Xobni Outlook plug-in gets more social, integrated

Xobni made its public debut earlier this year as an Outlook plug-in that let users visualize e-mail habits and make better use of their contacts. Now, it's back with an update that offers integration of social networking tools and services like Skype, Facebook, Hoovers, and more.

November 19, 2008 - 08:05PM CT - by David Chartier

Facebook and YouTube plug-ins for Windows Live

LiveUpload to Facebook and LiveUpload to YouTube are plug-ins that work with Windows Live Photo Gallery beta and Windows Live Movie Maker beta.

November 19, 2008 - 05:29PM CT - by Emil Protalinski

Can you spare $500? Nigerian scammers turn to Facebook

What would you do if you got a message from your best friend on Facebook, saying that he's stranded in Nigeria and needs money to get home? Well get ready, because that's exactly what's beginning to happen as Nigerian scammers get into people's accounts in order to ask "friends" for money.

November 11, 2008 - 06:25PM CT - by Jacqui Cheng

Facebook to expand Gift Shop shelves with micropayments

Facebook is switching to a system based on points for its gift shop, a store that allows users to exchange virtual gifts on the cheap. The move will allow more granular pricing on a wider variety of virtual gifts, but it could also lead to more serious, real-world gifts and advertising promotions.

November 04, 2008 - 11:47AM CT - by David Chartier

Studies: Social networks exploding, may appear in government

A new study reveals that Social networking services are experiencing explosive growth in the US. An analyst at Gartner thinks that, given current economic circumstances and the public's comfort level with these services, it may be time for government bodies to get more social.

October 26, 2008 - 03:30PM CT - by David Chartier

Rumors resurface of a Facebook music store

Digital music distribution is big business for iTunes Store competitors now that DRM is (mostly) dead. Rumors have returned that Facebook may finally join the bandwagon, but don't expect a "Facebook Music" store.

October 19, 2008 - 07:46PM CT - by David Chartier

Live Search arrives for Facebook

Facebook has added Live Search functionality to its web site for US residents. The move is an important one for Microsoft, but it's only a stepping stone for a very wide river.

October 08, 2008 - 10:45AM CT - by Emil Protalinski

MySpace, Facebook holding mobile social networking back

A new study says MySpace and Facebook dominate social networking on mobile phones just as much as on the desktop. The findings also inadvertently highlight the fact that these giants are handicapping progress towards the next holy grail of social networking: location-based services.

October 07, 2008 - 10:25PM CT - by David Chartier

Friday Apple links: Steve Jobs still not dead edition

This Friday's Apple links highlight the ridiculous rumor about Steve Jobs being rushed to the hospital. We also discuss a developer frustration timeline, the App Store, a couple of interesting iPhone apps, the Nokia CEO's admiration of the iPhone, and yet another interview with Woz.

October 03, 2008 - 11:50AM CT - by Jacqui Cheng

UK spy agency looking for a few good Facebook users

The days of the stuffy job fair are fading as recruiters migrate to the 'Net, where social networking sites let government agencies and other groups target the exact recruits they're looking for.

September 29, 2008 - 10:26PM CT - by Jacqui Cheng

Narcissists easy to spot on Facebook—if you know how

Social networking sites like Facebook would appear to be a narcissist's playground, as they allow tight control over the information people present about themselves. A new study shows that this narcissism shows through, and that the average college student can detect it easily.

September 23, 2008 - 07:11PM CT - by John Timmer

Poster beware: More bosses watch applicants' social spaces

Studies suggest that an increasing number of employers are actively searching social networking sites for information on job applicants. MySpace may not have been designed as an extended resume, but it's on the road to becoming one.

September 14, 2008 - 09:42PM CT - by Joel Hruska

Facebook yanks international access to Scrabulous

The popular Scrabble knockoff, Scrabulous, may have been removed from the US and Canada last month, but it was still accessible to international users... until now. Facebook has blocked access everywhere except India.

August 26, 2008 - 11:33AM CT - by Jacqui Cheng

Scrabulous goes for bonus points, relaunches as Wordscraper

Scrabulous, a popular Facebook Scrabble knockoff, may have gone down, but it isn't out. Redesigned as "Wordscraper," Scrabulous' creators hope its revised creation falls outside the limits of Hasbro's copyright.

July 31, 2008 - 11:01AM CT - by David Chartier

Opinion: Microsoft must move fast to realize its online future

Microsoft, the biggest software company of them all, needs desperately to increase its presence on the Web and attempt to solidify itself in the advertising and search space. And it needs to work fast.

July 27, 2008 - 02:35PM CT - by Don Reisinger

Week in Storage: Cloud storage fumbles, tape sets records

Ars summarizes this week in storage, including cloud storage news and hardware launches from WD, LG, Texas Memory, IBM, and Sun.

July 26, 2008 - 01:21AM CT - by Ari Allyn-Feuer

Scrabble owners spell L-A-W-S-U-I-T for Facebook knockoff

All's fair in social networking and addictive casual gaming—until you rip off a copyrighted game, of course. Hasbro Inc. is suing the creators of a popular Facebook game called Scrabulous, which looks and plays remarkably like one of its own copyrighted creations.

July 25, 2008 - 01:24PM CT - by David Chartier

Microsoft-Facebook deal expanded to include Live Search

At this year's Microsoft Financial Analyst Meeting, the company disclosed that its deal with Facebook would be expanded to include Live Search. Microsoft's search engine should be integrated into Facebook sometime in the fall.

July 24, 2008 - 03:46PM CT - by Emil Protalinski

Facebook at OSCON

Ars met with Facebook in the OSCON expo hall and learned about the company's rapidly growing open-source software projects.

July 24, 2008 - 02:35PM CT - by Ryan Paul

Facebook developer conference yields promises, not releases

Facebook announced a number of significant improvements to its application platform and previewed more of how Facebook Connect may change the definition of social networking. Too bad none of this stuff will arrive for months.

July 24, 2008 - 12:22PM CT - by David Chartier