About two years ago, Chris Breshears and I were discussing the news of the day in Skypeville. We do this a lot. I pushed him some news about a micro-blogging startup, and he says to me, and, I'm paraphrasing, "the future of social networks and multi-media publishing are about small groups". Chris isn't one for casual observations at work. He generally has way too much shit to get done. So, when he says something without a giggle or a silly emoticon, I generally file it away in the ROM sandwiched between my ears.
Over the last two years, dozens of weird and senseless apps have popped up on the social web -- in facebook, bebo, as well as the self-referencing micro-blog apps tied to video services and mobile phones.
Here are my issues with these things:
1. These services don't appeal to anyone outside of 415, 650 and 408. Sure, a piece of 617 and 212, and, if you've got a street team like ChaCha (a ChaCha paid endorsee intro'd themselves to me in Wrigleyville two weeks ago), a slice of 312 or the LA area codes. But, the stuff doesn't go any further. No, seriously. I'm not talking about the borred, college samplers between I5 and I495, anyone using the service regularly is godless elite Silicon Valley type.
2. I can't find what I want -- can't find people, can't find material, can't find anything other than a stack of posts from people I've probably already met at conference cocktail party.
3. I have a heirarchy of peoples. Don't get pissy. I'm not judging or ranking or trying to crack "the 250". I have a heirarchy of peoples that are constantly being re-prioritized in my own, real-life conversation stack. Sometimes my nanny is at the top of the list. My wife is always at the top. So are my reports and managers. Sometimes it's Phil (ref), my contractor, who got back on my good side. There's just nothing that mirrors or enables real-life groups and relationship heirarchies to move into a web-and-mobile services. Sorry Twitter Deck -- it aint going to happen with that UI.
That last point is really interesting. I've been working with ooVoo since I started at Utterz. They're working on another blogger day -- and, I probably should shut my mouth here -- but the event could REALLY use a grouping function in the contact manager. But, then again, so could Skype.
So, as I am thinking about how to overhaul Utterz (including the brand), the last point is what I'm thinking about most often. I'm not sure we're going to get it right the first time, but stay tuned, and give us your feedback.
Mobile post sent by AaronB using Utterz. Over the last two years, dozens of weird and senseless apps have popped up on the social web -- in facebook, bebo, as well as the self-referencing micro-blog apps tied to video services and mobile phones.
Here are my issues with these things:
1. These services don't appeal to anyone outside of 415, 650 and 408. Sure, a piece of 617 and 212, and, if you've got a street team like ChaCha (a ChaCha paid endorsee intro'd themselves to me in Wrigleyville two weeks ago), a slice of 312 or the LA area codes. But, the stuff doesn't go any further. No, seriously. I'm not talking about the borred, college samplers between I5 and I495, anyone using the service regularly is godless elite Silicon Valley type.
2. I can't find what I want -- can't find people, can't find material, can't find anything other than a stack of posts from people I've probably already met at conference cocktail party.
3. I have a heirarchy of peoples. Don't get pissy. I'm not judging or ranking or trying to crack "the 250". I have a heirarchy of peoples that are constantly being re-prioritized in my own, real-life conversation stack. Sometimes my nanny is at the top of the list. My wife is always at the top. So are my reports and managers. Sometimes it's Phil (ref), my contractor, who got back on my good side. There's just nothing that mirrors or enables real-life groups and relationship heirarchies to move into a web-and-mobile services. Sorry Twitter Deck -- it aint going to happen with that UI.
That last point is really interesting. I've been working with ooVoo since I started at Utterz. They're working on another blogger day -- and, I probably should shut my mouth here -- but the event could REALLY use a grouping function in the contact manager. But, then again, so could Skype.
So, as I am thinking about how to overhaul Utterz (including the brand), the last point is what I'm thinking about most often. I'm not sure we're going to get it right the first time, but stay tuned, and give us your feedback.
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