TechAddress

Plan Your Social Life on Facebook and Bebo Using SocialCalendar (The Startup Review)

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:34:45 +0000

Company

20-Word Description

People use SocialCalendar to get their social life together - birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, get-togethers, other social occasions and associated gift-giving.

CEO’s Pitch

SocialCalendar makes it easy to manage and remember important social occasions like birthdays, holidays, and other get-togethers through event reminders, and allows users to share these dates with friends and family. In association with Amazon, SocialCalendar also takes the guessing out of gift-giving, helping users give (and receive) the perfect gift for any occasion. Users can browse for millions of gift ideas and items can be one-click added to wish lists without ever leaving the SocialCalendar page. Friends and family who receive event reminders can select the gift they want to purchase directly from the included wish lists without having to navigate to a new site – or go to the mall.

Almost 3 million Facebook users have added the application, and tens of thousands more sign up every day.

Mashable’s Take

SocialCalendar is a Facebook and Bebo application that pretty much does what you think: manages your social activities, birthdays, parties and appointments. However, there are some nice unexpected features that pop up. For example, the app doesn’t just list scheduled dates of events, but actually allows you and the other people involved to collaborate on the best time and date that works for everyone’s schedule. This reduces the need for excessive emails and phone calls back and forth, as well as the risk of miscommunication, ensuring higher attendance for the activity.

There’s also a wish list feature (from Amazon) that lets you know what presents others want, which helps a lot when it comes to gift giving ideas. This eliminates guessing games and reduces the odds of giving bad gifts. It helps your chances of getting what you want too. There’s an option that lets you see which gifts your friends and family will get for you, but you can turn it off if you like surprises.

SocialCalendar does a lot more than I expected from a social networking application. The only complaint I have is that in order to make full use of its services you have to connect to Facebook or Bebo. While that isn’t a big deal for most apps and games, that isn’t the case when it comes to time management tasks. In these hectic times with crazy schedules we need to be able to access this information anytime, anywhere.

Being tethered to any social networking site isn’t convenient. However, maybe that will change thanks to mobile devices such as the iPhone that allow us to access services we couldn’t access previously. Ultimately, I would have liked SocialCalendar much more if it were a full-blown service outside of any particular social network.

Editor’s Note: This post is part of an ongoing series at Mashable - The Startup Review, Sponsored by Sun Microsystems Startup Essentials. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Greenbox Keeps a Constant Eye on Home Energy Use (The Startup Review)

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:32:33 +0000

Source:Mashable!

We live in a world where we are surrounded almost nonstop from the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep by advertising. From the magazines we read to the searches we do on the Web, advertising permeates it all.

With the software we use on a daily basis, it has been a common practice for some developers to offer up ad-supported versions of their software so users could use the programs without having to pay for them.

The idea being that if you wanted to get rid of the ads, you could buy a registered version that didn’t display any advertising. For the longest time web forums have carried advertising, but you could often buy a subscription that would serve you up an adless version. My own set of community forums over on my personal site operates this way.

Along with that, we have since the advent of AdSense become use to seeing text ads being displayed on our search result pages. The majority of Web 2.0 businesses are all based around an ad supported revenue model so we have gotten use to our web apps or services displaying ads of some sort. A great many of these web services also offer up what is commonly called the “freemium” option to their services, which means that the basic part of their service will display the ads, but you can buy a subscription that will remove the ads and some cases provide additional options.

In all this constant bombardment of advertising though, there has always been one place we could retreat to for a little while to escape this slicing and dicing of our activities used to serve up ads. Actually I should say that there use to be because even that last bastion of privacy is now opening its doors to advertising. The place I am talking about is of course our games. Whether it is online, console or computer we could immerse ourselves in those make believe worlds without the irritation of facing ads.

This changed in a very big way back in 2007 when Microsoft bought Massive and shortly after that inked a deal with Electronic Arts to supply ads within their games. Now today we have Google announcing the launch of their AdSense platform for game developers.

