NetLog first appeared on the scene in 2007, and is notable for being the first multi-language and multi-country social network to work with OpenSocial. With a network that spreads out over 20 countries and has users that speak more than 20 languages, this was a big deal. Now NetLog is moving on to the next phase of its development plan. It has opened up its translation and localization capabilities to third-party developers.

One of the features of NetLog is near instantaneous translation into each language it serves. This means that with access NetLog grants, an application developer has the ability to reach a localized audience in their native language. This makes it easier for developers to create globally accessible applications and helps ensure success.

NetLog also has what they call a “credits economy.” The developers are being granted access to this as well. This seems to work as a way to make money in a way other than through advertising revenues on the NetLog network. I was unable to find any hard data stating what kind of revenue could be expected, but it seems to operate in a way similar to the iPhone App Store, allowing developers to charge credits for their applications or offer them for free.

If you are a developer wanting to work with NetLog, the network is accepting applications that it determines add value for their members. Learning a bit from Facebook’s mistakes, they are denying applications access that require the user to leave the site, install the application or invite friends. That’s a refreshing change from applications requiring users to spam their network on Facebook and MySpace.

NetLog seems to be going about this the right way. Not only that, the value of their translation and localization features for developers could be a huge boost in getting those applications a global reach. It will be interesting to follow NetLog’s use of OpenSocial and the newly opened door for developers and see what accomplishments and new ideas spring from it.

—Related Articles at Mashable | All That’s New on the Web:Last.fm Profile Widgets for NetlogNetlog Skipping OpenSocial. For Now.Facebox Becomes Netlog; Raises €5MEuropean Social Network Netlog Jumps Aboard OpenSocialFacebook Launches Community-Driven Project to Add Foreign Language SupportFacebook Adds 55 More Languages to Translations ApplicationOpen Web Awards Finalists: Mainstream or Large Social Networks

Source:Mashable!

Cisco is frequently one to write checks for things it has not made itself but indeed wants as its own. Aside from its rise as one of the critical elements of the telecom boom, it’s made quite a name as an acquirer of things big and small. The latest name to be taken under Cisco’s wing is Jabber, Inc.

Indeed, the brand that has made itself into something of a white-label-esque marvel through XMPP-enabled services such as Google Talk and Facebook Chat, is being purchased by Cisco for an undisclosed sum, and will provide its buyer “rich aggregation capabilities to users through both on-premise and on-demand solutions.” Distilled into more commonly acceptable speak, this essentially means an infusion into Cisco’s WebEx Internet conferencing solution, among other facets within its portfolio.

WebEx as many have understood for some time, is also a Cisco acquisition. It purchased the Web software specialist in 2007. With Jabber the company offers a sizable, if not precisely calculable hint at what it wants to accomplish insofar as growth in its enterprise-based collaboration services.

As a good number of us on the end-user front have learned, a construction such as Jabber allows for a very user-friendly, very adaptable experience. A trial of the abovementioned free instant messaging clients will show this. The Jabber, Inc property in particular, however, which which functions the open instant messaging technology, has shown itself to be well enmeshed in business and large-scale operations, serving bigwigs like Sun, Adobe, Akamai, Bank of Ireland, BT, and several US government entities, including the Department of Homeland Security. If ample money is to be made in the land of XMPP, it is in this sector specifically.

Again, it is unclear what Cisco’s investment-to-gain ratio is at present concerning the Jabber purchase, but it is presumably the case that the engagements it will rank as a long-term boon to its general strategy to serve the widest swath of clients possible.

—Related Articles at Mashable | All That’s New on the Web:LiveJournal Adds JabberCisco to Build Social Networks for OthersBreaking: Facebook Jabber Compatibility to Be Announced TonightWTF is Cisco Doing?Cisco Finally Reveals Plans for Five Across and Social Networking SoftwareFive Across Acquired by CiscoBreaking: Apple Sued over iPhone

Yahoo is transitioning to a new layout for its SearchMonkey results, which can be customized by outside developers as part of Yahoo’s Open Strategy. The new design features deep links, which are horizontally aligned under each result’s title and the image is now featured on the right-hand side. With the new layout, the SearchMonkey team (whose leader is departing), believes it can create higher clickthrough rates for app developers.

Current SearchMonkey developers and partners will be happy to know that apps built using the previous template will automatically work with the new template, but a one-page best practices document will accompany developer materials to help them provide an optimal user experience.Source:TechCrunch
Seedcamp, the European-wide competion for startups, ended on a high this week, naming a record seven winners rather than the five they originally set out to award. The seven will each get €50,000 seed funding from Seedcamp’s conglomerate of venture backers, but the stake in each startup will vary, along similar lines to the Y-Combinator model. Source:TechCrunch

Cisco announced today that it has acquired Jabber, an open-source IM and presence protocol used by Google Talk and Gizmo, for an undisclosed sum.

Cisco will try to use Jabber as a means of improving its messaging offerings in the business world. Jabber’s technology enables collaboration across a wide array of presence systems such as, Microsoft Office Communications Server, IBM Sametime, AOL AIM, and Google, which made it an ideal target for the company.

Despite some recent bumps in the road for WiMAX, top executives from major WiMAX backers Intel, Sprint Nextel and […]

FedEx was hit with a $319 million tax bill over the job classification of FedEx ground employees. A number of lawsuits have been filed by FedEx ground drivers who believed the company was responsible for their taxes; FedEx maintained that they were independent contractors. That’s not the interesting part, though. FedEx, in a tried and true public relations move, “took out the trash” and released the bad news late Friday on a holiday weekend. The earliest story we could find on the IRS charge was released at 6:34 pm Eastern, well beyond when most people were reading news stories. Very clever, FedEx. (Photo by Brosner)

Source:Valleywag

In 2007, online holiday shopping as rose 20 percent over last year. And “Green Monday” — the day on which e-commerce sales peaked at $881 million, beat out “Cyber Monday” and “Black Friday” for most ridiculous made-up holiday shopping day. Cyber Monday spending came in at $734 million and Black Friday didn’t even make comScore’s top ten list. Neither day was available for comment.

Source:Valleywag

With light trading volume because of the holiday, Apple stock hit an all-time high today, closing at $198.80. The company now has a market cap of $174 billion, and has risen 134.32 percent on the year. Apple is now worth about as much as networking giant Cisco. Shareholders are likely reactiong to predictions strong holiday sales for the company, plus possible introductions of new products at the Macworld Expo in January.

Some Silicon Valley CEOs rally the troops by hosting ski trips or offering free iPhones. And then there’s Cisco CEO John Chambers. He uplifts his workers through internal corporate communications — a webcam set up in his office which allows him to record video missives on his latest travels and to pooh-pooh the last quarter’s earnings report. Comments on the videos are enabled, and, some may say, enabling. Unlike the snarky criticisms you see on YouTube or other video sites, all the comments after Chambers’s clips are a hallelujah chorus. Cisco’s amen corner, after the jump.