As the social networking gig continues to expand, Yahoo has made plans to jump into social networking by using its massive population of e-mail subscribers as a base for sharing information on the Web. The company plans to transform its 280 million e-mail users its new social network user base. Users will be able to exchange comments, pictures and news articles with others in their address books.

According to Yahoo, the program won’t expose a user’s contact list to the public, as was done by Google through its social networking application, Buzz. But unless a user proactively opts out of the program, those Yahoo e-mail subscribers will automatically be part of a sweeping rollout of features that will incorporate the kinds of sharing done on sites such as Facebook and MySpace…Read more

MocoSpace, the largest mobile social network in the U.S., is releasing its first Mobile Social Graph, a new quarterly report highlighting how consumer behaviors are shifting from the web to the mobile phone.

According to Ground Truth recent research MonoSpace is the 4th largest mobile website in the U.S.

Some interesting findings from the report shows

• iPhone is 2 times more attractive than Android for potential smartphone buyers.
• Mobile users log-in almost twice as often as PC users… Read more

Guys, it feels good to be back. We’ve been out of based but all the same we’re back. I’m looking forward to a huge social explosion on the web this year. Already Facebook has retransformed its look giving it better navigation, which I’m loving a lot. If you haven’t been on Facebook today. Run up to check your new page layout. Fantastic work guys! Our friends at Twitter has also done some good work.
What will Letche look like in 2010? We’ve planned a major social media information hub for Letche. In a few days you’ll be seeing more post from around the internet on social media news and trends. More to that is a planned launch of Letche blogs. WordPress.com style. If you like your blog to be featured on Letche you’re welcome to submit your RSS. More importantly if you talk Enterprise Social Media or want to know more about how companies are using social media in their business then you should bookmark this link.

Talk soon.

-Paulette.

Businesses have been urged not to consult social networking sites when considering job applications, as it could lead to discrimination claims.

The Law Society warned that using the likes of Facebook and MySpace to vet candidates is a dangerous practice.

This is because details such as religious beliefs and sexual discrimination are often shared on these portals and could be perceived to influence hiring decisions….Read more

The next big step in social networking is taking this internet evolution to the next level. The information and cultural transformation spawned by social networking may soon upgrade to a new level of sophistication.

According to authorities, new technology will allow automatic uploads of status updates and a variety of social and geographic information.

European researchers are working to merge information pulled by ambient intelligence systems that use sensors and smart objects to create awareness of users’ whereabouts and activities to networking and messaging platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.

Combined, the two technologies promise to provide an omnipresent or pervasive awareness, that is, an encompassing way to stay in touch with friends and relatives…Read more

Just like your resume doesn’t get you a job. Nor do your references, your mother or standing on a street corner holding a sign. Only you and the overall impression you make can get you your next position.

I see your eyes rolling.

But if you’re like most people, you’re not acting like you know that. You’re acting like you think that by having your information “out there” you will be discovered.

Social networking services that let you instantaneously share information are well worth discussing. But let’s talk about what they realistically can do for your career and some nifty tricks of the trade to make it worth your while.

Essentially social networking can help you: 1. Increase your odds of being found among zillions of others; 2. Give you a giant platform for enhancing your reputation; 3. Meet others; and 4. Learn about companies and potential openings… Read more

For years, Oracle, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM have used Linux to lower the cost of their hardware and software-based solutions, while keeping profit margins fat and healthy. Google, ever the quick learner, is now doing the same with Android.

The mobile market will never be the same.

Just as Google and others are using open-source software to lower barriers to adoption of their proprietary cloud offerings, so, too, is Google using open source to reduce the cost of mobile computing in order to drive uptake of its proprietary search-related advertising business in mobile.

Google CFO Patrick Pichette said as much in Google’s most recent earnings call:

If we move forward the adoption of these smartphones by having a lower cost infrastructure because it’s open source…all the (mobile) searches…will happen so much faster.

Open source: it’s all about peace, love…and capitalism.

However, Android is more than just a way to shave a few dollars off a phone’s purchase price. Jim Zemlin, Linux Foundation’s executive director, declared recently that Linux offers “greater flexibility, freedom from lock-in, and lack of licensing costs.”… Read more

“Loosen up on social network security”. on That’s how analysts advised Gartner Symposium attendees here Monday, arguing that corporate computing departments shouldn’t block social networking and that security shouldn’t completely lock down communications with the outside world. And even if information technology authorities want to shut down such activity, they can’t.

“Banning access to social media from the corporate network is futile,” said Carol Rozwell, a Gartner vice president. “The world we live in is digitally enabled and socially connected.”

The advice reflects the transformation of the information technology world as the Internet steadily pervades more and more corners of everybody’s life. Although the Gartner event historically has concerned itself with matters such as justifying the expense of a new enterprise resource management computing system, the broadening show reflects the growing scope of work that IT managers face.

Overall, companies must acknowledge that not everything is under control of their own top-down administration, said Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president of research at Gartner… Read more

Social-networking sites, such as Facebook and Myspace, have become a part of everyday life for teens and adults alike. A recent study warns to be mindful of what is posted on the public sites.

According to a study by Career builder, 45 percent of employers now use these sites as a way to research potential job candidates. This is up from the 22 percent in a similar study last year, who stated they used the sites.

The study states that 29 percent use Facebook to screen jobseekers, 26 percent look at LinkedIn and another 21 percent view potential job candidates on Myspace.

More than 2,600 hiring managers participated in the study. Fifty-three percent of potential job candidates were rejected because of unsavory photographs posted on personal sites. Another 44 percent were turned away due to comments posted about drug use or drinking. Another 35 percent cited putting down previous employers, co-workers or clients, and 20 percent turned applicants away for sharing confidential information from previous employers. On the other hand, the sites can provide helpful information in some situations.

According to the study, networking sites can be a good place to advertise one’s skills. Some employers stated that after reviewing the public networking sites they hired candidates because they showed creativity, good communication skills, and provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality…Read more

Microsoft vs. Apple. Google vs. Yahoo. And now, Facebook vs. Twitter.

Industry battles, especially in the technology arena, are often cast as epic matchups between one company or another. Typical consumers may not really know a battle is under way, but to those involved — and to various industry watchers — the stakes are momentous and epoch-making. The future of the web, the future of computing, the future of communication — any of these may be at play in these one-on-one bouts.

The latest battle pits two social networking companies against each other: Facebook and Twitter. And what’s at stake?…Read more