Mark Zuckerberg on his keynote announces an innovation from Facebook on F8 2011. F8 is an annual developers’ conference event. If you are interested to watch the keynote video, you may access the F8 page. There are two interesting things for customers and developers. The first one is the Timeline appearance. The second synergy is the Facebook status and update with application connected through API.
The first innovation is the Timeline. With Timeline, your Facebook profile will be like open book. Stories, photos, video, will be shown away to the bottom. You will not find difficulties to see the important moment from your friend because all of it is shown on her profile. For some people, it will be the first issue dealing with privacy. Therefore, this is the time for you to think twice before you approve every friend request because they all will get access to see anything shown on your profile.
The second is the Facebook synergy with applications like Open Graph app. For me, this idea should have been applied by Facebook long time ago. The status will appear more natural. When you use certain application connected to Facebook API ( and your Facebook account), anytime you do something with the application, the information will be sent as your status. For example, if you listen to a song with Spotify or go running with Nike+, the application will automatically show it as your status.
Both innovation can be used now by beta developer and will be released for public in several weeks. Although you are not a developer, there are some way you can find on the internet to test the recent Facebook Timeline.
It is a chance for Indonesian startups. If they can implement their API, anytime user using the application developer by the startups, the users status will automatically sent to Facebook. Their friends will know about it and try to find further information. This is a kind of effective promotion because the Facebook status let many people know the application you have developed.
Besides application, I think It is also important to prepare the content. For example, if we want to access an application with local music, we will hope that the application has sufficient content to be promoted as the biggest local music portal in Indonesia with the most complete music content. I am optimistic with what has been developed on Facebook Timeline will give great benefits to support technology startups ecosystem. The thing is how we use the chance well. Will the Indonesian tecnology startups will take the chance from Facebook?
