Category Archive

Just read this post on Mashable about “dead” Dodgeball. Interesting to see how services develop and why some succeed and others fail..

Dodgeball, the text-message based social networking service, seems to have been left for dead.

Dennis Crowley, the founder of Dodgeball, and Alex Rainert have both left the sinking Dodgeball ship. Acquired by Google in 2005, Crowley insists that Google is not providing the resources necessary to innovate their service, let alone keep up with recently popular Twitter and newcomer Jaiku. Crowley and Rainert have decided to quit Google, leaving Dodgeball to fend for itself. An announcement from Crowley says that the whole experience at Google was frustrating, “especially as we couldn’t convince them that Dodgeball was worth engineering resources, leaving us to watch as other startups got to innovate in the mobile + social space.”

In the end, that leaves Twitter the reigning chief. Not that their dominance was in question as of late, but Dodgeball is sure to meet its end very soon. It’s a shame that Google never built up Dodgeball, considering the current and future mobile market, but then again, Google has $3.1 billion deals to tend to.

UPDATE:

Thanks to BlueAce here some more info from the guys themselves:

So…. Alex and I quit Google on Friday.

It’s no real secret that Google wasn’t supporting dodgeball the way we expected. The whole experience was incredibly frustrating for us - especially as we couldn’t convince them that dodgeball was worth engineering resources, leaving us to watch as other startups got to innovate in the mobile + social space. And while it was a tough decision (and really disappointing) to walk away from dodgeball, I’m actually looking forward to getting to work on other projects again.

So, what’s next? Starting today (Monday!) I’m joining the kids at area/code who are knee-deep in building all sorts of Big Games (remember PacManhattan? ConQwest?). Alex is moving on to IconNicholson where he took a gig as a Creative Strategist focusing on mobile and emerging technologies. (And sorry, but I don’t know what Google has planned for dodgeball going forward.)

ps: Clear your calendar for this Saturday (April 21). A whole crew of us are dj’ing to celebrate our escape. (details + invite coming soon!)

Do you work in the mobile industry?

Have you heard about Microblogging?

Do you know Twitter?

Well….Check out Jaiku’s new mobile application for Symbian series 60 3rd edition devices.. It is amazing. See screenshot below..

Micro blogging preferably with location information is really going to be soo big business.. I AM 100% SURE

It is timely(now), location aware(where), social(who, what) and easy to use.. All critical elements of a great mobile service are there..

So now you know it.. no more excuse that you didn’t see it coming….

Via Mensmerk I found this clip of a great new way of communicating. Make me feel like the caveman thousands of years ago.. Check out also how the “solution” takes your drawing and enriches it..

Just played with the new Peerbox application version 0.95. I must say very impressed with the work they did. Very rich application with many options. A very complete library of music. The videos are still brand videos. Easy upload function. Ringtones download. Only strange thing is they say it will cost me 2,20 euro to download a song(ringtones aswell). Have no idea how they organised the billing. I downloaded The Scientist from Coldplay(yeahh) and expected a premium sms..NOTHING. Thumbs up for the effort of creating a user friendly and fast app. Now let’s wait until we have a nice business case..

Have a look at the screenshots..

Yesterday, we were The Venice Project™. Today, we’re Joost™. Tomorrow, we’re yours! Imagine having infinite choice, and TV that is truly interactive. TV anywhere, anytime…

Joost™ is a new way to watch TV, free of the schedules and restrictions that come with traditional television. Combining the best of TV with the best of the internet, Joost™ gives you more control and freedom than ever before - control over what you watch, and freedom to watch it whenever you like. We’re providing a platform for the best television content on the planet - a platform that will bring you the biggest and best shows from the TV studios, as well as the specialist programs created by professionals and enthusiasts. It’s all overlaid with a raft of nifty features that help you find the shows you love, watch and chat with friends, and even create your own TV channels.

Wow.. I just saw how I will watch TV in the future..

I love the interface(see the preview post).

The channel switching(hear Bill Gates at Scobleizer) is acceptable to me(3 sec).

The Plugins are great: You can add IM from Google or Jabber, RSS feeds, channelchat and votes

I have somehow the feeling The Venice Project is more legit than I expected. With other words, I expected a “Grey App”(between legal and illegal) but it looks they choose the “clean path”.

So the P2P part is very limited. I haven’t seen any way to “upload” content or to create my own channel.

Strong focus on music. Looks like MTV is a partner..

Can’t help thinking that it is JUST a “distribution of content platform”. One of the many(in the end).

Looks like the disruptive movement of TV will not be kickstarted by one product(like Skype and Kazaa/Napster did) but it is more an industry movement(evolution).

Some early feedback:

Make the preview icons bigger(or let me choose resolution of metadata).

Make a PC/laptop variant and a TV variant. Both need their own interface.

Create a communication platform for Preview Orientation: I need to know more about the shows. I need recommenders, forum, comments, preview, trailers. Now I directly need to go to the content and start to ZAP. This confronts me with the choice dilemma. The current set-up freezes me up. Zapping through the channels on the Venice Project is not as efficient as on “normal TV”. Somehow zapping looks not be the best way to orientate the supply of TV content. Such a communication platform would enrich the total product alot. It will create value on top of the distribution function(tough competition market).

Probably soon more..

Absolutely fascinating site(blog).. Please have a look how people anonymously share their deepest secrets..

Amazing new service from the just released new Skype 3.0 beta. Here is how Skype describes it: Join live conversations, connect with new people and have fun with Skypecasts. Anyone can join and it’s all for free.

I like the fact that you have listeners and talkers.Can´t wait until they add video. You can also add your Skypecast to your Typepad blog.

Just made my own little Skypecast: MobileTalk

Must say that talking about subjects is a little different than writing about it..Very curious how we all will use this service:
1. As a way to talk about TV shows we are watching live?

2. Discuss topics?
3. Chatrooms?
4. Radio programs?

5. Bargaining?
6. Other ideas…?

You have to follow this link. It is a presentation about social sharing. I was waiting for this. Great job by Rashmi Sinhha.

Thanks to Frankwatching