We Hardly Knew Ye (pfblogs.org)

This post is not about "personal finance"—so skip it if you like. "Meeting" people on the other ends of computer screens has always struck me as a little bid odd and a little bit fascinating. I remember first experiencing it maybe 20 years ago. There was not much of a Web at the time, and there were certainly no blogs. Your computer interface was more or less a flashing cursor at the end of a line of text, essentially a DOS or UNIX style prompt (for those of you who have any clue what those are). It was more a novelty, and not that many people were really doing it or doing it regularly. And if you were wondering, no, there weren't any photos or avatars popping up next to someone's message. Now it's all pretty common. Lots of people would probably tell you they have numerous interactions with clients or other business contacts strictly through e-mail—nothing in person and maybe not much by phone either. Online dating has practically fallen into the mainstream. (For all I know, it already has, and I'm years out of date.) And people regularly share intimate details of their personal lives (or ...

Local Matters Acquires Local Mobile Search Firm mobilePeople

Media technology provider Local Matters is acquiring Danish local mobile search and advertising provider mobilePeople. The Denver, Colorado-based firm, which specializes in local search, will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of mobilePeople in exchange for a combination of cash and Local Matters stock. No financial details of the deal were disclosed. The buy out means that Local Matters will now be able to offer directory publishers, media publishers and directory assistance providers with their local search technology across the internet, mobile and voice. The two companies are already familiar with one another, having formed a business partnership two years ago. They have several joint initiatives in progress. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2008 (release).

Seesmic Acquires Twitter Desktop Client Twhirl

Social video start-up Seesmic has acquired Twhirl, a desktop client that allows users to connect with text messaging social services like Twitter, Pownce and Jaiku sans browser. Seesmic will use Twhirl to enable video conversations. Twhirl creator Marco Kaiser will be joining Seesmic. The service will remain free to use.

This should make Seesmic's founder and CEO, Loic Le Meur's participation at this year's EconSM even more interesting.

Here's A Way To Get Operators To Cut Costs: Out Them In Public

Here's a novel way to shame operators into cutting their data and text costs: shame them in public. At least that's what Viviane Reding, European telecom regulator, is proposing to do if the local operators don't cut costs for roaming text messaging and wholesale data transmission by July 1, reports IHT.

"I will look at all the tariffs available and put them on a Web site...That way, people will be able to see which ones have not lowered their prices," said the always plucky Reding. This isn't the first time this clash has happened, and it won't be the last, for sure.

She asked that the price of a SMS sent outside of one's home country be capped at 12 euro cents, down from the average of 29 cents in Europe and 23 cents in France. She also requested a cut in wholesale prices for data roaming..some operators charge as much as Euro 11, or $17 per MB of data transmitted outside of their home country, but most charge Euro 5 to Euro 7, she said, which is still crazy pricing. She would like to see those roaming wholesale prices cut to 35 euro cents per MB.

Related

• T-Mobile To Cut European Mobile Data Roaming Charges
• EU Telecoms Commissioner Reiterates Need For Mobile Data Roaming Price Cuts
• Reding Slaps 'Wishful-Thinking' 3G Bidders, Urges Spectrum Reform Support
• Five European Operators Cut Mobile Data Roaming Charges
• Ofcom Takes Aim At Pricey Mobile Data Roaming Charges