GO2WEB20 Blog

Track Wabpages Sharing Stats Through Chrome Browser

2010-08-30T10:19:00.005+03:00

When you're a blogger, or a site owner, it is important that you place some share buttons in your blog/site so it will be easier to share your content (stating the obvious here) - What also might be important for your visitors, or any other site visitors, is the ability to see sharing stats on each page without looking for the buttons on the page itself.
If you use a Chrome Browser, you can see any webpage sharing stats at a glance:

The coolest, and most valuable thing is that you can see these kind of states even if the site doesn't have any sharing button integrated.

Shareaholic, a well known sharing platform, has released three useful chrome extensions to help you know more about the page you are about to read. The extensions are separated so you don't really need to install them all, it is of course up to you.
Facebook - Combines Share & Likes.
Twitter, and Buzz counter (you'll need to enable the Buzz Count in this extension)

These extensions will also allow you to instantly share content onto the Facebook/Twitter/Buzz platforms - Directly from your browser.

I'm not sure if the numbers are always accurate, but it sure is the first time that I can actually see any kind of states over a Twitter page...

My Own Personal Facebook Rant

2010-08-20T17:05:00.009+03:00

It seems like lately I've been ranting about Facebook a lot, so I've decided it would be best to write this down, since just maybe, you feel the same as I do.

I just want to state first, that I adore Facebook. I use this platform so often that maybe this is why all of their recent changes lately are even more frustrating.

Here's what bothers me the most:

Facebook pages resizing - On the 23rd of this month, Facebook will change the size of the pages you have already created (thousands of them) to a size of 520pixels (instead of 760). I get the idea of a new and improve navigation, but would it kill Facebook to actually explain nicely to the their users why this is happening and how to adapt these pages? I guess it is fine for them to just give us a heads up about these changes...

It would be fine, if that was the only thing Facebook is changing. But, they are changing stuff daily now, making it very difficult for users or page admins to feel comfortable in space and maintain their profiles and pages accordingly. While it is great to have new features, it is getting harder to enjoy the platform when items that you have used are removed or replaced that easily.

Which brings me to the Question feature. With this one, Facebook changed the whole publish box from this interface:

to this one:

Don't worry, you'll get use to it, right? Until, you'll realize all the nice things like posting a song, gift, or any other thing on a friend's wall are gone for some reason. Why is Facebook taking all the fun out of its platform? Shouldn't it be a huge part of what we do while networking with each other? Have you noticed that your daily stream has become more and more link-based and less and less friend-based?

Back to the Question feature, I'm still trying to get it. Why Facebook released a semi-product (even if it is only to a small percentage of its users) is beyond me. Navigation is a drag. From the main Questions area, you can't get to your own questions - only from your profile. You can't answer directly from a stream (either on the homepage, or from your profile) this option is not there and this is really a basic obvious feature.

Check out this screenshot below: I can't see how many people answered my question, nor can I open a new question right from my user's question zone. I need to go inside each question to find out more. I would love to see this at first glance though. It would save a lot of time for users. And the oddest part is that I can't open a new question from anywhere else but the box in my wall. What?!

You know this feel bad? Because this is not the user experience I expect to have on Facebook. I consider it on the cutting edge, in terms of bringing users fresh and new features that ultimately leads to a completely different behavior from users all over the web. So to get this bad experience from them is disappointing to say the least.

I don't have the Places feature yet. Which is OK.. living in outside of the U.S., I've learned to be patient...
But, just from a quick look at a friend's page, I can see it still needs polish:

I understand The Edgewater is a hotel, so a badge/image/icon for different types of places would be helpful.
Reviews/Recommendation by friends
Connect existent service pages to their location

I hope Facebook will allow proprietors to do something with this page. If The Edgewater could connect this place page to their service page on Facebook it would be great. That way a proprietor can control what information is on the page and can offer deals, coupons, etc. Anyway, it is much early to predict what Facebook will do with 'places' and now that they know not only what you like, but also where you are at, the sky is the limit - but mostly for advertising opportunities.

I'm actually looking forward to trying it out myself and can't wait to see what will become from it. I'm sure people that have been reluctant to sign on to similar services will be more open to trying them now. Perhaps they will feel more comfortable on Facebook rather than another location-based platform.

Last but not least, we come to Global support. Living in Israel, I can tell you it is not easy to get Facebook's attention. I'm not saying that each country needs to have a Facebook office. But, I do think that if there are millions of users in one country, Facebook could at least allocate a small team to deal with service issues & local business problems (ideally, in that language), rather make them go through an exhausting journey with the help center. That just doesn't cut it, Facebook..

Chat with Friends while Sharing Huge Files Instantly

2010-08-16T13:09:00.006+03:00

Dushare (Dubai-based), is a P2P file-transfer service which makes it easy to send unlimited file sizes between two people.

The service does not require uploading a file to a server and the other peer downloading it. The moment you send a file, the other peer starts downloading instantly in real-time. Peers can also communicate with each other over the built-in messaging box. All through a very simple-to-use interface.

Since Dushare uses a direct connection, no one but the peers can see the files (or chat history).

Auto-Tag Your Facebook Friends' Photos from Your iPhone

2010-08-16T00:26:00.003+03:00

AutoTagger is a tagging application that uses face.com recognition technology. It automatically tags your Facebook friends' on photos when taken with your iPhone.

