SAN FRANCISCO -- Web 2.0 Expo -- It will be a big week for
product announcements, with technology vendors from across the globe congregating
in San Francisco for the Web 2.0 Expo, co-produced by TechWeb and O'Reilly Media. One such company using its megaphone today is Silicon Valley-based Vysr Inc. with the launch of its new "user-centric"
product, RoamAbout -- a tool that lets consumers drag their favorite Web services
and social networks along with them on their Webward journeys.
During a pre-Expo briefing with Vysr CEO Guda Venkatesh, I
saw the workings of RoamAbout, a
downloadable, portable browser plug-in intended to solve the problem of
having to leave one Website to accomplish a task on another, by putting several
services (weather, stock quotes, directions, email, etc.) at the users'
bloodied fingertips.
Thus, rather than having to leave the Internet Evolution
site (because GOD knows it pains you to do so) to get a Google stock price, with
RoamAbout you can just copy and paste one of my numerous, nefarious Google references into
the RoamAbout stock tool that lingers discreetly at the side of your browser screen. Additionally, RoamAbout will include a portable chat feature and a tool that reads text from a Web page aloud.
But wait: Doesn't this idea of making several Web services easily accessible from one Web spot sound kind of familiar?
A few months back, Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) CEO Jerry Yang proposed that Yahoo would be
taking on a similar endeavor with its own site, but this has failed to fully materialize. "Yahoo has done something like
this on their site itself," says Venkatesh, referring to Yahoo's "Smart Tips"-enabled sites. "But they have to work individually
with these sites," whereas RoamAbout can be downloaded as a plug-in for use on any Website.
Nevertheless, in its present state, the RoamAbout product is limited. Users who want to use the RoamAbout tool to email their pals from whatever site they're on are currently restricted to Gmail, Yahoo mail, and Facebook mail. Additionally, Vysr has yet
to develop or acquire a service for cellphone messaging -- a popular medium. However, Venkatesh
stresses that a third-party developer can take this on. So far,
he says, Vysr has about 10 APIs, with more to come out "every
week."
Despite my prodding, Venkatesh was reluctant to label his product
a Web 3.0 application, saying he'll leave it up to the media to determine that. "For us it's basically making Web 2.0 services extremely useful and convenient
for people."
Useful Web 2.0 applications? Who would've thunk
it plausible...
Vysr is no big deal.It is still the web seen thru a 4x3 flat window.
The real ‘roam about’ web will be tied to you GPS locations, the ambient noise level, your mental state as evidenced by your blood pressure and body temperature.The pervasive web will be context aware and follow you- and give you information relevant to your place, time and mental state.It will be in your jewelry, your phone, your key chain and your car.You will hear it in your earpiece- you will see it on any flat surface where you look. You will interact with it via gesture and speech.
"We tend to overestimate what will happen in five years, and underestimate what will happen in 10"
Bill Gates
The pervasive web is about 7 years out, but no more.
C'mon Venkatech, why hesitant to call RoamAbout a Web 3.0 product?? Well we at IE will not hesitate to tag it so as this will afford us the opportunity to start discussing Web 4.0 ideas!!!! Why not start givig us some Web 4.0 Posts?? It seems the Tech people are following the footsteps of the Geologist of being obsessed with nomenclature. My Advisor once told me that the Geologist just like inventing new names for the same rock!!
Great product and will definitely enrich our multitasking experience. Well it's easier to knock out a boxer like Yahoo that is just in the ring for money!!!
The ThinkerNet does not reflect the views of TechWeb. The ThinkerNet is an informal means of communication to members and visitors of the Internet Evolution site. Individual authors are chosen by Internet Evolution to blog. Neither Internet Evolution nor TechWeb assume responsibility for comments, claims, or opinions made by authors and ThinkerNet bloggers. They are no substitute for your own research and should not be relied upon for trading or any other purpose.
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While Google introduces its new Chrome OS (which I'm hearing will be widely available in one year? Did I mishear that?), IBM announced 10 new products today to help companies using IBM System z mainframe technology.
Smarter Collaboration: How to Thrive in a Challenging Business Environment Market conditions are changing faster than ever, and organizations need to improve their agility and adaptability in order to provide better service and improve processes. The ability to work with customers, business partners, and employees as effectively as possible - while at the same time holding down costs - is a key to success. READ THIS eBOOK
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What can users today do to protect their online privacy? The simplest and most obvious option is to not use the Internet – at all. However, once all digital information is consolidated over the Internet, trying to protect digital identity by simply unplugging from the Internet becomes impossible – a fact that has manifest implications for civil liberties, Saunders says.
By 2011 the number of Internet-connected sensors will exceed 1 trillion, making your chances of doing anything or going anywhere unnoticed pretty much zero. Saunders talks about how the 'sensortization' of the Internet is eliminating the traditional divide between online and offline populations.
The 20th Century Internet was characterized by the ability to interact with other people and information on the Internet largely without anyone knowing who you were. The Internet of this century, conversely, will be defined by identity. Saunders explains how Internet users are unwittingly contributing to the demise of the anonymous Internet.
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More companies are trolling social networks to find and vet potential job candidates. Beware the pitfalls of blurring the line between personal and professional lives.
As enterprises leap into the Web 2.0 world of blogging, commenting, and social networking, just 'being there' won't deliver ROI. You may want a 'Web Evangelist' to systematically harvest the feedback in order to polish your product or service.
The city of San Francisco is on the leading edge of using the Internet to provide government transparency. It is providing WiFi for its have-nots, and its DataSF.org initiative is putting the city's valuable data back in the hands of its citizens, with innovative results.
In the final episode of this series about the death of Internet anonymity, Saunders describes how the Internet of the future will start to attain a level of intelligence that requires no human intervention. Scary.
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The US loses about $20 billion a year on pirated software, movies, and music. But public policy can help stem the tide of digital theft. For example, France has recently passed a 'three strikes and you’re out' law, whereby if after two warning letters an individual continues to download pirated software then his Internet access will be cut off. US policy makers should consider adopting similar policies.
Financial management planning does not need to include Voodoo economics, but it does help to tap into the knowledge base of your team through some sort of real-time system. We explore your options.
When Reiter gets incensed over incompetent Verizon FiOS order-taking and support, he broadcasts it via Twitter. Did it do any good? How should your company offer Twitter support? Watch this for all the answers.
The successor to the BlackBerry Bold 9000 – the Bold 9700 – will be available soon in the US. Is it worth upgrading? Reiter's got one, and offers advice.
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