Social Networking Watch

Social Neworking via Cell Phones

THE JOURNAL NEWS -- Jan 24 -- Gina's friends don't expect much eye contact from her when they get together. She stares at her cell phone, tapping feverishly, communicating with people she's never once met in person. She uses Hookt on Boost Mobile. Hookt has its origins in AirG of Canada and has grown into an international community of 10 million users. MySpace launched mobile portal Helio. Cingular offers MySpace Mobile for $2.99 per month plus data charges. Facebook partnered with Virgin Mobile USA and Amp'd Mobile. Both Sprint and Virgin Mobile have signed deals to launch a new application from Intercasting Corp. Helio says 75% of their customers have used the MySpace service, which is included in Helio's pricey monthly plans. FULL ARTICLE @ LOHUD

Mark Brooks: Helio is pricey but the phone and the service options are fully loaded. GPS, picture messaging, and Buddy Beacon, which allows users to track the locations of their friends in real time. See the service plans. I use a T-Mobile blackberry 7130, and a slider phone from MetroPCS ($45/mo for unlimited minutes and long distance). 

AirG Launches Latin Social Net

RED HERRING -- Aug 25 -- AirG opened a social network Friday aimed at the cell phones of Spanish-speaking young people in the U.S., Conexion Latina. FULL ARTICLE @ RED HERRING

Online Networkers Prefer Computers to Cellphones

REUTERS -- July 1 -- Wireless companies are finding it hard to entice teenagers away from their computers. While young people happily use cellphones to send each other text messages and download ringtones, getting them to send video clips or post bulletins from their phone is proving difficult partly due to small screens and slow data speeds. Rabble, SMS.AC, Airg.com, Mixxer and JuiceCaster have cropped up with an aim to cash in on the MySpace trend. Top U.S. cellphone service providers offer some of these services in the hope of boosting use of their wireless data networks. According to Jupiter Research, less than 1 % of U.S. cellphone users engage in mobile social networking. Jupiter analyst Julie Ask said fewer than 10 percent of U.S. mobile users who send text messages use it for flirting or dating. If social network sites incorporate technology that pinpoints a user's location they may have a better appeal. FULL ARTICLE @ REUTERS

AirG Brings Social Networking to Optus Customers in Australia

MARKET WIRE --Jun 6 -- AirG released a mobile community to more than 6 million Australians on the Optus network. A series of interest-based micro-communities are offered; Sports Chat, Games Room, Rainbow Room, AirDate and Hookt. Picture profiles, messaging, presence, instant messaging, blogging and powerful search tools are offered. AirG is available on Sprint Nextel, Cingular, Virgin Mobile, Orange and MTV Asia. FULL ARTICLE @ MARKET WIRE

AirG To Power CoolTalk Mobile Community for Cingular

T-NET -- Mar 10 -- AirG, a leader in powering mobile communities, has signed an agreement with Cingular, (54 million subscribers), to offer the CoolTalk (7 million members worldwide) mobile community.  CoolTalk users can connect and make new friends, instant message and view picture profiles.  FULL ARTICLE @ BC TECHNOLOGY