After you download the application, login with Facebook connect, then choose a picture from your iPhone album or take a new one. If AutoTagger recognizes your friend's face, it will automatically tag it. That way, when you share it on Facebook, it appears tagged already, which obviously saves you time. (Note: that only your Facebook friends' can be auto recognized because of privacy issues).

While this app concept is so cool that I honestly wish Facebook offered this themselves, it does not always work properly. But as people correct the tags or add new ones, the better this app will get for everyone.

When uploading a picture to Facebook after tagging, AutoTagger will also Auto-open an album with all the pictures you sent via this app - which is okay if you want to easily find your pictures later. What I didn't like (really, really didn't like) is that they add the logo of AutoTagger on top of the picture. Which pretty annoying, unnecessary and old school marketing style all together.

Bottom line, if this app would offer at least 80% accuracy in terms of tagging results, it would be completely worth using.

Another take on this app can be found on TNW.

Custom Button for iPhone App Owners

2010-08-13T11:45:00.009+03:00

Appsto.re, A URL shortener service for iPhone applications has just released a simple tool that enables developers and app owners to create a custom application button and place in signature, forums or any other site.

Instead of using this plain button

You can use something that is more informative and inviting to use. You can control button's content with the ability to show/hide star-rating, price and to modify the app name. Clicking on the button will direct visitors to the App Store.

Click here to start.
examples:

Keep the Kids Busy Having Fun this Summer

2010-08-05T22:55:00.005+03:00

It is always such a great pleasure to discover a new kids' site, but during summer vacation, it could also be very helpful in terms of giving them something to keep occupied with that's fun, constructive, and safe.. I'm sure you parents will appreciate this one even more.

Israel-based Kidopo is a new site that offers an innovative coloring application for coloring pages, which simulates a real coloring experience. Kids can enjoy hundreds of coloring pages divided into categories for easy searching. Pages can also be easily printed if your kids want to put their creation on the fridge or display.

Other sections of the site include the kids printables, which is a very sweet section where you can find all kinds of activities kids love to do such as stickers, Connect the Dots, Mazes, Birthday Invites and more. In the game section, your kids will find games that can enrich their education and allow them to spend some quality time on the web.

Overall, I found Kidopo to be a good online source for children learning and playing on the net with safe and educational content. Now, no running with the scissors!

Musicovery - Major Site Facelift

2010-07-22T10:00:00.010+03:00

The popular music service: Musicovery, has completely redesigned their site. And as one of their first users I think it's kind of sad because for me, Musicovery symbols an example of a great visualization tool never yet seen on the web. Even after 4 years I still haven't seen something that impressed me as much as this one, so obviously, I'm disappointed to see the changes.

On the other hand, it is only natural to redesign after so many years, but if something works so well, do you really need to change it? I'll let you be the judge of that.

Old interface:

New one:

In any case you won't be able to enjoy the site much if you haven't pay for the service. The free version is so limited it is annoying.

If you're looking for alternative services, I suggest that you try Finetune wii version on the web,
still works great, and gives you hours of music based on one artist that you choose.

Or, Rokola.fm that is ridiculously easy to use. | Translation

iPhone Music App Worth Installing

2010-07-01T11:33:00.008+03:00

I have tried several music apps but this one tops them all. Rockola.fm's iPhone app allows you to listen to music based on your mode, decades and language preferences. Search music by tags or simply write down the artist/band name to get a playlist that matches their music. If you are already a www.rockola.fm user, log in and listen to your own stations, and favorite tunes.

I was surprised to find something this good and free. And not only it is free, it also easy-to-use, and song streaming is very fast. Too bad you can't save favorites through the iPhone app.. You can do it however from the site itself (than listen to it on the app).

Download here (it will auto-recognize your language preference)

What I need from my favorite location-based application/s

2010-06-20T08:15:00.005+03:00

Some of you may have not decided if you want to start using location-based services yet or not. Perhaps you are wondering how will this service be useful to me? Or perhaps it is the privacy issue holding you back. Well, I'm not going to try to convince you today whether to use it or not, instead my focus is geared toward the people who already use it, and been using it for a while now. Don't you feel that these services are still lacking some features? In my case, I use Gowalla, but the same will apply to Foursquare: so you checked in a place, now what? In Gowalla, thank god, I still have the ability to pick up some cool badges, upload pictures, and comment on interesting places, but in Foursquare I can't - I can get to leave tips, which is pretty useful. BUT - I think both of the services are not half way there yet. I can think of so many ways to improve this check-in place experience so of course I have to share some of my thoughts:

Pictures: Thanks for the ability to upload pictures, Gowalla, but I also want the option to connect to image services that I'm already using. If it's Twitter, let me upload to Twitpic, Tweetphoto, etc. If it's Facebook, why not auto-open an album and upload all my pictures to there (I'm already connected to the service anyway), same goes to Flickr. It's not that you just let me check in and upload a picture at the same time, at least let the user have the ability to choose which service to use other than your own.

Badges: Gowalla has the awesomest badges, and Foursquare has some sort of a game going with not so great looking badges. Personally, I think that at some point it will become boring to become a mayor of a place or get a local badge so I'm hoping Foursquare will renew the game, but Gowalla... I really wish they made their game more powerful and interesting. The badges are great, and it's nice to have or swap them, but what about sending them as a gift to someone, or trading them in as real gifts at some point, or as coupons... (will get to that later). I just think that there could be better and interesting ways to give some liveliness to the lovely badges.

