Harnessing the power of Social Media networks has become a huge craze for many Internet Application companies. Just think of how many facebook and MySpace “apps” we’ve seen spring up in the last year. These are very valuable streams of revenue for these companies and there is no shortage of batters stepping up to the plate.

It is only natural then, that these application companies would try to take it a step further. Enter the “Mashup”. Mashup is the term used to describe a web application that brings two or more sources of information into one integrated tool for the convenience of the user. One example of a mashup is WikiCrimes.org – this application combines Google Maps with an interface that users report crime happenings in a geographic area by placing color-coded pins describing the crime and where it took place. Kind of interesting but not something I would use daily. I just don’t have a need for it.

One mashup I do potentially have a use for is one to help me reign in my Social Media outlets. In fact, this post is actually intended to test a “new” mashup called Ping which recently came out of beta testing. Ping is used by people like me to update different Social Network accounts in one fell swoop. When I think of how many times a day I log into my facebook, MySpace, and Wordpress account, if Ping delivers on its claim, I am already a fan. A huge one.
I have this post set to update my blog on facebook, MySpace, Wordpress and Twitter. Once I post, I will report back with my thoughts on the integration. Alas, I have already found one issue with the service that bit me as I was writing this post. In my effort to keep you informed, here is my gripe:

If you use the Ping textbox to input your message (as opposed to copying and pasting from Word or other word processing software) DO NOT CLICK on the helpful links on the page. You would think the helpful tips that are listed below the text box (which means a user might click on it AFTER they input a post) would bring up a pop-up text box or at least a new page. It doesn’t. When clicked, it will take navigate to the link from the current page and you will lose your post. All of it.

Learn from me – writing a post twice is a pain.