QiSoftware Business Blog

There are a myriad of tools coming out or already available, that attempt to combine social networkers friends' information and doings into a central location for an aggregate reading experience. Think of it like a single conference call with your friends providing a data dump about their online activities. The difference, it's read and not heard and you get to keep up [even if you are busy]-- without too much fuss.

What is the information gathered? The information is the summarized online activities of friends. For example, if a friend posts an image to an online gallery, that information will be provided. Other summary information available-- RSS feeds, blog and video postings.

How is the information gathered? The premise by which this data retrieval process will be allowed-- your friend is in your social network [MySpace or LiveJournal to name two examples] and their information automatically read or you can supply the friend's network profile url directly to the interface. There could be glitches with the retrieval process in that not all social network services may have signed on to these external data collecting interfaces.

One organization providing this aggregate tracking functionality for subscribers, Spokeo.

Spokeo is the brainchild of three students from Stanford. It gathers data from about twenty different social networks and the registration process is super quick and easy.

I experienced one or two snafus, while test driving this application. When I attempted to load my "MySpace" friends network-- I received an error message. I supplied the username and password to attempt this access. I tried about 4 times, each time failing. I most also admit, I am not an online social networker and therefore not a member of any of the other services listed. The problem could have been because of recent changes to MySpace.

I know why LinkedIn is not on the service list [not a social network]-- but I am curious about services like MyBlogLog, and whether or not plans to include them will be forthcoming. I am a member of both of these networks.

The other issue that I found a little confusing-- the demonstration network that is presented upon accessing the main page is also shown once you are registered and signed in. I know why this was done-- to show the type of information that will be provided about "your" friends once you have added them. The concept of aggregated data from many online social network services, displayed in a central location, is new. New innovations, especially in the fast changing online environment [the Internet] are often missed or misunderstood. A demonstration or example is often worth a thousand words.

I think this application has exciting possibilities. Keeping up with friends, family, work and other activities is increasingly being done, online. Finding new ways to save time-- while getting needed information, is something I think most of us will welcome.