As if history never repeats itself. Bebo, which was once one of the most promising social networking sites on the web is finally bowing out of the cutthroat social networking rat race after its parent company AOL, pulled the plug on further funding and development.

This can only mean that the failed AOL venture would either be shut down or sold.

Too bad for the 400,000 or so Kiwis who are registered members of Bebo.

But then again, this might not be taken as badly, whose preference for social networking sites have switched, unsurprisingly, to Facebook. Currently, Facebook has swept the NZ market, pulling in around more than a million users in the country alone.

But this wasn’t always the case. A few years back, Bebo had the momentum going in NZ, making it a popular destination for social networking users. A few years and an AOL buy-out later, however, Bebo’s growth stagnated and Facebook took over without a moment’s hesitation.

Experts blamed the demise of Bebo to its AOL sale, and for good reason. History has shown us a lot of good examples of how small, innovative start-ups wither and die at the hands of monster umbrella corporations, which stifle creativity and innovation. Bebo should have looked to the past for clues about its future.

Now, all seems to look bleak for the site, and it is yet to be seen what future awaits the ill-fated company.

Never has there been an electronic device’s arrival more anticipated than that of the iPad, and yet, Kiwis who cannot wait to get their hands on this nifty little tablet will probably have to wait much longer than their US counterparts, who have been promised an April release date – a little over 2 months since its launch.

Apple distributor Renaissance Corporation, which has been bringing Apple products to Kiwi homes and businesses for over 20 years recently said that Apple has yet to provide New Zealand with a release date for the iPad.

Yes, patience will have to be a virtue – whether we like it or not. Short of flying to the U.S. and lining up outside your friendly neighborhood Apple store, New Zealand residents will have to wait it out indefinitely before they can call themselves proud owners of the iPad.

This is due mostly to the unanticipated demand for the iPad. It’s huge presale interest has driven back even the US release date by a few days. In many cases, the demand has simply outstripped the supply, which just means more waiting for markets outside the US.

Other markets like Japan, Australia and Canada expect to have their iPads in by the end of April. Kiwis, however, will just have to wait and see.