GigaOM Pro

February isn’t too early to be thinking about big data – especially when GigaOM’s Structure:Data conference is right around the corner. We’ll be heading back to Chelsea Piers with a two-day show packed with big thinkers from across the data and infrastructure industries. Check out the lineup, and remember – Pro subscribers receive preferred pricing for the show.

Meanwhile, back on Pro, social technologies and mobile cloud development were the big topics of the week for our readers:

In “Social fourth-quarter 2012 analysis,” David Card and Stowe Boyd take a look back at social technologies in 2012, and make their predictions for what trends and technologies will dominate the market over the next year. While “social” is an increasingly crowded space that now includes both consumer and enterprise products. However, Facebook – with its billion users and near-countless options for monetization and revenue steams – remains the dominant and most closely watched force for both individuals and businesses.

Next, in “What developers should know when choosing an MBaaS solution,” Janakiram MSV takes a look at MBaaS (mobile backend as a service), a new service delivery model of the cloud for mobile developers. As the cloud and mobile continue to become increasingly important in the developer community, this research report provides a primer on this new cloud services delivery model, including companies to watch and other essential background information.

Last, in “Case study: how to effectively crowdsource work,” David Coleman provides a detailed analysis of his experience using MobileWorks, a crowdworking startup. Crowdsourcing and outsourcing are gaining in popularity, but the quality of work (and the pay rates and labor conditions) varies greatly. Coleman take a look at MobileWorks’ methods of recruiting and referring workers and the quality and speed of its work, and provides a set of recommendations for working with crowdsourced labor.

Also popular this week:

How new devices, networks, and consumer habits will change the web experience

CES 2013 flash analysis: disruptions and disappointments from consumer tech’s biggest show

Connected consumer 2013: how 2012 laid the groundwork for change