Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

venkat2009 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:35:17 -0000

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Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Sigurd Magnusson — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:08:39 -0000

I agree with you except to the extent that the iPhone support is crucial for latitute.

I got the invite to join on my iPhone via email, and when I opened it up, it said 'Coming Soon.'

To me, the Google launch was diminished by this--you can bet a set if iPhone users would have added fuel to the adoption fire.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Rallins — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:53:04 -0000

Yahoo puts out a lot of stuff thats not really available. Like the "Small Business Billing" number they sent me in response to a complaint I filed with the BBB (they charged my card ($34.95) for a ($2.99) domain I canceled).

So Yahoo mails me a letter instructing me to "contact the following number: 1-866 800-8092. I call, only to hear a "No Live Support is available at this number" recording. WTF!!

Yahoo is not out to launch, their Out To Lunch! What a bunch of F#cking yahoos!

BTW, The wording in the letter itself is classic criminal corp. double-speak.
"All Yahoo! Domain customers agree to auto-renewal until canceled. Our Billing department has closed this service for Mr. Rallins. He will still have service through the remainder of the paid period. Per our Terms of Service, no refunds will be issued..."

Translation: When you buy a domain through Yahoo there's a auto-renewal clause in the TOS so you can't cancel a domain you "agreed" to auto-renew. So while we have closed service for you, we will continue to "service" your account as long as it is paid.

Result: Yahoo "auto-renewed" the same canceled domain for three years, changing amounts charged to circumvent the set price renewal block my bank used. Last month, I had to cancel my card and close my account just to stop Yahoo from milking me indefinitely.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

SEO Tips — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:28:55 -0000

Latitude got a plug in the Sunday Times (UK) today so uptake in the UK should be good.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

BSGFan — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:57:41 -0000

This is a case about worrying over nothing. Google is currently champ. Yahoo is probably riding on old glories and heading downhill pretty rapidly. They will survive and thrive. I'm glad MS did not acquire Yahoo, even though that episode is still not quite over. Yahoo is still a great company and puts out good stuff.

I'm a techie and I have all the gadgets and gizmos. I have a web-enabled phone with all the bells and whistles, I have a couple of nice laptops, an Xbox and a Wii. I'm still not impressed with surfing the net on a handheld gadget, no matter how useful. The most useful thing I use my phone for is texting and occaisionally looking at a map or seeing what's on at the theater if I'm on a date or something.

Google scares me a little bit. They're getting too big way too fast and they need a serious competitor, but they're like MS -- way too entrenched for too long -- that anyone who does come around better offer a whole lot of cool stuff that's a real paradigm shift. Latitude is cool, but it's not all that.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

jaye — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 13:28:51 -0000

This entire article got lost for my cause I was just obsessing about telling the world where I am... WHy is that a good thing?? Big brother is watching and soon the world will be a real BladeRunner or that movie that was always tracking everyone like virtual cop stalkers. Eek! Get that off your phone immediately!!

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Muri — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:12:35 -0000

another virtual technologhy come with a half hearth and half common sense of business people,make yahoo alway away behind the google club 'I found latitude 2 days ago on my gmail account"so far ,with my little test I found no problem ,but I will try deep further to know the limit of this new things however

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

sikantis — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:59:38 -0000

Interesting point. For sure this kind of release like Yahoo isn't starting well.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Misty Faucheux — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:47:53 -0000

I really like SearchPad. It's quite useful. I think that Yahoo has been falling behind Google for a while. They just don't seem to have as many innovations as Google has. That's why Google is everywhere now.

Thanks for the great post.

Misty Faucheux
Social Media/Community Relations Manager, Viscape.com

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Death byGoogle — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:16:19 -0000

Yo. Mr Scoble.

Yahoo actually makes (or at least made) superior products. They just don't release them well....their go to market is horrid. Maybe this is what you were trying to say by them being focused on old school web users. Think about the superior apps Yahoo has written since 02'ish, how far they were in front of Google.

Search pad will be another great example. Solid, very cool little plug-in that won't go anywhere. They just don't seem to produce products and then create a trend that pulls them into the market.

I can tell you one trend that will be created from all of this. Office space where location based social network companies live will be available on the 'cheap' in a few months...every one of them just said SH*T.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

briefepisode — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:45:30 -0000

Robert,

I was totally blind-sided by your critique -- in a good way! I hopped over to watch both videos.

I agree with your bottom line (yaye for Latitude, meh for Search Pad), but for different reasons.

Yahoo's effort reminds me of all those bouncing paperclips in Microsoft Word, trying to launch a Wizard while I'm doing something else. I could see it becoming very annoying. Also, like you (I guess), I'm not a big Yahoo search fan, so getting an application that sits on a search engine I'm not using is like reading about the stereo system for a golf cart when I don't golf.

Google, on the other hand, is going for the jugular against Apple. Yes, they're doing a platform independent super savvy social media internet smart phone application -- and then also connecting it with desktop users who also don't need a specific platform.

Oddly, iPhones and iPod touches aren't included in the launch. I don't know if that's strategic, but I bet it will be very interesting when tech evangelthusiasts like you start the meme off at warp speed. Latitude will spread in a viral fashion because it's open to everyone.

