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MICHAEL SAUTTER

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Five Alternatives to MySpace (with poll)

Wed Jan 3, 2007 1:05 PM EST
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By Michael Sautter

Live Poll

Which is the best alternative to MySpace?

View Results
  • 7335
    Bebo
    14%
  • 7336
    Hi 5
    3%
  • 7337
    Multiply
    3%
  • 7338
    Tag World
    0%
  • 7339
    Vox
    40%
  • 7340
    Other (please leave in comments)
    40%

VoteTotal Votes: 35

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Anyone who has spent some time on MySpace knows it has problems and a few drawbacks. I have spent time over the last week or so checking out some alternatives to MySpace and here is my report on Bebo, Multiply, Tag World, Hi-5 and Vox. Update: added FaceBook review.

Everyone of these sites lets you share photos and videos, write a blog, and network with friends and join groups. In other words they are very similar to MySpace however none has as large of a membership base that MySpace has.

- - - - -

Bebo

The Good: Bebo is becoming more popular and already is very popular in England. It also has some nice templates to choose from. The White Board and Quiz pages are unique. Works with PhotoBucket.

The Bad: You are out of luck if you want to customize your profile with HTML and CSS - Bebo doesn't allow it. No music player, no way to share your music (there are links to bands). There is a nice liitle music player, you have to create a playlist first and then add songs to it.

Links: www.Bebo.com | mydree.Bebo.com

- - - - -

Multiply

The Good: The default template is nice and clean looking, very Web 2.0-ish. Nice use of tags. Header adds links to sections as you add content to them. HTML - Yes you can!

The Bad: Most of the templates that I tried had problems displaying sections - things just didn't line-up properly. Also the wizard to copy videos over from YouTube doesn't seem to work properly. Forget about music, no player - just links to files. Is anyone using Multiply? There seems to be very few people using it.

Links: www.Multiply.com | mydree.Multiply.com

- - - - -

Tag World

The Good: The nicest looking default template, it's so nice I didn't even change it. Easy to customize by adding and removing modules, HTML is also allowed.

The Bad: The Music player is real bad and the way it handles videos is not much better.

Links: www.TagWorld.com | www.TagWorld.com/mydree

- - - - -

Hi-5

The Good: Nice music player but I can't seem to find out how to turn off auto play (if it is even possible). Videos are also easy to use. Customization is easy and HTML is allowed.

The Bad: Auto play with the music player on profile page (this really bugs me). The name is corny enough but you can also Hi 5 people - get it? I haven't wanted to high-five anyone since grade school, but I guess it's OK in this context.

Links: www.Hi5.com | mydree.Hi5.com

- - - - -

Vox

Vox is by Six Apart, the same people behind Movabletype, TypePad and LiveJournal. Vox is like Blog 2.0 and blends blogging with social networking.

The Good: The best looking of the bunch and easy to customize. Decent linking to videos. Easily integrates with Flickr, Photobucket, iStockPhoto, Amazon and YouTube. 'Collections' folders allow you to group similar things together across media types. Blog posts have a variety of privacy settings. Extensive use of tags.

The Bad: No user HTML or CSS. Music player is very basic.

Links: www.Vox.com | Six Apart | mydree.Vox.com

- - - - -

Facebook

Update: Bonus, a sixth alternative to MySpace.
The Good: Very popular. FaceBook badge is a nice feature (much better than Bebo's).

The Bad: No video or music player. No HTML (but a URL is turned into a link). Long profile URL (see below).

Links: www.FaceBook.com | www.facebook.com/p/Mydree_Eerdym/558505653 (Is the URL for my FaceBook profile page really that long?)

- - - - -

Conclusion

I would be glad if any one of these supplanted MySpace in popularity. I'm going to throw my support behind Vox and start using it more. I will keep an eye on the others, so if you are using any them then feel free to add me as a friend. Maybe together we can end the social networking hegemon that is MySpace. Until then my MySpace profile is here: Mydree at MySpace.

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Published to:

Mike V.

Why do I have the feeling that most people are just going to add these to their hourly myspace reconnaissance...

  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 1:44 PM EST
Michael Sautter

I can see people using one or two of these in addition to MySpace.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:45 PM EST
Reply
A. H. Min

I think Leo Laporte of Twit.tv uses Vox. Hey, didn't you leave out a few? Orkut (https://www.orkut.com) is also something similar, and it's owned by Google. And Xanga is also popular (xanga.com).

Personally, I think Wordpress is the best way to keep in touch.

  • 4 votes
Reply#2 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 1:45 PM EST
Michael Sautter

From Orkut's site:

orkut is unique, because it's an organically growing network of trusted friends. That way we won't grow too large, too quickly and everyone will have at least one person to vouch for them.

If you know someone who is a member of orkut, that person can invite you to join as well. If you don't know an orkut member, wait a bit and most likely you soon will.

We look forward to having you as part of the orkut community.

Looks like I need someone to vouch for me. Anyone want to vouch for me? mydree[at]gmail.com

Note: Orkut is part of the Google Empire.

  • 3 votes
#2.1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 3:31 PM EST
Michael Sautter

Xanga seems more like an old-style blog with some social networking dressing. Vox blends blogs and social networking much better.

Links: Xanga | profile.Xanga.com/mydree

  • 2 votes
#2.2 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:19 PM EST
Reply
Dom Pody

I think you're very mistaken to forget Facebook, which (IMO) has all the features of MySpace, a much more mature user base, and a lot less of the ugliness (the fact that you can't change the default layout is really nice). Plus, it's entirely Web 2.0, and the networking features (like the News Feed) are so much better than those MySpace has.

