The Lady Programmer

Are our mobile phones ready for connecting to our favorite social network?

photo credit: Darinkita (SXC)

The world has embraced social networks for a long time and it has definitely connected people even after moving on to another job. My social network in Friendster is mostly a collection of my classmates in grade school and high school years, as well as those people whom I’ve worked with. Some of them are still in the country (the Philippines) and others have moved on to find opportunities in other countries.

Leading social networks are taking steps to connect mobile phones to social networks. I do agree on the article about the slow acceptance of social networking in mobile phones. However, mobile phones are getting better and powerful and it would not be long before most people can get to keep in touch with their social networks in their hands.

I’ve been trying to do a new blog in my Friendster account and I discovered that the free version does not have the same flexibility as Blogger and WordPress sites. For one it allows me to upload only 50 pictures (if you’d notice I always place at least one picture in this blog and my other blog). I also only have 12 templates to dress up my site and it does not permit me to play around with the design of the site. I just can’t easily add a new widget or even add simple HTML text at the sidebar.

However the “upgrade” option is available in different plans. The free blog will cost me a banner advertisement at the top and bottom of the blog – I do not really like the one that I see on top. If I were to remove that I have to pay at least $4.95 per month to remove all the ads and let me place something on top. If I had to fully control the site (including the HTML) and purchase my own URL or domain I had to go with the Pro version that will cost me $14.95 per month. The billing agreement is by credit card (sorry Paypal users).

photo credit: bloodylery (SXC)

It is no wonder why Pinoys prefer blogging on WordPress and Blogger.