social networking gadgets for iGoogle. iGoogle is basically a customizable home page for individuals that uses Web-based “gadgets” to deliver content to the page. The new sandbox will let developers continue to build gadgets for individuals too, of course, but the news is that iGoogle’s new social features for developers will change iGoogle from a backyard toy to a full-fledged public playground.

iGoogle’s new features, which are only for developers right now, include a new left-side navigation column and a new “canvas” view for gadgets that will let a user expand a gadget to give it more screen real estate. While these features seem handy enough, iGoogle is supporting new social features for gadgets that use the OpenSocial application programming interface (API) supporting OpenSocial 0.7.

Media Credit: Gretchen Weiss and Jerry Brunnhoelzl

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Traveling is always easier when you have friends or family waiting for you at your destination. Having someone local that you can trust makes the entire travel experience better. Whether they show you around or simply point out which attractions are must-sees and which ones are a touch underwhelming, local knowledge is invaluable. And of course, if they have a couch for you to sleep on, that saves you the expense of renting a hotel room.

Unfortunately, we don’t have friends and family to visit in all the places we’d like to go. But maybe we should.

This is the idea behind the Couch Surfing Project. The CS network brings together people who love travel, culture or both. Members connect with people around the world to serve as guides and hosts in foreign places.

The system is two-sided; members welcome travelers to sleep on their couches and also have the opportunity to find a couch to crash on in their dream locale.

The process starts on the project’s website, couchsurfing.com. Members register and form a profile similar to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. In addition to the typical list of age, interests and photos, members also indicate information like to what certainty their couch will be available; what languages they speak and to what proficiency; and details about the accommodations they offer. Profiles also display specific feedback from other members who have surfed that person’s couch in the past and feedback hosts have given to surfers.

Members can browse profiles and connect with hosts in their desired destinations. They can search for someone who shares their interests or can help them learn.

Most members offer lodging for between one and four people and indicate the appropriate length of a stay, ranging from one night to one week.

After returning from travel, members post about their experiences and hosts. Overall response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I have met and stayed with some incredible people through CouchSurfing.com. These are warm, friendly local people who a regular tourist would never meet,” said Steve Savage, a resident of Australia and ambassador of the Couch Surfing program.

Yahoo did just well enough in the first quarter for it to be able to hold its head up high as it tries to justify its continued rejection of Microsoft’s hostile bid. The company’s earnings, after special charges, were 11 cents a share, compared to the 9 cents that analysts had forecast. Its revenue, excluding payments to sites that display its ads, were $1.35 billion, $30 million more than analysts expected.

But panning back, there is still something wrong with this picture. I moderated a panel this afternoon at the Advertising Club of New York. The marketers there, like most big marketers, say they are shifting large chunks of their ad budgets from television onto the Internet.

So why, in a market where money is being thrown online, does Yahoo, the second-largest seller of Internet ads, only have an increase in its online ad revenue of 7 percent over a year ago?

There are a lot of answers: Google, social networks, falling ad prices. But a 7 percent ad revenue increase (and 9 percent total revenue increase) is hardly anything to boast about. Last week, Google posted a 42 percent jump in its revenue.

That said, Yahoo’s press release was filled with boasts. Before it even got to the numbers, the release had this from Jerry Yang, the company’s chief executive:

Not only does Yahoo! have a unique franchise, it increasingly has industry-leading tools, technology and, most importantly, people. It is the hard work, dedication and professionalism of our people that is our greatest asset—and this quarter’s performance demonstrates how well they can perform under unusually challenging circumstances.

Here are a couple of other quick thoughts.

The cost of defense: The company spent $13.9 million in the first quarter on outside advisers to help fend off Microsoft. It also spent $16.9 million related to its layoffs of employees.

Yahoo’s languishing ad network: While Yahoo’s own sites posted an 18 percent increase in revenue, the revenue from the network of other sites on which it sells ads declined by 7 percent to $606 million.

Investment: Yahoo continues to fall further behind Google in the space race to build data centers and other iinfrastructure. It spent $140 million on property and equipment in the first quarter; Google, by contrast, spent $842 million.

More after the call with investors.

By Bob Dumpling

As a social networking site, Facebook is often dismissed as a distraction, evil CIA plot or handy tool for keeping up appearances. The Economist recently reported from Canada where Facebook was a critical part of a successful activist campaign, and the activists were retirees (I know, crazy!).

The issue was failed investments in ‘safe’ asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) sold through brokers, in particular Canaccord Capital. The investments were exposed by the credit crunch last year and under Canadian law, companies were protected from bankruptcy but small investors received no such support. Those small investors number around 1,800. ONe of those small investors Brian Hunter, set-up a Facebook group to share ideas, strategy, information and of course, network.

Although not resolved, the action has enabled the group representation and voting rights when a restructuring proposal is voted on by investors – primarily institutional investors.

The recent 2020 Summit appears to have a renewed swell of support for community engagement. There are many sites such as MySociety, GetInvolved, or TheyWorkForYou but Facebook already has such a strong take-up, it would be exciting to see what this sort of action could lead to.

Facebook is a very powerful tool and it’s good to see it used to fight banks, not just zombies and ninjas.

Singer Amy Winehouse has been nominated for three prizes at this year’s Ivor Novello songwriting awards.

The star’s tracks, Love is A Losing Game and You Know I’m No Good, are both up for best song this year.

Winehouse’s Rehab, which picked up the award for best contemporary song last year, is up for the best selling British song prize.

The awards, which honour British music publishers, songwriters and composers, will be held in London on 22 May.

Contemporary song

Band Ben’s Brother will compete with Winehouse in the best song musically and lyrically award with their track Let me Out.

The song reached number 38 in the UK top 40 singles charts in August last year.

Beyonce Knowles, who dueted with Shakira on Beautiful Liar, will compete with Winehouse in the best-selling British song category, along with Mika’s Grace Kelly.

Nominees for the best contemporary song prize include Kate Nash with Foundations, Golden Skans by the Klaxons and Cherry Ghost’s People Help The People.