Tag: recommender

I am once again overwhelmed by too much information.
And lately, I’m even overwhelmed by too many tools to access, filter and read that information or to save it for later or add it to various Web 2.0 tools.
On my browser bar alone I have my Google Reader Subscribe button and the ability to save information to Kirtsy, del.icio.us, Second Brain, Instapaper, Evernote, Tumblr, and more recently Strands and Twine.
Before I talk a little more about Strands and Twine, I have to voice a few complaints:

1. I’m getting tired of having to learn new iconography every time a new site launches and decides to create a unique set of icons to represent the same functionality found on their competitors’ sites. I would love for everyone to adopt a basic set of icons to illustrate features such as Profile, Settings, Publish, etc. so I’m not trying to figure out that that stapler icon means files. Kudos for the adoption of the RSS feed symbol. Let’s get more of those universal icons, please.
2. I’m growing weary of all this new terminology that is proprietary to a particular site. Do new companies really believe that their terminology will become the definitive words that we’ll be using 5, 10 years from now? I mean every one of them? What struck me during the demos of both Strands and Twine (which I like, by the way, so don’t let this rant confuse you), is that “strands” and “twine” both basically stand for “interests.” Why not call them “Interests”???

Phew! Okay. Got that off my chest. Now on to Strands and Twine.
Read More about Strands & Twine: Sipping From the Information Firehose

It is too early to tell, what is going on, but there seems to be rumors floating that Skype and Yahoo are in close contact, and perhaps cooking up a commercial partnership. The reports are based on a post on Jean-Michel’s blog. It might be too soon for Skype to be cashing out, and I am not sure if Yahoo can justify the big ticket valuation that would be slapped on Skype. There maybe a revenue share deal in the offering! That would make my recent post on Skype, more relevant.
I have a feeling that two companies could be working on ways to get together and make their individual IM/VoIP clients work with each other. Some sources say that Yahoo’s Messenger team has been hyperactive, and is trying to find creative opportunities, so lets not rule out a possibility of an outright purchase. Still given the 41 million downloads, Skype would be a great acqusition for Yahoo, because it could add some significant heft to the Yahoo! Messenger platform. Yahoo has been spending significant amounts of money on turning this into a voice client as well.
The big problem to this deal would be cozy relationship Yahoo enjoys with the baby bells. Skype is public enemy #1 in those circles, and it could mean a big risk for Yahoo which is building itself as media giant of the 21st century. Stay tuned – I am on the trail right now!