Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com Download Squad http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Download Squad http://downloadsquad.switched.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Facebook does a Mashup with MySpace, syncs 'likes' across services]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/18/facebook-does-a-mashup-with-myspace-syncs-likes-across-servic/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/18/facebook-does-a-mashup-with-myspace-syncs-likes-across-servic/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/18/facebook-does-a-mashup-with-myspace-syncs-likes-across-servic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Facebook and MySpace held a joint event today to announce MySpace's new Mashup with Facebook feature, which can sync all of your Facebook "likes" to MySpace in one click. MySpace will be getting Facebook like buttons, rolling out across the service starting today. Interests on MySpace will also be linked to relevant interests on Facebook, and MySpace will use your Facebook data to recommend content for you.

If you're a MySpace rebel who wants to resist Facebook's empire, all is not lost. Users will be able to opt into Mashup, so you don't have to commingle your Facebook and MySpace likes and interests if you don't want to. MySpace isn't dead or being bought out by Facebook, and CEO Mike Jones says that the site's new redesign has increased traffic and received a positive response from users.

Download SquadFacebook does a Mashup with MySpace, syncs 'likes' across services originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebooklike buttonLikeButtonmashupmyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingThu, 18 Nov 2010 16:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Gravity attempts to be the Pandora of the Web]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/17/gravity-attempts-to-be-the-pandora-of-the-web/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/17/gravity-attempts-to-be-the-pandora-of-the-web/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/11/17/gravity-attempts-to-be-the-pandora-of-the-web/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gravity Interest Graph

Gravity, a new company set up by three former MySpace executives, has just had its public launch at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. The company's rather ambitious goal is to become the "Pandora of the Web," able to bring you the content it thinks you might be interested in based on your interests. To gauge what you might like to view, Gravity proposes to use your public social network feeds in order to create an "interest graph" and, from there, use a language model currently consisting of 100 million (!) phrases to distinguish how things fit together. For instance, "free throw" relates to "basketball," which in turn, relates to "sport" -- meaning you might like content revolving around sport.

First out the gate for Gravity is Twinterest, a product that can build-out an interest graph based on your tweets and then compare it with your friends. The Orbit, a personalized "Web newspaper" is also on the way, hoping to truly demonstrate Gravity's "this is what you might like" technology. The end game for Gravity, however, seems to be in the website personalization space, with the idea that you can land on your favorite site and hit a "personalization" button, which will bring highlighted content to the front, based on what you're likely to be interested in.

Interesting stuff, with serious potential, but other companies have been and gone attempting to do this kind of thing. Based on solid technology, but fighting an uphill battle for SEO against the force of nature, Gravity has a shot at making this work and has $10 million of venture capital behind them to do it. In the short-term, if you want to check out your "interest graph," then head on over to Gravity.com and check out Twinterest.

Download SquadGravity attempts to be the Pandora of the Web originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookgravityinterest graphInterestGraphMySpaceThe OrbitTheOrbittwintereststwitterwebWeb 2.0 SummitWeb2.0SummitWed, 17 Nov 2010 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Myspace rolls out latest redesign, with cleaner look and more sharing options]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/myspace-new-cleaner-redesign/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/myspace-new-cleaner-redesign/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/10/27/myspace-new-cleaner-redesign/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Myspace is taking one more shot at revamping its image, introducing yet another new design. We reported that the social networking site got a new look for its profile pages back in July, but now the entire site is getting a makeover. Even the logo is new: the word "My" followed by a big blank underline. The new logo has gotten a cold reception thus far, being compared by some to the time Prince changed his name to an unpronouncable symbol. Tech blog All Things D even referred to it as "My-Fill-In-The-Blank-Space" in a headline.

Apart from the controversial logo, Myspace's new grid-centric look features content in a series of discrete boxes, giving it a cleaner and more modern feel than its previous incarnations. Myspace designers have also distanced themselves from the blue-heavy design of the past and gone with a sleeker black look. T he site has come a long way from the disgusting mess of glittery animated gifs and visual noise that it once was, but it still features plenty of tickers and scroll doodads that make it more distracting than the A-list social networks, Facebook and Twitter.

Functionally, Myspace has added more interaction with other networks, letting you pull in links from several other social sites, and share out to Facebook. Music sharing for bands -- MySpace's bread and butter -- is also getting improvements, including making it easier to share MySpace music and videos on other sites. Smartphone users will also be getting new MySpace apps soon, as well as a better mobile-optimized version of the site. In the past, MySpace was notorious for its incompatibility with mobile browsers.

All in all, Myspace's reboot is a dramatic improvement -- except for that logo, depending on who you ask -- but it remains to be seen whether it can divorce itself from its old image and start attracting new users again.

Continue reading Myspace rolls out latest redesign, with cleaner look and more sharing options

Download SquadMyspace rolls out latest redesign, with cleaner look and more sharing options originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>myspacerebrandingredesignsocialnetworkingWed, 27 Oct 2010 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[AOL Lifestream continues to evolve with release of Google Chrome Extension]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/aol-lifestream-google-chrome/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/aol-lifestream-google-chrome/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/08/13/aol-lifestream-google-chrome/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Full disclosure: AOL is indeed our benevolent overlord. However, Download Squad bloggers are under no obligation to speak kindly of their products or applications.

AOL Lifestream is an excellent app -- and it's certainly a far cry from the clunky, over-designed browser and dial-up software you used to see given away on floppy disks. Ahh, the good old days -- which are gone, and really weren't that great if you're comparing dial-up to DSL, cable, or fiber. Moving on!

Lifestream is a solid social networking aggregator. With support for key social sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Digg, Delicious, and now Foursquare, Lifestream presents a clean, simple way to keep tabs on all your friends' activity in one centralized location. While Lifestream might be a bit underpowered for social superstars, It's an excellent choice for average users -- as well as savvy users who don't need a more complex app.

Already available via the web and in the App Store, AOL has now added an extension for Google Chrome. While it's not going to transform Chrome into the super-social browsing experience that Flock 3 presents, the Lifestream extension is still a very handy way to keep your entire stream within easy reach without being distracted by it.


Continue reading AOL Lifestream continues to evolve with release of Google Chrome Extension

Download SquadAOL Lifestream continues to evolve with release of Google Chrome Extension originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aggregatoraolchromeextensionfacebookgooglelifestreammyspacenetworkingsocialstreamstwitteryoutubeFri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace cleans up profile layouts (also, MySpace still exists)]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/17/myspace-cleans-up-profile-layouts-also-myspace-still-exists/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/17/myspace-cleans-up-profile-layouts-also-myspace-still-exists/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/07/17/myspace-cleans-up-profile-layouts-also-myspace-still-exists/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're not in a band, you probably haven't been to MySpace in a while. You know, MySpace? The social network without a major motion picture about it? Anyway, the MySpace profile pages that used to be laughably hideous have been dramatically cleaned up, with a pleasant new black and white theme that puts the eyesore pink backgrounds and flashing GIFs of the old MySpace right out of our minds. Navigation has been cleaned up, too, with a Facebook-like sidebar. You can check out the new profile design in action before it rolls out to all users by visiting the page of MySpace's Sean Percival.

