Priority for MySpace: Do something about those virtual currency plans
Last summer, MySpace heard about Facebook’s still-unclear plans for a virtual currency and began hatching its own. While Facebook has been running possibly related experiments like credits, it’s been relatively quiet on its plans. MySpace, however, has been trying to move forward, or so a… Continue Reading
Can Owen Van Natta make MySpace number one again?
After simmering rumors about the possible departure of MySpace chief executive Chris DeWolfe, the lid was blown off yesterday when a TechCrunch report suggested that the company was actively searching for a new CEO. Although a leadership change hadn’t been imminent, the report spurred DeWolfe… Continue Reading
Roundup: Fox News launches uReport, AT&T doubles 3G capacity, and more
Here’s the latest action:
Fox News gets citizen journalism arm on MySpace — Contributors to uReport can only upload and tag photos and videos, presenting fewer possibilities than CNN’s similarly named iReport.
AT&T doubling 3G capacity — The company, whose 3G network is the source of frequent complaints from… Continue Reading
Playdom: Another social gaming company playing it smart with virtual goods
Virtual goods may be making billions of dollars for some web companies in Asia, but the business model — which can be as simple as letting users buy virtual jackets for their avatars using real money — hasn’t been a hit here until recently. For… Continue Reading
Public market buys ChangYou’s virtual goods model, stock up after IPO
In a public market vote of confidence on the business of virtual goods, Chinese game-maker ChangYou (CYOU) has gone public on NASDAQ today and its stock is currently up around 25 percent on heavy trading. Why? The company is seeing $202 million in annual revenue,… Continue Reading
MySpace and Citysearch partner for MySpace Local
MySpace and Citysearch have partnered for the launch of a local business directory called MySpace Local. The new site lets MySpace users review, search, and share content about their favorite businesses, while leveraging Citysearch’s stockpile of local business directory info. Though MySpace Local is currently… Continue Reading
Roundup: Hammerhead’s tale, web ad stats and more
The tale of Hammerhead Systems — A Cisco competitor, it got as far as inking deals with major telecommunications companies during its seven-year run, but now it’s closing up shop. It had received more than $110 million in funding and promised superior routing technology. The San… Continue Reading
The world’s most lucrative social network? China’s Tencent beats $1 billion revenue mark
A billion dollars in revenue in a single year? Not even MySpace, currently the most profitable social network outside China, has managed to accomplish that. But publicly traded Tencent, a leading Chinese web portal, instant message client, social network, game developer and more has done… Continue Reading
MySpace shares more data with the web, could get more traffic in return
MySpace is making it easier for users and developers to access data on its site from around the web, with the release of several new features for its MySpaceID distributed identity service. The service’s new features could make the entertainment-focused social network more relevant to… Continue Reading
Roundup: PG&E installs smart meters, Stewart cows Cramer, the market seesaws and more
MySpace Events get an upgrade — The network’s new event invite system takes more advantage of users’ social circles. TechCrunch has more.
PG&E smart meters get the green light — The utility will spend $467 million in taxpayer money to install the meters in California homes. The San… Continue Reading
Your mom is leaving MySpace for Facebook (but you aren’t)
MySpace has been maligned for what appears to be stagnant if not declining traffic in its core U.S. userbase. But the story is more nuanced, and not so dire. Sure, MySpace’s overall traffic has taken a big hit over the last year — a 28… Continue Reading
Roundup: VC departure complications, Facebook ToS issues not stopping growth, and more
Here’s the latest action:
Pierre Lamond’s departure from Sequoia: It’s complicated — The famed venture capitalist left top investing firm Sequoia Capital earlier this week to join fellow investor Vinod Khosla — but his defection doesn’t appear to have been as amicable as it first appeared, and… Continue Reading
MySpaceID: More social content for the web and a way forward for MySpace
MySpace is trying to make it easier for other sites to access its user data — and eventually features like streaming music playlists. The service, called MySpaceID, is partway through being rolled out, and we got a sneak peak at some new features yesterday at… Continue Reading
DEMO: Watch and comment on companies with Facebook and Twitter
Trying to keep track of what’s happening at the DEMO startup conference beginning today? Tune in, with the help of Facebook Connect or Twitter — or both. Just go to the DEMO web site, at Demo.com and click on the large button front and center… Continue Reading
The ugly truth about your favorite social networks
When it comes to social web sites and services, sometimes I think we like to talk about them more than actually use them. A recent post we did about Twitter getting half the press coverage of Facebook despite a fraction of the traffic, seems a… Continue Reading
Some reasons for DeWolfe and Anderson to stay at MySpace
There’s a one-source rumor going around that MySpace co-founders Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe may leave the social network and parent company News Corp. when their contracts expire next October. The rumor could be true, it could be just a negotiating tactic to help them… Continue Reading
Chinese social network Qzone: The worldwide market leader?
Neither Facebook nor MySpace nor other international social networks can claim to be the single largest one in the world, if a recent press release by leading Chinese social network Qzone is to be believed. The site, part of the larger Tencent internet portal, claims… Continue Reading
MySpace’s John Faith on mobile revenue and mobile data opportunities
MySpace has seen some impressive traffic growth for its mobile web site and its mobile applications over the last year. And the social network is capitalizing on it by developing new revenue streams and new ways to get its users’ data on more devices.
This is… Continue Reading
MySpace’s John Faith sees half of all its users going mobile
MySpace has seen impressive growth in its mobile services over the last six months, especially outside the U.S. At the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, I recently caught up with John Faith, the vice president and general manager for the social network’s mobile services, to… Continue Reading
GamesBeat 09 preview: an interview with Facebook’s top gaming dude
Our GamesBeat 2009 games conference on March 24 will explore the frontiers of gaming such as emerging gaming platforms. Facebook certainly qualifies as one of the hottest game platforms, now that it has 5,000 games. When the social network opened its platform up in 2007,… Continue Reading