Nearby Friends: I really like the view on Google Latitude where you can see your friends' location on a big map. I think Gowalla (and probably Foursquare as well) are focusing on nearby spots and not handling the idea of connecting friends with others on a larger scale so well. There are so many ways in which I could have found time between meetings to enjoy with friends who were nearby (relatively) but I was unaware of their proximity...

Private messages: I guess the only good point of having private messages (aka DMs) instead of using email, is the ability of these applications to inform the user via notifications (if using iPhone) - which makes it easier to track a private conversation from within the application, which also means you don't have to expose your email address.

Recommended Places: I think both services do not handle recommendations very well - People should easily be able to add reviews, other people should be able to easily search for them. Foursquare is doing a better job with tips, but still, I'd like to get the best recommendations first, and not just random feedback. These things are usually measured by people voting and rating (would be nice to allow folks to do) - empower the users.

Coupons: I'd love to see some partnership with offline services such coffee shops, restaurants, stores, etc. If people offer recommendations on a place, and more people are going there because of these suggestions, it is more than likely that the place would want to give some kind of discount and collaborate with these kind of services. The problem is how to get to some of these services worldwide. But this is something that the users themselves can help do. For example, there is a coffee place in Tel Aviv that I usually go to and check in at. The owner of the place doesn't even know that I can bring more people in just by doing this. I'm sure that if I discussed this with him, and explained the service to him, I could (hypothetically speaking) get a deal like - everyone who checks in through Gowalla gets a special badge that maybe later can translate into a coupon or a discount - oh wait, a discount badge sound awesome :)

There is also a list of web and mobile services that I wish would be integrated into the Gowalla & Foursquare platforms, but that is a whole different post...

Personalized eBooks for the Little Ones

2010-06-17T20:00:00.005+03:00

Here's a quick recommendation of a sweet site I just ran into called MeeGenius. The site contain a library with books for kids that can be read on the site itself, over the iPhone, or through the iPad.

The books come with audio playback and word highlighting, and can be personalized just the way you like them. Meaning, your kid name can be added to the book story in a snap. For example, you can change the character names in 'Little Red Riding Hood' to the original names in your family and make the story your own.

The children's book reader app for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad has the same functions (audio playback, word highlighting and auto-play). The books are displayed on a digital bookshelf and your kid can simply choose his favorite book when the app is launched.

I couldn't try it on the iPad, but from what I've tested on the web, the books are beautifully made, and the stories are well known so it will be more easy for children to connect to them. Best of all, you can read all the books at the site for free. Or download the iPhone /iPad apps (for a decent price)

Like It or Not: You Like the Like Button

2010-06-10T09:43:00.011+03:00

We founded Go2web20 almost 4 years ago, since then we've changed it dramatically (only once, when we moved from FLASH to AJAX) in order to make it faster and enjoyable site for our readers. Now as in the past, we get lots of positive feedback on the site and people seem to enjoy it. We know it has been used for research at schools & colleges, as a reference source for designers, and as a search engine for everything that is great on the web.

We know we haven't changed it as much and often as you might have wanted us to change it, but nevertheless, we do care about it, and we are trying to add new and fresh content on a daily basis.

Today we are announcing a small, yet powerful feature we're adding that we hope you will like.

You know how everyone added the 'like button' to their site once Facebook announced it? Well, we had to do it as well :)
But wait, there's more - We thought it would be nice if you could search a site in our directory and while visiting it, being able to see how many people liked the site, and who among them are your friends. So lets say you visit this Delicious page in Go2web20, and want to get on to the site - when clicking on the button: 'continue to the site' you will see this snippet over the top of the site you are about to visit:

Clicking on the x button will close the snippet and take you directly to the site. You can also go back to the directory to search for other sites if you haven't found what you need yet.

This is how the post will look if you'd post it on Facebook BTW.

Basically, it is LIKE a friends' recommendation add-on that we think will add value when you visit a new site. We just added it, so you won't see many 'likes' at this stage, but as more people like-what-you-like, then people (mostly, your friends) will reap recommendations.

What Is Your Mood?

2010-05-28T19:20:00.004+03:00

I love simple services, with simple ideas - This is why I like Moodler.in so much. It's not complicated or attempting to be the most sophisticated application, it is just a service where you can share your current mood with your friends. The application lets you show your mood right now by displaying a sweet icon to express that sentiment. After a quick sign-up (god, I love those easy forms), you are able to share notes with your friends. You can also download Moodler's AIR application and do the same from your desktop.

While I fell in-love with this sweet, simple application immediately, I just can't understand why they didn't connect this to Facebook and Twitter services yet. Even while it's so easy to sign-up and invite friends, I don't see why I need to bring my friends unto a new closed service instead of sending updates to where the places they already reside in. What I would suggest to the guys at Moodler is to add Facebook connect ASAP in order to allow people to connect with their already existing list of friends.

The service reminds me one of Facebook applications called Emoting, which was very famous back before the days when Facebook took all the fun applications and hid them under a tab deep down in our profiles. I say, bring the fun back, Moodler, and let us send cool messages to our friends, but don't make it harder on us, just connect with Facebook and Twitter so when we do send an update through Moodler, it will show up on these social networks as well. Plus, a notification system on the desktop app is needed.. Just saying.

Add Sharing/Search Bar to your Blog or Site - In a Snap

2010-05-14T17:28:00.006+03:00

I've added the Apture bar because of its sharing option, but it was only later that I understood it is its search ability that makes it ten times better.