Is this going to keep MySpace relevant in a market dominated by a company with a Hollywood movie, senators arguing over privacy settings and (perhaps most importantly) FarmVille? Probably not, but it's a good start. The trick isn't doing a good redesign, it's doing an entire rebranding of a place that's long been considered the domain of teens and lowlifes.

Perhaps the most promising part of the profile redesign is a new section for links to your other social networking profiles around the web. If MySpace can cement itself as a meaningful part of a larger web presence -- for someone other than bands, who still don't have a reason to switch over to Facebook -- it can survive to rebrand itself another day.

What's your take? Am I being too harsh? Is MySpace making an amazing comeback, or delaying an inevitable death?

[via TheNextWeb]

Download SquadMySpace cleans up profile layouts (also, MySpace still exists) originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>layoutmyspaceprofileredesignsocialnetworkingSat, 17 Jul 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Facebook gives your info to advertisers, gets caught in the act, promises to stop]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/21/facebook-gives-your-info-to-advertisers-gets-caught-in-the-act/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/21/facebook-gives-your-info-to-advertisers-gets-caught-in-the-act/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/05/21/facebook-gives-your-info-to-advertisers-gets-caught-in-the-act/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you thought people were overreacting to the privacy issues with Facebook, think again. No less an outfit than The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Facebook, MySpace, and others were caught releasing user data to advertisers.

Facebook was giving away enough info that advertisers could identify your individual account and see which ads you'd clicked on. The companies receiving this data included major ad networks like Google-owned DoubleClick and Yahoo!-owned Right Media.

I write this all in the past tense, because Facebook has agreed to stop leaking this data in the wake of the Journal's report. As for the data that's already leaked, DoubleClick and Right Media have both said they didn't know they could access the data in question, and hadn't been using it.

Part of the problem is that Facebook and MySpace don't do anything to obscure your name or ID number in your profile URL, so that information is passed through to advertisers when you click. Closing that loophole seems like a simple (and important) security fix.
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Download SquadFacebook gives your info to advertisers, gets caught in the act, promises to stop originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 21 May 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisersfacebookleakmyspaceprivacysecurityFri, 21 May 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Google buys LabPixies, gains analytics from millions of web gadgets]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/27/google-buys-labpixies-gains-analytics-from-millions-of-web-gadg/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/27/google-buys-labpixies-gains-analytics-from-millions-of-web-gadg/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/04/27/google-buys-labpixies-gains-analytics-from-millions-of-web-gadg/#commentsFiled under:

The Googlemonster never stops looking for new companies to devour...This morning's feast was LabPixies, who develop addictive casual games for iPhone and Android as well as web gadgets for sites like Facebook, iGoogle, Orkut, MySpace, and Hi5.

What would the big G possibly want with a company like that? Analytics seem like a safe bet. Google makes its cash from advertising -- and it needs all the data it can gather to keep serving relevant ads to users. Anywhere there's a LabPixies gadget posted is now an opportunity for Google to gather a bit of insight.

On top of that, bringing LabPixies on board allows Google to work more closely on new projects. As Google's announcement puts it, "we decided that we could do more if we were part of the same team." LabPixies was one of the first shops to begin developing iGoogle gadgets -- and iGoogle will very likely be front-and-center when ChromeOS debuts, so working closely with a developer of gadgets and games makes good sense on that score, too.

[via Google Code blog]

Download SquadGoogle buys LabPixies, gains analytics from millions of web gadgets originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionsfacebookgadgetsgamesgoogleigooglelabpixiesmyspacesocialTue, 27 Apr 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Outlook Social Connector now supports MySpace; Facebook soon!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/outlook-social-connector-now-supports-myspace-facebook-soon/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/outlook-social-connector-now-supports-myspace-facebook-soon/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/03/11/outlook-social-connector-now-supports-myspace-facebook-soon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Outlook Social Connector first debuted back in November 2009, and at that time, only LinkedIn was supported. Today, the MySpace plug-in has been made available, and now you can see your friends' easily-excited, angst-ridden emo updates in Outlook!

If you're running Outlook 2010 Beta (which is very, very nice, incidentally), you'll need to update your Outlook Social Connector (OSC) first. Outlook 2003 and 2007 users should be fine to go ahead and install the plug-in.

With LinkedIn for the businessmen, and MySpace for the children and bohemians, the only omission from the crowd are the exhibitionistic farmers over on Facebook. The Outlook 2010 blog is full of teasing hints about Facebook integration (and also a nice video showing the power of the OSC), but so far there doesn't seem to be a download link. I expect it'll pop up very soon, with Office 2010 only a few months away!

I was about to suggest that Outlook might finally replace Gmail as my email tool, but then I remembered that Google just opened its Apps Marketplace. How long will it be until we see Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace properly integrated into a side bar in Gmail? Moreover, with Chrome OS still on its way, wouldn't it be pretty cool to have a single 'home page' with every new email, forum post, and status update since you last logged in?

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Download SquadOutlook Social Connector now supports MySpace; Facebook soon! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookgoogle appsGoogleAppslinkedinmicrosoftmyspaceoffice 2010Office2010outlookoutlook social connectorOutlookSocialConnectorsocial networksSocialNetworksThu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DLS Answers: Sobees is a gorgeous desktop Facebook client]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/25/sobees-best-free-facebook-program-app-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/25/sobees-best-free-facebook-program-app-windows/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/25/sobees-best-free-facebook-program-app-windows/#commentsFiled under:

Sobees Lite

So I asked, and boy, did you guys answer! I got some very interesting and useful replies in my quest for a minimalistic desktop Facebook client.

I still have to follow up on a couple of your suggestions (FBCmd looks really interesting, and I'll write up a separate post about it), but commenter Shawn pointed me towards Sobees Lite, and I was very impressed.

Once upon a time, Sobees made widgets. Today I couldn't find a single word about widgets on their website (I did not dig very deep), but the client they make seems like a solid direction. It works with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace. I only tested it with Facebook, though.

It has little buttons down the left side that let you control what you want to see (everything, status updates only, images, etc). You can select one of several layouts or color schemes (two actually, black or blue), and it's all quite swanky. At least as posh as most Adobe Air applications, and it's not Air (which is a plus for me, because Air feels... bloated, for lack of a better word).

My biggest gripe with it is that you cannot make the Facebook avatars disappear. I know what my "friends" look like, thank you. No need to remind me on every single update. If only they had that one single feature, I would have kept using it. But as it is right now, each Facebook update takes up a ton of vertical space, and so my quest for a minimalistic client continues.

Download SquadDLS Answers: Sobees is a gorgeous desktop Facebook client originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebooklinkedinmyspacesobeesSocialNetworkingtwitterThu, 25 Feb 2010 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Bandcamp lets musicians be heard]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/03/bandcamp-lets-musicians-be-heard/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/03/bandcamp-lets-musicians-be-heard/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/02/03/bandcamp-lets-musicians-be-heard/#commentsFiled under:

Bandcamp

Promoting your music online is not an easy task; MySpace is notoriously crappy, and that means there's room for other options.

