Traditional businesses might not be as willing to adopt social networking practices as we once thought. According to media pollster Avanade, 60% say that their respective companies have no plans on embracing social networks. On the opposite end of things, only 18% of those interviewed say that their companies have clear networking strategies for its employees and clients. Out of the companies that have already adopted such practices, approximately 66% state that customer satisfaction has increased. Roughly 64% claim that their overall reputations have improved thanks to the implementation of these networks.

In advertising news, getting your ad on television has never been easier, thanks to Google TV Ads. Spun off the immensely popular AdWords, TV Ads is a new service designed to get your advertisement on television quickly and effectively. Several major broadcast and cable networks are already on board, including NBC, CNN, and A&E. After the networks are chosen and an ad is uploaded, users place a bid on how much they are willing to pay for the airtime. Although new, several major companies such as Lenovo and TransUnion Interactive are already praising the service as a cost effective alternative to the more traditional ad agency approach.

Elsewhere, we have Timelope. Timelope is a new bookmarking service that single-handedly turns your browser’s history folder into a one-stop social spectacle. While there are several safeguards in place to protect from things like identity theft and malware, some believe that the potential risk is greater than the reward. At press time, Timelope is only available for Firefox users, with more browsers being added in the near future.

If you’re in the mood for a traditional spin on social bookmarking, give Blinklist a try. Blinklist is a new and creative way to keep track of and share your favorite websites. After signing up, you are given a special “blink” button to put inside your toolbar. If a certain site interests you, just click the button. The site in question will then appear on your own personal Blinklist page. Fun and easy to use, Blinklist is the perfect service for anyone who to join the bookmarking party, but wants to do it in a hurry.

With all the free web browser ballyhoo going around, you might forget that there is a lot of free software out there that doesn’t involve investigating the Internet. Today on the Free Line, we have four great programs that are not only free, but don’t include the words “web” and “browser.”

OpenOffice 3.0: “Exhibit A” for free software. Like Firefox, OpenOffice is heading forward into betas of version 3.0. Unlike the name brand equivalent, OpenOffice keeps the traditional menu/icon setup, giving users a more traditional, easier to use environment.

Miranda IM: A Windows-only instant messaging program, similar to Pidgin.

QuickTime Alternative: From the folks the brought you Real Alternative comes this one-stop replacement for Apple QuickTime. Version 2.7 has added support for the new QuickTime 7.5.5 file types.

jetAudio: A great media player from Korean PMP manufactuer Cowon. Some of its more notable features include the ability to record audio, shrink to the system tray, and a Windows startbar overlay function.

And for more free software suggestions, check out this handy article from productivity blog Lifehacker. You’ll be glad you did.