While some folks will probably see nothing wrong with this move to force even more ads in front of our eyeballs, I do have a problem with it. Mark ‘Rizzn’ Hopkins makes a valid point about the idea’s possible success when he says in his post on Mashable

If you look at most online games, both casual and flash, most of the monetization is done through one the side bars, away from where most people are focusing their attention. Couple that with the fact that when you’re playing a game, the last thing you want to do is go check out that limited time offer blinking at you, and it’s no wonder that the low ad conversion rates on gaming sitesrival only those from social network.

However, I don’t care if the ads are successful or not. What is bothering me is that they are doing it in the first place. My objection isn’t so much that they are doing it but more of the fact that it all smacks more of greed and the fact, that in most cases the gamers are going to be paying twice for something. When it comes to Google’s entry into the marketplace they are primarily targeting online games and the problem here is that the vast majority of these game sites are already heavily monetized. Everywhere you look on these sites you will see ads. The sidebar, the header, the footer and now they will be within the game itself. When is enough really enough?

With Mircosoft’s play into in game advertising being centered around the Xbox platform and computer games this is even more irritating. After all haven’t we already paid for these games and now they want to force us to see advertising as well? When is enough really enough? In this case of the consoles and stand alone games the game developers are asking to be paid twice for the same game. First by ripping off your wallet and now by cramming ads down our throats.

At what point do we as consumers say enough is enough?

Source:Mashable!

Company Name:

Greenbox

20-word Description:

Greenbox Technology is creating an interactive energy management platform that enables households to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

CEO’s Pitch:

Greenbox founders tackle the challenge of global warming by designing an intuitive, information-rich, interactive Web-based platform that homeowners can use to track energy use in real time. Even small reductions in energy consumption can collectively amount to billions of dollars in savings. The Greenbox platform will also feature community interaction tools, making energy use reduction a neighborhood challenge.

Mashable’s Take:

Based out of San Bruno, California, and launched as a limited trial in the first half of 2008, Greenbox is premised on the simple idea that the ability to monitor one’s energy usage in the home, matched with per-client solutions on how to cut down on the proverbial carbon footprint, will help to propagate green living in a substantive way.

As many homeowners now recognize, the cost of energy is quite high. To the point that it’s financially beneficial to adjust consumption. Greenbox’s role as an Web-based energy monitor is to put a stream of data in the hands of its users in order that they keep informed of activity, rather than, say, having to consult with efficiency specialists as to their particular situation. Yes, the popular lightbulb swap to less hungry and more long-lasting lamps helps matters, but Greenbox’s place as consistent watchdog, so to speak. “We remove the guesswork,” is how the company phrases it.

Indeed, this is not a referral service, pointing you in the direction of products and services that will help you to quickly satisfy your eco-conscious mind. Greenbox is really akin to having a personal pedometer for the roof over your head, telling you how far you’ve gone with energy usage at any given moment. You can watch it any time you please, or register for email and/or SMS alerts relaying information regarding “high or unusual usage or changes in electricity prices”

Greenbox is still developing a very limited trial rollout to select registrants. VP of marketing Matt Smith said to The New York Times earlier this week that just two dozen households have reported lower energy bills as a result Greenbox’s implementation. But it invites people to sign up to be notified as to developments in their particular area or residence. It expects to be “regionally available” in the months ahead.

CarZen Takes the Tedium Out of Car Shopping (The Startup Review) - Invites

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:42:56 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Back in April, Yahoo acquired IndexTools, a provider of analytics software based in Hungary. Today, that service has re-emerged as Yahoo Web Analytics, and is being offered as a limited beta to customers of Yahoo Small Business – the company’s suite of tools for helping small businesses market and sell products online. Additionally, the tool will also be made available to select Yahoo advertisers.