One of these other options is Bandcamp. Gratuitous American Pie cracks aside, the service seems pretty solid. It has a nice minimalistic feel to it, while leaving enough space for a band to brand itself. It's a bit less artsy than Muxtape, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

From a technology standpoint, the service sets itself apart in a few ways:

Continue reading Bandcamp lets musicians be heard

Download SquadBandcamp lets musicians be heard originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>musicmusical-webmyspaceWed, 03 Feb 2010 18:07:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace replaces embedded imeem playlists with ringtone ads]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/myspace-replaces-embedded-imeem-playlists-with-ringtone-ads/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/myspace-replaces-embedded-imeem-playlists-with-ringtone-ads/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/01/myspace-replaces-embedded-imeem-playlists-with-ringtone-ads/#commentsFiled under: , ,

To say that the imeem purchase by MySpace has been messy would be a bit of a gross understatement. Its primary purpose -- creating playlists -- was broken by its transition to MySpace's ownership and website. Right now imeem users are basically and functionally screwed: imeem currently does... well, nothing. Well, until today that is: now imeem playlists display ringtone ads.

You could almost forgive imeem and MySpace, given the details of the situation. Imeem was in dire financial straits -- an immediate buy-out from MySpace was the only solution. 'The playlists will just have to wait' -- fair enough! They're even being re-built by hand, apparently.

Why though is MySpace rushing things? 16 million users is nothing to sneer at, yet here they are jerking them all around. Replacing every embedded playlist with a big, bold, orange box that advertises ringtones sends a pretty bold message: MySpace doesn't care. Imeem playlists are currently displayed on big and important blogs and websites all over the Internet -- but by tomorrow, they'll all magically disappear.

Smooth MySpace, smooth.

[via Wired]

Download SquadMySpace replaces embedded imeem playlists with ringtone ads originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adsimeemmusicmyspaceplaylistFri, 01 Jan 2010 09:10:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace takes over iMeem, migrates accounts to MySpace Music]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/09/myspace-takes-over-imeem-migrates-accounts-to-myspace-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/09/myspace-takes-over-imeem-migrates-accounts-to-myspace-music/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/09/myspace-takes-over-imeem-migrates-accounts-to-myspace-music/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MySpace might not be able to compete with Facebook as a social network, but it's still extremely active on the music side of things. In fact, MySpace just acquired music service iMeem, and has started absorbing its 16 million users into MySpace Music.

It turns out that iMeem was in dire financial straits and would have had to stop providing full-length songs soon because the money to pay music licensing fees just wasn't there.

iMeem users might temporarily be without the most important part of their accounts - the playlists they've created - but MySpace is working to migrate those, too.

From a business standpoint, MySpace probably wins big if even half of those 16 million users stick with MySpace Music. iMeem can't have sold for a whole lot of money. The deal had been rumored for quite a while, but it wasn't held up over the asking price. The issue was the role of iMeem's executives, who ended up staying with MySpace during the transition.

[via PaidContent]

Download SquadMySpace takes over iMeem, migrates accounts to MySpace Music originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>imeemmusicmyspacemyspace musicMyspaceMusicsocial networkingSocialNetworkingWed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[With Yahoo and MySpace rolling over, Facebook wins the social network war]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/05/with-yahoo-and-myspace-rolling-over-facebook-wins-the-social-ne/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/05/with-yahoo-and-myspace-rolling-over-facebook-wins-the-social-ne/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/05/with-yahoo-and-myspace-rolling-over-facebook-wins-the-social-ne/#commentsFiled under: ,


First up, Yahoo rescinds almost its entire social network presence in favor of Facebook Connect. And now, the rumors that MySpace would drop their social focus and aim towards a network based on content and entertainment seem to be playing out: MySpace is linking up with Facebook Connect. There's a lot of juicy info to be had over on the Inside Facebook article, but it seems like MySpace and Facebook could become very tightly entwined, with Facebook managing your profile and MySpace becoming the content provider -- the quizzes, the games, the music, the movie trailers.

It would appear that, except for Google and their Friend Connect, social networks are bowing out from their competition with Facebook. With their recently-announced usage figures and their ever-climbing membership that recently hit 350 million, that's probably a smart move. This was a war that never really heated up, and ultimately had a very predictable outcome. Facebook rule supreme. Microsoft own a sizable share in Facebook, incidentally.

[via Inside Facebook]

Download SquadWith Yahoo and MySpace rolling over, Facebook wins the social network war originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebook connectFacebookConnectfriend connectFriendConnectmyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingtwitteryahooSat, 05 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[They're cracking down on MySpace and Facebook predators, watch out!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/01/theyre-cracking-down-on-myspace-and-facebook-predators-watch-o/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/01/theyre-cracking-down-on-myspace-and-facebook-predators-watch-o/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/01/theyre-cracking-down-on-myspace-and-facebook-predators-watch-o/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A Loiter T-shirt design. Buy one, so I don't feel bad for using their art.Over 3,500 convicted New York sex offenders have been kicked off social networks this week. It is the first time that the new 'e-STOP' (Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators) act of 2008 has actually been used, and we can only assume that more sex pests will be rounded up and shuffled off and away from the poor, innocent, defenseless Cyberspace kiddies in due course.

Under the new e-STOP Act, sex offenders must provide their email addresses and online aliases to the State so that their online activities can be monitored. By registering on Facebook and MySpace, some of the offenders have broken terms of their parole and will end up back in prison.

This can only be good news for the children -- and the parents of those children -- that continue to use social networking sites behind the blissful barrier of ignorance. There have been a few recent calls for Facebook to actively background-check those that sign up to its service. Obviously, at their size, that's impossible. But it's nice to see the state of New York taking a proactive stance on the issue of online predators.

[via NY Daily News]

Download SquadThey're cracking down on MySpace and Facebook predators, watch out! originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookmyspaceonline predatorsOnlinePredatorssex offendersSexOffendersTue, 01 Dec 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace shows artists some love with analytics and music video archives]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/23/myspace-shows-artists-some-love-with-analytics-and-music-video-a/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/23/myspace-shows-artists-some-love-with-analytics-and-music-video-a/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/10/23/myspace-shows-artists-some-love-with-analytics-and-music-video-a/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As MySpace has lost ground to Facebook and other competitors in the social networking world, it's increasingly focused on something it's always done well: music. Being a musician on MySpace just got a lot easier, thanks to new analytics features that give you a better picture of who's visiting your site and listening to your music. On top of that, MySpace has also worked out a deal with several prominent record labels to put a huge archive of music videos online.

On the new Artist Dashboard, artists can check out the demographics of their fanbase, including a breakdown of age, gender and location. The Dashboard also includes pageviews and song plays over time, and integrates information from iLike, which MySpace acquired earlier this year.

Music videos are now a much bigger part of MySpace. On top of the new video archive, music videos will show up in an artist's MySpace Player if they're available. Of course, MySpace has found a way to monetize the heck out the video business, including plenty of ads. Still, it's nice to have another large stash of music videos online, and it might include some that you can't easily find on YouTube.

[via TechCrunch]

Download SquadMySpace shows artists some love with analytics and music video archives originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>analyticsartist dashboardArtistDashboardmusic videosMusicVideosmyspacemyspace musicMyspaceMusicFri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace now lets you sync your Twitter updates]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/21/myspace-now-lets-you-sync-your-twitter-updates/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/21/myspace-now-lets-you-sync-your-twitter-updates/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/21/myspace-now-lets-you-sync-your-twitter-updates/#commentsFiled under: ,

With more social networks turning into lifestreaming platforms, it makes sense that we're seeing Twitter integration for a growing number of social sites and services. MySpace is the latest big player to get Twitter syncing, with both one-way and two-way options. MySpace may be showing up a little late to this party, though, with services like Facebook and AIM already able to feed into Twitter.

