Author: Shaun
Hugh MacLeod over on gapingvoid just posted the news that Google has bought Jaiku.
Here’s a quick description of the Jaiku product from their site:
“Jaiku is an activity stream and presence sharing service that works from the Web and mobile phones.”
And here’s a description of Dodgeball: Dodgeball is an SMS tool that lets you tell your friends when you are out doing something social so they can come join you.”
Not much difference between the two if you ask me – presence, activity and communication on mobile devices is where both services collide. It’s a relatively small step to migrate from SMS to IM or Web or vice versa, so why buy what you already have?
In April, after two years of frustration and little support from Google the founders of Dodgeball chose to leave Google.
So how does this all add up? I’ve got a ton of questions to pose at this non-sequitur:
Are Google going to sideline Jaiku too?
Did they buy Jaiku simply to keep it out of Nokia’s hands?
Have Google realised their Dodgeball mistake and want to try again?
Does Google really have a solid mobile strategy or are they grasping at straws to maintain their advertising lead?
Can they combine the two products into something new and special?
Are they simply interested in owning the companies’ user bases, and using that to form a comprehensive database of early-adopters?
It simply doesn’t quite make business sense, and makes Google look a bit desperate. Yes, it is great news for Jaiku, but does this mean that the time has arrived for the Jaiku guys to start thinking about their next startup?
In time I guess we will see.
Tags: jaiku, google, dodgeball, mobile, presence, communcation, nokia, advertising
It’s an instant classic – a Wiki project to get The Bible translated into kitty pidgin (the language of lolcats):
LOLCatBible.
Here are a few class excerpts:
Mattehw 1:20: “But when he was tihnkin, zomg, angel frm Ceiling Cat was in his dreems! Angel sayed “Hai, don’t be fraided to has Mary for ur wife, cuz her baby be frm Holey Ghosty.”
Mattehw 1:25 “And dey didnt has teh PENIS GOES WHERE? til affer dey gets a son and calleded him Jesus. Ktnx.”
Job 1:21-22 “Teh Ceiling Cat giv me cheezburger, teh Ceiling Cat takded mah cheezburger awai. I stil laiks teh Ceiling Cat. And teh Ceiling Cat sed “I winz!!”
[Via: BoingBoing]
Tags: lolcat, pidgin, bible, translation, wiki
Isolation.tv just posted a quick review of the Joburg FotoNaDans album launch. Having seen this band live (at Oppikoppi) and having great expectations for this band I simply had to get my own copy right away.
But it’s late at night – the stores are closed, what to do? Well, not all stores are closed. A quick browse to RhythmRecords.co.za led me to their entire album – Intervensie – available for my (and your) downloading pleasure.
Fast. And cheap too. R7 a track. Or if you have the patience to wait for the physical album, you can order it for a straight R100. I couldn’t wait.
So here’s the link to get your own copy: FotoNaDans – Intervensie.
Tags: FotoNaDans, rock, music, SouthAfricanRockMusic, band, album, download, mp3
So SABC Radio have once again thrown the middle finger at rock music lovers, in the same fashion that they chased us away from 5fm, Metro FM, and Highveld Stereo.
“Radio 2000 management have imposed a playlist on the Ray White morning show (Rise and Rock show).
Previously, this show was a haven for all those rock fans to whom no other radio station caters.”
Sign the petition against the playlisting of Ray White’s show here.
Once again, it begs the question, do the SABC chiefs really know what their listeners want, or is it once again an attempt to appease the ailing record companies?
Tags: radio2000, rock, music, petition, freedom, sabc, radio, 5fm, highveld, metro, raywhite