You won't actually see the bar unless you scroll down the page. Then you'll be able to first share the post, but when standing on any word at the post, a search button will appear and you'll be able to search the term you were looking for.

You can also freely write anything in the search bar to your right - So lets say you are looking for Scoble, you get to see results from Wikipedia, CrunchBase, Blogs, Google and Twitter. The great thing about it is that you don't need to leave the page in order to see all of these results. Moreover, you can jump between one twitter user to another with ease.

Additionally, you can search for pictures and video clips which you can also see directly over the page you are standing on.

And it all boils down to one line of code that you as a blog or a site owner, can customize the way you want.

Israel Delivers Current Technology You Simply Can't Ignore

2010-05-07T18:09:00.006+03:00

Although Techonomy 2010 took place three days ago, it's only now that I have the time to actually relax and write my personal impressions of the whole wonderful experience.

What is Techonomy?

To put it simply, Techonomy is an event created two years ago when the recession was hovering above our heads and forcing start-ups and large companies to think in a more responsible fashion. If you are familiar with where the web space was five to six years ago, you must know then that it was very common to open a startup first and think about its business model later. Much later. Today it is a whole different story (well, it's been like that for a while now), if you have an idea or a start-up and you don't have a clue about how you are going to make money out of it, you're in trouble.

Techonomy, the term, stems from the fusion of: Economy & Technology, obviously. We encourage companies that participate in the event to come discuss their business model, or at least, gather suggestions and feedback from the panel of expert judges on how they might earn some money from their hard work.

The Panel of Judges

Over time, I've learned that the selection of the panel of judges is one of the most important parts of organizing this event. They add such important value and impact for the companies on stage... The event's success actually depends on their knowledge and experience as well as the content itself.

This is why we picked a variety of people with wide diversity and expertise: Bloggers, Investors, VC, Entrepreneurs, a UI expert, and most importantly, people who truly understand the web of today, and can offer insight about how to also stay relevant in the future.

This year we had some really great judges and I have to congratulate them on doing very good job.

The Content

The other part of having a successful event is choosing the correct content that offers value and is relevant to our audience. Luckily, we really have great innovation going on here in Israel. Sooner or later you'd probably know about it with or without the event, but I want to especially thank the companies who showcased their products for the first time on the Techonomy stage for allowing us the exclusive preview - Thank you for participating!

Here are the Techonomy companies and my thoughts on each:

Interlude.fm (Winner of Techonomy 2010)
Interlude is a digital media start-up company that designs, develops, and markets interactive music and video technology allowing users to interactively compose a unique version of a music video based on pre-recorded audio/video segments of a song. The company’s vision is to bring the next generation of online music videos to the web browser space by creating a new and engaging experience of viewing and listening to music that integrates the Internet, television, and radio mediums, and empowers consumers while protecting and respecting artists’ original works. Watch the presentation

This product definitely WOWed me. But beside its wow effect, I really think this technology can change the face of web and mobile advertising. Now, I know Interlude has done some music related partnership before, and aims to go in this direction since its entrepreneur is also a gifted musician, but I personally suggest that they push themselves into the advertising world where it is really important to create something that will be worth the click. Lots of companies have tried to make advertising more compelling and engaging, but I believe this company can really take it there.

Fiddme
Fiddme is a visual guide to the culinary wonders of the city around you. Fiddme's is built as a social game, encouraging people to meet, go out and explore new places, and share their opinions. Using Fiddme you can go and see local foods, read a review, comment or even try it yourself. With Fiddme, you'll get acknowledged for your experience and passion, be followed by others, and connect to your friends. Watch the Presentation

You might not know but Fiddme has been around for quite some time within the Israeli scene, so they surely have the experience and knowledge to expand and go worldwide. It's not gonna be easy, of course since the users are changing from one locale to another. However, this is what I think: Food will always be there, it's a necessity and for a lot of people also a passion and an art. We as users of a very social web are already open to share almost any activity that we do (well, almost any), I don't see it any different when it comes to food. I actually think it is a platform that can raise the quality of your meals based on friends' recommendations. I'd suggest they keep their horizon wide and listen to users from all over the world, not just in their own backyard.

* Also more information on their 'About' start-up page is required.

Omek Interactive
Using the latest USB 3D cameras, Omek's proprietary Motion Game System software translates natural body motion into seamless 3D movement onscreen. The player's body controls the action, making interactive entertainment truly active as healthy movement replaces sedentary inactivity during gaming sessions. Omek creates both original PC games and motion gaming middleware. Watch the Presentation

By far the most mind blowing product I've seen in a while. Like everyone else I also thought about MS Project Natal immediately and as much as I like it, I have to hand it to Omek, their product actually works, and outside of the Xbox. While visiting their office I got to understand the product better and hear about the motion tools they built surround it. Yes, I think that Microsoft has something to worry about, or at least they should be aware of this company.

My vision would be to see the company open their motion gaming framework API up to developers to build their own games -from what I understand, this is the company's vision as well. If you are a developer, you know a company like Microsoft wouldn't be offering this, not this quickly, right?