You can plug your accounts in using OAuth, and your posts from MySpace will show "from MySpace," just like any other Twitter client. Syncing also works with the mobile versions of both sites. Twitter might win bigger than MySpace, here. All MySpace gets is an attempt to keep up with Facebook and other competitors who have already embraced Twitter, while Twitter gets more exposure with the younger demographic that some say it's had trouble attracting.

Download SquadMySpace now lets you sync your Twitter updates originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lifestreammyspacestatussynctwitterMon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TweetDeck supercharges Facebook features, adds MySpace(?) support]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/09/tweetdeck-supercharges-facebook-features-adds-myspace-suppor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/09/tweetdeck-supercharges-facebook-features-adds-myspace-suppor/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/09/09/tweetdeck-supercharges-facebook-features-adds-myspace-suppor/#commentsFiled under: ,


TweetDeck's homepage now proudly proclaims "Bring your friends closer with Facebook and MySpace."

Yes, it's true. Now you can see updates from both of your friends who are still on MySpace right in TweetDeck. On a related note, NewEgg is running a nice Hanns-G 28" monitor for $309, which you'll probably need to in order to fit all your damn columns on a single screen at this point.

On to more practical concerns. TweetDeck .3 also adds more powerful Facebook integration features. Page owners can now submit updates from within the app, media support has been improved, and photo albums can be viewed without jumping to your browser. If you've been waiting to group Facebook friends like those you follow on Twitter, this is your update - it's now possible.

Drag-and-drop support has been added and it makes sharing photos dead simple. The TweetDeck interface has also been given a tidy, with some functions now moved into sub-menus.

Bit.ly integration has been improved as well, and you can now tie in your account to take better advantage of bit.ly's tracking kung fu. Links Tweetdeck also auto-shortens links right in the update field - no extra button pressing required!

It's a solid update, and I'm certain that Tom will want to be your friend even more if you download Tweetdeck .3.

Download SquadTweetDeck supercharges Facebook features, adds MySpace(?) support originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adobe airAdobeAirfacebookfreewaremyspacetweetdecktwitterWed, 09 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace makes music moves: buys iLike, kills autoplay]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/20/myspace-makes-music-moves-buys-ilike-kills-autoplay/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/20/myspace-makes-music-moves-buys-ilike-kills-autoplay/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/20/myspace-makes-music-moves-buys-ilike-kills-autoplay/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MySpace made two big moves in its music business this week, purchasing social music service iLike (which just launched an mp3 store) and shutting off that annoying autoplay feature for profile songs. Both of these decisions seem pretty savvy, and might help turn around MySpace's image as a dying site.

iLike will remain a separate service, but its new music store and its huge userbase on MySpace's biggest rival site, Facebook, could add up to a big win for MySpace. It shouldn't take all that long to make back the rumored $20 million MySpace spent on the acquisition. MySpace also thinks iLike could be expanded beyond music, into video and games. iLike's recommendation features could also be monetized somehow in the future.

Stopping autoplay might not seem like a business decision at first, but it really was. MySpace's streaming costs had grown to $10 million a month, and a significant portion of that came from songs that automatically started playing on user profiles. Getting rid of this feature has other advantages, too. The obvious one is a less annoying user experience, and the slightly less obvious is better data collection. Even if you hate your friends' profile songs, they still count as plays when they start automatically. For those who really love autoplay, there's now a preference to opt into it.

Download SquadMySpace makes music moves: buys iLike, kills autoplay originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoplayilikemusicmyspacesocialnetworkingThu, 20 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PicTreat effortlessly touches up the faces in your photos]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/07/pictreat-effortlessly-touches-up-the-faces-in-your-photos/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/07/pictreat-effortlessly-touches-up-the-faces-in-your-photos/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/07/pictreat-effortlessly-touches-up-the-faces-in-your-photos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With the rise of social networking profiles and photo sharing sites, people are putting more photos of themselves online than ever. Retouching, Photoshopping and the infamous "MySpace angle" have all done wonders to make people look better in photos, and now we can add PicTreat to that list. It's a fast, easy way to give yourself a perfect complexion ... on the web, anyway.

PicTreat removes red eye and blemishes and adjusts brightness/contrast and color levels. A basic user of Photoshop could do the same thing, but Pictreat does it very quickly, and then gives you the option to upload the photo to several social sites. You can use PicTreat without registering, but you can also get an account, or sign in using Facebook Connect or MySpace.

Download SquadPicTreat effortlessly touches up the faces in your photos originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookmyspacephotoretouchingsocial-networkingutilitiesFri, 07 Aug 2009 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace not quite dead yet, adds new webmail feature]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/01/myspace-adds-free-web-based-email-accounts/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/01/myspace-adds-free-web-based-email-accounts/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/08/01/myspace-adds-free-web-based-email-accounts/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Despite all the buzz about the death of MySpace and its future as a more music-focused site that's given up on competing with Facebook, the social networking site is still around and rolling out new features.

The latest is MySpace Mail, which seems to be a full-on webmail service, @myspace.com email addresses and all. The rollout of MySpace Mail started on Thursday and should be available to everyone well before the end of the year.

Maybe MySpace is smart to get into the webmail game, considering the large userbase they'll start with right out of the gate. MySpace's appeal to the younger demographic means that @myspace.com could be the primary email domain for a huge number of kids and teens.

Bands could also use it to send email blasts to their MySpace contacts instead of just messaging within the site. Even if most people won't replace their existing email address with a MySpace one, don't underestimate the marketing potential of using MySpace to send messages to people who aren't on the site. MySpace.com could become the Internet's biggest source of indie-band spam.

[via CNET]

Download SquadMySpace not quite dead yet, adds new webmail feature originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emailmailmyspacesocialnetworkingSat, 01 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft and ReverbNation giving away 1,000 MP3s - and they don't all suck]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/27/microsoft-and-reverbnation-giving-away-1-000-mp3s-and-they-don/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/27/microsoft-and-reverbnation-giving-away-1-000-mp3s-and-they-don/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/07/27/microsoft-and-reverbnation-giving-away-1-000-mp3s-and-they-don/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'll admit I felt a little dirty after visiting MySpace for the first time in years, but I had a good reason. There's an announcement up at www.myspace.com/Windows with some good news for free music fans.

In partnership with ReverbNation, they're giving away more than 1,000 free MP3 / M4A audio tracks. The goodies are all available at www.reverbnation.com/windows, and unlike a lot of massive audio giveaways there are plenty of good tracks to be had.

I was excited to find tracks from Skindred, Bif Naked, Fishbone, and Reverend Horton Heat (among others). While my taste in music might not jive with yours, don't fret - there's plenty to choose from. You can view the whole catalog or browse by genre - Alternative, Electronic/Dance, Hip Hop, Jazz, Latin, Pop, and Rock.

I'm never one to argue with good, free music, even if it means having to visit MySpace once in a while. Want to stay in the loop? Add Windows as a friend on MySpace - or just check back every so often if you'd rather not blow the dust off your profile.

