Google introduces Friend Connect

Google launched its new Data portability platform called Friend Connect. The service that helps website owners grow traffic by enabling any site on the web to easily provide social features for its visitors. This these features enabled on your blog or site you will be able to attract more visitors, add social networking features with no or very less programming.

This is Google's next step in social networking. Initially they launched OpenSocial an API for social applications. Then Google profile was launched and integrated with Google Reader. Recently they added commenting (notes) feature in Google reader. Plus they have API that I need not mention (Google Calendar Data API,Google Contacts Data API etc). So with Google Friend you will be able to integrate social features like user registration, invitations, members gallery, message posting, and reviews other other applications built on openSocial. You will also be able with other social networks like facebook, hi5, Plaxo, LinkedIn etc. So, you will be able to connect people from different networks and broadcast activities to friends in their social networks.


I went through an example and was able to login using my Google ID. The application gave me options to connect with my facebook and orkut accounts. With this Google will stay way ahead in social networking and intergration. With OpenSocial around these platforms, I am sure facebook and Yahoo have lots to learn from this.

Sabeer Bhatia launches SabseBolo

The Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia has yet again launched an innovative product. He has announced the launch of India’s first free, reservation-less audio conferencing facility! The product is called SabSebolo and is in Alpha stage. But is it going to be another hit?

Definitely , the product is very innovative. Anybody can access the service and is available 24/7. The main advantage is there is no need of internet or any downloads. All; you have to do is log on to SabSebolo.com and enter your email id and password. Once you create an account you get your permanent conference id and a pin and you are ready to do conference call at any time.

To make a call you simply dial +91-22-3980 4444, enter the conference id and pin. You can have a maximum of 10 participants in the call. The service seems to absolutely free, but you will have to pay the phone charges for making the call (charges applicable as per your service provider). SabSebolo also has a paid service where in conference calls can be recorded and tracked. They also plan to release online tools for conferencing scheduler, conference manager, dial-out service, voice broadcast, voice telecast etc..

With the young generation using SMS as their main communication, will Bhatia pull this off? Will corporates take a taste of this service? Bhatia has presently introduced this only in India, but will be introducing the international version too.

Google Profile - What is it?

Google is about to launch another product called Google Profile. Google defines it as :

lets you tell others a bit more about who you are and what you’re all about. You control what goes into your Google Profile, sharing as much (or as little) as you’d like.

So, what's the idea? It will integrate all Google services you use and give you an identity. Further it will help you to manage your contacts.


You can find Google Profile in its initial state at Google Maps and Google Reader. These profiles are public and contain basic information about yourself. In Google Maps, you will find you profile on top and in Google Reader you will find it in "Friends" tab in settings. But I found that these are not in Sync for now. So you will have to edit in both the services. The big advantage of the Profile will be in searching individuals. It will be interesting to see how these public profiles will get integrated to Orkut and other social services.

Another minor topic is the addition of support for OpenID for commenting in blogs. So, what will be advantages with this feature? Google seems to be moving to the "Social Networking" in a fast rate!

Google's OpenSocial API

Google might have failed to get the piece of Facebook cake, but they are on a roll! They recently announced OpenSocial, a set of APIs for building social applications. In May Facebook launched Facebook Platform giving access to developers to create applications inside Facebook. After this many third party applications by Microsoft, Slide, iLike, Digg etc have come up. Google with its new API is set to make bigger bang in social networking.

Google’s OpenSocial provides a common set of APIs for social applications across multiple websites. Unlike Facebook, which keeps its application platform closed, Google has opened up its API to any network that is ready to participate. So, Google is aiming at an open platform so that application lifecycle (create, deploy and manage) is easy and developers don’t have to make a choice from many different APIs. And if Google get control of this on web, they will be in the center! They will have control of the network!

So, with OpenSocial developers will be using the standard JavaScript and HTML to create applications that will fit to social networks like Orkut, LinkedIn, MySpace. Google says :

The ultimate goal is for any social website to be able to implement the APIs and host 3rd party social applications

Looking into the APIs.. there are three set of APIs:

1. 1.People Data API
2. 2.Activities Data API
3. 3.Persistence Data API

These three are Javascript APIs. To access these APIs we can go for use client-side JavaScript API or use server-side RESTful data APIs. Here is the list of thing that Google promises the API is capable of:

• Build applications without maintaining your own server
• Build applications that include a server-side component (for offline processing and/or access from other websites)
• Create brand-new applications
• Expose existing web applications in the context of existing social websites
• Add social features to existing Google Gadgets
• Write one application that can run in the context of many different social websites

One major advantage of the new API seems to be the usage of existing technology. Google is not introducing any markup language like facebook (FBML). So, developers will be able to use the raw HTML,CSS for formating and display. There will be three types of people involved in using the OpenSocial: Host, Developer and End-User. Host will be any site that will allow OpenSocial to run on.

What is not clear is who will regulate and administer the Advertisements on the applications. Will developers have a hand? or the host will administer? We will have to wait and see on this. It will be interesting to see how Facebook will take it. And further, how sites adopting the API will extend, use and administer.

Oh!, and to checkout some OpenSocial stuff, try this!

A peep into Yahoo Mash!

I just claimed profile on Yahoo’s new social network, Yahoo Mash! The site began with "invitation only" preview, and got my invitation from my friend Vishnu. Yahoo already have a social network site called Yahoo 360. But this is mostly ignored! So Yahoo is about to launch a whole new social network site to complete with orkut, facebook and others? but first lets have peep into Mash.

Like any other social networking services available Mash also goes with the terminology of profile, friends but with a catch. Users can edit each other’s profiles, redecorating, changing information, and adding features. New features are presented in the form of modules which can be added and moved around in the profile. There are lots of modules that can be added to the profile like RSS readers,Mash pets, Guest book, Asteroids etc..

Mash have differnet type for menu, you can view your profile's and friends latest action in "Pulse". This is somthing orkut have started recently. In orkut after the UI revamp, we can see latest activites in our neighbourhood, a similar concept is "Pulse". The "Friends" menu is simple for now with no search functionality and limited grouping. You can gourp your friends to best friends, Just friends and Family only. You can invite as many friends and even import your mailing address book from Yahoo, Gmail and MSN.

So for now Yahoo Mash is infant now. There are more functionality to come for sure!