Daily Bits

linkedin

LinkedIn Improves Address Book Browsing

by

One of my favorite social networking site which I don’t get to use more often,  LinkedIn has just announced that they would soon be rolling out an improved  address book. The new address book interface aims to make  LinkedIn members more productive.

Key feature of the LinkedIn Address Book update is the new browse panel that gives you a facility for viewing your connections based on their current companies, locations and industries. It also lets you search your connections using  first name, last name or current company.  There is also now a Recent Activity filter in the said browse panel that lets you browse your new connections and your connections who may have recently added a new connection.

The LinkedIn mini-profile now lets you view whether your connections have changed their positions, added new connections or even send them a message. You can also look up contact information such as phone numbers, email address and physical mailing address or add these information yourself in your LinkedIn address book.

Other features of the new LinkedIn Address Book include:

  • Connections automatically tagged with keywords such as “colleagues”, “friends”, “partners” and “group members” based on information you provide when inviting them to connect with you
  • Organize your connections into different groups via tags
  • Send a message to multiple connections at once based on how you’ve organized them by tags

Love it so far? Why not pay your LinkedIn profile a visit and see how cool this new Address Book is right now. I just did.

LinkedIn iPhone App Updated to Look More Like Facebook

by

linkedin-iphone-home

LinkedIn couldn’t wait until the new year before launching new features of its iPhone app. So, before we all bid 2009 goodbye, here are some new features and enhancements of the LinkedIn iPhone app.

First thing you’ll notice of course is the new home screen interface with the most common and important features of the LinkedIn app on top of the home screen – All Updates, Status, Profiles and Discussions. These options are arranged in a 4 by 3 square similar to the layout of Facebook app’s main screen.

Next improvement is a completely revamped search interface that display search results faster than you can imagine. Likewise, the profile screens were also improved with summary of details about the LinkedIn member, review of their education and experience, list of people you both know in common and the ability to mark that person as a favorite. This Favorite feature would be most useful if you want a quick look on some of the most important people you’ve searched on LinkedIn.

And then the LinkedIn app also makes it easier to check updates  through four new modules – all updates, status udpates, profile updates and discussions. The app even allows you to filter updates based on your favorited connections. You can make comments on the updates as well.

Other new features of the LinkedIn iPhone app include – more powerful inbox and Address Book Integration and a cool feature that lets you find and connect with LinkedIn members real-time in person through Bluetooth. Provided of course that the LinkedIn member is using the iPhone app also.

Alright folks, here’s the LinkedIn iPhone app download link.

2007: The Year of Social Networking

by

An article at PC World does a great job of summarizing the major developments in social networking space in 2007 and ponders over the prospects and uncertainties for 2008.

One insightful point mentioned in the article is how innovation at start-ups startles tech giants. Google, the great Web firm that one-upped Yahoo in claiming the search crown and hailed as the poster child of innovation was beaten at the social networking front. All the major internet firms such as Yahoo, Google and MS were done in by FaceBook which sort of perfected the concept of applications around social networks.

Social Networking is moving from the domain of an ‘nice add-on’ feature to a must-have even at the enterprise level. Various organizations are now waking up to the possibility that to attract the next generation of talent, it is essential to incorporate the flavor of social networking and connectivity within the enterprise.

While there were major salvos fired at FaceBook’s walled garden approach to social networking apps (which it did counter by licensing the F8 platform), it will be LinkedIn’s progress in the API space that will be really interesting. Being a site for business networking, it is one network that will really see a boost with professional networking going beyond just the website to the Web as such.

But another shift that can also be expected is the increased availability of affordable feature-rich mobile phones and compelling mobile applications. Apart from the enterprise user, the benefits of mobile applications have not really trickled down to the casual user. 2008 will hopefully be the year when mobile applications especially for social networking will really take off. Since Google has made several bold moves in the mobile space, expect a lot of innovation in this front.

Overall, its been a great year for Social Networking and for 2008 there’s a lot to anticipate.

Choose Your Next Airplane Seat Mate Using Social Media

by

Airplane Seat Plan
Airplane Seat Plan

Anyone who has had to fly coach probably has experienced the nightmare of having an incompatible seat mate. If you are the type who just likes to spend time sleeping, reading, or listening to music, the antagonist in the nightmare is the seat mate who just will not stop trying to chat you up. Even when you pointedly put your earphones on. If you are the kind who likes to meet new people and learn about them, then you might be the antagonist.

Finger pointing will not do any good, though, as we all are unique in our own ways. The only solution is to be tolerant of others, isn’t it?

Think again! If you’re lucky enough to have the option of flying Malaysia Airlines or KLM, you have a chance to pre-select your seat mate on the plane using social media. [Read more…] about Choose Your Next Airplane Seat Mate Using Social Media