MySpace Mobile: The Beginning of Cell Phone Social Networking
MySpace Mobile: The Beginning of Cell Phone Social Networking Eric Everson, MyMobiSafe.com
In a recent announcement MySpace.com has officially released MySpace Mobile in partnership with Sprint. Could this mark the beginning of “mobinetting” the mobile hybrid of social networking to come?
As many analysts confer, social networking like many other things is migrating into the mobile environment (mobile banking, mobile gaming, mobile gambling, etc). It seems that all things computer-based are finding a new foothold in the emerging mobile entertainment/lifestyle industry. The recent debut of MySpace Mobile is yet another indicator of where things are headed.
It is hard to deny the compelling evidence that mobile usage could replace computer usage in the future. As internet browsers have become a functional reality the computing power of the standard mobile handset has increased considerably too. Many handsets have become minicomputers that make mobile daily commerce a reality. The debut of MySpace Mobile confirms the move by Facebook Mobile to take this step into the future. Mobile entertainment is undeniably becoming a major industry.
Sites like MobiShaker.com, the first mobile mixed drink recipe site have emerged exclusively formatted for mobile browsers. While most of these mobile entertainment sites can be viewed via computer-based browsers, they utilize the simplicity of LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) Development to gain the greatest browser compatibility. As more sites come online specifically designed to accommodate cell phones, the future of mobinetting is being defined. With these new definitions naturally come unique mobile security issues that we must all embrace.
Just as social networking had its hurdles to overcome the emerging mobinetting (social networking meets mobile) user security remains a chief concern. With the limitations of factory mobile security settings, additional issues of handset security also emerge. As we exchange increased content by mobile, each of our “trusted” contacts represents potential security concerns. The very nature of mobile threats revolves around the ability to spread through matched mobile operating system compatibility. As the industry evolves we must be careful when creating mobinetting platforms to inhibit the spread of mobile malware rather than create vehicles of facilitation. In other words, security must remain a top priority in mobinetting.
I am not suggesting any security issues with the MySpace Mobile platform as it is primarily based around receiving alert messages when one receives friend requests, new messages, image comments, and event invites. This doesn’t create any security threat, rather it has established a foundation for the future of mobinetting.
Keeping you ahead of mobile security…
Eric Everson – “The Mobile Security Guru”