Features

• Opinion: Should Facebook make a smartphone?

  By Tony Bradley | 28 May, 2012 18:58

  Rumors have resurfaced that Facebook is working on a project to develop its own smartphone. There are clues and leaks suggesting that Facebook is exploring its mobile options with a possible device launch in 2013.

• 10 ways Facebook will rule our lives

  By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal | 21 May, 2012 21:54

  After all the attention, clamor, and expectations Facebook is now a publicly traded company worth $104 billion. With shares trading at a hundred times earnings, Facebook is under a lot of pressure to increase the profit that it brings in. In other words, now the fun begins.

• Twitter tools: 11 Free apps and services you need now

  By Liane Cassavoy | 02 May, 2012 23:21

  Twitter is all about keeping things brief. It is, after all, a microblogging service, one that limits you to 140 characters per post. But while Twitter promotes a less-is-more approach, the same can't be said of the market for Twitter apps and services.

• Guide: How to use Twitter for customer support

  By David Daw | 17 November, 2011 05:25

  You can use Twitter for more than just gaining a huge mass of followers. It's also a great way to engage with customers--even dissatisfied ones--and turn them into happy advocates of your brand in less time than traditional customer service often takes. All it takes is being active on Twitter and following a few simple steps.

• Guide: How to put your company on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter

  By David Daw | 19 October, 2011 01:06

  It’s telling that when the Google+ social network launched in June, businesses clamored to get on the service as quickly as possible. For most businesses, being active on social media is now a requirement. Although Google+ is still dragging its feet on creating pages for businesses, getting your company page started on Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter takes just minutes.

• How to prepare your business for Google+

  By Angela West | 24 September, 2011 23:59

  Google+ just opened its doors to the world by enabling open signups and moving to the beta, testing phase. The nascent social network is still thin on features and ways for businesses to properly use it, but its minimalist approach has gained Google+ millions of users in a very short period.

• GUIDE: How to make a Facebook page for your small business

  By Kim Woodbridge | 21 September, 2011 00:33

  If you own a small business, having a Facebook page lets you reach individuals among the 500 million or so users worldwide who are most likely to be interested in your company. Your interaction on the social network gives customers the sense that they know you and your business, which can increase loyalty and make them more likely to recommend your services.

• THE BIG QUESTION: Will Facebook deliver a knockout punch to Google+?

  By Sarah Jacobsson Purewal | 21 September, 2011 01:36

  Can Facebook rest on its 750 million user-base laurels? We'll find out this week at the social network's F8 Developer Conference, which takes place in San Francisco on September 22. Buzz on what's expected ranges from new Read, Listened, Watched, And Want Facebook Buttons to a first-ever Facebook iPad app.

• Curtains for MySpace?

  By Ian Paul | 13 January, 2011 01:28

  Things just keep getting worse for MySpace. The former social networking hub recently announced it would cut nearly half of its global workforce as part of a restructuring effort.   As many as five hundred MySpace employees worldwide will soon be looking for work as the site continues to redefine itself from a social network to an entertainment content site with social networking features.

• Who’s using Twitter? Some surprising answers

  By Katherine Noyes | 11 December, 2010 06:20

  Eight percent of online Americans may use Twitter, as the Pew Internet & American Life Project reported on Thursday. But does that mean your small business should use the service in its marketing and communications efforts?

• Could Wikileaks scandal lead to new virtual currency?

  By Keir Thomas | 11 December, 2010 11:35

  It's not an exaggeration to say that the recent Wikileaks scandal has shaken the Internet to its core. Regardless of where you stand on the debate, various services have simply refused to handle Wikileaks' business -- everything from domain-name providers to payment services -- and this has led to many questioning how robust the Internet actually is.

• What's in the Tech Crystal Ball For 2011?

  By Katherine Noyes | 08 December, 2010 07:43

  Market research firm IDC makes a number of tech-related predictions near the end of every calendar year, but its prognostications for 2011 may well be among the company's most dramatic yet.

• Diaspora could open new social scene for business

  By Tony Bradley | 17 September, 2010 04:09

  The code was released to the public for a new social network designed to deliver the benefits of Facebook without the privacy concerns. The project--called Diaspora--also has potential as a tool for businesses to create their own social networks, but its value depends on how businesses intend to use social networking.

• Has Digg dug its own grave?

  By Brennon Slattery | 01 September, 2010 08:13

  Some people just don't like change. Less than a week after Digg released version 4 of its social news-sharing site, fans have rebelled, flooding Digg with links from a rival sharing site, staging a "Quit Digg Day," and prophesying a major drop-off in traffic if the site doesn't return to its roots. Has Digg dug its grave, or is this yet another kneejerk neophobic reaction?

• Facebook places will crush foursquare

  By Tony Bradley | 20 August, 2010 04:41

  One of the odd aspects of the Facebook event launching the new Facebook Places service was the participation, support, and partnership of competing location-based check-in services.