Zbang.It
Zbang integrates all your online activity into a single place, allowing you to seemingly work across different platforms, without having to flip from one site to another. Zbang.It is an innovative developer of integrated online communication applications. The Zbang platform offers users one place to connect, share and collaborate with everyone. It offers a cross-application platform that allows boundless communication, centralization of content and integration of contacts. Watch the Presentation

Yes, I'm not a fan of desktop applications, but this one is doing it right, bringing all your web to your desktop, and syncing all your content on both channels. You have to try it to actually understand how good Zbang.it is, but in a nutshell, with it you'll be able to connect all your social and personal life much better. The only thing I'd have to suggest is loosing the Outlook look and feel.

AppsFire
AppsFire offers an interactive visual guide for discovering apps that people will use and not just download by matching not only their own need with their peers' but also with several parameters related to their experience on their computer. On the back-end, AppsFire offer developers a tool to display, market, and analyze their apps better, like an equivalent of tinyURL that tracks conversion in the app store, embeddable widgets, and more. Watch the Presentation

There is no doubt that iTunes is a tough competitor to beat, but I see AppsFire as a complete product that makes it much easier to find applications. If you own an iPhone, don't tell me it's been easy for you to find apps, needless to say free and/or new ones, because I won't believe you. But it's Apple, we'll use it anyway, right? Yet, you should try AppsFire because what they do that apple isn't - is to connect you with your friends and do the one thing we like best on the iPhone: exchange suggestions.

Bulloonz
Bulloonz offers an online financial service that synthesizes the Internet’s vast commentary into meaningful information for nonprofessional, professional, and institutional investors. Using innovative technology with unique capabilities in text analysis, pattern detection, and other modeling algorithms, Bulloonz tracks, analyzes, and interprets investor sentiment. Watch the Presentation

We are so used to real-time everything now that it wasn't a big surprise to me when Bulloonz first showed me the way they can help investors to become better investors by informing them what's going on in the stock market in the moment - I just think it is a smart move to bring this social aspect into the world of finance.

SircleIt
SircleIt is a web-based social application for anyone who faces daily problems and questions. Whether the issue is personal, social or professional, SircleIt directs them to the right "circle" of responders. The appropriate responders are assembled from people that share a particular social or professional profile (the "social graph") and who have an incentive and the ability to help or advise their peers with their skills and knowledge. SircleIt comes with complimentary features from the social networking world, providing an easy graphical application for its use. Watch the Presentation

I knew it won't be easy on SircleIt to present at this event. When you release Q&A product on the web, you need to know the history of the ones already released, and in this area, we already have some major players. What I personally like about this one is the ability to create lists of people that you really care about to answer your questions. But I would suggest they first start as a Facebook application or make a good Facebook connection (similar to Zinga), because I doubt my friends will follow me to a new place just to answer my question.

The Audience

It's not so common to talk about an event's audience but I want to do it anyway. What you probably don't know is that we have a really nice group of people in our community (some of the the most talented people here in Israel ) that like to meet in Tweetups, Garage Geeks, and other social events. The reason they like to come and participate in these sorts of events is, among other things, because they totally support the Israeli tech industry. We had a stream of Twitter showing during the event and you had to be there to believe how many tweets a group of 350 people can create. I was personally touched to see such a united audience, and the event would not have been the same without their active and passionate participation.

Personal Notes

To see all the positive comments from the event is overwhelming but also scary. I don't want to set everyone's expectations so high for next year. I only wanted a platform to show the world we have other things going on here, we can be proud of our innovations and leading technologies, and we would surely like people to visit us here and discover it for themselves.

More coverage of the event at: Techcrunch, Newsgeek (Hebrew), and more.

Techonomy Event - Registration is Open [Tel-Aviv, Israel]

2010-04-06T20:38:00.017+03:00

It's pretty incredible that a year has passed since the initial Techonomy event. Last year, the emphasis was all around Web 2.0, and cloud computing was a nascent paradigm. Who talks about Web 2.0 today? If anything, this demonstrates the pace of change that occurs today within technology.

Well, Web 2.0 is not dead, it has only evolved from what we thought it was originally. This year's Techonomy 2010 event will address upcoming business models and investigate how the internet startups of today turn into real companies that drive the economy - a new economy that is changing how people do business.

Just like last year, we feature 6 Israel-based companies that will showcase their products on stage in front of the Techonomy crowd and an expert panel of judges.

The event will take place at Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at YES Planet, Kanyon Ayalon, Ramat Gan

This year's special guests include:

Robert Scoble Robert Scoble who is one of the judges but also will have an open discussion with the Techonomy's crowd (can't wait to hear what he is going to talk about!)

Robin Wauters from Techrunch, who will cover the event from a personal perspective.

Companies that would like to meet with Robin or Robert, are invited to contact me here.

Update:

Jeff Pulver will host his famous breakfast at our event, so you can expect: real-time tagging, good atmosphere while networking, and of course, lots of great food! (you still need to register to the event first)

We're inviting entrepreneurs, investors, developers, thinkers, or anyone who is in the process of leveraging a business through the internet to come join us in this event:
Register here.

How to Build Engaging One-of-Kind Facebook Fan Pages

2010-03-28T10:29:00.013+03:00

Don't let anyone tell you it is easy to create a successfully engaging Facebook Fan Page. It is not.
It's not an insurmountable task either. It is do-able but requires planning, time, some kind of HTML knowledge, design skill, and imagination. Originality doesn't hurt either.

There are great tools & tips available that will help you create an outstanding page for your brand without an immense amount of time or capital invested. I've been working to improve our own Go2web20 fan page and I have some tips from my experience that I'm more than happy to share.

