Internet heavyweights go mobile

The traditional Internet heavyweights are not conceding the mobile space to the upstarts. MySpace recently introduced a free mobile version of its Web site. Facebook also has expanded into mobile. And Google bought mobile social networking startup Zingku last month. The trend toward mobile networking is going to be a big theme at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment cellular conference in San Francisco this week, with Facebook co-founder Dustin Moscovitz delivering the keynote address. In some ways, mobile improves on a key promise of social networking - that is, it allows you to stay in touch with your friends wherever you go. And these virtual networks are becoming an increasingly popular channel for communication, both for broadcasting and exchanging messages and notes. Users don't have to be at home or in front of a computer to flip through profiles and check in on their friends. And they can now blog and livecast their life as it happens.