Social networking tools are proving to be invaluable marketing and engagement platforms for the smart small businesses which have embraced them.

This BBC report provides some anecdotal insight into how several small businesses in the US have benefited by adopting and adapting to the powerful networking potential of websites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Growth in global internet traffic was relatively unhindered by the economic downturn according to a recent IT World report.  International traffic grew 79% over the past year up from 61% in the preceding period.

The fastest growth rates were seen in emerging markets in Eastern Europe, South Asia & the Middle East.  Service providers and carriers have also been eagerly building up their network capacities to handle the expanding traffic.  This should provide an added spur to businesses developing new data-intensive services to tap into this rapidly expanding market.

Since getting an iPhone about a year ago, I’ve found myself using using my laptop less and less often while on the move.  Sure, the iPhone has a tiny screen compared to even the smallest laptop or netbook, but my mobile computing needs are fairly lightweight and not having to lug a laptop around is a blessing.

The success of Apple’s iPhone is attracting host of other companies into the smartphone segment.  Besides the traditional mobile phone manufacturers, traditional PC makers are also eying this buoyant market segment with great ambition.  The devices they are creating are becoming more powerful and  feature rich.  These smarter mobile devices, coupled with increasingly ubiquitous wireless broadband networks, point to an emerging revolution in personal computing.

The BBC News website takes a look at the mobile future and examines how the mobile phone is slowly taking over the mantle as the centre of your social and multimedia experience.

The Economist has published a special report on telecoms in emerging markets – a collection of articles looking at how the spread of mobile phones in developing countries is reshaping the mobile landscape.

Of particular interest is the development of new phone-based data services which go well beyond simple music downloads and gaming.  The evolving mobile networks are also poised to bring full internet access to a mass of people in the developing world who have so far been largely excluded from the Web.  This will surely open up exciting new opportunities for developers and independent software vendors who are savvy to the needs of these emerging markets.

Smartphone sales is set to surpass PC sales globally by 2011 according to RBC analyst Mike Abramsky.

While the total sales of mobile phones has actually decreased on a year-on-year basis in 2Q 2009, the smartphone segment has shown a healthy 27% growth despite the economic downturn.  Much of this growth can be attributed directly to the spectacular market gains by Apple’s iPhone.  RIM’s Blackberry range also contributed significantly to this growth.

Nokia, though a little late to this dance, has recently picked up the mantle again with the N97 model while the original smart-phone pioneers Palm are back in the game with the Pre and its spanking new WebOS platform.  Even traditional PC giants like Acer & Dell are  piling into this lucrative segment.

The good news for consumers is that many vendors are scrambling to produce cheaper smart phones.  These are designed to run on open operating systems such as Symbian or Google’s Android platform and targeted at the pre-paid subscription market.

Even before you’ve fully understood the fuss around Facebook, along comes yet another social networking tool that has got the web-enabled generation all aflutter.

If you haven’t even heard of Twitter, there’s no need to feel bad – its still a very recent phenomenon, even when measured in Internet time.  But it is a rapidly growing phenomenon and could be a useful tool to grow your professional connections.  So do check out CIO magazine’s quick and easy guide on how to Twitter for business people.

The Economist carries an interesting article reflecting on how blogging has entered the mainstream.

Many pioneering “A-List” bloggers are apparently turning their backs on blogging because the medium has become too big, too impersonal and too blase. Yet blogs themselves have blossomed – new forms such as micro-blogs (Twitter) have evolved, and traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television now update their blogs faster than their core channels.

Perhaps the clearest sign that blogging is maturing as a medium is its embrace by the business world.  Companies large and small now view blogs as just another business tool that is well suited to diseminating their corporate mesaages internally and externally.

A recent survey by the Pew Research Center reveals that Internet users are increasingly using web-based applications and services.  The survey of US-based Internet users revealed that  69% had participated some form of cloud computing  activity such as using a webmail service, storing digital files online, editing documents online or using social networking tools.

Convenience and flexibility were the primary draws for those who accessed cloud computing services. The ease of sharing information and the ability to access their data from anywhere and through any common device were cited as key benefits of web-based applications by many users.  On the flip-side, users did list data  security and privacy as their primary concerns about the emerging cloud computing model.

The rapid growth of wireless connectivity such as WiFi and 3G networks that provide convenient on-ramps to the Internet from practically anywhere has clearly spurred the growth of the cloud services model.  The survey also found that younger internet users are more inclined than older ones to use web-based services or applications.

While this particular survey only sampled American Internet users, the the same trends have been reported anecdotedly in most mature Internet markets including Singapore.  Seasoned web users are becoming increasigly comfortable in accessing cloud-based services and solutions.  Service providers who effectively address the key concerns of such users over data security and privacy will be well positioned to soar with this rising cloud.

A recent Business Times article reports that “internet users in Singapore exert more influence in their organisations than their non-Internet using counterparts”.  This according to a survey conducted by Synovate PAX.

Apparently, about 34 % of web users in Singapore are business decision makers, compared with  19 % who are non-internet users. Also, 21 % of Internet users here engage in ‘influential’ business activities, against 6 % who do not use the internet.

The implications are clear – the Internet is already a crucial medium to reach out to your prospects.  Is your business taking full advantage of this resource?

Read the full Business Times article here.

No need to feel guilty about spending time surfing the web … it is apparently good for your brain.

Research by a University of California team suggests that searching the web could in fact mitigate age-related slowing of the brain.  Scans of the brain indicated significant activity in areas of the brain that controlled decision-making and complex reasoning while subjects surfed the web – but only in those who were experienced web users.  A BBC online article reports on this in more detail.

So, go ahead and add web surfing to your health regimen – doctor’s orders!