Let me start off by saying, Facebook itself is the only true obstacle in the whole page creation process. If they accepted all code formats, it would be much easier to create any page. It would open up the space to immeasurable possibilities and we would see a wider variety of amazing, unique pages. But unfortunately, this isn't the case so you have to find ways to work with what you've got and then take it up from there.

Fan Page Profile Pictures

You might not know this but you can use a picture for your profile page as large as 200 x 600 pixels. The good thing about this is a larger picture offers better visibility of the campaign itself, which may include your company logo or a promotional banner of any kind. The downside to this eye-catching stunner is that it shifts the focus away from the rest of the page. This is why you need to plan your page first. Decide where you want the eyes of your visitors to go: on your image or on the rest of the page's elements. You can play and preview your ideas, change them back and forth, and see what's ultimately best for goals, your page, and its users.

Example:

Diverse Tabs

Thank god that Facebook allows you to change the traditional boring tabs to be more exciting, original, and relevant.

If you want to change your page's tabs, you will first need to add this FBML application to your page. Then, go to your page manager, find the FBML tab, and click 'edit'. Within the box that opens, you will be able to change the tab name, and add HTML code. What I'd suggest that you do is to first create a main landing tab that will welcome visitors to your page.
Here's what I did:

I gave the tab a name - Go2web20
Took a screenshot of my webpage and uploaded it to Flickr (optional)
Grabbed the screenshot picture code from Flickr and inserted it in the FBML body box (FYI: I slightly edited the code, changed link destination to lead to our site, instead of the Flickr page.)
I linked to my Website on this page since this is a big part of a fan page concept - to offer Facebook users access to my site in a new way.
Finally, I added the Facebook comments box to enable people to leave comments in regards our website. The fb comment code can be found at this wiki page in the examples section (thanks for the tip @eyalshahar). Again, all I did was to customize it slightly with the relevant information of our site. In my opinion a huge value add in terms of engaging my users and inviting conversations to happen here.

Page Dashboard:

Landing Page:

Now, since this is the tab you want new visitors to see and experience first, you need to set it this way on your admin page. Go to your page and click on 'Edit Page' > 'Wall Settings' > then on 'Default Landing Tab for Everyone Else' chose the tab which you want to present first when new users enter your Facebook page. People who are already fans of your page, will see the 'wall' first when they enter the page. The whole point of this landing page is that you make a informational welcoming page for new visitors that is interesting enough to be an incentive to fan this page. In a sea of fan pages this is important in terms of standing out and being innovative.

If you want you can also add even more FBML tabs, but keep in mind that overall, Facebook only allows you to display and offer up to six tabs maximum, including the first two that you can't change. So make sure you chose your tabs wisely.

If you don't want to mess around with FBML tabs, here are some alternatives (you can also add them as extras):

Twitter Tab - This application lets you bundle your 'Twitter Updates Tab' into your own profile or Fan page. The process is pretty easy: just add the application and follow the instructions.
This is the end result:

Flickr Tab - Same application but for Flickr photos. I found it more relevant to put this tab on my personal Facebook profile, but it is really depends on your brand's goals and needs.

Example:

Foursquare Tab - I actually really like this tab, despite the fact, that I'm a Gowalla girl myself...

If you are creating a page for your company and want a Foursquare tab, here's what you can do:

Create a venue for your brand/company/HQs on the Foursquare website (if you haven't done this already)
Add this PlaceWidget application and follow the simple instructions.

And, that's it. You now have a new tab on your page, Foursquare, and everyone can see how popular your spot is and read the tips visitors have left, furthering user engagement in a new way and offering visitors a chance to appear on your Facebook page and add their own tips.

Example:

Spotlight the People on your Team
If you go through all the trouble of creating your own brand page, make sure you spotlight your team's players and say something about the people behind the curtain. It adds a personal touch to your page and builds a connection between fans and the people involved in the project. Again, with the help of the FBML tab, I've created a tab that tells more about my team at Go2web20 (it is was pretty easy since we're just two people). But even if you have lots of people on your team, it is important to give some background about company management and staff accomplishments or to at least name one contact person that can be reached easily.

Example:

Participate on your stream - that's the whole point

I have to admit that I'm not as active on my own Facebook fan page (insert shame here) as I should be. I blame both Facebook and myself. First, I take accountability for not checking the page as often as I should. But, I also blame Facebook for not providing the right tools to track comments and conversations on pages like the ones available for our own profiles. It is really up to you how often you check your fan page activity. But, don't think you can now sit back and put your feet up. This is not one of those "build it and they will come" scenarios. Don't take it for granted that you have a page available. No matter how great you've made it, if you aren't active, it defeats the whole purpose of having one. A fan page requires maintenance. You have to be there for your page visitors. You have to talk with your fans. You have to answer questions, absorb feedback, and overall, make the conversation flow with consistent fresh content.

I really think Facebook never predicted the volume of pages people would create and the effect of these pages on businesses/brands. Obviously, Facebook isn't currently providing the right type of support and tools for pages builders. Until Facebook reconciles these changes into their Facebook pages concept and tunes into the importance that pages have garnered over the last few months, we'll end up with somewhat crappy looking pages that we're creating with just about any and every tool we can muster up.

I can only hope things will be different sooner rather than later.

Are You Ready To Share Your Location Yet?

