Roger Kemp's Net » Web

Google+, more thoughts

Roger — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:23:33 +0000

I was hoping Google+ would be rolling out more features by now, but they haven’t. If they really want to become a viable social platform they need to add some essential functionality, and add it sooner, rather than later. Here are a couple of things I hope they add:

Integration with Google Apps
If my company or organization is going to use Google+ as their Social Platform of choice, we’d like to have full integration with Calendar and Docs. Share files and events, as well as tasks would be essential to coordinate and plan on a Social Platform
Groups
Right now it’s only followers and following. You can’t really organize a group of people (department, suppliers, clients, hobby group, etc.) and have real two way communication between members of those groups. Circles is only good for broadcasting and commenting on those broadcasts, not for real group communication, let alone set up events or meetings. Messages will get lost in the stream, people I’m following don’t know what circle of mine they’re in and I’m not even sure they’re following me and if so, have me in the same circle. Sure you can filter your stream to that particular circle, but I have no way of knowing if the rest of the people in my group do the same thing and see my posts.
Events
If I’d like to plan an event and invite people I’d like those people to know about it and be able to RSVP. Right now, that’s impossible on Google+. This should go hand in hand with the Google Apps integration.
Google+ Business and Organization Profiles
I thought this would have been the first new feature to be implemented fairly quickly, I guess I was wrong. It would be nice if this too would become a feature integrated with Apps. If you have your domain running under Google Apps (gMail, Calendar and Docs) it would be nice to control your Plus Profile from there as well.

Google has everything in house to make Google+ the best and most fully featured Social Platform for organizations and businesses, but it seems they don’t see what’s right under their noses. Or maybe I’m just too impatient.

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Google+ first impressions

Roger — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:53:57 +0000

Was invited for Google+ this morning and decided to check it out right away. First impression? Seems like Google finally got their act together in the UI and graphic design department. Wow, does everything look clean.

Second impression? Wishing Google+ was working with Google Apps already. In my opinion it would be the killer social enterprise app when combined with Calendar, Documents and various other apps. Through circles you can keep track of and share info with different departments, clients and suppliers (and friends and family of course). For now only through streams (which is essentially Twitter on steroids, because it’s private and public microblogging allowing real interaction/conversations) but when Google Apps is integrated, also by using your Calendar and Document apps, sharing tasks, appointments and docs with your circles. Plus all the other apps in the app marketplace. + indeed!

Same goes of course for video and photos sharing, which is already implemented and in a very nice way. For photos you can use Picasa and videos can be youtube links, uploads from your laptop/desktop or your phone. Too bad there isn’t an iPhone app yet, only Android at the moment.

So I don’t see Google+ as a direct Facebook competitor (i.e. Facebook killer), but more of a Social Enterprise solution. We do need Google Apps integration for that though, but Google’s working on that. Once that’s implemented, watch out Microsoft Sharepoint, Podio, SocialText, Cubetree, et al…

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Social Integration

Roger — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:58:36 +0000

Today we, my company Web24Business run together with Marcel van Brugge, launched our latest online communication project. It’s a new website for a local art and cultural organization, called Temporary Art Centre. It’s located in an old Philips building near the city center of Eindhoven. It’s run mostly by volunteers and provides a platform and stage for artists and creatives. Apart from providing stages and spaces for concerts, performances and exhibitions, they also rent out studios for aspiring creatives.

TAC came to us requesting a refresh of their website. Instead of just re-designing a run of the mill site we handled this project like any we accept. We analyzed their organization and held a workshop with the volunteers that run the show, as well as some of the renters that rent the studios. From that workshop we got a better understanding what the people involved though about TAC, what they’d like TAC to be and how we could incorporate that into a new site. We decided to create an online communication platform based on the social hub called Facebook (you might have heard about it). On Facebook we (TAC and us) created several groups for the renters and volunteers where they could share, ask, answer and organize. Aside from that, there was already a popular Facebook page for TAC, where new events were posted as well as media (photos and video’s) from past events. Twitter was used as a promotion tool so we incorporated that into the new online communication platform for TAC as well.

Since every organization wants to have it’s own face and branding, the social streams from the above mentioned groups were brought together on their own website, under a nice design by OddOne. The backend CMS was built using Drupal with Facebook Connect for user registration. This way TAC still has its own unique face, feel and branding, while using the best social media and online communication tools available. It’s a true two way communication platform, not just mentioning twitter and Facebook feeds, but letting volunteers, renters, organization and visitors interact with each other and find the information they’re looking for.

Visit TAC.nu for a look-see…

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New Bubble – New Ideas

Roger — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:41:20 +0000

Now the WSJ has picked up the Bubble 2.0 meme as well it’s time to move on and start figuring out what to actually build. I’ve been meeting some interesting people lately, both on and offline and I think it’s time to drop the features and pick up the application. Use the features of a platform to create new applications. With API’s of course. Too many of these new apps that come out are basically features that should have been implemented in Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin in the first place. So for those apps, it’s only a matter of time before social platforms pick up their idea and implement it themselves (see Twittercounter and Twitter Analytics as the latest example). What I’d like to do is come up with new apps that combine features and data available through platform API’s and present/mashup/use it to fulfill a user’s custom needs. We’re working on that…

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Regurgitated features instead of new ideas.

