Maelstrom: Martin's Musings

Support Wikipedia

iPod Apps

Well, I have to say that having the ability to add applications (apps) is good -- many of the apps including free and low cost (like $0.99) are going to take a little maturing it is aleady showing promise. After the initial euphoria of trying to download everything in sight, I am still finding that this could be really useful.

Twitter & Pownce

Does Pownce really have something special? Or is it just benefitting from Twitter's growing pains? I do not think that Pownce is a world beater but it is benefitting from Twitter's issues, it has some interesting value adds, and is starting to get a little bit of community. It does not have the ubiquity of Twitter or the tools. Twitter will survive their growth, but does Pownce get a needed bump?

Yahoo! in Play

All the talk about Microsoft or News Corp. acquiring Yahoo has to do with maybe creating a Twitter or Pownce clone (among other things). I am not sure why they would not just buy Twitter or Pownce. But with Yahoo you are getting a lot of stuff that Microsoft cannot seem to do well (Sell ads, get serious traction in search and IM, etc.).

Interesting development in yahoo ordeal.

Also News Corp is more information-based and think will play to Yahoo's strengths a little bit better. Even if it is MSFT I think strategic partnerships make more sense.

Can Microblogging Cause a Shift?

It seems that there is a mini-storm, particularly in Social Media circles in the area of microblogging. Microblogging is essentially small updates for readers that fit in a relatively short space (read: words or characters). Twitter, Pownce, Plaxo and Facebook are all examples of microblogging platforms or have them as part of their web app or service. One might say, "why don't I just have a lot of short posts". And one could do this. However, micorblogs offer something more, a kind of community where one can interact with friends, etc. I would liken it to a town square or maybe coffee house or diner. You may run into people you know or strike up a conversation. And people may drift in and out. It is not IM, but you can do it from anywhere -- yet it is dynamic. It is a unique way for people to transmit their values in real time. And to a group of people...Maybe you could think of it as a mob values aggregator!

eBay is not social?!?

I find it very odd that eBay is not more social (see Why eBay Isn't More Social - Forbes.com). It seems like they are almost doing too little too late. However, I am not sure that it is too late. There does seem to be a little bit of correcting going on there. With taking the charges for the Skype acquisition (suggests that they not integrated as much as they would like). They have added the home "pages" that buyers and sellers can create, and also the Neighborhoods (areas that people can discuss on similar subjects). I would think they would have been much farther along at this point. Maybe they can get it in gear and try getting more community focus and sharing both inside and outside the company.

Blogged with Flock

Tags: ebay, social, community, skype

The Face(book) of the future

Facebook seems to either sparking a trend or is at least on the beginning of one. It is the creation of a framework for apps. I suppose Ning and some others; the gadget frameworks (Google, Yahoo, Mac, Vista); and the start pages (Netvibes, Pageflakes) might be the beginning of this. However, Facebook has really seemed to spark some energy. Thomas Power of Ecademy made a comment (on Facebook) that it was kind of like a videogame for adults. It at least seems to be more of an adult version of MySpace. I cannot tell if Facebook is just the darling of the moment or whether it has legs. But for the moment it is definitely capitalizing on a trend.

Tags: gadgets, apps, applications, facebook, myspace, ning, yahoo, google, mac, vista, netvibes, pageflakes

Powered by Qumana

Death of the Renaissance Man

It seems to be that there is the death of the Renaissance Man. If you are skilled in many areas it seems much harder to get a job these days. Searching through a job board does not do it. Unless you get so vague that you get thousands of items to mull your way through.

Matt Mower and I have been discussing this lately, and it is getting quite frustrating -- Maybe we should jump to the Startup we have been talking about (Metaxio).

We are two great guys that seem to be languishing away to oblivion.

Tags: jobs, careers, startups, renaissance, resume, matt mower, docmartin, martin hall, metaxio

Windows Live Writer

I suppose I am just a sucker for some of the new blog clients. The latest is Windows Live Writer, it is the one that Microsoft is promoting through their Windows Live line of services and products. It defaults to wanting to post to your Windows Live Spaces account. But it is pretty smart about connecting you to your own blog service/software or give you access through one of the blog APIs.  The WYSIWYG seems pretty good has a kind of pared down version of Word feel to it. It is definitely a worthy competitor to the other clients (Performancing, Qumana, etc.).

(Update: I am finding it less than easy to add tags, and other things. There is a plugin for tags, flickr. If you want to add tags to two different services (say Technorati and del.icio.us) I am not even sure how you might do this.

tags: blog, blog+client, window, live, writer, microsoft

MashUp Camp University

Tomorrow I am going to Mashup Camp University. From what I understand, the pre-MashUp parties have already started. It has been a little while since I have been to a conference, particualrly one like this, it is going to be fun. Since I have been playing around with Matt Mower on a Web 2.0 psychometrics/sociometrics site (Metaxio), I figured this was a good time to get back in. Since I have been letting my programming skills atrophy for a number of years, Mashup University will be a good way to get back in, and to also start networking again!


Technorati Tags: web2, web2.0, mashup camp, mashup, metaxio, psychometrics, metrics, social metrics, sociometrics

powered by performancing firefox