Download SquadMicrosoft and ReverbNation giving away 1,000 MP3s - and they don't all suck originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiodownloadsfreem4amp3musicmyspacereverbnationMon, 27 Jul 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Bozeman requires social logins and passwords in exchange for job]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/18/city-of-bozeman-requires-social-logins-and-passwords-in-exchange/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/18/city-of-bozeman-requires-social-logins-and-passwords-in-exchange/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/06/18/city-of-bozeman-requires-social-logins-and-passwords-in-exchange/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Bozeman, Montana -- a city just 5 miles to the east of freakin' nowhere -- as part of a more thorough set of background checks, is asking job applicants to, "list any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc."

Federal law states that you can't ask about religion or marital status when interviewing you for a job, but both of those things are conveniently available in most Facebook profiles. Added to which, giving a prospective employer all your logins and passwords gives them access to direct and private messages, and in the case of most social networks, indirect access to the information of other people who never granted the city access. The whole thing violates just about every social network's Terms of Service, and just generally feels slimy.

In an interview with local news, the city's attorney says it isn't "trying to find out all kinds of information about the person that we're not able to use or shouldn't use in the hiring process."

Current job listings for Bozeman include a Water/Sewer technician so, presumably, with a high school diploma and a clean Facebook record, you could get hired to dig around in something that smells almost as bad as this hiring policy.

[via BoingBoing]

Download SquadCity of Bozeman requires social logins and passwords in exchange for job originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aint no wayAintNoWaybozemanfacebookinsanemyspaceprivacyThu, 18 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Farkie: media downloader and convertor for YouTube, MySpace and more]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/26/farkie-media-downloader-and-convertor-for-youtube-myspace-and/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/26/farkie-media-downloader-and-convertor-for-youtube-myspace-and/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/26/farkie-media-downloader-and-convertor-for-youtube-myspace-and/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


There are a lot of ways to download videos from YouTube, a lot of ways to convert those videos, and a lot of ways to download music from MySpace. I'm used to thinking of all that as requiring a few different apps or web-based tools, but Farkie does it all. Farkie aims to be the only downloader you need for videos, music, flash games and other media on websites, and it's even got a Firefox add-on.

To use Farkie, you just have to paste the URL of the page you want to download from into Farkie's form, and let it do the rest. You'll get a list of all the media on the page (and check boxes for file types, so you can filter if there's a lot there), and you can download any of the available files via links.

It can even convert YouTube videos for you, into wmv, m4v, mov, and a bunch of other formats.

Download SquadFarkie: media downloader and convertor for YouTube, MySpace and more originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 26 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>downloadfarkiemyspacevideoyoutubeTue, 26 May 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flock 2.5 social web browser adds more Facebook and Twitter features]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/19/flock-2-5-social-web-browser-adds-more-facebook-and-twitter-feat/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/19/flock-2-5-social-web-browser-adds-more-facebook-and-twitter-feat/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/05/19/flock-2-5-social-web-browser-adds-more-facebook-and-twitter-feat/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Flock 2.5
Flock is a web browser that's based on Mozilla. But what really makes it stand out is the integration with social networking services including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, and YouTube. Flock 2.5 is out today, and it adds enhanced features for Twitter and Facebook, including:
  • Read Twitter replies (err... @mentions) in the Flock sidebar
  • Save Twitter searches
  • Take actions like replying or clicking on Twitter links from the sidebar
  • Use Facebook chat from any web page
  • Drag and drop web content into the Facebook chat box to share it
There's also a new feature called FlockCast so that when you post a tweet, set your MySpace status, write a blog post, or upload pictures to Flickr, you can click a button to automatically post those actions to Facebook as well.

Download SquadFlock 2.5 social web browser adds more Facebook and Twitter features originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookflockflock-2.5flockcastmyspacetwitterTue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hey Facebook - where's the respect?]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/hey-facebook-wheres-the-respect/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/hey-facebook-wheres-the-respect/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/21/hey-facebook-wheres-the-respect/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's fairly difficult to muster up sympathy for Facebook's management when it comes to the current user revolt over changes to the site's terms and conditions of use (or T&Cs as they are commonly know). After all we've seen it all before, anyone remember lefty singer songwriter Billy Bragg's 2006 MySpace Revolution? Putting aside the irony that it's likely that the MySpace revolution is the only one that Billy Bragg will ever lead, the 2006 Revolt was a blueprint for Facebook's 2009 controversy.

Back in 2006 MySpace changed its T&Cs to provide for an ongoing license to any content posted on the service as they saw fit, fast forward to 2009 and Facebook has done substantially the same thing. Back in 2006 an activist user revolt lead by Bragg forced a turnaround from MySpace, fast forward to 2009 and (absent Billy Bragg) Facebook has done exactly the same thing.

So, what were they thinking at Facebook? Why would a massively successful site show such a disrespect for its users?

While people may put up with the most draconian clauses drafted into the T&Cs for Windows Vista or Adobe Acrobat, generally because they never read them and they couldn't change them if they wanted to, when it comes to online media and the Web things are different. Facebook users should be concerned about the T&Cs, they constitute the terms of the contract between Facebook and its users and is a legally binding document. In an ideal world contracts for services should be negotiated between the parties, in the case of most Web sites and software companies that rarely happens, but this time the users have struck back and are now appear to be collectively negotiating that contract through online activism.

The drafting of Terms and Conditions for Web sites is a tricky business, lawyers must weigh up the potential risks of litigation against the possibility that the terms and conditions will sufficiently turn off users from using the site. When it comes to social media sites there is another significant concern - that users will revolt, start discussion groups, stop posting photos of their cats, and make statements to the media that generate poor publicity for the site.

Lawyers for social media sites need to have a nuanced understanding of the site's fundamental business and pay attention to risks that might impact the business both inside and outside the courtroom.

Given that Facebook would have been well aware of the MySpace case, a cynical observer might suggest that the manner in which Facebook clearly highlighted the changes to the T&C showed that Facebook's management was well aware of the possibility of a user revolt and that their subsequent response would have been mapped out in advance. Facebook's subsequent response to revert back to the previous T&C an to enter into a process of consultation

Users have good reason to be worried about large corporations infringing on their IP rights or privacy. How many users would want to be featured in a Facebook tie up with US Magazine of top ten of "Facebook Funniest Drunken Party Photos" or see their "25 Random Things About Me" reprinted without permission or compensation in an
"Official Facebook 25 Things" book?

Given the dominance of Facebook in the social media world it seems unlikely that this hiccup will only result in the cancellation of a tiny number of hardcore users while at the same time continuing to generate headlines and page views for the site. Facebook and other social media sites need to establish exactly how far they can go when
it comes to the user generated content that drives their world and ensure that lawyers don't kill the golden goose by overreaching and draconian T&Cs. Ultimately Facebook needs to understand that when it comes to user generated content people do actually care and show some respect.

Download SquadHey Facebook - where's the respect? originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 21 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>billy braggBillyBraggfacebookmyspaceterms and conditionsTermsAndConditionsSat, 21 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NutshellMail delivers Facebook, MySpace updates to your email inbox]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/17/nutshellmail-delivers-facebok-myspace-updates-to-your-email-inb/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/17/nutshellmail-delivers-facebok-myspace-updates-to-your-email-inb/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/02/17/nutshellmail-delivers-facebok-myspace-updates-to-your-email-inb/#commentsFiled under: , ,

NutShellMail
If you spend more time in Gmail than Facebook, MySpace, or LinkedIn, but still want to know what your contacts on those social networks are up to, NutshellMail can help. When you sign up for a free account, you can associate it with your account on various social networking sites, and then you can designate how frequently you want to receive updates. Want to know if you've received new friend requests, group invitations, or if your friends birthdays are coming up? NutshellMail can shoot you an email with that information every hour, once a week, or anywhere in between.

