The Next Web

Tarpipe Helps Spread The Content Love

Written on November 18, 2008 – 5:56 am
Andrew Hyde, Start-up junkie

Startup tarpipe is aiming to simplify the workflow of posting on social media sites.  Their API enables users to do progressive things with their content in single actions.  You can upload a photo from an email, have it post to a few such as uploading a photo, announcing this action with a tweet, sending an IM to a friend and send an email (and can do so at the same time).  It does this without forcing the user to install a desktop or mobile application.

Their blog highlights some of the interesting projects their product is leading to, such as extending battery life while using location based service and make EverNote do some cool things.

The big question for me is in how it will be used, and how it will differ from just creating a social media power user megaphone.  I can see some people setting it up so that their Twitter, Pownce, away message, Jaiku, Flickr, Friend Feed, Tumblr and Plurk update every time they see fit, which would create an almost embarrassing echo chamber.

They are strong advocates for open source, and with their API can imagine some creative uses. Currently, I see uses that are neat (use IM to update your twitter) to useful (uploading your photos to several places) but don’t see a use of their API that absolutely shines.  Yet.

I hope you like that post!

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flickr, Friend Feed, Jaiku, plurk, Pownce, Tarpipe, Tumblr, twitter

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Create Your Own Twitter with Twingr

Written on November 13, 2008 – 7:54 pm
Zee M Kane, Internet Marketer, Design Connoisseur & Web App Devotee

Twingr is a brand new startup which essentially lets you create your own microblogging community. The site slots directly in with the continuing craze for microblogs and lifestreaming, and ways to make a viable business out of the two.

For those of you unfamiliar with microblogging, it’s simply a way to post short nuggets of thoughts, ideas, links to a website where they can be shared with others. The largest of these websites is undoubtedly Twitter, although there are many competitors along the lines of Plurk, Identi.ca, Rejaw and Techcrunch 50 winner Yammer.

(more…)

microblogging, microblogs, plurk, twitter

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One good reason why Plurk is the new Twitter

Written on June 6, 2008 – 6:14 pm
Patrick de Laive, Internet entrepreneur and co-founder of Fleck

Same old same old…

plurk, twitter

6 Comments »

Are you already Plurking?

Written on June 2, 2008 – 1:13 pm
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief

Actually that isn’t the right question. It’s supposed to be: “Is your mother already plurking?”. She will never use Twitter, it’s too complicated for her (Editors note: our moms surely would be smart enough to use twitter but maybe we would have a hard time convincing them of Twitters usefulness). I’ve introduced some non-geeky friends on Twitter lately, and even they have a hard time figuring it out. But Plurk is a totally different story. This microblogging service has several advantages for not so web-savvy users in comparison to the service of Biz Stone and Evan Williams:

• The time line is actually displayed as a time line. This is symbolic for the whole intuitive UI of Plurk;
• You can group your friends in cliques. Something a lot of people have been asking for on Twitter;
• It’s possible to get an overview of conversations. So you don’t have to browse to different pages to catch up with an interesting discussion;
• They brought back the smiley icons. People recognize that from their social networks ;-) ;
• They’ve introduced Karma, which is based on your activity, not just the amount of people following you. This is better for the network as it gives those friend-collectors a hard time;
• The service looks good and friendly.

A serious Twitter alternative?

Of course I can mention an equal number of reasons why you should prefer Twitter over Plurk, as all your friends are there, tons of mash-ups have been built and the mobile integration is pretty good. And they have web celebs behind them. So I don’t think Twitter users will switch that fast. It has become part of a life-style after all.

But at the same time, after browsing around on Plurk for a while I’ve already noticed some early adopters like Robert Scoble and Duncan Riley are checking the service out. They’re probably all eager for an alternative to always unreliable Twitter. I mean, Scoble is already really emotional about somebody stealing his nickname Scobleizer on Plurk. So even the early adopters might be willing to switch.

Discovering your microblogging need

As soon as Plurk has mobile support - now there is just a ‘coming soon’ page -, some people who just got started with Twitter and have discovered their microblogging need, might switch to Plurk. Just like Facebook took over the stick from Friendster. The need is created is by the early adopters, the early majority adopts a more user-friendly alternative.

plurk, twitter

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