Times are tough in both old media and new media, as old media sites fight to try and stay relevant in the face of a rapidly-evolving sphere where disparate voices, from bloggers to social networks can command attention that was once only possible through corporate brands and news organizations. Robert Scoble, who has achieved one of the more visible personal brands online in the technology space, recently sat at the crossroads of this development, trying to make an old media brand (Fast Company) into a new one. The trial proved difficult, and as has been announced today, he's striking out again in a position I believe will have much more success - as he joins the Web hosting company, Rackspace, building a new plan he calls "Building 43". In his new role, Robert will have the chance once again to leverage his personal brand, offering new media expertise, to a technology company that wants to be seen as a thought leader.

Building 43 is named after the famous Google and Microsoft buildings, both number 43, intended to be what he calls a "decentralized community for people fanatical about the Internet". And Scoble won't be limited to simply posting a blog on the Rackspace site. You can expect the Building 43 plan to be diverse, on all the social media networks where Robert has been building a solid presence the last few years, including Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed.

When I talked to Robert by phone about his news a few weeks ago, I was impressed by the plan - not so much because it's a clear path to riches, because it's not, and all work will still be a challenge, but instead because it put him back in the trenches of Silicon Valley, doing and creating and evangelizing. (Although yes, his work at Microsoft was in Redmond, WA) The move by Rackspace will help the company be better known for innovation, and will undoubtedly raise their visibility as Internet innovators work with Scoble to be featured and interviewed. The end result could even mean that many of the people Robert and his team work with could end up being hosted by Rackspace, for starters.

There's a big difference between writing about the news and following the news and making the news. Scoble, who has a resume of working at tech companies like DEC and Microsoft, now gets the chance to be a part of a company that's doing just that, while letting him stick to what he enjoys. When he and I talked, he made it clear that this would not be a one person deal. Over time, he hopes to bring in more folks to be part of Building 43. Joining him at start will be his pal Rocky Barbanica, who also was part of his team at Fast Company.

You can find out more about Building 43 at http://building43.com/. TechCrunch's writeup on it is here: Scoble’s New Thing: Building 43 and Robert's is here: Robert and Rocky ride again at Rackspace.

This morning, I had the chance to sit down with Kipp Bodnar and Wayne Sutton of TalkSocialNews, and discuss the hot items at SXSW, why we blog, and how social media can impact consumers and business. It was my first time meeting the pair in person, after a phone interview we held October of last year.

Video is embedded above.

During Dave Morin's presentation on a search for a more social Web at the SXSW conference today, the senior platforms manager for Facebook mentioned the company would be integrating Facebook Connect with Apple's iPhoto consumer program, in what could be a big step for Cupertino away from their forced vertical integration with Mobile Me, and more toward an adoption of the broader social networking community.

As Facebook grows in visibility, it's no surprise that companies big and small are looking to tap into the service's reported 175 million accounts. As Morin said during his presentation, "The desktop is getting more important in terms of integration with the Web." And the move for iPhoto users to upload their photos to Facebook, add tags and other social data further blurs the line between what is a desktop app or a Web app.

Apple has long considered it one of the leaders of the Web - despite having zero presence in search, portals or social networking in general. The company's long in the tooth iTools to .Mac to MobileMe transition has never really gained traction with the masses, even though the company's iPhone/iTunes and iLife families have been tremendously successful. That they are moving to work with Facebook and support the integration of the service indicates they're trying to dismiss the "not invented here" mentality.

Morin did not indicate which version of iPhoto would include the Facebook Connect option, or a timeframe, but given the presentations by multiple iPhone app developers having integrated the same technology and APIs, it likely won't be too long.

Today at the SXSW Interactive event, Dave Morin, Facebook's senior platform manger, introduced a wide-ranging integration of the company's Facebook Connect platform with iPhone applications, aiming to connect friends, using their true identities, through popular mobile apps. As Morin described during the standing room only panel, "your iPhone apps can now have friends."

In the last few weeks, Facebook has made significant changes in how they help its 175 million users share information, including expansions to the network's social graph and a revamped feed stream, but also has talked up what's a new move for the previous walled garden - looking to connect Facebook and your data on the network with the rest of the Web.

Morin said the updates start with profiles for "everyone", not just individuals but also, brands and companies. The new Facebook, now available on the Web, on the desktop and on the iPhone, essentially helps you "map out the most efficient way for you to connect to your friends," he added.

At launch, the new Facebook Connect for the iPhone will be supported by many of the most popular iPhone applications, from Tap Tap Revenge to Urban Spoon and the Social Gaming Network's array of applications, including iBowl, iBasketball and iGolf.

With such a huge user base, application developers are going to be extremely eager to attach to Facebook, undoubtedly, and the iPhone has still not yet peaked. I can expect to soon log in to any of my iPhone apps and take on friends and family, as the company looks to become the standard for your personal identity online, if you're at your computer or mobile.