You can also use NutShellMail to connect your email accounts. For example, you can have the service forward a list of messages in your Gmail inbox to your work email address every few hours if you want to keep up with your Gmail while you're at work without actually logging into Gmail.

[via Mashable]

Download SquadNutshellMail delivers Facebook, MySpace updates to your email inbox originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>emailfacebooklinkedinmyspacenutshellmailsocial-networkingTue, 17 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace, Flock and Vidoop release OpenID for Flock plugin]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/12/02/myspace-flock-and-vidoop-release-openid-for-flock-plugin/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/12/02/myspace-flock-and-vidoop-release-openid-for-flock-plugin/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/12/02/myspace-flock-and-vidoop-release-openid-for-flock-plugin/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

OpenID is a really great concept. The ability to use a single digital identity across the web and avoid having to sign up for yet another user account is a real productivity boon. More and more high profile sites and services are adopting OpenID, but the project still hasn't gained the traction that many of us think it deserves. This is partially because it still isn't easy to use OpenID -- or even find out if a site supports OpenID -- on all services. MySpace, Flock and Vidoop think they've come across a solution: let the browser handle it.

Back in June, MySpace announced support for OpenID and also became an OpenID provider. In order to help users more easily manage their online identity across other sites and services, MySpace teamed up with Flock and Vidoop to create OpenID for Flock, available today at https://extensions.flock.com. OpenID for Flock is an open source plugin, part of the larger Identity in the Browser (IDIB) project which is focused on having the browser, not the user handle, authenticate and mange multiple user identities.

I had the chance to demo the plugin yesterday and it is pretty cool. Essentially, once installed an OpenID icon appears on the right of Flock's chrome bar. The extension scans a page for OpenID compatibility, and if a site supports OpenID, the icon starts to glow. You can then automatically choose to populate the OpenID fields with your designated OpenID URL or associate that site with a specific OpenID account. You can manage all of your OpenIDs, choose what sites to associate certain profiles with and view the login history and OpenID-to-site-relationship with each site.


Continue reading MySpace, Flock and Vidoop release OpenID for Flock plugin

Download SquadMySpace, Flock and Vidoop release OpenID for Flock plugin originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>extensionflockmyspaceopenidopensourcepluginvidoopTue, 02 Dec 2008 08:12:00 EST<![CDATA[AOL.com launches a new redesign and it doesn't suck!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/10/30/aol-com-launches-a-new-redesgn-and-it-doesnt-suck/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/10/30/aol-com-launches-a-new-redesgn-and-it-doesnt-suck/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/10/30/aol-com-launches-a-new-redesgn-and-it-doesnt-suck/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Download Squad isn't alone when it comes to awesome redesigns -- today, Weblogs Inc.'s parent company, AOL, launched a totally redesigned AOL.com. It looks pretty great, especially when you compare it to the other portal offerings from Microsoft, Yahoo and Google. The biggest change comes in the form of allowing direct access to outside content -- including e-mail providers like Yahoo and Gmail, social networks like Facebook and MySpace and links to non AOL sites via a new RSS reader built into the site.

I had the opportunity to talk to James Clark, the VP of the AOL.com portal, about the redesign process, both from a business and web development level, as well as ways AOL is hoping to use the newly designed page to help transform the AOL brand.

Redesigning a site of any scale can be a challenge, but redesigning a site that receives over a billion PVs a month opens up an entirely new set of both business and user challenges. Starting in 2007, the AOL team started doing research on how its competitors display the web and more importantly, how end users (not necessarily AOL users, just Internet users) use the Internet. James told me that what they found was that the "one size fits all portal was outdated and outmoded." In this day and age, even traditional AOL users get content from multiple services and expect a level of control that traditional portals just don't give them.

Last month, AOL addressed those needs by implementing the ability to check and view e-mail from other providers -- like Yahoo, Hotmail and Gmail -- directly from the AOL.com page, the same way AOL users can access AOL mail. Today's redesign continues with that trend, offering access to MySpace, Facebook, and AIM (Twitter and Bebo support will be complete very soon) all from AOL.com. You can even update all profiles simultaneously directly from the toolbar.

Additionally, users can add their own links to pages right at the top of the screen (and you don't even have to register or login to access any of this stuff -- not even Google will let you customize stuff without logging in with a Google account). Probably the coolest feature is at the bottom of the home page. AOL has integrated an RSS reader into the page. It comes preloaded with categories and websites, but you can add your own categories and your own sites. Even more interesting, the sites aren't just AOL properties. In the Tech section, for instance, CNET, TechCrunch, Slashdot and Wired are all listed -- and none of those sites are affiliated with AOL.

Continue reading AOL.com launches a new redesign and it doesn't suck!

Download SquadAOL.com launches a new redesign and it doesn't suck! originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aimaolbebofacebookgmailhotmailmyspaceportalredesigntwitteryahooThu, 30 Oct 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace Music launches (yawn)]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/25/myspace-music-launches-yawn/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/25/myspace-music-launches-yawn/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/25/myspace-music-launches-yawn/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MySpace Music
After months of planning, MySpace has rolled out MySpace Music, a new advertising-supported streaming audio service backed by the four major music labels.

There are a few things that make MySpace Music worth checking out. You can stream all the songs for free. And you can add songs to a custom playlist and post that list to your MySpace profile, making it easy for people to find new music. And finally, if you find a song you like, but you want to play it on a portable device or when your computer isn't connected to the internet, you can click the Buy button in the player to purchase the a DRM-free copy of the track from Amazon MP3.

But I'm still not particularly impressed. I was able to find MySpace pages for most of the artists I searched for. But not every song was available for purchase from Amazon. And for many artists you could find one or two albums, but not every album, and certainly not every song.

Since MySpace Music is basically a streaming audio website, it's hard not to compare it to similar services like Last.fm or even SeeqPod. And I have to say, while the audio player is nice, and the social aspect could be useful, the music selection isn't very impressive.

Download SquadMySpace Music launches (yawn) originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>musicmyspacemyspace-musicThu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Digsby cuts memory footprint, adds LinkedIn notifications]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/24/digsby-cuts-memory-footprint-adds-linkedin-notifications/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/24/digsby-cuts-memory-footprint-adds-linkedin-notifications/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/09/24/digsby-cuts-memory-footprint-adds-linkedin-notifications/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Digbsy Build 32
There's a new version of the free Windows chat/social messaging client Digsby today. Probably the biggest change in this release is a dramatic reduction in memory use. Like a 75% reduction.

One of the biggest complaints early Digsby users had was that the application was a memory hog. And while it still certainly uses a bit more memory than some IM clients, that's to be expected since Digsby isn't just an IM client. The program also provides email notifications and updates from social networking sites including MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

The latest release also adds LinkedIn support. Once you register your LinkedIn account you'll be able to see the number of unattended alerts at a glance by looking at the icon in your system tray. You can also click on the icon to see the latest updates from your LinkedIn contacts.

