Mobile Social Networks - A Comparison

In the Social + Mobile = Sociable (Social Networks for SMS, IM and Mobile Devices session, at Graphing Social Patterns East, Benjamin Joffe presented a full of insights session comparing mobile social networks and what makes them so powerful and successful in Asia. I found Benjamin's slides on slideshare (embedded below).

Among other things, Benjamin focused on ARFU (average revenue from users), sticky features, business models, page views growth, services, revenues and profits for various social networks. Very interesting presentation.

If you missed Graphing Social Patterns East this year, make sure you go to the next year one. You may also want to check out Graphing Social Patterns West happening in CA later this year. Otherwise, you'll be missing a lot.

Microsoft's hostile bid now jeopardizing Yahoo!'s future?

A lot of chatter in the news about the negative effects Yahoo! is experiencing because of Microsoft's hostile bid earlier this year. The bid left a lot of uncertainty as far as employees of Yahoo! are concerned.

In Yahoo!'s SEC filing, the company is not shy of explaining what Microsoft's bid is doing to the company. The filing

Microsoft’s unsolicited acquisition proposal has created a distraction for our management and uncertainty that may adversely affect our business.

Microsoft’s unsolicited acquisition proposal has also created uncertainty for our employees and this uncertainty may adversely affect our ability to retain key employees and to hire new talent. Microsoft’s unsolicited acquisition proposal may also create uncertainty for current and potential publishers, advertisers and other business partners, which may cause them to terminate, or not to renew or enter into, arrangements with us. Additionally, we and members of our Board of Directors have been named in seven purported stockholder class action complaints relating to the Microsoft proposal as more fully described in Part I, Item 3 “Legal Proceedings” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These lawsuits or any future lawsuits may become time consuming and expensive. These consequences, alone or in combination, may harm our business.

Regarding the volatility of Yahoo!'s stock:

We further believe that, as a result of Microsoft’s unsolicited acquisition proposal, and speculation concerning a potential acquisition, the future trading price of our common stock is likely to be volatile and could be subject to wide price fluctuations. There can be no assurance whether a transaction will occur or at what price. If a transaction does not occur, or the market perceives a transaction as unlikely to happen, our stock price may decline.

Yahoo!'s brain drain problem may have also intensified due to the company's planned layoffs announced earlier this year.