The market for social networking tools is characterized as being extremely fragmented and having rivals with years of experience. However, the positive results of some of the projects have prompted companies such as Microsoft to try and get a piece of the pie. Will they succeed? 

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Title: The 2006 e-Readiness Ranking
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit and IBM
Date: April 26, 2006
Abstract: Denmark, followed by the US and Switzerland, heads up the list of the most advanced countries in the adoption of ICTs, according to the annual ranking compiled by The Economist Intelligence Unit. The Nordic countries also occupy an important spot in the list, with Finland and Sweden both among the top ten. Spain ranks fourth, dropping one notch from last year to a level similar to that of other Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Portugal and Italy.
Most of the countries included in the study have improved their technological readiness with respect to last year, a trend seen especially in those at the bottom of the list. Information security and innovation are emerging as differentiating factors among the more advanced countries.
The report also points out the efforts by governments in developing countries such as in Latin America to improve access to ICTs, although it considers them to be insufficient. In Latin America the adoption of open-source software, and wireless technologies such as WiMAX and WiFi, are helping to reduce their digital deficiencies. The report highlights the cases of Hong Kong and Singapore, ranked sixth and eleventh, respectively, for their quick adoption of ICTs.

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Title: Estudio sobre inversión publicitaria en medios interactivos en España (Study on Investment in Interactive Media Advertising in Spain). Results from 2005
Source: Interactive Advertising Bureau Spain & PricewaterhouseCoopers
Date: April 20, 2006
Abstract: Traditional advertisers are among the main generators of interactive advertising in Spain, which accounts for 70% of the overall investment. Telecommunications companies and the banking sector lead the way in spending, which reached €96.44 million in the second semester of 2005. On the whole, interactive media advertising in 2005 brought in revenues of €162.42 million, a growth of 71.70% compared to 2004.
The study carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Interactive Advertising Bureau Spain (IAB Spain) also reveals the trend toward investment being concentrated in the hands of the main advertisers: the top ten contribute 78.7% of the investment. The most widely used advertising format is sponsored links, which bring in 43% of the total investment. Video-based formats and sponsors have experienced considerable growth.

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There is a new slogan going around the Web: make the user the star of the show. Some of the new applications making this possible include blogs, RSS readers, online communities, wikis and online word processors, where multiple authors can simultaneously edit and publish documents. These applications and services, all web-based, place emphasis on user participation, prioritize user friendliness and quickness and can generally be used via a web browser from wherever users are connected. With them, users can express their own opinions, write and publish articles, post images and videos, add addresses, organize votes, increase the capability of third-party services and all the while maintaining control of their information. In return, companies benefit from their contributions.
In theory, the economic potential of this popular phenomenon, which has become known as Web 2.0, seems quite impressive. Nevertheless, when it comes down to specifying the details, the list fills up with a multitude of Internet projects, with Google being a recurring example. For most companies, however, Web 2.0 is founded on a business model that is not presently seen as feasible. Is its importance being overstated or is this truly a new generation of Internet that will ultimately take root? Time will tell. At the moment, a few Spanish companies are jumping on the bandwagon.

News in Cinco Días and News.com

The technology known as UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) automatically connects mobile devices to a wireless network—using WiFi or Bluetooth—allowing users to make calls or transfer data. This new standard is more reliable than cellular networks, given that it resolves the issue of reception gaps and thus constitutes a new source of revenues for operators as users’ connection time increases. In the US, T-Mobile is expected to market the first devices capable of supporting this new standard by early 2007. In Europe, British Telecom is among the first operators to offer this service. According to data by Strategy Analytics, services integrating fixed and wireless networks will generate profits in the vicinity of $33 billion in 2010.

News in Terra and Forbes

eBay, the leader in online auctioning, has decided to diversify its marketing strategy by launching itself into the television arena by way of the American network ABC. This summer will see the debut of Make It Happen, a reality show in which families with limited resources will have the chance to fulfill their desires by auctioning items on eBay.
The program will air twice weekly: in the first broadcast spectators get to meet the participating families and in the second they see the outcome of the bidding.
This venture from eBay, known as branded entertainment, is designed to give exposure to the brand through entertainment spots, a formula intended to be less aggressive and direct than conventional advertising. A recent Forrester study reveals that 61% of American advertisers utilize this formula.

Article in MediaPost Publications
News in Vnunet.com and Webpronews.com
Report in Forrester

Por Tomás Crespo, colaborador del e-business Center PwC&IESE
El nuevo documento nacional de identidad o DNI digital, así como el sistema SARA, que permite el intercambio de datos entre las distintos organismos públicos, son dos de las medidas con las que el gobierno español pretende paliar el retraso español en el uso de la administración electrónica.

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