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Facebook’s ability for users and companies to make and distribute applications within its social network has been a rather unstoppable force within the Web 2.0 world. And it has been exciting seeing all the applications that have been developed and all the companies that have jumped on board to build their presence on Facebook. But until now, the only people that could actually make applications for Facebook were people with the ability to code- leaving all us non-coders out of the fun.

Therefore, WidgetBox.com has published a web-based tool that allows anyone to create an application for Facebook.

The application creation tool is one we’ve all been waiting for, and one many people and businesses can benefit from a great deal. For instance, small businesses can now setup a basic application to help promote their business and users can make tools to share with friends- all at no cost at all or having to learn any programming language.

Truthfully, I see this as just another indication that Facebook will one day be the biggest and best social network on the web.

We all know there’s nothing cooler than being the first on the block to have that new gadget. And the same goes for having early access to that hot new website currently in beta.

Why? Well… We get the status of being an “insider,” but mostly I think we just like to have bragging rights.

Still, whatever the reason, having access to different websites before everyone else is a very cool thing. Not only do you get bragging rights, but it may give you the opportunity to grow your business by giving you a head start on the competition. However, sometimes it can be very difficult to get an invitation unless you know someone or buy it.

Yes…I said, “Buy it,” I’ve seen many invitations being bought and sold on eBay in the past.

So, before you go ahead and pull out your wallet or beg your friends or business associates for an invite to that cool new website, check out Mashable Invites. Mashable Invites, by the great people at Mashable.com, is an invitation swapping service solely for Web 2.0 websites. The service works very well, so check it out. And hopefully you have some invites to contribute to the community as well.

Nevertheless, this is one of the coolest services out there and a vital tool for anyone looking to get an edge on what’s coming out in tomorrow’s Web 2.0 world.

I was just reading this line from CNET’s article a few weeks ago about Google’s Marissa Mayer talking about iPhones and Google applications. To date I hadn’t read anything about these kind of numbers (football season might be taking away from all that new media reading), so they struck me as very interesting:

Usage of Google mobile apps rose 10 percent each week for the first three weeks in June and saw a 40 percent to 50 percent spike almost overnight after the iPhone was launched…

Now despite all the hype and rumors, I know many are asking why Google would even make a phone. My first thought upon reading this quote was how Google doesn’t even appear to need its own phone. As the search king and an online product developer and monster of search advertising with a huge brand name, can’t they just let folks like iPhone and Nokia make the toys and stick with making money from the fact that everyone will continue to use their stuff on these new devices? Seems like that would be the easy answer, especially given numbers like this.

However, the thing to probably consider that while this quote might be a great thing for Google and a boost to their business, there is always more to be had. So while making more money and serving more ads because people are more apt to surf the web on their new iPhones is cool, wouldn’t it be slightly cooler to own the platform on everyone’s phone, bundle ads with almost everything in exchange for cheaper/free services and have Google drive the mobile web? Probably. With mobile advertising reportedly on the cusp of finally hitting big (thanks in part, yes, to things like the iPhone), wouldn’t it be nice for Google to control the whole thing? Probably.

Will it work? Who knows. How much will people believe that someone like Google is able to make a phone that they like? Will being known as the advertising giant and search giant help or hurt? What sorts of bundles will come with the phone that make it worth while? Will there be price breaks? So many questions.

Well the simple answer is no. The ability to view which IP addresses have been editing pages in Wikipedia has always existed, but now a student from Cal Tech has gone ahead and not only simplified the process, but has also created a searchable database of IP addresses making changes to pages. The website, Wikipedia Scanner, is straightforward and easy to use, just one warning though, the site is very time consuming!

But in a good way!

It’s fun and interesting searching through pages and IP addresses to find who is changing what- you never know what you might uncover!

For instance, did you know Sony once changed Halo 3’s Wikipedia page to say “Halo 3 won’t look any better than Halo 2?”

Ouch…

The funniest part is that the list goes on and on, from corporations too government agencies, it seems everyone is making changes to Wikipedia pages.

Happy hunting everyone!!

Ok, so I could have chosen a less obnoxious title. Also, it’s not like I was the only one making the point…but STILL.

Today we find out many things from Apple, including that they are releasing the iPod “Touch,” which is basically an iPhone without the phone. What I found almost more interesting was the following:

1) They will be discontinuing the 4 GB iPhone. While supplies last, they can be had for only $299. See engadget for more.

2) The price on the 8 GB iPhone has now dropped to $399 from $599.

…I would just like to take this time to reference my post from June when I noted that the storage size of the iPhones was just not enough to get it done right. The 4 GB iPhone was apparently lagging way behind in sales, and I’m sure it won’t be long before the 8 GB model is just not enough and a 16 or 32 model will be on the shelves (Christmas was my earlier prediction.) When you’re encouraging people to watch portable video and put all their tunes one on device, 4 GB isn’t going to cut it. In my mind, neither will 8 GB, so I’m going to hold off on getting one for now. But at Christmas I might have something to ask for.

In any case, it’s amazing to see everything that Apple comes forward with. The new iPod, the redesigned Nano, new iPhones….It is also quite clear that the download and portable media paradigm is shifting heavily to video. If you thought the iPod video was cool, brace yourself. Now we wait for the “Goog” phone and what Sony has up its sleeve and then, as consumers with the holidays fast approaching, wait for the prices to fall.

From Mashable, among others, we find that Facebook will soon be listing profiles in search engined like Google, MSN and Yahoo. So if you have a Facebook profile and you have not set it to private, I can “Google” you and find your Facebook page.

To be more accurate, the full profiles will not return in search results, just something that looks like this (from the Facebook blog) :

So your full listing will not appear, but people will certainly be able to get to it provided that they login (or join).

What does this mean? Well, ultimately it will certainly mean more page views and traffic for Facebook, along with more users signing up for their service. Imagine if you’re looking for your old high school friend. Well, you probably do what many people do and just “Google” that friend and voila! - you spot their picture and profile on Facebook. But then how to get in touch with that person? Join Facebook, of course. Considering the number of name searches that probably take place on Google on a daily basis, this should turn out pretty well for Facebook. To be accurate, other social networks, including LinkedIn, have a similar functionality. If you Google your friend who has a LinkedIn profile, it will likely return fairly high in the search results. The page is a shortened version with only some information but also a neat invitation to join LinkedIn so you can see everything about that person.

For Google, it’s more information to index, which is good for them in their quest to index, well, everything. Knowing that you can find friends and old co-workers and the like using Google only makes it a more attractive search engine for users, which of course makes it more profitable for Google.

For the average user, it will open up their profile to more people. That’s either good or bad, depending on your preference and feelings about privacy. Other than name, I don’t believe there is any more information that Facebook will pull from your profile for now. It’s in Facebook’s best interest to get your profile showing up in search more, but from your standpoint you might not want that. Perhaps down the line there will be more opportunities to pull some other information that could help locate someone. For instance, if I don’t remember that person’s last name but I know our High School name then could I find his Facebook profile using Yahoo?

Of course, any Facebook user can control what information is out there in these searches. You can now uncheck a box on your settings page that removes your profile from search engine results. You have about a month to do that, so if you’re worried about privacy you have some time.

Another thing to consider in this development (and in others from similar sites) is how you manage your online reputation, a point brought up here. As more information about you is available to others in search engines, you need to be conscious of what is out there and what people can find. You wouldn’t want your prospective employer (or your current employer for that matter), for example, finding your profile if it had some compromising photos or rants.