The thing I don't like about either application is that they are going back to having an account requirement. I have a Gmail account, but it's an account where I receive junk email and newsletters and everything non-personal. I've never bothered synching my Gmail contacts because Gmail is pretty lousy understanding who is a friend and who is a vendor.

Thanks for pointing them both out. Trying them out tonight!

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Dave — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:56:36 -0000

Yup, is true.. Very good post.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

erik — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:55:48 -0000

Google has really seperated itself from yahoo. There is a reason marketers place such importance on getting to the top of that google page. You just can't say the same for the yahoo search engine.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Sandy — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:13:29 -0000

This is hell of a great post. I absolutely love your way of thinking and the things you asked to Yahoo's. This can be applied to so many things in this internet world! You made my day :)

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

monkeyleader — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:55:22 -0000

FAIL! not available for iPhone .. hardly available to everyone Mr Scoble !

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

devprise — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:37:48 -0000

funny thing ... the updated version of Google Maps (that includes the Latitude features) is not YET available on the G1 phone .... we're talking about _THE_ Google Phone .... not yet available on THE Google Phone ... now that's funny!

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Observer — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:21:45 -0000

Sorry to inform that Gmaps 3 with Lattitude is not performing well att the moment. Att present it is a miss and old maps was better....

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

AlexSchleber — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:20:23 -0000

All good points, though I would add that Google sometimes is falling short on moving the ball forward from early adopters to mainstream adoption (e.g. with Google Notebook). Engineering-centric "build it and they will come" is quite often simply not enough anymore in today's attention economy.

Follow me on Twitter, I follow back:
Twitter.com/AlexSchleber

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

dogiyo — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:03:55 -0000

About Google Latitude _________

When made? It’s very similar LOVE SEACH DREAMBOAT

what I have made~! Come to see ~!

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

dogiyo — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:01:04 -0000

About Google Latitude _________

When made? It's very similar LOVE SEACH DREAMBOAT

what I have made~! Come to see ~!

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Tguch — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:37:00 -0000

I am based in Paris, and Google Latitude is not available today. Says Coming Soon on my iPhone, and it had no idea where I was when I used the web-based version. Tsk tsk

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

shareme — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 02:16:34 -0000

Again Robert you miss the Android connection..even Europe Mobile Industry Pubs have noticed the Android connection..

The Android Connection is this..what is the easiest way to convince say Verizon or AT&T Mobility to deploy Android handsets? Remember the MOS have already heard the T-Mobile results about the data plan usage climbing by 400% with Android.

A compelling GPS consumer application.

By the way, my Xspot Android app will be using the new Google Map features found in Google Latitude..and I am being interviewed by the Mobile Industry press about this..:)

You see Mike Arrington last August was right about Android..

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Christopher Coulter — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:02:13 -0000

Maybe they want do want "smoother ride, more trunk space, more leg room" and yet still a heavy horsepower Porsche. Maybe they want SPI Sledghammer bolt-on performance package styled output, 1000 hp at the crank, yet smooth, with stretch room. Just because they want extras, doesn't mean they want to transform into a boring V8, 311 hp Volvo.

Wanting power does not cancel out convenience. A smoother, roomier Porsche does not equal a boxy low hp Volvo.

A Porsche designer that creates a Volvo is beyond insane, and at a certain point ceases to be a Porsche designer, and that's where the metaphor breaks down, as you are proposing an impossibility as a possibility, and factoring the absurd as a probability. It doesn't work.

Let me put it another way, if I want a cooler 3D look desktop GUI for Windows, with more "leg room and trunk space" that runs smoother, that doesn't mean I want Mac OS or KDE.

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Tom Chi — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:55:57 -0000

Thanks for your post, Robert. Sorry that I didn't answer all the questions in the way that you had hoped -- we valued your feedback and will definitely consider it.

As for why we designed it the way we did, we motivated most decisions on problems that we saw our customers having. While it's pretty trivial to add some of the features you asked for, we decided to do less for the clarity of letting users start simple. Even the advanced detection science was created in the name of having users think less about the tool and more about the tasks are trying to accomplish.

Thanks again for talking with us, and we would welcome hearing your thoughts on a later revision. Also appreciate your article for pointing out some different attitudes toward innovation that are out there. Our innovation is extremely customer-focused, and for whatever reason most of our customers didn't need an API for SearchPad in version 1. :)

Anyhow, keep up the great discussion!

Tom Chi

Re: Why Yahoo’s announcement today won’t get as much hype as Google’s

Adam Ostrow — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:17:44 -0000

Agree SearchPad should at least be available for anyone to test - much like Google Labs does for experimental search stuff.

But reason #4 SearchPad didn't get as much buzz is simply that our (tech blogs) readers simply don't care as much about Yahoo stories as Google stories, unless of course it's negative company news from Yahoo (CEO, layoffs, leaked memos, etc)

I spent a couple hours between interview and writing about a neat new technology like SearchPad and got little interest, and it looks like that was the case on most blogs that covered it with depth. On the other hand, a quick story and analysis about Google News adding a widget (yesterday) performs great.

My goal is to cover all that's new and interesting - but given limited time and the choice between a Yahoo product and a Google product, I'll write about the Google one, because it will get more interest from readers every time according to just about every metric.

Which, gets back to your other points about Yahoo having major brand and cultural issues to overcome :-)