There have also been some performance updates that should make the program more responsive. And each IM protocol will try several connection methods for getting around firewalls and proxy servers before giving up.

If you've been avoiding Digsby because of its high memory footprint, it might be time to give it another look. In my tests, I've found that it uses between 25MB and 40MB of memory. Now if only the Digsby team would hurry up and release Mac and Linux versions they've been promising.

Download SquadDigsby cuts memory footprint, adds LinkedIn notifications originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chatdigsbyfacebookfreewareIMlinkedinmyspacesocial-networkingtwitterWed, 24 Sep 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Qbox: Music player for songs from social networks]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/qbox-music-player-for-songs-from-social-networks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/qbox-music-player-for-songs-from-social-networks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/qbox-music-player-for-songs-from-social-networks/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Qbox
Qbox is a search engine/media player combo that lets you find and listen to music available from social networking sites including MySpace, Bebo, and YouTube. The interface is a bit more complicated than it needs to be. If you just download the standalone media player for Windows, you'll be told that you need to sign in if you want to search for music.

Search results are displayed in your default web browser, which is odd because the Qbox media player acts as sort of a stripped down browser for playing web audio and video clips. Don't ask us why it won't display search results.

Now here comes the important part: Qbox is not compatible with Firefox 3. If you conduct a search from the media player or the web site using Firefox 3, you'll get a list of songs. But when you click the play buttons next to those songs, you'll be told that you haven't installed the Qbox media player if you're using Firefox 3. When we logged into the web site with Internet Explorer, everything worked properly. But when we tried to search from songs from the media player interface, the results were again displayed in our default browser, which was Firefox 3. There doesn't seem to be a way to select your prefered browser from within the software.

You can also click on genre tags to browse for songs within the media player itself. Qbox is currently available as a public beta, so it's possible the company could improve the interface and adds Firefox 3 compatibility.

[via AppScout]

Download SquadQbox: Music player for songs from social networks originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bebomusicmyspaceqboxsocial-networkingyoutubeFri, 20 Jun 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Election 08: candidates face off in social media]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/election-08-candidates-face-off-in-social-media/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/election-08-candidates-face-off-in-social-media/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/20/election-08-candidates-face-off-in-social-media/#commentsAs the 2008 US presidential election campaign finally approaches full steam, presumtive nominees Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama are facing off in the media to win hearts and minds. But which candidate is making the most of the of online social media services?

A visit to www.barackobama.com shows that the Obama campaign has established itself firmly in the social media world with an offical presence on major services such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, LinkedIn and more specialist sites such as Glee, Eons, MyBatanga, AsianAve and Faithbase.

On the Republican side, John McCain's presidential campaign has developed its basic Web presence with a mult-faceted Web site but McCain lags far behind Obama in terms of presence and supporters in the key online social media battlegrounds.

Continue reading Election 08: candidates face off in social media

Download SquadElection 08: candidates face off in social media originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electionfacebooklinkedinmccainmyspaceobamatechnologytwitterFri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace gets a slight facelift, becomes slightly more tolerable]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/18/myspace-gets-a-slight-facelift-becomes-slightly-more-tolerable/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/18/myspace-gets-a-slight-facelift-becomes-slightly-more-tolerable/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/18/myspace-gets-a-slight-facelift-becomes-slightly-more-tolerable/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MySpace
MySpace has rolled out its anticipated site-wide redesign today. There's a shiny new search engine which displays results from your friends first and lets you sort your results by movies, music, the web, or all of MySpace. And site navigation has been improved so that it takes less clicks to get from one part of the site to another.

There's also a new video player which supports higher quality videos playing at 480p resolution. That makes the MySpace video player a lot nicer than YouTube's current offering. But if you're a MySpace traditionalist, don't worry, the site still has its obnoxious side. For example, when you visit the main page you'll be greeted by a huge advertisement which pushes the content about halfway down the window. Classy, right?

And of course, if you're worried that you won't recognize MySpace with its new look and all, you can always install a Firefox plugin that will alert you any time you accidentally find yourself on the social networking site.

[via TechCrunch]

Download SquadMySpace gets a slight facelift, becomes slightly more tolerable originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>myspaceredesignWed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MySpace site redesign coming next week]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/13/myspace-site-redesign-coming-next-week/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/13/myspace-site-redesign-coming-next-week/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/13/myspace-site-redesign-coming-next-week/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MySpace video playerMySpace is set to roll out a major site redesign next week. Don't worry, MySpace will still be the flashy and obnoxious older sibling to more subdued social networks like Facebook and Orkut. But it'll be a bit easier to navigate, and it will be easier for users to customize their own pages without any HTML knowledge.

Users will be able to edit profiles by using a new sidebar utility that lets you pick a template and change the color scheme. MySpace will also be changing the way it displays search results by providing a series of tabs you can click on to see results from all of MySpace, the web, or just user profiles, videos, or music results.

While most of the changes won't be visible until next week, MySpace has already updated its video player. The new player features easier to use controls, and support for Flash 9, which means you can watch high resolution videos on MySpace TV.

Download SquadMySpace site redesign coming next week originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>myspacemyspace-tvmyspace-videosite-designFri, 13 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Firefox add-on stops accidental MySpace encounters: it's actually useful!]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/09/firefox-add-on-stops-accidental-myspace-encounters-its-actuall/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/09/firefox-add-on-stops-accidental-myspace-encounters-its-actuall/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/06/09/firefox-add-on-stops-accidental-myspace-encounters-its-actuall/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

amionmyspace.com?
Have you ever accidentally visited MySpace? Yeah, we probably have too, though, it was never a noticeable problem. In fact, we can't even remember it happening, but it seems like it has to have happened... right?

Well, this Firefox add-on promises to detect MySpace in Firefox, and provide a pop-up menu to stop unsuspecting web-browsers from hitting up the social network. The plug-in is obviously a joke, but we found a great use for it anyway -- avoiding phishing.

It's called AmIOnMySpace.com? and it can be used to detect the real MySpace site. If for any reason the message doesn't pop-up upon first visiting the social network, you're not on the real site. The biggest problem with using this as a way of avoiding phishing sites is that it doesn't alert users when leaving MySpace, so it's still possible to get attacked from within.

[via Digg]

Download SquadFirefox add-on stops accidental MySpace encounters: it's actually useful! originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onaddonbrowsertipsfakefirefoxfreewaremyspacephishphishingplug-inpluginpluginssiteMon, 09 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Newsflash: Breaking up in the Internet Age still sucks]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/newsflash-breaking-up-in-the-internet-age-still-sucks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/newsflash-breaking-up-in-the-internet-age-still-sucks/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/22/newsflash-breaking-up-in-the-internet-age-still-sucks/#commentsFiled under: ,

Breaking BulbAs cliché as it sounds, breaking up really is hard to do. Well, maybe it's not theoretically difficult, but telling someone you've cared about in any capacity that it's over and it's time to move on isn't fun. Actually, being told is probably even less fun, especially if there's the element of surprise involved.

Technology complicates things. Aside from the potential for devastation that comes from a significant other texting you a "Let's just be friends" message, or finding a picture of your sweetie online in a compromising position, there is the whole social networking issue.

