News

From ValleySchwag To StartupSchwag

StartupSchwag.com Logo

If any of you were fans of ValleySchwag, I’m sure your excited to see StartupSchwag. Roddy claims he has studied and learned from the mistakes of ValleySchwag and will be focusing on TShirts rather than everything else. Like it’s predecessor, StartupSchwag will be a surprise, web 2.0 Tshirt of the month club. Roddy has also stated that if there are any other schwag items such as ( stickers, lanyards, ect ) that they would be given out. Whenever those items would disappear, Tshirts would always be available.

The first set of schwag featured on the site is from TechCrunch. Go figure. The cost of joining the club in the U.S. is $19.55 which includes the standard $14.95 fee and $4.60 for Shipping and Handling. For Canadian or Mexican residents, the cost is $23.50 while International residents will be paying $25.40. The only item your guaranteed to receive each month is a Tshirt, but every now and then you might pick up a mystery bag filled with goodies. I think it’s a reasonable price if your into this kind of apparel.

On a related note, I have to admit that I have seen quite a bit of demand for items such as Web 2.0 inspired Tshirts, startup stickers, web 2.0 startup hoodies, all kinds of weird apparel so people can flaunt their favorite companies. If your looking at getting into the apparel business, Web 2.0 inspired clothing is a niche market which seems very ripe for the picking right now. If you happen to launch a company that specializes in Web 2.0 apparel or if you know of one that already exists, by all means let me know.

Pownce Update Provides New Features

Pownce.com LogoKevin Rose startup, Pownce, has completed the roll out of a new update which contains a couple of new features such as on site image and video previews, other profile links and more user customization options.

Users can now view images and videos that are within links, on site. You’ll no longer need to actually click the link in order to preview what it is. As it stands, you can now embed video into your Pownce messages as long as it is from one of these services, YouTube, Google Video, Metacafe, Revver and Vimeo. On site image previews are currently only capable of being viewed from Zooomr but Pownce plans on adding Photobucket and Flickr support in a future update.

Pownce Other ProfilesPownce has added a feature that I think many users are going to appreciate. Powncers will now be able to display links to their other online profiles. The list of sites to choose from which you have an account with is tiny compared to that of OnXiAm, but the list does contain quite a few popular services which should suffice for now.

Pownce Upcoming EventsAlso released in this update, is an area on your Pownce user page that displays the next 5 Upcoming Events. In the top right-hand corner of your Pownce user page, you will now see a list containing the next 5 events that you created, or that you have been invited to.

Last but not least, Pownce has included a few more user customization options. These are described below:

you can now open links in a new window by default! you can also set your default note view to something other than ‘notes & replies’, and you can select whom you’re note. tired of seeing all replies displayed inline? no worries, you can set it to just ‘notes’. and finally, you can specify whom notes should go to by default (such as your ‘best friends’ or ‘coworkers’ set).

If you use Pownce, be sure to check out the new features and let me know what you think. If you want, you can add me as a friend as well http://pownce.com/Jeffro2pt0/ I don’t use Pownce that much as I get my social kicks from Twitter. On a side note, Pownce tells me that I have 11 more invites to give away. If you were late getting on the bandwagon, but still want to go along for the ride, be sure to let me know in the comments if you want to be invited into the service.

New Month Means New Poll

Jeffro2pt0 Banner For Site Updates

During the month of August, I asked readers if they would like me to produce a podcast based on the content that has been featured on this site. The results are in:

Should I Produce A Podcast For This Site?

  • Yes (57%, 13 Votes)
  • No (43%, 10 Votes)

Total Voters: 23

It was close, but it looks like I better put my podcast hat on. So with that in mind, I’d like to present to you my idea for the podcast. I was thinking of calling the podcast, AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE. The podcast would be produced LIVE every Friday Evening at 9PM EST on Talkshoe and would last anywhere from a half hour to 60 minutes. The interviews will be open to discussion on various topics such as what the blog author covers on his or her own blog, blogging in general, their thoughts and opinions on various subjects, tips and tricks for other bloggers, discussion of topics in the news, and anything else that comes to mind. It won’t be a tightly arranged format. I want guests who appear on the show to feel like they are entering a relaxed environment without all of the stress or expectations that may accompany other shows.