As you might expect, Yahoo Web Analytics includes integration with other Yahoo products. For example, you can analyze the effectiveness of Yahoo search marketing campaigns and track how well individual products within your e-commerce shop are trending. The product will naturally be compared to Google Analytics, the free offering from Google that has similar integration with AdWords.

While it may be late to the party, Yahoo Web Analytics is apparently a big upgrade for Yahoo Small Business customers. Mashable contributor Sean Aune is a user of the service, and sent along the following screenshot as an example of what the service’s rather archaic reporting looks like today:

If nothing else, if you look at the screenshot below of the new service, it would seem that Yahoo Web Analytics has just received a long overdue upgrade:

Yahoo plans to roll out the service gradually to its Small Business Customers through the end of the year and expand the offering to other users in 2009.

Source:Mashable!

Company Name

CarZen

20-Word Description

CarZen is a new car research and buying site that provides the most simple and personalized experience anywhere.

CEO’s Pitch

CarZen is the most efficient and powerful car search tool on the Web that provides the most simple and personalized experience. We are focused on delivering content better and faster and pain-free experiences that empower consumers to make better car-related decisions. CarZen is auto enlightenment. Visit www.carzen.com.

Mashable’s Take

The news of automotive woe has been made abundantly clear over the past few seasons. GM, Ford, Chrysler and others have all experienced drops of one degree or another. All are cutting output. The financial crisis that has reached global proportions is also naturally impacting consumer decisions.

This doesn’t necessarily mean cars won’t be purchased. They will. Only, there is ever more prominence being given to the matter of what cars will be bought up. And that’s where CarZen comes in.

The choices available to consumers in the auto market is pretty immense, which the consumer largely enjoys. But it also means that doing one’s due diligence in researching an appropriate vehicle isn’t a five-minute exercise. People pore over data for hours, even days, visiting and revisiting websites of auto manufacturers and review sites and fiddling with brochures and debating things like utility and aesthetics. What CarZen aims to do is eliminate much of the scavenger hunt.

The way in which CarZen functions is, in a word, elegant. Not only are the layout and colorway friendly, but as you traverse its various pieces, it’s clear that quite a bit of thought has gone into its creation. Attention to detail has definitely been paid. Graphical transitions don’t crowd out the data, but they do seem to add an extra bit of weight to the whole project. It’s like the proverbial car door test. Does it open and close with a secure thunk, or is it a little rattly, for lack of a better word? CarZen displays quality throughout.

You may think it’s not social enough, that it’s more about aggregation of statistics than collective critique. And for the most part, this is true, at least for the time being. But given the parameters set by CarZen’s creators from the outset, I find it to be a really pleasing creation. It’s no real replacement for an amalgam of AutoBlog, Top Gear, Fifth Gear, Edmunds and the rest, but it definitely has its place among the mix. It makes car searching a smidge easier, and if you’re torn between makes and models, price points, sizes, and styles, CarZen makes the shopper’s role less hectic. If that sounds like something you could use, then by all means do. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

To get your invite, go to the CarZen homepage and enter your email address, and CarZen will follow up with your username and password.

TalentTrove Creates a Variety Show From Homemade Talent (The Startup Review)

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:34:27 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Company Name

TalentTrove

20-Word Description

TalentTrove is a global online talent community created to help individuals share their talents with the world.

CEO’s Pitch

TalentTrove not only provides aspiring artists and performers with the opportunity to be discovered, but also offers a virtual community for like-minded individuals to discuss their passions, share mutual opportunities, seek advice, and stay connected.

Users can create, upload, and broadcast their skills and talents in the form of audio and video files, images, or text. The site even provides artists and musicians from around the world with the opportunity to collaborate with one another.

The motivation to showcase talent specifically on TalentTrove is fueled by our promise— be seen, be appreciated, be recognized and be discovered.

Mashable’s Take

If you didn’t make it to “American Idol” or “America’s Got Talent” or any number of other well-televised auditions and competitions, and yet you’d still like to prove your showman’s mettle, TalentTrove seems like an interesting place to strut your stuff.

