Posts Tagged ‘Community’
Qype und Qiro haben sich zusammengetan
27 May. 2009 | Author: AWo |
Das mobile Netzwerk Qiro hat Qype in seine Plattform eingebunden.
Laut einer Pressemitteilung von Qype können Nutzer der Qiro-Community durch diese Kooperation nun auch ohne iPhone oder das Google Handy G1 über den Location Based Service von Qiro mit jedem java-fähigen Handy auf die Daten des lokalen Such- und Bewertungsportals zugreifen. Das heißt, sie können sich jetzt Plätze in der Nähe des eigenen Standortes anzeigen lassen und sich mittels der Bewertungen der Qype-User einen ersten Eindruck davon verschaffen.
MySpace starts a local search and ratings service
The internet community MySpace will soon add a local search and ratings service to its members. Called “MySpace Local”, it is expected to launch in the near future for the USA market for the meanwhile.
As discussed by MySpace in a press release, the new service is a result of a cooperation with the online service provider Citysearch. This local search and city portal will deliver the address data from small companies within the most important USA metropolitan areas.
Accessible on special city pages (“City Hubs”) within MySpace Local, users can search for local companies, write descriptions and ratings, and augment these with photos, videos and other details. Further, it is possible to bookmark one’s favorite undertakings or to add them to the user’s profile.
The beginning of April saw the start of a closed test-version. The USA version is expected to be opened to all USA users within a few weeks, provisionally with three categories: restaurants, bars and nightlife. This is to be expanded within the coming months to include areas such as medical, dry cleaners, hotels or attractions.
German MySpace users can also expect a similar product within the foreseeable future. Mats Wappmann, spokesperson for MySpace Deutschland, in response to questions from the news agency pressetext, said that MySpace Local is expected to launch in 2009 in Europe. The rating and recommendation of shops and restaurants on MySpace will in the meantime be beefed up with additional functions and be accessible via MySpace Mobile.
dukudu closes down
dukudu, the microblogging platform of Allesklar.com AG (operators of meinestadt.de, among other sites) was recently shut down without much of a stir.
The closure was reported in the deutsche-startups.de blog. According to the report, Allesklar.com told the bloggers that in their view, their Twitter-clone had outlived its potential, and the concern intends to concentrate more on its core competence, that is local search.
In June 2007, Allesklar.com bought dukudu via an eBay auction for approximately Euro 43,000 and went ‘live’ some months later under their auspices (see our report). The notable aspect of the service at its launch was its local flavor. Users could save various places in their profiles, and display their (then) current location via GeoLocator in a map.
Posted in Web Communities, General, Local Search on the go, Local Search per Mobile phone, News | 
Tags: allesklar.com AG, Community, dukudu, meinestadt.de, Microblogging, Plattform | 
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Qype releases API; announces new CEO
Qype is on the move: alongside its announcement of its new head, it has also released its API and is offering to reward developers for the best mashups.
It was recently announced that Qype-founder and CEO until now, Stephan Uhrenbacher has resigned his position. He will become Chairman of the Board, as described by the company in a press release. The new head of Qype is Stephen Taylor, whose credits include Regional Vice President and Managing Director von Yahoo! Europe as well as Managing Director of Overture Europe.
Just a few days before the change in management was announced, the company released their API. As announced in a press release, content from Qype, such as places, ratings, locations, place categories or photos become accessible for integration in mashups and other apps. The recently released ‘Qype Radar” application for iPhone (see our post) is based, for example, on the API.
Developers can download version 1.0 of the Qype API, and start designing applications. In fact, the best apps will be rewarded: first prize will receive a prize of Euro 3.500, second prize Euro 1.000 and third prize Euro 500. To participate, developers must submit their completed new apps by February 28, 2009 to Qype.
The API is not going to remain at v.1.0. As Stephan Uhrenbacher announced in the company blog, the first quarter 2009 should see the appearance of the Qype-API 2.0. Using the innovations of this API, it is planned to also integrate photos and reports from Qype.
Posted in Local Search per PC, Local Search per Mobile phone, Local Search, News, Practical features |
Tags: API, Bewertungen, Bewertungsplattform, Bewertungsportal, Community, Empfehlungsportal, lokale Informationen, lokales Such- und Bewertungportal, Qype, Qype Radar, Stephan Uhrenbacher, Stephen Taylor, User Generated Content, web2 0 |
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The new Townster Team
The local search and community platform Townster was auctioned off on eBay at the end of October 2009 (read our post). The new team has finally made itself heard.
In the company blog, the new team around Michael W. Schwetje has introduced itself, detailing the intensified redevelopment on the portal. There will be several changes ahead, but they did not disclose what to expect. One should be able to try out the new Townster sometime in the first half of 2009.
mySonar: local community with ‘currency’
Using mySonar, a local web community, members can find friends, dates, parties, as well as locations such as restaurants, cafés, gyms or gas stations in their immediate vicinity, using either cell phone or PC.
The operators, mySonar GbR, in a press release explained: purely by entering one’s current location and the desired search radius. At the start of the service in July 2008, mySonar already offered almost 30,000 such locations in their databank. According to the service, there is now access to more than 61,000 similar locations across Germany.
If your favorite location is not yet available, one can simply register it oneself, and even be rewarded for the entry using the so-called $onars. $onars are a community currency, with which users can send SMS or pay mySonar partners for entry or services. The latter is actually a really good ad idea, enabling those firms accepting the $onars to gain new clients and to reserve ad-space on mySonar.
