The MySpace Social Networking Media Space Explained... Kinda ;)

The extraordinary, run away success of MySpace is way big. How big is it? So big that MarketingSherpa had to exclaim "Even My Dog Has a MySpace Account", and then assign her researchers to write a special report. So big, 50 million ++ accounts and counting, that it requires reflection on why and what exactly is this "social networking" phenomenon?

Bottom line, it's a new kind of media environment, er, channel, uh, platform... ok, aw right, a media space! Toward understanding this new myspace media space, I'd like to recommend this short perspective piece called Social Networks are the New Media by Robert Young on Om Malik's blog (that's his pic.)

Simple AllYouCanUpload Site Does Blog & EBay Photos Right!

Here's another great pick from Michael Arrington at TechCruch, a simple site that let's you post images for linking from your blog or EBay or whatever web page you like. It also will resize the images automatically if you wish. This saves the necessity of having server space and using FTP. And as the name implies, AllYouCanUpload is without limits in terms of disk space or bandwidth usage. Wow! As the site says: "1. Upload Your Images 2. Copy the Links 3. Post!" Simpler really is better. Arrington explains it well.

Oh yeah, did I say that it's totally FREE? And you don't even need to create an account (neither a user name nor a password is required). Just do it. (Really.)

Simpler is Still Better: One-Page Sites

The champions of the cause of simplicity, 37 signals, who deliver online web services that are by their own proclamation, "the best web-based software products possible with the least number of features necessary" have made an interesting blog post, visually, of one-page websites. For when you don't really need more than one (page). The most interesting part of this post is the comments. Evidence of a good (maybe great) blog... Cruise the commentaries...

Broadcasting's Downloads, Convergence Continues

Leave it to TechCrunch to deliver the state-of-the-art overview (with best of breed links) of "Download Your TV -- The Current Options".

And leave it to a blog to have great links in the comments. Like USA Today's perspective and overview of "ethnic" broadcast audiences.

And, the fact that the Saddam trial is being carried live on the Web. Who knew?

Father of the Web, Berners-Lee Backs Net Neutrality

Perhaps some folks need to be reminded that the Internet, the Web -- this wondrous online universe that has revolutionized, and is still revolutionizing communications for corporations and "the little guy" alike -- was not created or envisioned by politicians, but by scientists... to be specific Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

So maybe we all should be listening more to Tim, especially the politicians, who are considering screwing up the Net by enabling communication vendors like telephone companies to link their Internet connection fees to the delivery of various kinds of content. This, in my humble opinion, is a horrible idea. But don't listen to me, listen to the guy who invented the Web. He said very recently (speaking in Scotland) in favor of Net Neutrality, "It's better and more efficient for us all if we have a separate market where we get our connectivity, and a separate market where we get our content. Information is what I use to make all my decisions. Not just what to buy, but how to vote."

Read more at ZDNet UK

Next Wave of the Video Web is Building Big Mo'

A nice thing about blogging is that I don't need to try to be comprehensive... Since I've been tracking "The Video Web" for years, I need simply to report that, just in case some of you are not aware, the ability to publish video on the Web is taking off in exciting new ways.

For openers, of course, there's the relatively new Google Video service, and video sharing market leader, You Tube ("Broadcast Yourself"). Both of these enable you to embed the videos in your own web pages, as I did with the Seth Godin post below.

I also spoke with a friend last week who was impressed by an offer from another start up in this space which has become quickly profitable with advertising on its video sharing site. And most recently, I sparked to a TechCrunch post on a European-based, still-in-private-beta "video publishing on demand" platform called vpod.tv. (Founder Rodrigo Sepulveda Schulz is shown above.)

Lotz of momentum here. The dawning of a new era. Way too much content (much of it sub par, but lots of it interesting) too even begin to give this emerging content landscape a description. Clearly, lots of empowerment for video publishing via the great distribution platform of the Web. And, lots more to come. Stay tuned.

Amazing, Useful Search Tool: Inquisitor

The web is definitely having a new wave of innovation. Inquisitor doubles as an SEM keyword phrase search tool (it automatically gives you related and relevant keyword phrases relating to any search string you type) AND as a way to check out search results on multiple sites (Google, Yahoo, Technorati, Amazon, Digg, etc.) with the simple click of a sidebar button. check it out

(Thanks to Lee Odden's Online Marketing Blog for the tip.)

Save the Internet: No Joke!

The fight for "Net Neutrality" is no joke. As almost everyone knows, Congress and Big Business cannot be trusted. Even big time recording artists like Moby are getting into the act and doing what they can to help keep the Web as free and open as possible. Check out SaveTheInternet.com for what YOU can do to help including getting yourself better informed on this important issue. SaveTheInternet has videos and lots of other content to help you understand how CRITICAL Net Neutrality is and why you should care. Thanks!