Bebo revamping and former popularity

elfy4eva

I went to log into my old Bebo account to check out some of my profile for some old photos and was met with the news that it's been taken down for a few months to revamp the entire site (this may be well known news but I for one haven't heard a thing about Bebo since 2009).

Anyway under their FAQ's they have the following quote about Ireland that I found interesting i though it might interest some of ye on here.

From 2005-2008, Bebo was one of the most exciting tech companies in the world. It was growing rapidly to over 40 Million members, and in countries like Ireland, Bebo was more popular than Google.

I just think that's hilarious snapshot of the 2005-2008 period, but perhaps that's just hindsight!

Cee-Jay-Cee

Oooh I just can't wait for Bebo to make a comeback, said no one...ever.

Gerry91

Revamp?

Facebook be afraid

Hande hoche!

I enjoy the share on Facebook option found on Bebo's homepage.

Frosty McSnowballs

Desperation is obvious

Darkglasses

It's still closed? Not that it effects me, but it's been closed for months now surely. Unusual for a site that aims to be huge like facebook.

Mint Aero

How adults actually used that is beyond me, it really is. You've my sympathies if you were one.

elfy4eva

Gerry91 wrote: »

Revamp?

Facebook be afraid

I doubt it, I can't imagine what it would take for them to scrub it back to a competing SN site. The FAQ's on their website are worth reading if it interests ya.

http://bebo.com/#faq

wp_rathead

Bebo sTuNaH 2k13

efb

Give me some

Rayne Wooney

Why they didn't sue the shít out of beats by Dre is what I want to know

Wacker The Attacker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvqkF_1YrK0

r3nu4l

There was a thread here months ago about this.

This is the relaunch video. Whether you liked Bebo or not, this video is actually kinda cool.

Irish Guitarist

I'm too old to have been part of their target market but my two nephews who are now in their mid twenties had accounts as did seemingly everyone in their class.

elfy4eva

Mint Aero wrote: »

How adults actually used that is beyond me, it really is. You've my sympathies if you were one.

I was indeed a Bebo user (I certainly wasn't alone given it was more popular here than google at the time!) Although I wasn't an adult back then mind you :P

Mint Aero

elfy4eva wrote: »

I was indeed a Bebo user (I certainly wasn't alone given it was more popular here than google at the time!) Although I wasn't an adult back then mind you :P

I had mates who were adults and work colleagues approaching 30 at the time. I remember they had their likes and dislikes up and what they were scared of spiiiiiiiiders! Eeeeeek!

Yeah, adults like. Society degenerated a lot around mid 00's. People used be relatively normal believe it or not. They even like Mrs. Brownes Boys now, that's how bad things have gotten. Nobody watched that muck in the 90's. It was an utter failure but people got stupider and look at us now.

The property bubble probably wouldn't have happened either if people kept a grip on reality. Social networking sites are to blame for that too

Vojera

It might pick up among teens again now that all their mammies and daddies are on Facebook. Plus you can put sparkles on your page!

theblaqueguy

Bebo is as useful as an underwater hairdryer!
Its dead and it should not be brought back to life!

elfy4eva

Vojera wrote: »

It might pick up among teens again now that all their mammies and daddies are on Facebook. Plus you can put sparkles on your page!

Well this is what I'm saying! They've garnered the reputation of being an immature social networking site that's only fit for tweens and eejits. The vid bebo released that r3nu4l linked even admits to this reputation and that it's going to be completely reformed.

It has me intrigued as to their plans for the site but I certainly wouldn't be betting on its success!

Amirani

Vojera wrote: »

It might pick up among teens again now that all their mammies and daddies are on Facebook. Plus you can put sparkles on your page!

Along these lines, there was an article in the Guardian today mentioning a supposed drop in usage hours on Facebook among teenagers for the reasons you mentioned. Snapchat and WhatsApp becoming the alternatives of choice.

.jacksparrow.

Wasn't bebo more famous than facebook even though it's basically the same principle?

Facebook seemed to use a lot of it's ideas.

FearDark

Share da luv.

Aspiring

In fairness Bebo let you design your own page, but other than that meh... would never go back. Too many stunnah memories!

FearDark

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Wasn't bebo more famous than facebook even though it's basically the same principle?

Facebook seemed to use a lot of it's ideas.

Facebook launched 2004
Bebo launched 2005

Amirani

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

Wasn't bebo more famous than facebook even though it's basically the same principle?

Facebook seemed to use a lot of it's ideas.