  • 7 votes
Reply#3 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 2:16 PM EST
Michael Sautter

I considered Facebook but aren't they in a bit of a transition? Going from just students to open to everyone? I thought that I would give it time to settle in. Time was also a limiting factor. Also I want to hear about other sites from people, I'm not the end-all authority on these web sites. I will try and check out FaceBook in the next few days and add an update.

  • 4 votes
#3.1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 2:38 PM EST
Dom Pody

Facebook has made the transition from college students only, to college students and high school students, and now to everyone quite well actually. I haven't noticed any drop in the quality of the service throughout the transition.

  • 6 votes
#3.2 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 2:45 PM EST
Michael Sautter

I added FaceBook to the article.

  • 2 votes
#3.3 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:20 PM EST
Miss Dev

I agree about the music and video - but I love that there's no HTML! I hate the stupid HTML comments I get on my MySpace page and don't really use them in my profile. I love how clean Facebook looks and that it's much easier to navigate. I do wish they would offer skins so that you could change the background of your profile - but in a non-crappy (read: MySpace) way.

  • 2 votes
#3.4 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:55 PM EST
Michael Sautter

but I love that there's no HTML

There is an alternative to HTML and no HTML - allow some HTML, like Newsvine does.

  • 2 votes
#3.5 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 6:38 PM EST
Dom Pody

Some HTML works for Newsvine, because we're all quoting each other and such, so we need tags to emphasize. However, I really don't think that HTML is needed for a site like Facebook-- the site should be focused on content, not making that content look "pretty" (which, IMO, ends up looking really ugly on a site like MySpace).

  • 5 votes
#3.6 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 6:44 PM EST
Reply
Spuds Stuff

Thanks for the reviews Mydree. I have mainly used Myspace to this point and haven't found the time to really check out any of the others. Based on your reviews I'm going to have a look at Vox and Bebo.

  • 2 votes
Reply#4 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 2:38 PM EST
Michael Sautter

You're welcome. Add me as a friend if you decide to use one (or more) of them.

  • 2 votes
#4.1 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 3:55 PM EST
Reply
Orlando Dozier

Thanks a bunch for doing all the research!

  • 2 votes
Reply#5 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 2:45 PM EST
Michael Sautter

You're welcome, I hope it is useful.

  • 1 vote
#5.1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:21 PM EST
Reply
Josh MettsDeleted
Andrew Benton

vox looks promising

  • 2 votes
Reply#7 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 3:42 PM EST
Ryan Joseph

I like Facebook. It's so much better than Myspace, in my opinion. It's like, the more professional, refined version of Myspace. :-)

And Orkut isn't popular in the United States yet. It apparently has a huge following in Brazil...but not here yet. Maybe that will change...maybe not. You know how these things are. :-)

  • 3 votes
Reply#8 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:31 PM EST
A. H. Min

Wait until Google releases it in public beta. Anything Google releases becomes semi-popular. Again, I still think that a standard old blog is the best but... that's my opinion.

  • 3 votes
#8.1 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 4:52 PM EST
Ryan Joseph

Yeah, I'm sure once Google devotes more attention to Orkut that it will gain popularity over here.

And I really like Facebook. It's just a lot of fun without all the junk of MySpace. And Facebook's mobile site is one of the best I've ever seen. Newsvine could totally take a hint from Facebook in creating a mobile version. (hint, hint)

  • 3 votes
#8.2 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 8:50 AM EST
Reply
Michael Sautter


Bebo Update

Bebo has a music player and a nice one at that. Create a playlist first and then add songs to it from a bands page. The player floats in its own window when someone clicks on a play list.

  • 2 votes
Reply#9 - Wed Jan 3, 2007 8:14 PM EST
Mike Stickel

It may be more of a niche thing but I'm testing out Virb.com right now. It's got video and music support, groups, friends, and completely customizable profile pages (including re-arranging page modules).

  • 2 votes
Reply#10 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 8:53 AM EST
Andrew Benton

Mike, do you have any invites? I'd reallllllllllly like one. If you do invite me at andrewbenton@gmail.com

I'd really appreciate it!

  • 3 votes
#10.1 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 9:19 AM EST
Reply
Leftist

me like facebook

  • 3 votes
Reply#11 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 9:08 AM EST
Viki Babbles Gonia

Nice little rundown, Mydree!

I have no use for myspace, although I've attempted it. It just doesn't do anything for me. Same with Facebook. Maybe I'm just too old. (Excuse me while I adjust my dentures and locate my walker).

I do like Vox, however, most particularly because of the ability to decide who sees what, and it's not just for me, but for my daughter. I don't want her blogging out there in the real world, and Vox lets her (me) set it up so that only people she has alerted (i.e. friends/family) can see what she has posted. And, as far as I can tell, no identifying information is publicly visible.

  • 2 votes
Reply#12 - Thu Jan 4, 2007 10:37 PM EST
Calvin Tang

I haven't really figured out what to use my Vox page for yet, but I did bump into some familiar Newsviners over there :)

For pure social networking, it's pretty much myspace for me.

  • 1 vote
Reply#13 - Fri Feb 2, 2007 9:47 PM EST
Pugnacious

I've started liking spruzme. Check it out at Spruz.com

  • 1 vote
Reply#14 - Sun Apr 15, 2007 2:43 PM EDT
fugitive247

I got tired of the standard MySpace and FB social network models a long time ago. For the past year I've tremendously enjoyed Multiply. It's not just another hit-and-run Cyberian popularity contest, that's for sure!

  • 3 votes
Reply#15 - Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:36 PM EDT
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