Week of July 16, 2007

Social Networking: Still Big

Friday, July 20, 2007

In a world where you can log onto KickApps.com and create a social network in five minutes, we see the power of social networking continue to raise interest in a big way. Social Network Hi5 recently received $20 million in financing and now comes word that another social network, Tagged, has raised $15 million in funding. Think this is crazy? Well, both networks are profitable already, and the funding is being used to help the social networks handle expansion. Yes, Social Networking is big... even for the companies you may never have heard of.

Amp'd Closes Its Doors

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Word is that mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Amp'd is shutting its doors. The MVNO's provide specialized content services built over a mobile plan and often special phones. The MVNO space is incredibly difficult to win in due to its reliance on both hardware and content, but when a company nails it...they win. Helio is surging due in large part to its great Ocean handset, while many consider the iPhone a camouflaged MVNO, with Apple simply leasing the network space from AT&T.

More Moves To Integrate Cell Phones & Online

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

It hasn't gotten a lot of press but Nokia has bought media file sharing site Twango. While buying social media sites is all the rage, this one is interesting because it was bought by a mobile phone company. It is likely that Twango will be re-designed with a mobile interface integral to the product, allowing a much easier way of sending content between cell phones and online.

Webcaster Negotiations Continue

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

New Internet streaming royalty rates were set to officially go into affect over the weekend. Yet webcasters and SoundExchange, the digital collection arm of the recording industry, continue to try to negotiate a new deal that will satisfy both sides and SoundExchange announced that it would indefinitely delay enforcement of the new rates while negotiations continued.

Reportedly, the two sides are close to an agreement in some areas, such as a cap of $50,000 per webcaster for the "$500 per channel" clause in the Copyright Board's decision. In return, SoundExchange is pressing hard for broadcasters to implement some form of DRM to prevent "streamripping," which is when users record songs from an Internet stream.

I Want My iPhone

Monday, July 16, 2007

According to a survey by M:Metrics, a mobile market authority, awareness of and interest in the iPhone is extremely high in both the US, where the iPhone is available, as well as in the UK, where it is not. What's surprising is that interest in buying one is even higher in the UK.

According to M:Metric's April Benchmark Survey, 56% of British mobile phone users and 64% of US users were aware of the iPhone. Note that this survey was taken before the phone was available. The most interesting numbers are the percentages in each country of people who are highly interested in buying one. 14% of the US users who were aware of the iPhone had a strong interest in purchasing one, while 28% of the UK users were in the same category.