Those wishing to use mySonar must register and needs either a PC or internet-ready mobile device. The service requires no software installation and is free. However the standard (internet/telephonic) connection fees apply.
pointoo.de integrates more content
The local search platform pointoo.de (see our earlier post) has expanded its online offering. Users now can access many more medical and restaurant ratings.
This new injection of content is the result of cooperation with three new partners. The ratings for the medical branch are supplied by the patient-portal DocInsider; the feedback on hotels, restaurants or bars is delivered by Varta (a German hotel and restaurant guide) and by the lifestyle magazine Prinz.de.
“Through the cooperation with services such as DocInsider, we offer our users practical background information” explains Christian Strasheim, managing director of pointoo GmbH, in a press release. pointoo.de is not really a ratings platform in the standard sense (such as Qype, Dialo.de or KennstDuEinen?. It is rather more like a local search service, where registered users can mark their favorite locations, add comments and recommend to other users. Negative feedback is seldom found on this platform (by the nature of rating favorite locations). In order to enrich the users objective assessment of searched locations or service providers, Strasheim announced that further cooperative relationships are being planned for different areas of interest.
Posted in Web Communities, Local Search per PC, Local Search, News, Practical features |
Tags: Beurteilung, Bewertungsplattform, Community, DocInsider, Georg von Holtzbrinck, Kooperation, Kooperationspartner, location bookmark service, lokale Informationen, Nutzerbewertung, pointoo, Prinz.de, User Generated Content, Varta-Führer, web2.0 |
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Live Search Maps now with 360º views
The US-edition of Live Search Maps is now offering its users panorama and 3D-views, of cities, street views or buildings.
Microsoft has equipped its local search service with the Web2.0 photo tool Photosynth, with which users can assemble three-dimensional views using a collage of ‘normal’ photos. Whoever uploads photos with location-details, will facilitate these images being searchable through Live Search Maps. This recent addition was announced by Microsoft employee Chris Pendleton in his blog.
Find thing the new feature is however like a needle in a haystack – it is found after a search, in the left hand menu, under ‘Explore Collections/Show/Photosynth (per link or icon). Once discovered, a list appears showing all available Photosynth images – the geo-locations of which are displayed on the map. As these images are not embedded in Live Search Maps, users must have the Photosynth software installed on their computers. (Note, at the time of writing, the software was only available for the Windows platform).
Although this application is at present only accessible through the English-language edition of Live Search Maps, one is able to access various locations in other countries, including some in Germany, via this version of LSM.
Brownbook: joining up is worthwhile
The most websites whose content is derived from its users, build on the users’ good will and willingness to participate. The UK-based Web2.0 web directory Brownbook offers its users also a pecuniary incentive- for new entries or ratings earn financial rewards.
This takes place when signed-up businesses reward user entries or ratings, in response to one or more (paid) ads placed using the portal’s advertising-options. Brownbook pays you a slice of anything it earns make from businesses that ‘claim’ their listings and promotions, as a result of users making contributions to Brownbook.net.
For example, an ad could cost UK £ 5 (or US $10) to a ‘claimed’ business. 20% of the Brownbook fees to that business go to the user who last edited the entry. (See “How much can I earn?“)
The new ‘User Earnings Program’ is discussed in a video in the company blog by Brownbook co-founder and CEO Dave Ingram. The principles are also announced in a press release.
Those who want to earn money with Brownbook must register online, and also need a PayPal account where the payments may be transferred. And one must really be diligent about writing entries and ratings.
Brownbook appeared unofficially in December 2007 and went ‘public’ in february 2008 in the United Kingdom. The operators describe the portal as a free and open Wiki-like online directory, where users can search for local firms, rate and describe these or add new entries. The content which derives substantially for the users, is able to be edited by any other user, at least as long as a company has not claimed control over the content. The platform has been targeted internationally, as of July 2008. A recent figure (October 2008) announced by the operators listed over 27 million entries for 230 countries. The most entries are generated in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia.
Posted in Web Communities, Local Search per PC, Local Search on the go, Local Search per Mobile phone, Local Search, News |
Tags: Beurteilung, Bewertungsplattform, Bewertungsportal, Branchenbuch, Branchenverzeichnis, Brownbook, Community, lokale Informationen, mobile lokale Suche, Nutzerbewertung, Onlinebranchenverzeichnis, PayPal, User Generated Content, Verzeichnisdienst, web2.0 |
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Townster is sold to highest bidder on eBay
After Townster, a local search and ratings portal with networking capability, was offered for several months for sale on eBay, it was recently finally sold.
As can be seen in the offer page on the online-marketplace, the virtual hammer fell for Euro 37,827.77 for the platform. A real bargain, considering more than Euro 150,000 had been invested in the project. The new owner of the portal is the Ex-OnVista head Michael W. Schwetje, posted Townster co-founder Gleb Tritus in his personal blog.
Townster was launched in summer 2007 (see our article). After an unsuccessful financing round and disputes among the founders in November 2007, the hunt for a buyer was started for this local search presence. According to a post by Gleb Tritus in Townster’s company blog, the sale did not happen at that stage, because the interested parties were only interested in taking on the portal with the full team. The team members had by that stage essentially been dissolved and were committed to other projects. Finally, it was decided to offer the platform via ebay auction. However, even after the successful sale, Townster is still a topic for its previous owners- they are planning to “support Michael & Co. as they hunt for suitable new team members, so that Townster can relaunch on the same track as beforehand.”
