Technology, Books and Other Neat Stuff

Google's OpenSocial is more widget spin than real, usable cross-social network API.

I rip it a new one over at IT Pro:

I've been looking at Google's OpenSocial, and to be honest, I'm not particularly impressed. There is a need for a way of bringing the spiralling maelstrom of social networks into some coherent, cohesive whole. I can see how easy it is for people staring at the headlights of the oncoming Facebook juggernaut to want to seize hold of the first possible escape route - it's just a pity that OpenSocial came along first.

Yes, OpenSocial can be used to extract information from different web sites and bring them together, but it's missing many of the features that would make it truly compelling.

Firstly, and critically, there's no identity component to OpenSocial. All it is is a set of simple API calls that extract all the information that's available. There's no way for a data provider to control just who sees what and how,it's an all or nothing system. The simplistic model that OpenSocial currently offers means there's no way for me to set a set of rules that expose information in different ways for different people, which is something that's critical when sharing information across sites - which is something that I see as vitally important, and I'm someone living what can best be described as a "radically transparent" online life.

Read more at IT Pro.

CES 2007 was so useful that we're going to go again.

Tickets are booked, and we've found a motel within walking distance of both the LVCC and Sands for sensible sums (and have booked in for the duration).

I've just got my press credentials, so if you're a PR, and you've got clients exhibiting at CES 2008, drop me an email, or comment with your pitches. It's time to start getting the calendar sorted! I'm expecting to be at Showstoppers - so let me know if your clients are going to be there, too.