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Ning’s new plans go live

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Ning dumps free social networksAfter nixing their free plans and embracing a pure premium model, Ning users are now able to choose the plan that is right for them, although Ning is giving users until the end of August to choose a plan or find a new home.

The three new plans – Ning Mini, Ning Plus and Ning Pro – are now live!

I encourage you to take a look at your choices and decide which plan makes the most sense for you and your members. You’ll have until August 20th to purchase a plan, which should give you ample time to make a decision. (Official Ning Blog) [Read more…]

Google Me update: Google researchers closely examining social networking protocols

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Facebook - Google Me LogoWith Google Me rumors picking up over the last several weeks yet another rumor has begun to make the rounds. This time it’s being said that a dedicated Google research team has been charting Social Networking functions to gain a better understanding of social media intricacies.

Apparently the researchers efforts include a 216-slide presentation with footnotes which has been posted on SlideShare. The slideshow is being used to help all people involved with Google Me build the new system, including designers, interface designers, programmers and other people involved not just with Google Me but with the social web as a whole. [Read more…]

Apple Changes iPhone Policy, Begins Sharing Your Location Information

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iPhone Location Based ServicesLocation based services have taken over the cellular market in the last several years and now Apple has decided that your location information may be worth a bunch of cash. Apple changed their company license today to state that they now store “the real-time geographic location of your Apple computer or device” and that they have the right to share it with “partners and licensees.”

Apple is working to calm customer fears, claiming that all location based data is “collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you.” It’s a statement that should seem familiar to Facebook users who were told the same thing months ago, only to find out that their profile information and the profile information of their friends were being shared with advertisers.

Unlike Facebook, there is apparently no way to opt-out of the Apple policy. Actually that’s not totally true, you can refuse to ever download another app for the life of your device and then stay away from the iTunes store, at which point you aren’t forced to agree to the companies new terms of service before proceeding with purchases. [Read more…]