[Photo: Local band 53A: Lead singer, Sara Wee and two of her band mates use their smartphones extensively for social networking. This is a new trend for telcos and mobile phone companies.]

By Sherwin Loh

REQUESTING a song dedication from local band 53A is only a tweet away.

This is because lead singer Sara Wee will see the request via her BlackBerry Bold and keep it in mind when she performs.

Turn up at her gig and her four-man band might just play the request.

Tweeting bands and Facebook-ing fans present the fresh face of people who connect with one another on the smartphone.

In fact, folks like Sara, 23, live off her smartphone.

"Given my schedule, I do all my updates on the phone and touch my computer only at night," explains the social network addict.

She tweets and receives fan mail via Twitter and Facebook, chats with friends on Windows Live and updates her activities on Facebook - all on the go.

"My band also stays in touch with fans via our blog, Facebook or Twitter."

It is consumers like them who have prompted app developers and cellphone makers to create more social networking apps for phones.

There are no numbers to show the growth of mobile networking apps specifically, but the range of choices within a single app alone is an indication of how hot they are. For instance, Twitter alone has over 40 apps for the iPhone.

Among the social networking apps, Facebook is arguably the hottest, having flitted across different platforms - the iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Symbian.

MySpace, Flickr and Windows Live are other social networking apps residing in consumers' smartphones.

Easy does it

Mobile app developers are making things easier for people to link up via the cellphone.

Some mobile apps for services like Twitter and instant messaging services like Windows Live and Google Talk have third-party options - both free and payable - allowing users to pick and choose what they fancy.

Not to be left out, phone makers and telcos are playing along.

Brands like BlackBerry and HTC have entry-level devices for newbies. For about $500, you get basic smartphone tools like a Qwerty keyboard and Internet access.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520, launched last month, handles services like e-mail, Internet access and apps, but comes with only a 2MP camera.

Hop on the networking train

As for local telcos, they have been offering a steady stream of products and services over the past three months.

In August, StarHub offered free local data access to subscribers using Windows Live and Facebook on 11 smartphones including the Samsung Omnia II and HTC Diamond 2.

It has noted an increase in users and data traffic but would not provide numbers.

Just last month, it launched MobiTweet, where subscribers can use their bundled SMS to update their Twitter accounts.

M1, which has seen more subscribers accessing sites like Friendster on their phones, even has student plans. Its BlackBerry Student service, which comes with a 1GB data bundle, costs $10.70a month, capped at $39.59.

SingTel recently signed an exclusive deal with INQ to sell the British-made social mobile devices here.

The INQ Mini 3G integrates the user's Facebook list with the phone's Contact list, as well as a single inbox for e-mail and Facebook messages.

The combination of affordable smartphones and attractively priced broadband data plans will make it cheaper for everyone to hop on the mobile social networking train.

When smartphones become super easy to use, you could even have grandma in on the ride.

sherwinl@sph.com.sg

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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