2010-03-25T20:38:00.007+02:00

Did you ever imagine that you'd be sharing what you're doing right now with a bunch of people from around the globe? If I had asked you this question 4 years ago, chances are that the answer would have been no. Now Twitter, Facebook and the like have completely changed that. Since the rise of such services, sharing habits have broken all bounds and there is no limit really to what people can share today. Share what you want, no special rules apply.

When I started to use Twitter (3/7/07), lots of people kept asking me, what is Twitter, and why on earth would you use such service? Or in other words: who cares about what you're doing right now? Well, some of them did really care, some of them didn't, obviously. But over the years, this sharing behavior was easily adopted by people who never thought they would be sharing their personal life, knowledge, or daily activities with such openness. When people finally grasped how it would benefit them, or their business, and how many other people were doing it, they felt way more comfortable with being so open, transparent, and well, human.

Today someone asked me why am I using location-based service since he simply couldn't see the point in it. My first words of note on this are that people also didn't understand the point of Twitter and look where that went. However, I really do think sharing location is a much more sensitive issue and I'll try to explain it as I see it.

I spend most of my time on the net and my first rule is - do not share what you do not want other people (as in everyone) to see or know.

With this rule in my mind, I only share my location when I have time to actually meet someone or when I'm at a place I want to recommend to other folks. Lets say you are at a conference and want to notify other people that you are there (for any reason that may be). Well, location based services are perfect for that. If I stop at a coffee shop and have some free time on my hands, I can notify others about my location and perhaps have the chance to meet a friend that is nearby - it's all very dynamic. And, like twitter, leads to some wonderful friendships and partnerships. I believe that as long as you do it your own way, location based services can open a wider space of opportunities. From my brief experience, I can tell you that I've already met some new people just because I checked in at certain places. Think about the difference between talking to someone online and actually meeting them face to face - location based services can complete this circle for you. Overall, it's a powerful tool if you use it wisely.

So which services am I using?

There is quite a long list of services out there so it is not an easy choice, but I use Gowalla because I feel more comfortable with it. The UI looks is truly amazing, the idea of the stamps is fresh, and, now with comment notifications, it is like having a txt group messaging conversation - and it still feels more personal, just like getting SMS. Add to this the ability to send photos in real time, and you get a very sophisticated mobile application.

It still have some room for improvements, including a much needed Blackberry app, but it is already very enjoyable to use, and this is the bottom line. I use services that are fun to use and bring all of your worlds together, making the experience rich and pleasant for the user.

I haven't tried Foursquare so much yet so I can't really tell you which one is better, except for the fact, that Foursquare hasn't really thrilled me yet. The only thing that would make me move is an immense list of friends at one site over another, since ultimately, it is what you need in these kinds of services, but for now, I'm leaning towards Gowalla.

Fundamentally: If you don't want to share your location, don't. But if you run a business, are looking for job and want to network, want to meet the faces on your web stream or in your community, aim to meet a particular person (in a friendly way, don't stalk people) - this is your value add right here. Location based services offer you that window of opportunity, it's up to you how wide or far you open it.

Flickr image credit.

Yossi Vardi As You've Never Seen Before

2010-03-20T17:20:00.008+02:00

Yesterday I've attended Eurekamp, which is a very cool day inspiration camp, inspired by Vard's Kinnernet event, and held for the fourth year in a row. Eurekamp is all about ideas: stimulating, discovering, generating, and sharing ideas in various areas.

One of the ideas was to take all the event participants (200 people overall), and create a collaborative Lip-dub video. The music clip came out so good, due to a great project team, and a fantastic group of enthusiastic Israeli geeks - I just had to share it.

Pay attention to Yossi Vardi special guest performance - It's really Awesome!

The video made by @liorz & @yosit - mega geeks and entertainers.

Buzzie, The First iPhone Client for Google Buzz

2010-03-12T08:54:00.014+02:00

I have to admit that the only reason I'm using Google Buzz, is actually because it's attached to my Gmail. I found myself almost obligated to check the Buzz tab from time to time, so I won't miss a thing (yes, simply because it is there)

The reason why I am not so thrilled about it anymore is because people are mostly resharing content from other social networks what makes it a whole lot noisy for me. But I'm still waiting to see if something will change that will make Google Buzz more unique for us.

Anyway, I still like to test Buzz related apps, so I've downloaded its first iPhone client, and found it to me much better than than the official webapp. It really has very basic features, but it is much readable, and provide good user experience overall.

Feature list:
- See what's happening around you, even if you don't have a Buzz account
- Receive messages from the people you follow
- Comment on messages and mark them as liked
- Browse all links and images attached to messages
- Manage your followers
- Browse the people following you
- Find new people to follow
- Check the places around you and buzz about them
- Buzz from your phone, publicly or privately

Watch this Demo for more:

Download Buzzie ($1.99)

The things you can get for $5...

2010-03-05T12:23:00.010+02:00

New Israel-based startup called Fiverr, has recently launched with a simple, yet powerful idea:
You can either buy stuff at $5, or sell stuff at $5 - Anythings goes.

The method is quite simple:
If you're a seller at the site, on each item purchased, you get $4. $1 is divided between Paypal transaction fee, and site owners revenue. If you just want to buy something, all you need is $5, and lots of time on your hands because the list of gigs is already endless.

Users can also browse through gigs by categories, write feedback, share favorites with friends, and suggest desirable gigs.

Overall I think Fiverr is geniusly made, and allow people to fairly earn some money for their expertise.

