Utterz

In the midst of all the TechCrunch 40 coverage, it's easy to miss some other new startups that are coming out around us. We'll talk later on this week to some of the people featured at TC40, but right now, I'm going to highlight some things that have come across my inbox of note.

There's a host of interesting new audio-related blogging tools out recently. We talked about SpinVox on the show recently, and of course Adondo is about to release a new version of PAL that is customized to Bloggers called Phone Portal.

Today, though, a new tool called Utterz was released. The release came to us this morning by way of Greg Blonder. Using Utterz, anyone can use all the capabilities of their mobile phone – voice, video, pictures, and text – to make themselves heard, any time, by instantly posting from their cell to their web pages with no special phone client or software. They now have a mobile tool that gives them the ability to instantly update their blog, using not just text, but voice, pictures, and video. For example, bloggers can now provide:

* On-the-spot reporting from or about events;
* Daily updates during road trips;
* Instant movie reviews while still at the theater;
* Exclusive video footage and pictures from the scene of any event;
* Comments on political or social hot topics as soon as they happen.

We'll hopefully be getting a chance to speak with the CEO Michael Bayer on the show tomorrow, but in the mean time, I'll speak a bit to my initial impressions.

It reminds me of a mashup of SnapNPost and r.Podcaster. Essentially, you are able to take text, video and pictures - SMS them to the Utterz phone number, and it'll show up in the posts area of certain blogs (actually, only LiveJournal currently). I'm not sure the future intentions of the company, and whether they plan to implement the functionality of what's currently available for LiveJournal users for Blogger, MoveableType and WordPress users. If you select those options, you're given a JavaScript widget to embed.

Based off the current functionality set it displays, I'd give it a three of five stars. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it, but it's not quite up to snuff, and the direction of the company seems a tad bit ambitious for what it is.

Let me explain: I'm all about applications that make life and connecting the real with the online life. Transparency is key, and the less barrier to entry there is to moving data from concept to hard 1's and 0's, the more productive we are. The site seems to be centered, however, around building a community and Yet Another Social Network.

In the age of MySpace and Facebook domination, and the ability to leapfrog a Facebook app or a Ning community into an instant social network, the value of Yet Another Social Network is significantly diminished. I don't want another community I need to keep track of, I want utility that tries to integrate itself into what I'm already doing.

Furthermore, content that I create (mobile-wise or not), I expect to be able to fully integrate into my online presence - something they are doing for LiveJournal (who uses that anymore?) - but not for the core blogger set. I want my content to SEO, and be monetizable. Putting it in a widget doesn't give it the emphasis that I demand.

The good news is that there is signs that Utterz is allowing for that possibility, like it's perhaps a plan B if this project doesn't immediately go viral.

Another interesting feature of the service is when you call in to the number, there's a sort of open chat line going on with people's Utterz, an auditory (and threaded) forum, if you will. This is definitely a new concept. I'm interested to see more development and application of that technology in other places (like the comments feature for podcasts I was working on for r.Podcaster before Hurricane Wilma).

/rizzn

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MarryOurDaughter.com: Dowries and Underage Marriage

Hey, Rizzn-ites,

I was actually hoping to sit on this story until Monday. A fellow best described as a part-time researcher for the show fielded a story my way that stopped me short. He sent me a quick chat message pointing me to "MarryOurDaughter.org", which I quickly relayed to my twitter to see if anyone else had heard of it.

Most of the blogosphere hasn't heard the news, other than to be repulsed by the idea of families selling their daughters off to men of questionable repute.

What?

Yes. Take a look:

Name: Kristin
Age: 16
Location: South
Kristin has a wild streak. She likes parties and has spent more time with boys than we’d have liked her to. We had a family talk and decided that it was time she settled down with a man who could meet her needs and help her fulfill her dreams of being an actor or singer. She’s a bit fiery but worth it.

Kristin is one of twenty-some-odd girls ranging from 14 to 17. The guiding principle behind the site seems to be getting underage girls into an arranged marriage with a supposed older Christian husband.

It would appear, according to several sources though, that this is a completely fake site. Color me relieved.

The whole project is a hoax perpetrated by a man known as John Ordover, a publicist behind many scandal-driven (or at least scandalous) projects, such as nude cruises and Technical Virgin, a site that caused some big problems for the actress down the road.

John Ordover used the alias Roger Mandervan on a number of FM talk radio shows around the country (including, according to the Times: Las Vegas (MIX-FM), Houston (KRBE-FM) and Philadelphia (WYSP-FM)). Of course, he didn't let the audience, or presumably the hosts, in on the gag. By all counts I've found, he didn't plan to release information on the nature of the hoax until Sunday or Monday.

Interestingly enough (and I'm awaiting confirmation on this from the source), but this seems to be the same John Ordover that is (was?) an editor at Phobos Books, a publishing firm specializing in science fiction. According to his Wikipedia entry:

He was previously an editor at Pocket Books responsible for overseeing the licensed novels of the Star Trek franchise. He is the co-creator of such spinoff series as Star Trek: New Frontier (with writer Peter David), and Star Trek: Challenger (with Diane Carey).

According to Peter David, the basic concept for New Frontier was Ordover's, as was the notion of using several already existing characters, with David having fleshed out the concept and created the original characters.^[3]

With David Mack, Ordover wrote the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes "Starship Down". The two have story credit on "It's Only a Paper Moon", which was written as a teleplay by Ronald D. Moore.

The dots were connected for me by the last lines in his Wikipedia entry: "Ordover is also an active nudist, the founder of Clothing Optional Dinners, a dining club in New York City for nudists.^[4] On July 11, 2007, Ordover launched a nude dinner cruise from Sheepshead Bay, New York", a detail mentioned in the New York Times article on the MarryOurDaughter site.

I've arranged for an interview with John Ordover over this weekend, which if it goes off well, we'll include on Monday's podcast. The gist of the story appears to be out in the open, though not widely discussed: a women's organisation for those disillusioned with their failed arranged marriage experiences wanted a site to create controversy and discussion about not only the conflicting laws on underage marriage, but the dangers of underage and arranged marriages.

In the mean time, if you're looking for extra details on the story, check out one of the more in-depth articles below, and don't forget to tune into RizWords on Monday for words from the site's creator.

• New York Times
• Newsweek
• Dlisted

/rizzn

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Broken and Non-Functional Technology: AdBrite (part one)

Hey There, Rizzn-ites.

Broken technology, non-functional technology, things that don't work as advertised: these are the things that are the bane of my existence the last couple of days. As such, my life has been in catch-up mode, so I don't actually have a lot of time to write this article, so I'll make it a series where I talk about the different services that have completely disappointed me lately. I know I'll be talking about AdBrite today, tomorrow TalkShoe (that one is a doozy, let me tell ya!). I'll be talking about Veveo, AdSense, GrandCentral, and a couple others here in the coming days.

AdBrite (www.adbrite.com)
I recently told GoogleAds to go kick some rocks, and as you may have noticed in your browsing of the website, I've been auditioning new monetization for the blog. I've been fairly pleased with project-wonderful, and I'll be posting a better review of them later, but AdBrite has been a huge disappointment.

In terms of customisation and the types of items you can monetize, its easy to be dazzled by the dollar signs going in. Unfortunately, the ROI on your content is only marginally better than AdSense, and the advertising is several orders of ten more intrusive, doing the pop-over thing, interstitial advertising, as well as traditional text and banner advertisement.

My disappointment started with the fact that it took about four days for the ads to start running. Their pattern matching and keyword matching, once it began, was quite sub-par, in all aspects, and as such, the targeting of the ads was abysmal.

The delivery of the interstitial ads seemed completely arbitrary, even though it was set to display only after three pageviews.

As for the banner/text ads, when they finally did start showing up, as I said, keyword matching was far off the mark, and the banner ads were the variety you find on the trailer park MySpace that start screaming at you how you've won a free iPhone already!

After running for a week and a half, and after recording just over 10,000 pageviews (my guess is that it didn't start recording pageviews until some where in the middle of my run), only four clicks, and $1.35 in revenue.

The icing on the cake was that their inVideo product was completely non-functional. There is a catch in their code - it generates a JavaScript to display, but blogger (and many other popular places to display videos) doesn't allow JavaScript. After some digging, there were several ways to alter the code to make it work in Blogger or other places, but all they did was cause a flash gimmick to pop up saying there was an error in the file (you know, you probably saw it yesterday). About one in 20 loads, the video would play, but then there would be no ads displaying.

Repeated messages to AdBrite support have yet to have yielded any results.

The biggest disappointment was that inVideo really seemed like the lowest barrier to entry in terms of monetizing online video, and I would have loved to use it for my own applications, and reccomend it to clients and readers. Until improvement at AdBrite has been made on several fronts, I don't believe that can honestly be done.

As a result, all AdBrite code has been pulled from the site. Sorry about all the annoying ads interrupting your surfing experience. They're gone now!

Tomorrow, we'll hear about TalkShoe, their most recent rollout of new features, and the rolling schedule of outages they've experienced since yesterday afternoon following the rollout. If you're up for some good belly-laughs, you'll want to be here for that one.

/rizzn

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RizWords: 9/11 Edition

UPDATE: 10:42 PM CST 9/11/2007: Due to issues with Podango, the podcast hasn't hit the feed as of yet. My deepest apologies. It should hit in the next couple hours. I've got folks at all levels of Podango up way too late trying to figure out the problem.

UPDATE: 1:07 AM CST 9/12/2007: Apparently, AdBrite is having issues with it's video serving code. I'll repost it and hopefully you'll be able to once again view Ken's video. Today has been an especially trying day for Art and I in just about everything we've tried in terms of getting technology to work as advertised.

UPDATE: 2:17 PM CST 9/12/2007: The show is finally in the feed. We're now recording EP128. Ah well, always next year.

In about an hour, Art and I will be going on the air for our podcast, not to bring you the news in Politics and Technology, but to look back to 2001 and recall our memories, feelings, thoughts and experience from that fateful day.

A number of folks have contributed pieces for inclusion on the show, including Ken Rutkowski of KenRadio, Cinco of AKARadio, our own Newsguy Jon, and Frank Cotolo of the Cotolo Chronicles.

Below are the individual clips submitted to us by our friends and fellow podcasters.



The following audio clips are available:

• Jon aka Pinion Blue
• 
  
• download
  
• Frank Cotolo
• 
  
• download
  
• Cinco of AKARadio.com
• 
  
• download
  

/mark

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The Amero and the NAU

Hey, Rizzn-ites!

Update (10:47 PM CST): Bill Burke sent me a relevant link as to the origins of Sovereign Citizen Movement as to where a lot of this NAU rhetoric originates. It is from the ADL.

Over the past few days, I've been receiving more and more emails and forwards talking about the Amero and the NAU, and the growing concern that the U.S.A. will be merging very soon with Canada and Mexico.

Stay with me now, this part goes into a little bit of economic language, and may be hard to follow for some, but I'll bring it back around in a bit.

What you're looking at on the left over there is allegedly a coin obtained by a man named Hal Turner. If you enlarge it, it shows that it is minted for the Union of North America. It is alleged that on the macroscopic level, powerful financial interests such as the Federal Reserve and large hedge fund traders are intentionally devaluing the U.S. dollar because, according to Turner, Canada owns a substantial portion of U.S. debt.

Here are some direct quotes:

US Government has intentionally overspent itself for the purpose of irreversibly Bankrupting the country. The idea is that they will drive the country into economic failure, then when millions of Americans are panicking at the prospect, offer them a solution of merging the three countries as "the only possible way" to avoid losing everything.

They will force Canada into the merger by telling them the US currency they hold and rely upon will be worthless and the only way Canada can even hope to salvage any of the funds is to join the NAU.

They will sell it to the Mexican people by saying it will instantly improve their buying-power and quality of life.

Hal alleges that the coins were sent to him by a whistle blower within the department of treasury. As it turns out, they are actually fantasy coins created by an artist called Daniel Carr. I did some investigation, and it is a reputable organization.

I spoke to the designer today. He told me that he enjoys making thought-provoking coins and medals as a hobby and a profession, and does all the design, sculpting, and engraving work himself.

These Amero coins were entirely my idea and initiative.

Hal Turner took images of my coin from my web site without permission and posted
them on his web site. Complaints to them about that went unanswered.

Hal Turner says that the actual coin he obtained (and showed in a video on his web site) was supplied by a contact of his in the Treasury Department. I made that particular coin (just like all the other "Amero" coins). I do not, and never have, worked in the Treasury Department.

He went on to say that "One of my intents with these Amero coins was simply to get them out there to provoke some thought. People can make up their own minds as to whether they are in favor of a Union of North America or not."

Further throwing the claims of Hal Turner in dispute is his credibility as reported by WikiPedia and other sources:

Harold "Hal" Turner (born March 15, 1962) is an American white nationalist Internet radio talk show host from North Bergen, New Jersey. Turner's website and radio program is largely devoted to a digest of news concerning crimes committed by minorities, which Turner couches in racist epithets. He supports strict limits on immigration; advocates the hunting and killing of illegal immigrants ^[8]; promotes anti-Semitism including rounding up and killing Jews; and opposes the existence of the State of Israel. ^[9] He also authors and promotes Holocaust denial material.^[10] Turner advocates political assassination and overthrowing the government, because, he says, the current United States government is corrupt beyond repair. His website serves as a virtual meeting place for fellow white supremacists, via its comment pages.

Granted, strictly speaking, none of this directly goes to argue with his claims of a coming NAU, but anyone who believes that the Holocaust didn't happen has suspect logical processes.

Clearly, though, this coin does not, conclusively or otherwise, point towards the imminent formation of the North American Union. Tomorrow, I'll post a bit more about other related forwards I've been receiving regarding the policy of North Carolina to no longer issue State Driver's Licenses, but licenses subject to the the authority of the North American Union, as my research is still ongoing.

Have comments? Heard some disturbing rumors recently along these lines? Comment here on the blog or email me!

/rizzn

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gPhone: Vindicated!

Rizzn-ites!

(further discussion on this can be found on Episode 121 of RizWords. Subscribe in iTunes for the first scoops!)

Don't ever doubt me again! When a leak or a confirmation comes from me, you know it's true! :-p

What am I talking about? Obviously you haven't checked Engadget or your copy of the Boston Globe yet. The gPhone was demo'ed in Boston, according to Scott Kirsner, to: Dan Roth of Nuance, Mike Phillips of Vlingo, Paul Ferri of Matrix Partners, and Murali Aravamudan of Veveo. It's an interesting assortment of names, and include a lot of names and companies we talk about here on the show.

Off that tidbit, what can be assumed? Well, given that Google specializes in search, and has a considerable amount of resources devoted to video and voice recognition (GOOG-411 and Video Search), we can assume they'll be either trying to incorporate their's or other's technology into the device.

Additionally, Om Malik came out today with a number of other confirmations on things we already knew here at Rizzn:

1. Google Phone is based on a mobile variant of Linux, and is able to run Java virtual machines. We knew this to be true from Deep Throat... Linux-based kernel.
2. All applications that are supposed to run on the Google Phone are java apps. The OS has ability to run multimedia files, including video clips. We didn't know that it would have video on it, although it would be rather silly for Google not to include one of it's leading draws, currently, YouTube in the mix somehow. The Java angle makes me a bit nervous - I've never had super luck with Java Applets, although in recent years, the platform has stabilized a bit. Additionally, Java Applets running on a tightly integrated system like a mobile platform could be mean better performance for said applets than we see on the PC architecture.
3. The image (with red background) floating around isn’t representative of the Google Phone UI. The entire UI is said to be done in Java and is very responsive. Again, because of integrated design, the Java could perform much better than other real-world applications. And indeed, the image we ran with the story last week was something we simply found on Engadget, not something handed to us from Google.
4. The UI, of course has a “search box.” Derrrrr.
5. Initially there was one prototype, but over past few months Google has the mobile OS running on 3-to-5 devices, most of them likely made by HTC, a mobile phone maker, and all have Qwerty apps. The model that folks have seen is very similar to the T-Mobile Dash. Around 3GSM, there were rumors that Google, Orange and HTC were working together on mobile devices. This jives with what we've heard from folks inside the loop as well as what we've read on the blogosphere. My suspicion, based on candid conversations with folks involved with the process, is that it'll initially be on a partnership basis like the iPhone situation with AT&T, but look for it in other countries before America gets it. American carriers will be less likely to do a subsidization on the service plans than overseas. If I had to guess, I'd expect to see it in Asia and Europe as some sort of internet wireless plan separate from carriers (think 802.something), parts of middle-to-Southern Asia and middle-to-Eastern Europe as a partnership with existing carriers, or maybe a mix of both. Keep in mind this is based off my analysis, not hard facts.

Om also mentioned:

We will post more details as they come our way. I had initially thought that it could be a more viable option to the $100 PC. While that argument still remains true, I think this is a strategic move by Google to keep Windows Mobile’s growing influence in check. Microsoft has spent billions on its mobile efforts including buying companies such as Tell Me Networks.

To be honest, I think this platform is an answer to both situations. The impression I get is that Google is working very closely with select partners like HTC to tailor the hardware to the OS and software, and vice-versa. The result will be something that comes in at a much lower price point with a lot more functionality than a Microsoft or OLPC style device can deliver.

Theoretically, on certain levels, it'll compete with both products, but as with most Google products, it'll do more to carve out it's own operating niche than to enter direct competition. If it's one thing I've learned, it's that Google doesn't think, in it's tactical level, on competitive terms, but more emphasis on innovation (a term I've often heard bandied about is 'Blue-Sky R&D). As a result, they end up being mightily competitive, without having to worry about it so much.

Back to the Boston Article a moment...
Scott in his Boston Globe article said:

Google spokeswoman Erin Fors wouldn't confirm whether software for mobile phones was being developed in the Cambridge office, where there are more than 50 employees.

Going back to my conversation with Deep Throat, I'm fairly certain that development for the phone is taking place, at least in part, at the Mountain View Googleplex. Saying what gave me this impression would reveal too much about my source, but it's the impression I got.

Another interesting quote from the Boston Globe article was from Mark May, an analyst:

Mark May, an equities analyst at Needham & Company who follows Google's stock, says he doesn't expect Google to manufacture the phone itself, but rather provide an operating system and a suite of applications that "would appeal to consumers and professionals," like the mail and word processing applications it already provides to PC users.

"That's a natural extension from their core business," May says. The operating system is expected to be open not just to Google's applications, but applications developed by all sorts of other players - a real problem with many cellphones.

So, what was an absurd rumor from a blogger five days ago is now a 'natural extension'? Nice spin, MSM.

GPay? What?
As if there weren't enough angles today to the gPhone story, Google published a patent today covered by TechCrunch detailing yet another application for the gPhone or other mobile devices allowing for payment via text messaging.

When I worked for Nokia in 2000, this was one of the applications we were working on before the bust hit, and 500 people from my department were laid off. PayPal initially got funded on the idea that it could be a mobile payment system, as well. No one really has gotten traction in the market of Text Message Payment Systems, and quite honestly, Google doesn't deserve the patent, which isn't to say that this couldn't become a widely successful application for them. Integrating your wallet with your mobile computing device? Actually quite ingenius.

Of course, it'll be a matter of moments before the debate on Goog's strangle-hold on information and privacy issues are raised again (not to mention the evil-ness, or lack thereof).

How's that for something to chew on this Labor Day? I'm going to my mom's to go eat some bratwurst. See you folks tomorrow. (again, check out the show for more info).

/rizzn

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Better Design?

Hey Rizzn-ites,

If you haven't already, head over to www.rizzn.com. Tell me if you like that design. If I get enough yes votes, then I'll change all the backpages to match.

Let me know!

By the way, I'm giving AdSense the boot. I earned a grand total of $31.00 for the month of August, a time period in which we had so much traffic, Alexa ranked us as high as 82,000. Anyone have any suggestions for a replacement? Thanks in advance.

/rizzn

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