Netvibes will launch “Ginger” as a social widgets platform

Hi,

a few days ago I was the first to announce a Social networking twist from Netvibes and Tariq Krim, Netvibes' CEO and founder has just announced in the WEB2.0 conference in Berlin that Netvibes will launch a new released called ... "Ginger"and that release will be their social answer.

Netvibes, as reported by Mike Butcher of uk.techcrunch.com reporting live from Berlin, decided that it it was too late to go creating a new Social Network competing with Facebook, Opensocial and others, and has decided instead that " it was time Netvibes to tap into the existing social networks".

The idea is to mash Netvibe’s UWA widgets with social APIs like Google’s recently announced Open Social or the Facebook application platform.

Krim has declared : "We decided to re-engineer Netvibes around social services. When you see something on Netvibes and like it you can share it with friends on your public Netvibes timeline"

Watch here a demo of the new Ginger release (Quicktime).

The new Ginger release will present in the upper menu line a Friend icon that will call on your screen the icones of your friends and followers as in Twitter (like I had well guessed )

Among the new content offered, the demo shows a Weather's Friends widget.
I am quite sceptic for the use of such a widget but who knows...

Watch here a second demo of the Ginger release (Quicktime)
Here we can see another new icone on the upper menu line called : FLOW
By clicking on it , you will be able to check the activities of your friends on a timeline !!
You will have also a Private timeline and a public timeline. I guess that your public timeline will be the one available to your friends.
The Friends timeline is showing the activities of your friends: if they stared a link and which one, if they added a widget and which one, and so on...

On your personal timelines you will the same kind of informations.

I think that it is a good step for Netvibes, it gives a new dimension to your page even if you do not use as a social networking tool.

In the social networking field I think also that is the best move for Netvibes and it could provide a way to communicate between separated and closed social networking.

Netvibes could make people from Facebook and Myspace to meet in a single Netvibes page.

Just wait to see it from real !

Netvibes announces over 500 Universes

Hi,

Today at 5PM CET Netvibes will present over 500 UNIVERSES.

After the launch in April of the concept of Universe, Netvibes has concluded a series of deals with major Content Providers.

*
Here is the Official Press Release by Netvibes:

PARIS, June 21 /CNW/ - Netvibes, the pioneer of the personalized
homepage, today announced partnerships to publish hundreds of official content
Universes for major media and e-commerce companies, celebrities and
non-profits, dramatically changing the landscape of personalized media online.

A Universe brings together and delivers on a single Netvibes page all of
a brand's rich online media, including RSS feeds, websites, podcasts, videos,
blogs, photos, stores and widgets, which can be remixed according to each
user's personal preferences and interests.

In April, Netvibes launched Netvibes Universe with an initial list of
over 100 pilot content Universes that included major media companies,
non-profits (Harvard) and celebrities (50 Cent, Moby) across the United
States. Today's announcement will expand that number to over 500 partners
around the world, spanning Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

"This is concrete proof that the future of all media lies in deep
personalization. No other Internet company can claim as many officially
branded content partnerships in this many countries and languages," said Tariq
Krim, CEO and founder of Netvibes. "What does this mean for audiences? Your
favorite content, your way."

Global Partnerships
What began with a focus on U.S. media companies, including CBS,
Forbes.com, Newsweek, TIME, Washingtonpost.com, and USA Today, Netvibes
Universe now encompasses a wide scope of media alliances in a variety of
sectors around the world. New major media Universes include:
-- Europe: International Herald Tribune, IDG UK, Die Welt,
Computerworld, Les Echos, Le Figaro, Le Monde.fr, L'Equipe, 20 Minutes, Elle
France, El Pais, El Mundo and Rockol.it
-- Asia: Agile Media, ChinaVenture, eNet, HiPiHi HoodongWiki and Sports CN
-- North America: U.S. News and World Report, Wired, Topix, Inside
Edition, Entertainment Tonight, Glam.com, Brightcove, ContentNext Media,
CollegeHumor, Dr. Phil and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

"Personalization, customization and interoperability between content
platforms is a reality of today's Web. By partnering with Netvibes in Europe,
we are widening our reach and offering new and existing users the ability to
access IDG content via Netvibes' exciting new Universe feature, which
aggregates RSS content from our leading brands such as Computerworld,
Techworld, Macworld and PC Advisor into customizable, manageable and themed
modules," said Kit Gould, managing director at IDG UK.

"To serve our global audience, it is important for our readers to be able
to personalize news feeds according to their interests," said Nick Stout,
deputy managing editor of the International Herald Tribune. "Netvibes lets our
readers in more than 150 countries customize the way they view and use iht.com
(http://iht.com)."

"The Netvibes Universe enables us to consistently continue our 'online
first' strategy. It provides our users with comfortable and fast access to our
latest content - apart from the print edition and the website WELT ONLINE,"
says Peter Wurtenberger, chairman of the management board at Axel Springer AG.

Netvibes has also experienced tremendous international growth with
e-commerce companies, celebrities and non-profits.

New highlights include:
-- eCommerce & Enterprise: Cetelem, Edgeio, Etelos, Sage, Shopping.com,
Tencent
-- Celebrities & Movies: 60+ artists & films, through a partnership with
Buddylube, now including Beyonce, Gnarls Barkley, Jamiroquai, P. Diddy, Rush
Hour 3, Hair Spray
-- Non-Profits & Institutions: 200+ organizations, through a partnership
with Freelanthropy.com, including Boys and Girls Clubs, Operation Smile,
Ronald McDonald House, UK National Museum of Science and Industry, USGS.gov
"Our artists want to get closer with their audience and build community.

Universes are the perfect portals to transport fans into the lives of our
artists," said Kathy Baker, senior director of digital media at Columbia
Records.

"Demand from new content partners for Netvibes Universe has experienced
tremendous growth since our introduction just a couple months ago. Five
hundred content partnerships is an important milestone for us and we expect to
add another 100 next week," said Freddy Mini, COO Netvibes.

To commemorate the momentum of their fast-paced international growth, the
company will host a press conference and VIP party this evening in Paris,
kicking off the city's annual Fete de la Musique.

For a complete list of all 500+ official content partners, please visit:
http://eco.netvibes.com/500universes