In their announcement of their SXSW plans, Hootsuite announced their integration of location-based juggernaut Foursquare, as well as faux-social-network-turned-music-self-promotion-clusterf*** Myspace!

This, no doubt, is not a coincidental timing considering the huge amount of checkins expected at SXSW this year. The location-based service also gives special badges for specific events.

The integration of MySpace probably didn’t happen because of the slowing traffic to it, it’s non-linear layout (that makes it different to capture feeds,) and the overwhelming majority of under-15-year-olds on the site. It may have missed the social media mobile power-user demographic by a decade.

Anyway – good news all around!

Also, here’s a blurb about what Hootsuite have planned for SXSW:

Are you headed to Austin for the massive interactive media, film, and music conference? Track us down to get your hands on some collectible cultural swag. We’re also hosting Hoot-ups, giving demos and exploring the streets with the Owl in tow. Find us via the #hootsxsw hashtag plus this handy SXSW Twitter list.

You don’t have to be on the ground in Texas to enjoy the fun – just add Foursquare and MySpace to your HootSuite social networks and learn locals-only tips and/or find where your favorite band is playing next – right from your beloved dashboard.

That ain’t all – Marketing and stats enthusiasts take note that the custom URL parameters tool was enhanced in this release along with a batch of bug fixes and performance enhancements. Learn more about this release on the HootSuite blog.

Mashable have had an iPhone app for a while now, but today, they’ve announced a completely new app!

The old app, which was pretty clunky and showed some non-mobile web pages. So it’s no surprise that Pete Cashmore and the Mashable team were keen on introducing a newer app.

Here are some of the features (as described on Mashable):

1. Browse by channel, category, tag or author

2. Share stories via email, Twitter and Facebook

3. Read later: save stories to read offline

4. Drag to refresh: tap and pull down to refresh story listings

5. In-App Browser : Visit external links without leaving the app

6. Price: FREE!

I’ll update this post with some thoughts on the new app later on.

Until then – make sure to download it here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mashable/id356202138?mt=8

Congrats, guys! It looks great!

Skype will be releasing Android and Blackberry apps in March of this year!

Skype, along with Verizon Wireless, will be releasing the apps to many of Verizon’s devices including the BlackBerry Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Curve 8330, Curve 8530, 8830 World Edition and Tour 9630 smartphones, as well as DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC and Motorola DEVOUR.

Skype have listed the features the app will have. Among others, the features include:

Below is a video of Skype CEO Josh Silverman and Russ Shaw, VP and GM of Skype’s mobile division talking about the new collaboration:

Intel and Nokia have created a new mobile OS called Meego. Meego will be an open-source mobile operating system. The versatile OS will, according to the Nokia blog, work across a huge range of devices – mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems. The open-source platform will be hosted by the Linux Foundation, and they expect it will be adopted by many device manufacturers. The OS itself is supposed to hit devices sometime later this year.

Here’s Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo’s statement about MeeGo:

“MeeGo will drive an even wider range of Internet computing and communication experiences for consumers, on new types of mobile devices. Through open innovation, MeeGo will create an ecosystem that is second to none, drawing in players from different industries. It will support a range of business models across the value chain, building on the experience and expertise of Nokia, Intel and all those who will join us. Simply put, MeeGo heralds a new era of mobile computing.”

According to the blog, MeeGo is designed to be “open in every way”. They’ve combined the best of Maemo and Moblin, have taken their developer communities to it, and considered the new mobile ecosystem. The result will deliver a “range of experiences for users, including internet-based, computing, communications, multitasking and multimedia.”

One big feature they’re stressing here is the fluidity of media and applications from one device to another.

UPDATE: Nokia and Intel will have a live Q&A session about MeeGo on Twitter tomorrow at 14.30 CET. Follow #NokiaMWC for details.

Sick of Apple rumors? Burnt out by the iPad? Too bad – the rumor mill goes on! on the 26th, Apple were granted a patent on a proximity sensitive Input/Output platform. An Input/Output (or I/O) platform is any platform that helps a computing device communicate with the outside world. The details of the patent are as follows:

1. An I/O platform, comprising:

• an I/O surface having one or more integrated I/O devices selected from input devices and output devices;
• a proximity detection system configured to:
  • detect when a finger is in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface;
  • detect a position of the finger above the I/O surface when the finger is detected in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface;
  • select, based on an application appearing on the I/O surface when the finger is detected in close proximity to the I/O surface but independent of x and y components of the position of the finger over the application, a first graphical user interface element from a plurality of available graphical user interface elements operable to allow input to be provided at least by movement of the finger when the finger is detected in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface;
  • display the first graphical user interface element on the I/O surface and below the finger; and
• detect a proximity gesture performed by the movement of the finger above the first displayed graphical user interface element.

Now while that’s all just mumbo jumbo as far as both you and I are concerned, if you read a little carefully – there’s some exciting stuff in there! Let’s take these for example:

• detect when a finger is in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface
  • This means that it’s not touch-sensitive, but proximity sensitive. It’s different from the touch-tech we’ve seen so far.
• detect a position of the finger above the I/O surface when the finger is detected in close proximity to but not contacting the I/O surface;
  • This means that it’s a lot more of a Wii or Natal type technology than an iPod touch or iPad.
• detect a proximity gesture performed by the movement of the finger above the first displayed graphical user interface element.
  • “Proximity gesture” refers to moving your finger close to the screen. This means that movement around the screen would most likely affect what the device does!

I’m not one to make crazy rumors fly, but I will say this – Apple is going to be coming out with something motion/proximity sensitive very soon!

Wow. Really dorked myself out there!

What do you think?