5pm EST - Facebook is 404 

This May, Google released the Google Friend Connect.

This must be one of the most boldest and simpler concepts of social networking I have seen so far and, even without being able to actually see how it is going to work, this are my first impressions about the new tool.

• It’s simple enough that a simple user can do it. If you are capable to use Google Anaylitics, you will definitely be able to use this.
• No matter what you have selected to use as a gadget on your site, the user gadget is the main one and has to be added to the site always. This gadget will actually connect all users of your site and if the user is already a Google account th registration process becomes simpler. You can add friends from Facebook, Orkut, GTalk and, soon, HI5.
• Reports will be provided to see how your site is growing as a social network site

The main goal of all of this will be transforming a simple blog into a strong social network site based on other big known social networks.

So far everything looks a little bit too unclear, since nobody had access to the tool, but imagine how viral a simple blog can be with this.

Let’s wait for Google new tool to be release and right now if you want to take a first look at it, you will have to register: http://www.google.com/friendconnect/

Meanwhile here is a cool site that is already using the Google Friend Connect: http://www.ingridmichaelson.com/

Facebook chat was released to a very limited group about two weeks ago as a pre-beta release. Today I happen to bump into the chat application while playing around with the web developer toolbar in firefox.

There is not much to it. Login into facebook, then make sure you have the tool bar installed, then go to “miscellaneous” > “Show Hidden Elements” as shown in the image below.

If you are lucky like me and my co-workers you should see the chat appear in the lower right part of your browser. I played with it for a while and was able to connect after a few attempts but was not able to chat with anyone. Let us know if you are able to hack it and maintain a conversation.

This is a sign that the chat application is coming to the general public very soon!

 Facebook is launching an advertising arm and they plan to serve you ads based on what they know about you.

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_social_ads_cookies.php