If you are a blog author and want to appear on the show, please contact me and tell me which Friday you would be available. As it stands, all slots are empty, but I’d love to fill them up. I’m looking to produce the first show on Friday September 21st, 2007. Who is going to be the first guest on the show?

With that out of the way, it’s time for a new poll question. I’ve been thinking about adding forums to this site, but I’m still not sure if they would be productive or counter productive to the web site. The decision is now in your hands. Vote yes if you would like to see forums attached to this site, or vote no if you could care less.

Yappd Finally Getting Somewhere

Yappd.com LogoYappd, the service that was awarded my first negative review which can be read here, has released a few updates which finally make the service worth using. These updates include uploading photos, public API and TinyURL Support.

Yappd members can now upload photos via their web site. Yappd has also added in support so that you’ll be notified if friends on your watchlist have posted any Yappd messages. If your a developer, and for some reason would like to integrate Yappd into your application or website, you can now visit http://yappd.com/api to tap into their Beta API.

Yappd claims they are focusing on the capabilities of their platform by allowing member’s of other microblogging websites, to have their other “messages” posted as Yapps automatically. Another item on their to do list includes, expanding their mobile carrier support for picture messaging and international support.

With these updates in mind, I may have to go back to the Yappd site and give it another try.

Who’s Amung.us At It Again

Whos.Amung.US Logo

I was wondering why my whos amung us widget was screwing up, and now I know why. Whos Amung Us has rolled out some updates to their web based widget which shows you how many users are concurrently browsing your site, in real-time. The most notable changes are within the WhosAmungUs website itself. Now, all widgets that are produced by the team are accessible on one page.

New Widget Called Maps.Amung.Us

One of the biggest changes is a brand new widget called MAPS or Maps.amung.us This widget shows you who has visited your site based on the location of their IP address. Think Frappr in real-time. Be sure to check out http://whos.amung.us/ to grab your widgets and to check out their new widget, visit http://maps.amung.us/

Who’s Amung.us At It Again

Whos.Amung.US Logo

I was wondering why my whos amung us widget was screwing up, and now I know why. Whos Amung Us has rolled out some updates to their web based widget which shows you how many users are concurrently browsing your site, in real-time. The most notable changes are within the WhosAmungUs website itself. Now, all widgets that are produced by the team are accessible on one page.

New Widget Called Maps.Amung.Us

One of the biggest changes is a brand new widget called MAPS or Maps.amung.us This widget shows you who has visited your site based on the location of their IP address. Think Frappr in real-time. Be sure to check out http://whos.amung.us/ to grab your widgets and to check out their new widget, visit http://maps.amung.us/

25 Sites To Watch Via PCWorld

PCWorlds top 25 Sites to WatchPCWorld has put together a list of 25 websites worth watching. The list includes sites such as ClipMarks, Meebo, Spock, Pageflakes, Approver.com and others. Out of the sites PCWorld covers, the one that I am the most excited about is probably ClipMarks. ClipMarks is just an overall cool service that allows me to clip various portions of articles I discover across the web. It’s almost as if I’m creating my own search engine based on my ClipMarks which is then shareable to the public.

At any rate, give the list a read and when your finished, please leave a comment letting me know your thoughts.

Cagora – Interests Groups 2.0

Typically, if you want information on a particular subject, you fire up your favorite browser and type in your search terms into Google. Depending upon your method of searching and the popularity of the specific topic you are searching for, Google may or may not provide you with the most helpful results. Cagora hopes to change this by creating a site where hundreds of communities and special interest groups will be able to provide you the information you need.

Contest Deadline Extended

It’s nearing the end of the month and so far, only one person has submitted an entry to the Web 2.0 Real World Photography Contest. I can’t seem to bring myself to award one individual the prize without some sort of competition. So, I have decided to extend the deadline of the contest to the end of September. I’m hoping that word about this contest will be spread around and hopefully, more entries will be posted before the end of the next deadline. If not, I’m going to assume that Web2.0 truly is an online phenomenon that doesn’t exist outside of the interwebs.