It wouldn’t have grabbed our attention if it were solely a place to post visual renditions of pop standards or juggling feats or whathaveyou. Much of the content displayed is quite amateurish, so visitors will need to spend some time traveling around the place to get a solid grasp of what it is that makes TalentTrove tick. It’s YouTube, but with an exclusively creative spin. Which some aren’t likely to enjoy very much. On the other hand, some may well benefit from the casual environs.

What is especially inviting about the website is its breadth of categories. Acting, comedy, music, dance, food, craft making, and even things featuring animals and writing are all welcome. Again, you may not be entirely thrilled with what’s currently shown, either at the main archive or at TalentTrove.TV and radio.talenttrove. But the service itself offers users many options with which to portray themselves and their work. Which is really half the battle, development-wise.

Now, you may have to forgive TalentTrove’s visual presentation. It’s not the prettiest platform on the Web. Not even close. And it can behave somewhat sluggishly. There’s some waiting to go along with a basic browse around the place. But it feels relatively thorough insofar as features are concerned. Again, it can take a few moments to learn what everything is and where it is located. But if you’re intent on producing an upload or two, exploration is simply part of the process.

It’s hard to say one way or another whether TalentTrove is qualitatively worthwhile. For truly promising aspirants in fields demanding of excellence, I would peg TalentTrove as a venue ideal only for tossing up bits and pieces in order to see what sticks. But as TalentTrove’s creator states above, it’s a community. And that’s an important point to keep in mind here. It’s nothing to take too seriously. Just somewhere to share material and get some easy feedback. For that alone, TalentTrove is worth the registration.

Lizzer Lets You Add Links and Embed Content in One Click (The Startup Review)

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:30:11 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Company

Lizzer

20-Word Description

Lizzer is the easiest way to add links and embed content on the Web.

CEO’s Pitch

Need to find interesting links and content for your blog, email, or site? Lizzer is a bookmarklet (and site) that makes it easy for anyone to find and insert links, images, and videos. Here’s how:

1. Launch the bookmarklet

2. Enter a term in the find links bar

3. Identify and choose the content that you want to link or embed (including from your own account at Flickr or YouTube)

You can add links instantly when using WordPress, Gmail, Tumblr and many others. On “manual mode” sites, you’ll still save time, but will need to copy-paste the provided HTML code.

Mashable’s Take

Lizzer is a service that lets you add links and embed images and videos to just about any Web page through its site or bookmarklet. This can be done in two different ways: Instant Mode, which allows you to add what you want with a click of the mouse, and Manual Mode, which requires you to copy and paste the link or HTML code. In either case, the Lizzer search feature lets you find content across several different popular services at the same time. Enter a keyword and results will appear in special sections for sites like YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Wikipedia, and many others.

Currently, Lizzer works best with services like Google Docs, Gmail, WordPress, and Tumblr because you can automatically embed the content from those sites. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still use their service with sites like MySpace, Facebook and other social networks. You just have to manually copy and paste the code from the Lizzer search results into the page in which you want to use that content.

Lizzer is still in Alpha testing, so you can only use the service through an invitation, which you can sign up for here. You can check out their Demo site just to get a taste of how it works. From early testing we found that the search and insertion process works rather well. However, there were a couple of drawbacks. It would definitely enhance the service if it could search more than just YouTube for video content. While YouTube is still the premiere video content provider, there are many other video services in town these days.

Also, at this time there aren’t a great deal of sites that allow you to automatically insert content through the Lizzer interface. Lizzer has stated that they plan to add many more services for automatic insertion of content, which would only help improve the service. Overall, I think this is a useful service, and a feature that could some day become a common part of every browser, especially for users that need to add links and embed content from the Web.

JamsBio Lets You Share, Interact With, and Discuss Music (The Startup Review)

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:32:08 +0000

Source:Mashable!