Roger — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:54:29 +0000

Today Facebook will announce its “gMail killer”. At least that’s what the rumor mill is claiming. Or should I call it echo chamber? Seems Silicon Valley is losing sight of the ball and is just lapping up the press releases and events, waiting for Twitter, Facebook or Google (or spin off) to announce “the next big fat feature”. That’s what’s wrong with the picture these days. It’s not about ideas that will change the world anymore, it’s about features added to an existing idea that will hopefully keep the masses happy. Or at least keep the hipster in-crowd happy. Or as with the latest PR blitz (@Path) keep the investors happy (by providing some “used to be part of Facebook” buzz). It’s all so similar to what was happening in the late 90′s. But now it’s not IPO’s, it’s who’s financing who and who will be bought by who. Product and/or idea doesn’t matter all that much, as long as there’s a healthy buzz so money can change hands swiftly and with a healthy profit. Can you say “Bubble”? If you can, say “Pop”. In the mean time, I hope to hear from the real innovators out there, announcing the next big ideas without the big events. Just a good product or service that catches on, fills a real need or solves a real problem.

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Tweet like it’s 1999

Roger — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:51:07 +0000

Man I miss San Francisco. Wish I could be there right now to witness the new internet bubble, Bubble 2.0, burst, or maybe inflate a little more, or maybe it isn’t really a bubble? It sure looks like it though, with the new Twitter coming out (it isn’t out here in the Netherlands yet…). But the press coverage, the video, the “new” features that should have been there in the first place, it’s all so 1999 as far as the hype factor goes. All this for a service that lets you type 140 characters and share it with perfect strangers. I know, it has a large user base, it is, for me at least, a great news reader. But come on, it’s a simple service, maybe a powerful service for some, but nothing earth shattering. I’m glad they are finally coming up with some useful features of their own though…

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Thoughts on Ping

Roger — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:00:25 +0000

Why Ping, Apple? Why do you want your own social network on top of your proprietary media distribution platform? Do you really think you can do it all? Why not focus on what you do well and partner with, let’s say, Facebook? Integrate Facebook with iTunes and use the “like” and “follow” functionality, post reviews on Facebook with a link to iTunes and vise versa. Don’t be like Google in this case, trying to do everything yourself, but use the most popular social network out there to grow your own base of iTunes users. Or am I missing something, it isn’t the first time that’s happened.

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Social Consolidation

Roger — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:53:00 +0000

I have been thinking about Social Consolidation these past few days, following a conversation on Facebook. There are several projects in development which strive to gather all the information and communication streams of several social networking sites and tools into one place. I first began to think about this when I was irritated about having to update my profile picture at all the different sites and apps every time I thought I had a better image of my mug. Now, with Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Foursquare, Yelp, etc. it’s becoming more and more of a chore to keep track of information and people.

I also see these sites and apps taking on more and more ideas of one another. Latest is Yelp adding a “Check in” function to their iPhone app, basically competing with Foursquare. Then I think about the fact that Yelp canceled their deal with Google. What are they planning? Or could another party have a better offer and be more suited? Could Facebook be interested?

Could there be a social consolidation wave coming? Where Facebook will go on a buying spree and thereby add more social functionality and consolidate the information stream? Or will they buy one of the social consolidation apps and provide a concentrated place for all your streams?

Social Consolidation Projects
Threadsy
Raindrop

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First online court in the Netherlands online

Roger — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:02:14 +0000

After two months of hard work we launched our biggest project to date today. e-Court is the first online court in the Netherlands. It’s a complete web-based solution to resolve your legal dispute (monetary claims mainly). Within 8 weeks and for a fraction of the cost of a regular court process, you can come to a conclusion, provided in a legal binding document. With a simple sign up, verification and invitation to the other party involved you start the process after which the site will guide both parties and the judge through the proceedings on a week to week basis. From sign up, payment, case files and verdict, it’s all done online. There is an option to have a hearing, where all parties involved can meet each-other during the process at a location chosen by the judge.

All in all this is our most ambitious project yet and we look forward to making it even better and helping it evolve over time.

The e-Court website

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Nexus One launched

Roger — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:11:17 +0000

Google launched it’s first Google branded phone today, the Nexus One. It looks like a great product and should be the start of the next generation of smart phones. One feature that I can see setting this phone apart from other smart phones is its voice feature (see video below). They’ve implemented this very nicely and it should be a valuable addition to making this and future smartphones a truly smart and multifunctional tool. As always, I’m looking forward to Apple’s answer at the end of the month (the iSlate?) and their next generation iPhone later this year.

More Nexus One Videos
Nexus One Official Site

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