ABC News takes a hard-hitting look at Facebook relationship statuses. A girlfriend is devastated when her ex- changes his status to "Single." Was she more devastated over the break up, or the fact that several Facebook contacts gave her a ring? ABC doesn't say for sure, but their use of the phrase "barraged with phone calls" and the statement that it was an "uncomfortable experience" for the former couple leads us to believe that, er, maybe some calls were made for less altruistic reasons than the offer of a shoulder to cry on.

The love doctors here at DLS Most of us here at Download Squad would say there are a few issues to consider when you decide to make your relationship public on a site like Facebook. Why are you using the social networking site? Is it work or career related? Are you keeping in touch with friends? It's ultimately up to you, and how comfortable you feel about the fact that some friends on social networks might not actually be friends (unless you really do know Tom at MySpace personally).

The sad fact is that on the 'net as well as in real life, there are people who will gossip and ask for way too many details over a break up that they aren't directly involved in. The interwebs makes it easier for them to poke and prod for the juicy bits, sure, but that's less technology related and more human nature related.

And guys/girls... Seriously, don't ever break up with anyone via text. You'll never have a relationship in this town again with that sort of behavior.

Download SquadNewsflash: Breaking up in the Internet Age still sucks originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 22 May 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ABC NewsAbcNewsbreak upBreakUpFacebookloveMySpacerelationshipssocial networkingSocialNetworkingThu, 22 May 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photosharing - comparing Flickr, Photobucket and Zooomr]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/20/photosharing-comparing-flickr-photobucket-and-zooomr/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/20/photosharing-comparing-flickr-photobucket-and-zooomr/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/20/photosharing-comparing-flickr-photobucket-and-zooomr/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

chart

How do you do decide which photosharing site to go with? If free is your criteria, there are certainly many options to choose from. Most free photo sharing sites are ad supported and come with a certain GB capacity limit. If you upgrade to a pro account, which can run anywhere from $20-$25 per year, there are typically no limits and no advertisements.

We took a look at the most popular photosharing sites' features and did a comparison to help you decide which photo site is best suited for your needs. We compared Flickr, Photobucket and Zooomr and then test drove each of the sites to see how well they did. Check out our unscientific findings after the jump.



Continue reading Photosharing - comparing Flickr, Photobucket and Zooomr

Download SquadPhotosharing - comparing Flickr, Photobucket and Zooomr originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 20 May 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Facebookflickrflickr vs facebook vs zooomrFlickrVsFacebookVsZooomrFotoflexermyspacephotobucketphotographyPhotosharingPicnikzooomrTue, 20 May 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sociagami adds Twitter support, status updates]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/16/sociagami-adds-twitter-support-status-updates/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/16/sociagami-adds-twitter-support-status-updates/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/16/sociagami-adds-twitter-support-status-updates/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sociagami

Desktop social networking client Sociagami has added two features that were noticeably absent from earlier builds: Twitter integration and support for updating your status from the application. When we first looked at Sociagami a few months ago, the software provided an attractive (but RAM-heavy) tool for interacting with your Facebook and MySpace contacts. You could see all of the latest status updaes in one place, navigate through your friend list in a slick browser, or view the latest photos uploaded by your contacts.

But without the ability to update your own status, Sociagami wasn't nearly as useful as other desktop social networking tools like Digsby. The latest version includes a handy status update tool that lets you post to Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter simultaneously. If you only want to update one service, just uncheck two of the boxes.

The new Twitter client works pretty much exactly as you'd expect. You get a list of recent messages from your contacts in one window, and you can sift through your contact list in the browser. One thing that sets Sociagami apart from Digsby is the fact that you can see all of your latest Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook messages in a single window.

But while Digsby already has a reputation as a RAM-heavy application, at least that utility also gives you email notification alerts and an instant messenger application, two features that Sociagami lacks. Still, we're happy to report that Sociagami continues to get a bit better with each release, so we're not ready to give up on this application just yet.

Download SquadSociagami adds Twitter support, status updates originally appeared on Download Squad on Fri, 16 May 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digsbyfacebookmyspacesociagamisocial-networkingtwitterFri, 16 May 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[rmbrME: share social network info via SMS]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/07/rmbrme-share-social-network-info-via-sms/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/07/rmbrme-share-social-network-info-via-sms/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/05/07/rmbrme-share-social-network-info-via-sms/#commentsFiled under: ,

Remember making new friends without the help of the Internet? Thanks to a new service called rmbrMe, you can convert those messy real life acquaintances into easily manageable social networking formats! rmbrMe lets you send a code via text message that will link people you just met to your profiles on Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, or whatever other networks you choose.

There is a bit of a missing link between having someone's phone number and having their URLs. Not everyone has an iPhone, so it's not always easy to send a hyperlink that won't have to be retyped into a browser later. RmbrMe is a clever concept, but it makes us wish for something even easier. Instead of going to a browser and typing in a five-digit code to get to a profile that aggregates all of your other profiles, it would be nice to see a service that generated friend requests straight from the text message.

For now, rmbrMe is a fairly elegant solution to the problem of helping people, well, remember you. The catch, and the reason we probably won't become frequent users of the service, is that it charges 49 cents a message, on top of whatever your carrier charges. Asking for an e-mail address might be a little bit dorkier, but it's also cheaper.

Download SquadrmbrME: share social network info via SMS originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebooklinkedinmobilemyspacephonermbrMesmstext messagingtextingTextMessagingWed, 07 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Michael Dalesandro, CEO "Where I've Been"]]>http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/29/interview-michael-dalesandro-ceo-where-ive-been/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/29/interview-michael-dalesandro-ceo-where-ive-been/http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2008/04/29/interview-michael-dalesandro-ceo-where-ive-been/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Where I've Been
The "social networking" space is chock-full of applications, plug-ins and other bits and pieces designed to hopefully enhance the user's experience online and potentially in their real lives as well. Unfortunately, some of these applications or plug-ins are often uninspired and do little, if anything, to accomplish this goal.

Sometimes, however, an application or plug-in is able to provide user's with useful services and a forum to express themselves. Case in point, "Where I've Been," an application and a stand-alone website which can actually enhance the user's experience by providing useful tools such as travel-related tips, interactive maps and a forum to showcase and discuss where they've traveled to.

At the helm of "Where I've Been" is CEO Michael Dalesandro who, in a short time, has managed to transform "Where I've Been" from its humble beginnings into a very successful application in use by millions of users each day. Recently, I sat down with with him to discuss "Where I've Been," what it does and where its going.

CHRIS ULLRICH: Michael, thanks for taking the time to talk with me.

MICHAEL DALESANDRO: Not a problem.

CU: How and when did you first get involved with "Where I've been"?

MD: Craig Ulliott was working for Blueye.com as a developer when he brought me the concept for "Where I've Been." He wrote the application and then it launched on Facebook first. That's where it all started.

CU: For someone unfamiliar with "Where I've been", can you describe it?

MD: "Where I've Been" is a simple way for people to connect and express themselves primarily through their travel experiences. It allows the user to highlight their travels graphically and show what places, cities, countries they've been to.

The can share where they have been, where have lived and where they want to go with friends, family and others.

CU: How does "Where I've been" benefit the user? Why should someone use it?

Continue reading Interview: Michael Dalesandro, CEO "Where I've Been"

Download SquadInterview: Michael Dalesandro, CEO "Where I've Been" originally appeared on Download Squad on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applicationsfacebookmyspacesocialtraveltweet-thisTue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST