I don’t understand how Facebook’s new Friend Connect is substantively different from their pre-platform API functionality. External Web sites already have the ability to allow users to sign in to Facebook and retrieve their friends and profile from an external site. Friend connect just appears to be some better UI controls for doing this withouth having to jump off to Facebook and approve the 3rd party app. What am I missing?
The race between OpenSocial and the Facebook Platform is hard to call. Facebook has better technology, and a growing user base - but OpenSocial has the support of MySpace and LinkedIn.
A few weeks back, Google announced Friend Connect, and I don’t think it got the coverage it deserved. Maybe I was just on vacation. I think Friend Connect more than anything else gives OpenSocial a leg up. Friend Connect will let you turn any Web site into an OpenSocial Web site by adding some javascript. Facebook’s relase of fbOpen serves the same purpose, but will never be adopted as widely.
I was a big fan of MyBlogLog (the idea and virality at least, if not the implementation). I think Friend Connect is going to be what puts OpenSocial over the top. As if Google hadn’t taken over my life enough already.
It seems like the main complaint everyone has against MySpace is the “busy” confusing design. This is the result of giving users control over styling their profile pages, confusing global navigation, and the preponderance of advertising.
It looks like the are going to improve upon the navigation issues, at least.
This is my 10 minute presentation from last month’s Facebook developer garage. It gets off to a slow start due to some technical issues, but gets rolling 2 minutes in or so.
Video: Adam Loving - Instrumenting the Viral Loop
My favorite daydream app idea lately has been one called “statements” or “beliefs”. Basically, you could use the app to make statements (like “I like chocolate”) that other people would either agree or disagree with. The only way I can think to make it viral is to have a leader board for the statements that recruit the most members. Also, you could divide your friends up (or be required to divide your friends up) as supporters or opposers to your statement before you are able to publish it. This was inspired by watching how Facebook users use groups to organize around a concept.
There was a Web site I liked along these lines called standpoint.com, which now appears to be defunct. Also, 43things and wis.dm are good reference points.
UPDATE: see also iThink.
Image by Abdallah ♫ via Flickr
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