It's a fairly common occurrence. Most big brands you can think of weren't the first to invent things they sell, they only improved on existing ideas. "First movers" and "fast followers" are terms often used in business to describe such scenarios.

http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast-follower-than-an-originator-2010-10

ninebeanrows

Sure your man sold it for what 800 million and bought it back for 1 million so it is just his toy now. I don't think he has any aspirations of it competing with facebook!

Hande hoche!

NiallSparky wrote: »

It's a fairly common occurrence. Most big brands you can think of weren't the first to invent things they sell, they only improved on existing ideas. "First movers" and "fast followers" are terms often used in business to describe such scenarios.

http://www.businessinsider.com/youre-better-off-being-a-fast-follower-than-an-originator-2010-10

This is giving me flashbacks to certain prongs of investment.

Augmerson

I had a Bebo once, it was all the rage at one point. Remember hearing about Facebook at the time too from a Canadian friend and didn't know what to make of it.

Legs.Eleven

Why was it so big in Ireland?

.jacksparrow.

FearDark wrote: »

Facebook launched 2004
Bebo launched 2005

But how come bebo was much more famous before facebook?

Gummy Panda

Will Google+ do much damage to Facebook now that Google is intergrating it into other platforms like youtube?

SeaDaily

Weathercheck wrote: »

Sure your man sold it for what 800 million and bought it back for 1 million so it is just his toy now. I don't think he has any aspirations of it competing with facebook!

^Exactly what this guy said. Your man has absolutely nothing to lose by re-launching bebo. He'll probably manage to turn a profit on his 1 million investment, but if not he'll have 799 million to fall back on.

SeaDaily

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Will Google+ do much damage to Facebook now that Google is intergrating it into other platforms like youtube?

Not a chance. Integrating google+ into youtube was a terrible move which has turned most people against google+, that's if they weren't already against it.

Aspiring

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

But how come bebo was much more famous before facebook?

Facebook spread from US colleges, Bebo spread from UK kids/teens (I think). Facebook was seen as a more adult thing I was Bebo age when it started to go downhill, coincidentally the same time everyone around my age was signing up to Facebook so eventually Bebo just died out. But yeah back on point Bebo infected us from the UK I think.

Gerry91

elfy4eva wrote: »

I doubt it, I can't imagine what it would take for them to scrub it back to a competing SN site. The FAQ's on their website are worth reading if it interests ya.

http://bebo.com/#faq

My tongue was firmly inside my cheek writing that one

deseil

Facebook, bebo, my space, all the same thing with different background colours imo

snubbleste

Bebo was huge at the time.
People seem to forget this.

Same as geocities, tinet..

Wacker The Attacker

I think I'll sign up just so i can draw a massive cock with a whopper hairy sac on it

SeaDaily

deseil wrote: »

Facebook, bebo, my space, all the same thing with different background colours imo

Sorry but your opinion is wrong.

spank_inferno

Bebo was usefull to draw co*ks on peoples walls.

melekalikimaka

FearDark wrote: »

Facebook launched 2004
Bebo launched 2005

facebook was very different at the start.

you needed a recognised college email, no apps, alot better imo, no stupid cover photos and crap, facebook, turned into early bebo slowly, and then bebo died out

Vex Willems

Aspiring wrote: »

In fairness Bebo let you design your own page, but other than that meh... would never go back. Too many stunnah memories!

And that was its biggest problem, horrible looking pages

FearDark

.jacksparrow. wrote: »

But how come bebo was much more famous before facebook?

Only in Ireland/UK really.

The rest of the world had copped onto facebook before us lot.

Facebook is losing ground massively, it's essentially why they offered Snapchat $3 billion to buy them out. Google+ was always doing terribly and their forced integration with other platforms has backfired massively, making people hate that network even more. It's only a matter of time until something comes along and knocks both back and there's no reason why it couldn't be Bebo again, if done right.

Greenmachine

Bebo was always a very Mickey Mouse website even more so than MySpace. Not even sure if anyone goes there anymore tbh.

The Dom

Shares in IRA Skins just went up after a seven year blip.

So much respect for the couple. Sell for 850m, buy back for 1m.

Shout Dust

SeaDaily wrote: »

Not a chance. Integrating google+ into youtube was a terrible move which has turned most people against google+, that's if they weren't already against it.

This, stupid and annoying move on googles part, one of a few lately.

I wouldn't be surprised if bebo picked up popularity again, could be one of those things people go back to for a laugh or to be different and it takes off again