API. But Facebook is just a front page for me. Microblogging is not the main feature of the site, and it’s hard to post. You have 2 ways to post, the status and the wall…. but some apps can do the job too. I think today, facebook is much more a multi application plateform where you can do a lot, but microblogging is not the main task.
Jaiku is only microblogging, but unlike twitter, you can post from your cellphone or instant messenger (which is surprisingly google talk
). Jaiku is building a network just like twitter, from blogging members. google is missing an application to microblog. It already have blogspot for blogging. I think Jaiku is “just” a new service that currently is already vey integrated to google services.
Saying that Jaiku should become a Facebook like. I disagree, as both services aren’t playing on the same level. Twitter and pownce are playing with jaiku. My Space is playing with Facebook.
October 9th, 2007 at 9:26 pm[...] As Jonathan Davies says, Jaiku’s other strength is in aggregating RSS feeds into one place. Interesting that Google is building a very strong position in the RSS ecosystem with Google Reader and Feedburner and now Jaiku. Interesting, will Google use its RSS position against Facebook? We’ll see come November 5. [...]
October 10th, 2007 at 12:13 am@Olivier: I strongly (but politly ;-)) disagree. Jaiku wont be “just” another service. I would say Jaiku is the social networking weapon with which Google will avoid Facebook to grow. Now, Twitter and Pownce will play together while Google will be able to challenge Myspace on social networking playground. (and please please please keep in mind you can get and publish updates from your phone with Twitter).
October 10th, 2007 at 1:24 am[...] Where is Social Networking Going? - [...]
November 4th, 2007 at 9:43 pm