Hitwise has noticed a trend over the last few weeks in the growing popularity of Live Search Cashback. For those unfamiliar with the service, Live Search Cashback helps users get cash back from shopping online. Similar to sites like Eversave, but integrated with the Live Search platform, the cashback program lets you shop anywhere online that participates in the program and collects your cash back savings all in one spot.

According to Hitwise reports, Live Search Cashback was at a 3.75% share of the total traffic to Live.com about eleven weeks ago, but had grown to 6.29% of the total traffic just seven days ago. The statistics delivered by Hitwise also track gender and note that many of these frugal shoppers are female with an income under $100,000 a year.

Live Search Cashback is growing its market share in a tough economic climate, and that alone says a lot about the program, but how does it work? Basically, it requires you to sign up for it, giving it some tracking information so it can follow your shopping and credit your cash back correctly. Once you have the Live Search set up with a Live Search Cashback account, you just remember to do all of your online shopping through the Live Search interface.

As you go about your normal bargain hunting, Cashback via Live Search will list products rated by price and participation in addition to shopping category. As long as you purchase items with the Live Search Cashback indicator logo on them (shown above), your cash back rebates and rewards get credited to your Cashback account. Users of the program can expect to see most rebates and rewards in their account within 60 days, a similar time frame to sites like MyPoints and other points, rewards and cash back programs.

With at least several months of economic crunch ahead of us, if not longer, every penny counts. If you haven’t already signed up for a shopping rewards program, you may want to check out Live Search Cashback and use it to save as many of your hard earned pennies as possible while you buy the items you need. Every penny counts these days, after all.

Source:Mashable!

Company

JamsBio

20-Word Description

A new online social community where people connect with each other by sharing the music and moments that shape their lives.

CEO’s Pitch

Music is a part of everyone’s life, helps to define us and has power to unite us. This is the inspiration behind JamsBio.

JamsBio offers a rich platform on top of a database of over 5 million songs to:

- Share music memories

- Review albums, songs and concerts

- Dedicate music to someone special

- Create and debate Top-5 music lists

- Play games that test your music knowledge

- Offer original columns, podcasts, and articles from the fan’s perspective

Mashable’s Take

JamsBio looks and smells just like another social music sharing service at first, but a look under the covers reveals something different, which is refreshing these days. Yes, you can share music on the site but there’s more to it than that. Think of it more as a musical blog platform mixed with a music review service.

You can express your thoughts and feeling with a post about music in three different ways:

1. Memory - Share what you think about a specific song, when and where you heard it

2. Music Review - Write a review of a song, album or artist.

3. Concert Review - Review the actual live performance that you attended.

Here’s a music Review I did about a song from Foreigner. Notice how it includes your rating, review and even an embedded player that allows the reader to listen to the track:

There are several fun things to do on the service, such as games. For example, there’s SongBlitz which is like Name That Tune, where you try to guess the name of the song and artist. There’s also JamsMatch where you try to match classic album covers with the right artists. There’s a leaderboard that tracks all players and results.

They have a Facebook app called Memory Explorer that lets you show your latest JamsBio memories in your Facebook profile, as well as widgets that you can embed on your other social networking profiles, blogs or websites.

Another fun area is the Top 5 lists feature where members share their favorite five songs, artists or albums in countless categories. This can generate a great deal of debate and arguments, which is cool. Just as in music posts, the songs in your list can be played right from there. As with just about everything else on the site, you can easily embed your list as a widget or share it on other social networks with friends.

JamsBio does offer a different way to express yourself through your musical tastes. They present many interesting tools to accumplish this too. Their MusicFinder database seems to do a good job finding tracks. They claim that their database contains millions of songs which might be true judging from the results of all the searches that I conducted, including very rare and obscure tunes and artists. I know the last thing any of us need is yet another social music sharing site, but this one serves up an original soundtrack worth a listen and a look.