Here's what NBC had to say about Fiverr:

PhotoScatter - Distribute A Picture Everywhere in One [iPhone]

2010-02-25T20:02:00.008+02:00

My life has definitely changed since I start using the iPhone and so have my sharing habits, most of all through pictures. Never before have I shared pictures as much as I do now since I have an iPhone. First of all, because of its awesome camera and secondly, because of all the great sharing apps available.

But to make it even easier, I was looking for a tool that would allow me to send a single picture to my most used social networks - an app that would be the ping.fm or hellotxt of mobile photos, if you wish.

After testing several applications, I distinctly place PhotoScatter as my first choice. It is the only service that works relatively fast and includes most of the services I've been looking for in an app.

In one instance you can send a picture to Facebook, Flickr, ShoutterFly, PhotoBucket, Picasa, and/or Twitter (twitpic).

Two features are missing though are:

'Send the photo by email' which would enable me to actually send the photo to buzz in real time (using: buzz@gmail.com) The other service that I think PhotoScatter should add is: Dailybooth.

Anyway, it is simply useful. Download the: free/pro version.

Attending MWC 2010? Get a closer look of the Israeli Companies

2010-02-14T15:28:00.009+02:00

If you're planning to attend MWC (Mobile World Congress, Barcelona) this year, make sure you download the Mobile IL iPhone app (free) for a closer look of Israeli companies in Mobile area.

The app includes an unofficial catalog of 110 companies, and enables quick observation of each company, and the ability to easily reach out within a single click.

What I liked the most, and this is why I think you should download this application regardless, is how a connection with a company here made easy. All you need to do is to click on a contact button, and email (such the one in the screenshot above), will be ready at once.

The Mobile IL app has the potential to trigger connections for potential synergistic collaborations before, during and after MWC 2010.

Google Buzz Desktop Is Already Here...

2010-02-13T11:02:00.008+02:00

Man, things are moving fast for Google Buzz!
In 4 days people has created buttons, Browser plugins, and now this - A nice looking desktop client based on Adobe AIR.

Unfortunately, the only cool thing about it, is the interface. GBD (Google Buzz Desktop) emulates the iPhone so it is like having the mobile version on your desktop. The client updated every 2 minutes, but without notifications it's quite useless. Also, there's no geolocation support - so basically you can do the same and more from your Gmail.

Here are some screenshots - If you wish to try it yourself, click here to download.

Twitter + Valentine = Mixero Red!

2010-02-12T20:53:00.008+02:00

I've always been a fan of Mixero and that is because they have one of the best Twitter desktop client around. It's beautifully made, quickly synchronizes updates, and very unique overall.

This Valentine, you can enjoy Twitter in the most charming way!
Mixero customized its interface to match the exciting day - pink, red, hearts, are part of this layout lovely decoration.
Plus (!) they've added a special button that allows to easily send gifts to friends - These gifts can be send via Twitter as replies or DM messages - For free.

To be honest, you should consider download Mixero regardless Valentine's day. They have a long list of tools and navigation you won't see anywhere else.
These are some of the features:

Multi-accounts
Lists support
Themes support
Localization for 13 langs
Facebook support
Sync between all installations
Improvements in filtering system

and a lot more...
Mixero also has a nifty iPhone app that you should check out.

You can download this sweet version by clicking here - Happy Valentine's day wherever you are!

Are You Buzzing Too Much?

2010-02-12T18:36:00.004+02:00

After few days of Buzz, my stream feels like a broken record and at some points I have wanted to mute my own posts (imagine that...).
Bottom line: Total chaos.

The first thing most of you did was to take all of your social accounts (thank god, Google didn't allow Facebook to come to this party just yet), and connect them with Buzz, so that we, the readers/followers/friends, wouldn't possibly miss anything you have to say.

At some point and I guess you've felt it too if you are on buzz and following more than 50 people, it's irritating. You are not the one to blame here. We are used to connecting to our social circle everywhere we go, so it feels natural to treat the Buzz space like Friendfeed, for example. But with a lack of content organization, it is annoying, especially because you've probably already read/seen it elsewhere.

In all honesty, I think there is a simple solution - Google Buzz should treat the noise somewhat like Facebook did - They should allow us to see and choose between 2 streams - one that changes in realtime and shows fresh content (not fresh comments), and one that is at least 24 hours old. Another feature that is a must is the ability to track your own discussions - one that you started or take part in. The last thing that I wish Google will do, is to collapse long posts (please!). With these additional tools, things might looks better (BTW, I still want all the features from my previous post too, of course)

I also have an answer to Scoble's question from earlier:

Should I stop bringing Twitter in here? I hate seeing duplication, but am trying to figure out if it's wanted here or not?

I think you should, Scoble (for now) - but I hate that you even need to consider it. I don't think you should stop the conversations from going, I just think you need to filter your own content in a way that would make it more interesting to follow you in both places (Buzz & Twitter).

I don't think Buzz can be Twitter unless it allows people to reshare content in a way so it won't annoy everyone around (not just via other services, but from one user to another). I think the only one that handles this well is Twitter, this is why the real power in distribution is there. And this is why it feels useless to me to bring this content to my Buzz, anyone there is probably following me somewhere else already. Until Google finds a way to make it powerful without losing people, I won't personally offer most of my other social accounts in consideration to my followers's needs.

All and all, I like Buzz, but I need to feel comfortable using it without the fear people would unfollow me. And I sure don't want to unfollow you, my own friends.
I'm sure some of you feel the same.

Image credit - Juanmaketing at Flickr