[View the story "Will Sina Weibo Replace Twitter?" on Storify ]Will Sina Weibo Replace Twitter? Sina Weibo – China’s version of Twitter – announced they will launch an English-language version of its microblogging platform. It is expected to be released by the end of the year. Storified by The Stream · Wed, Oct 26 2011 22:00:04
One of China's most popular social networks, Sina Weibo has amassed more than 140 million registered users since its start in 2009 and expects to exceed 200 million users by the end of this year. Weibo, which in Chinese means "micro-blog," is part of Sina Corp , one of China's largest online media companies.
offbeatchina.com
Beware Twitter, Sina Weibo is Launching English Interface This Year - http://feedly.com/k/murrHnJayOatway
The news was met with scepticism outside of China.
Sina Weibo wants to launch an english version? Why would i want to put my data in the hands of the chinese?UPNEPA
Why doesn't $SINA just focus on Weibo in its home market? There is enough competition there. I don't see it competing with Twitter.fullmoonsong
Other than possible novelty value, what possible reason would I have to use the stateside version of Sina Weibo?TheStalwart
Facebook in China? Blocked! Twitter in China? Blocked! Youtube in China? Blocked! Until they are unblocked n China, Say not to Sina's Weibo!som1com
Although in English-language media it’s common to hear that Sina Weibo is a Chinese version of Twitter, many say the comparison is not entirely accurate since Weibo offers far more features beyond 140-character messages.
Two years ago Sina was little more than a portal (albeit a large one), but it is now one of the top social networks in China and hands-down the most innovative. Moreover, the new innovations on the Weibo are far outpacing those on its western counterpart, Twitter. techrice.com
Some of the features on Weibo include re-tweeting with an additional 140 characters, pages for groups, more dynamic conversation threads, voicemail, events, polls, apps and direct uploading of videos and pictures within the site.
offbeatchina.com
Sina has great features, but how about censorship and crosspostings? "Sina Weibo preparing English site in 2-3 months" http://j.mp/mr09Whhanneshelander
From Penn Olsen , a blog that covers tech and business in Asia, C. Custer writes on the comparison between Twitter and Weibo.
As a user of both, I assure you, if it weren’t for the censorship on Weibo, I’d probably never use Twitter again. Weibo is just better. Pictures, videos, and more can be uploaded directly. Moreover, instead of messy RTs, Sina Weibo has a commenting system that makes sense. It also makes people feel involved.penn-olson.com
This screenshot shows a columns of Chinese celebrities using the service as well as lists of "interesting" users and the most popular.
static.businessinsider.com
Earlier this year, leaked screen shots showed in-development social features including virtual goods and avatar profiles.
New Sina Weibo profiles leak reveals virtual goods, eCommerce ...thenextweb.com
Sina Weibo Leak: Virtual Goods and QWeibo Profiles on the Way?Jun 2, 2011 ... Now, a leaked screenshot reveals more details, showing Sina Weibo's plans in virtual goods, eCommerce, and new “QWeibo” profiles. ...
#Twitter vs. China's No.1 Microblog: What Twitter should learn from Sina Weibo http://ow.ly/5aJnIVoonMiing
INSIDE SINA WEIBO: China's (Much Better) Version Of TwitterI have put together a simple presentation about Sina Weibo, as despite the huge run in Sina's (NASDAQ:SINA) stock due to Weibo most non-Chinese have limited knowledge of the product itself. The document does not address censorship (See China's Internet: The Invisible Birdcage for a longer discussion of Internet controls).
It is not fair to call Sina Weibo a Twitter clone or knockoff. It is a better designed and more stable product, and Sina’s product roadmap appears to have it heading towards a robust SNS, almost like Facebook.businessinsider.com
Bishop talked to The Stream about Sina Weibo's social functionalities for businesses and marketers.
Bill Bishop Talks to the Stream [1 of 2]AJstream
Bishop says despite China's government censors, there are people who are using Weibo to have conversations about the country's biggest concerns. "Weibo has its limits, but it clearly has expanded the boundaries of what is permissible to talk about online," he said.
Bill Bishop Talks to the Stream [ 2 of 2]AJstream
What do you think? Could Sina Weibo overtake Twitter in popularity? Tell us via Twitter or Facebook .
