Utilizing social information for recommending an application

Abstract

Utilizing social information for recommending an application includes providing an application recommendation system based on social characterizations, and responsive to a user searching for an application meeting a criteria, utilizing the application recommendation system by searching for applications meeting the criteria, characterizing the applications according to a social proximity factor to the user, and presenting the applications ordered by the social proximity factor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for utilizing social information for recommending an application, said method comprising:
 providing an application recommendation system based on social characterizations; and   responsive to a user searching for an application meeting a criteria, utilizing said application recommendation system by:   searching for applications meeting said criteria;   characterizing said applications according to a social proximity factor to said user; and   presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said criteria is selected from a group consisting of a search string, a category, a social network, an individual, an organization, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting an alternative recommendation responsive to identifying problems with said applications. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said alternative recommendation is based on similarities to said applications. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said alternative recommendation is from an expertise group. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising annotating said applications by said social proximity factor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said annotating said applications includes annotating an icon of a group making a recommendation regarding said applications. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising providing additional information about said applications from said group. 
     
     
         9 . A method for utilizing social information for recommending an application, said method comprising:
 providing an application recommendation system based on social characterizations; and   responsive to a user searching for an application meeting a criteria, utilizing said application recommendation system by:   searching for applications meeting said criteria;   characterizing said applications according to a social proximity factor to said user wherein said proximity factor includes said user's proximity to other users on a social media website, said user's relationship strength with said other users on said social media website, or combinations thereof;   presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor wherein presenting said application comprises presenting said applications with a higher social proximity factor before said applications with a lower social proximity factor;   annotating said applications by said social proximity factor wherein annotating said applications comprises annotating said application with an icon of a group making a recommendation regarding said applications; and   providing additional information about said applications from said group wherein said additional information comprises a profile picture of said group that uses said applications, a name of a said group, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein searching for said applications meeting said criteria further comprises using said application recommendation system to analyze what said user is searching for in an application store based on said criteria said user selects. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor comprises presenting said applications according to aggregated group information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein presenting said applications according to said aggregated group information comprises presenting a rating for said applications from a group of users. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor further comprises, based on said criteria and said social proximity factor, populating an application store with said applications from an application library. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein characterizing said applications according to said social proximity factor comprises analyzing said criteria against said social proximity factor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising presenting an alternative recommendation responsive to identifying problems with said applications wherein said alternative recommendation is based on similarities to said applications. 
     
     
         16 . A method for utilizing social information for recommending an application, said method comprising:
 providing an application recommendation system based on social characterizations; and   responsive to a user searching for an application meeting a criteria, utilizing said application recommendation system by:   characterizing said applications according to a social proximity factor to said user to analyze said criteria against said social proximity factor wherein said proximity factor includes said user's proximity to other users on a social media website, said user's relationship strength with said other users on said social media website, or combinations thereof; and   presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor wherein presenting said application comprises, based on said criteria and said social proximity factor, populating an application store with said applications from an application library.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said criteria is selected from a group consisting of a search string, a category, a social network, an individual, an organization, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein presenting said applications ordered by said social proximity factor comprises presenting said applications according to aggregated group information wherein said aggregated group information comprises presenting a rating for said applications from a group of users. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising searching for said applications meeting said criteria, wherein said criteria is selected from a group consisting of a search string, a category, a social network, an individual, an organization, and combinations thereof and wherein searching for said applications meeting said criteria comprises using said application recommendation system to analyze what said user is searching for in an application store based on said criteria said user selects. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising annotating said applications by said social proximity factor wherein annotating said applications comprises annotating said application with an icon of a group making a recommendation regarding said applications.