A Week of Dogpatch Labs Updates

A handful of various updates from Dogpatch Labs companies across our three locations: Boston, New York and San Francisco. This is by no means a complete list - but it is includes links from TechCrunch articles within the last week:

YCombinator Demo Day Includes Dogpatch-ers

Congratulations to the 36 companies that launched at the most recent YCombinator Demo Day. Three of the companies are of Dogpatch Labs: FanVibe, Rapportive and one that is 'off the record'

Zozi Funding

Local-Activity Site Zozi Lands $3 Million Series A From 500 Startups And Zig Capital

WiseStamp Launches Its Platform

WiseStamp Signs Your Emails With Tweets, Stumbles And Plans

Facebook Places + Photos Makes Sense

I have been really impressed by Facebook Places - which I think has done a terrific job simplifying a rather complex product and making it usable / productive for a massive audience (which in turn complicates simplicity). If I could change one component of the product - and I really only have one suggestion - it would be to add photographs. Four reasons why:

1. I believe that images are becoming integral pieces of explaining location / local activity. Checking in at a restaurant, theme park, ballgame, etc are all well described by time, title & description and photograph.

2. GPS & photographs are tightly related on the mobile device. Putting them together in the Places product could still be done simply and comfortably.

3. The lack of integration makes me frequently choose between posting a newsfeed photograph and describe location via the description... OR forgo an image and post via Places.

4. Finally, if Facebook Places is to ultimately also become a directory of businesses, reviews, etc - photographs must be tightly integrated.

Check in or post a photo? Why not both...?

Can the Apple iTV Bridge Family Room & Web? I'll Bet So.

Fascinating chart on AlleyInsider this week noting that, for the first time ever, pay TV has lost subscribers. A little earlier in the week, the NYTimes argued that TV is changing (web, applications, on-demand) but paid television still rules the livingroom.

I shared the NYTimes article on Facebook with the following the note: "We will break our dependence. But - it will still likely include paywalls... but rather than for cable - it will be for content."

And that's why I believe the forthcoming Apple iTV is important to the TV / Web transition. First, it's at the right price: supposedly $99. And knowing Apple, it be designed simply enough that connecting the device to the TV and the web will be easy as 1. 2. 3. Until now, consumers had two options - both of which disqualified the above points (price and simplicity):

1. Buy a mini-computer (ie Mac Mini or Dell Zino) and connect it to the TV. Plus: full operating system and highly customizable. Con: very expensive (~$500-$1,000), complicated and techy.

2. Purchase a brand new, web-enabled TV OR a gaming device. Pro: out of the box usage. Con: expensive and limited / poor experience, content selection, etc.

If the rumors are right - Apple can change this with:

- a $99 price point (fraction of any other reasonable alternative)

- an iOS interface that tens of millions of users are familiar (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)

- simple integration and web browsing (try using the web on XBox or PS3 - it's *very* limited)

- and an unmatched catalog of content and applications (not to mention developers - which is more important)

Suddenly web browsing, iTunes, Pandora, Netflix streaming, MLB At Bat, etc are all imaginable. And its a more natural solution - at least in the short term - than through the television manufacturer, the gaming devices, etc.

Facebook Places Promotion on Facebook Touch

When Facebook launched Facebook Places, I wrote about how they boldly and centrally promoted their new feature. Here is a similar example from Facebook's mobile web experience - Facebook Touch. Like the YouTube HTML5 promotion, there is a spotlight box that sits between Facebook's header and the newsfeed input box... which means there is no way you can miss the unit.

In addition to the messaging, notice the Places button that offsets my profile icon and sits to the right of the input box. It is less obvious but, again, very prime real estate.

You can tell how much of a priority Places is to Facebook, a company that takes web design and each pixel very seriously:

Facebook Places vs. Foursquare at YCombinator Demo Day

I had the pleasure of spending yesterday at YCombinator's Demo Day. 36 companies presented and launched - three of which were Dogpatch Labs residents: Fanvibe, Rapportive, and an off-the-record company. While there was plenty of news around the companies, spaces, etc - I found it interesting to see how the crowd of YCombinator entrepreneurs, investors and friends / family checked into the event.

The result? Totally even: while the numbers fluctuated a little bit, there were roughly 15 check-ins on Facebook Places and 15 on Foursquare.

Facebook's Top News Feed - Older Items?

I can't tell if this is:- an algorithmic enhancement - a bug - an indication that my newsfeed is becoming less interesting - an indication that I am not liking enough current / real time activity ... But my Facebook Top News feed is beginning to display content from beyond the last 24 hours. In some cases it extends up to two weeks ago (see below screenshot). I frequently see posts from over a day ago - but have since seen posts from several days (and now weeks).

While it could be an algorithmic change, it could also be an effort to better archive feed activity (particularly if Facebook considers the more aged content as "extra top news").

I am clearly reaching - but interesting to think about how Facebook deals with backward search and archival over time. In fact, in two discussions yesterday - old Facebook posts were discussed (pointing to a newsfeeed post / link) and we gave up trying to find it as it was months old.

Whether it is Facebook or a developer (both are likely), there is clearly a business opportunity to archive ones digital life - with time, search, and filtering (whats important) being paramount.

Why I'm Bullish on Facebook Places: Facebook is 50%+ of iPhone App Usage

And this is why I am so bullish on Facebook Places:

The two biggest components of a winning location play are: 1. network (and we know that Facebook is the largest at 500m+ users) 2. mobile (geo is critical to locating users and posting on the go) Well according to David Kirkpatrick's recent interview on Fool.com (David is the author of The Facebook Effect), Facebook is dominant there as well:

"more than half of all usage of the iPhone of apps, other than those provided by the phone itself like telephony and email, is coming from Facebook."

Facebook Now Highlighting Tagged User Names

It is always difficult to tell when Facebook is testing new features / formats because they roll out so many variations to differrent user segments. So with that caveat, below appears to be a new format for tagged users. When you tag a user on Facebook, the name now appears highlighted fully in a Facebook-blue shade. The result is a clearer indication that the name is an 'entity'- it is hyperlinked, non-editable, etc. More interestingly, it occurs at a time when Facebook has rolled out Places - where user tagging is a key feature (and a differentiated one too). It is my hope that this is the beginning of a more robust tagging experience.

Facebook Places Gorgeous Mobile Promotion

A few weeks ago, I wrote about YouTube's terrific mobile promotion of their new html5 experience. Here is an even better, more eye-catching promotion by Facebook for the new Facebook Places product. As background, to access Places, users had to download the new iPhone app. Upon opening of the new app, the screen animates to highlight the new Places tab and experience. It is great looking but entirely distracting... Which is clearly the intention. I have written before about making sure that new products and enhancements somehow get "into the river" - my reference to ensuring that features are not relegated to the edge of the experience... After all, they then are not core to the experience, rarely used and therefore not impactful. This one way for Facebook to get Places into the river - and considering it's currently a mobile-only product, it is as effective as can be: