Articles in Frontiering Websites
Fixpicture is a pretty cool online picture editor that runs in Flash or HTML.
Like Picnik it allows you to upload pictures, resize and add effects and will appeal to the growing audience of consumers who what a simple, easy to use free picture editor.
Monkey See is a new site containing a collection of "how to" videos ranging from Parenting, Pets, Auto & Mechanical
There is even a video series on how to carve a pumpkin.
Perspective: I think this site exemplifies the growing demands for videos in online content, as well as the emergence of niche content sites (in this case "How to").
His New York City apartment had to be fumigated. All of his friends have tiny studio apartments. Hotels in New York are insanely expensive. Left with few living options, Mark thought it would be fun and make an interesting video to move into an IKEA store where he’d live and sleep for a week. Never in a million years did he think IKEA would go for it, but miraculously they have a agreed.
Domino’s have created a very flash "pizza builder" which not only provides excellent visuals, but allows you to custom make and then order your creation.
Perspective: I like this site because it is both engaging, and relevant to the product that Dominos are selling. It should also provide an excellent source of information that Dominos can use when coming up with new pizza creations. Perhaps they could even allow consumers to name and vote for their favourite toppings.
Truveo (a video search engine) has just launched several country specific video sites Australia, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, Russia, Turkey.
This is the top rated section in Australia sports category, which you can “snag” as a widget.
It’s incredible just how much video content is now available, and the ability to create and serve niche channels is quite powerful.
The User Interface (UI) of any system is critical to the success of the application, and that is why major software companies have roles for UI experts. But now you can record and then watch the trail of your consumer clicks thanks to a product from ClicTale.
Clicktale has a useability study (part 1 and part 2) which discusses findings based on their tracking service.
The key ones are
Many consumers are frustrated when wanting to interact with corporations. Phone calls met with “please hold” notices, or emails that get a “thanks for your input” reply, but nothing further.
Getsatisfaction is trying to solve these challenges by providing a place where consumers and marketeers can communicate. They call it “people-powered customer service” and allows consumers a platform where they can converse about customer service issues specific to a particular company or product.
My virtual model gives consumers the ability to try things on, before buying.
You enter in your measurements, upload your face and presto .. now you can see what you would look like before purchasing. Brands such as Speedo, H&M, Sears, Lands End, Best Buy and Marie Claire are represented.
In addition, the site allows you to share and comment on saved outfits to tap into others opinions.
To expand this capability it is now offered as a Facebook Application.
I like to listen to visual communications, and I am most comfortable talking while drawing images and diagrams. So the idea of a visual search engine appeals to me.
Quintura is just that. You start by typing in a search string, and then navigate across a visual cloud map to zoom into the accurate definition or meaning you are after.
Here’s the result when you search on Frontiering.
I have just installed another cool widget to this blog from Snap Shots that enhances links with visual previews of the destination site. This gives you the opportunity to see a small snap shot of the destination link as well as interactive excerpts of Wikipedia articles, MySpace profiles, IMDb profiles and Amazon products, display inline videos, RSS, MP3s, photos, stock charts and more.
If you don’t like it, it’s easy to disable, just click the Options icon in the upper right corner of the Snap Shot and opt-out.
