LinkedIn launches apps network; Keeps its business focus

LinkedIn on Wednesday unveiled its applications platform where outside developers can offer business-oriented software.

The move (LinkedIn blog, statement, Techmeme) makes sense as LinkedIn can stick to its knitting, maintain its focus in what should be a boom time (lots of folks looking to network and find jobs on the cheap) and the social network can differentiate from the games and other time wasting apps found elsewhere.

LinkedIn is handpicking apps to be on its platform to keep the core business focus. Developers include Amazon, Box.net, Google, Huddle, Six Apart, SlideShare, Tripit and WordPress. One caveat: I've had trouble adding these applications on my LinkedIn account. I'm not sure whether it's a Firefox issue or something else. I get "undefined" a lot.

I wouldn't call these applications exactly enterprise class, but could be useful in the corporate environment. Amazon has a reading list to highlight tomes read by folks in your industry. Huddle offers online workspaces and Google has its presentations app available.

But the most interesting app is LinkedIn's in-house developed Company Buzz application. The application tracks what is said about certain companies and products on Twitter. That application could deliver some real business intelligence.