Welcome to this Sunday’s edition of “Is It Real?” where we present to you a Web 2.0 company/product/service, and ask you to guess - without the use of the internet at all - whether it’s real or not. We collect votes all week, and then the following Friday, we reveal the real answer. Ready to get started?
Today we feature an ever-popular niche that’s making its way to the internet - social networking for your pet. You may have heard of Dogster.com, or even Catster.com - social networking platforms where dog or cat owners can create online profiles for their lovable, furry friends.
Now we bring you Hamsterer - a social networking community for small, furry, rodents. No, this isn’t some horrible Richard Gere joke site - this site is legit, and gives Hamster owners a platform to write, blog and even Tweet about little “ChesterBee” or “Mr. SnuggleMuffin.” This social networking platform for Hamster lovers has proved to be a genuine international success!
So, dear yooRyoo readers, the task is upon you - without searching the web in any way - make a decision: is Hamsterer a real online community for Hamster owners, or are we making it up? Vote below and tune back in on Friday for the results:
Is Hamsterer really a social network for Hamsters?
Maybe - and is their a site for my pet snake, too? (43%, 3 Votes)
Yes - and why not? Hamsters need a profile page, too! (29%, 2 Votes)
No - that's just too strange - even for the internet (29%, 2 Votes)
Welcome to this Sunday’s Is It Real?, where we feature some web 2.0 technology/service/program that begs believability, and asks us to question if it is real. We give you just enough information about the company, so that you could understand the concept…then we ask you to vote if it’s real - without the help of the web in anyway to verify your answer.
We leave the voting polls open all week, and then reveal the answer the following Friday. Capiche? Good…let’s introduce this week’s company - Stache Passions!
A 100% free social networking & online dating site specifically for singles with a passion for the moustache, Stache Passions is a social network built around members that feel there is nothing finer than a good stache. Stache Passions provides an open environment where mustache wearers can revel in the sitewide love bestowed upon them by a community of stache afficianados.
Both men and women are invited to be free members of the site - presumably the women are there to meet men with moustaches. Some of most popular profile pictures are below:
So, dear yooRyoo readers, we ask you - is “Stache Passions” a real social networking site? Of is this something that we made up? Vote below…and tune back in on Friday to find the real answer.
Is Stache Passions a real social networking site for moustached people?
Sure it is - it's about time, too...I haven't shaved in a week and I was beginning to worry. (43%, 3 Votes)
Maybe - it seems plausible, but what about guys with beards? (29%, 2 Votes)
No - and if those pictures are real, get those guys a razor. (29%, 2 Votes)
Happy Sunday and welcome to our regular Sunday feature called “Is It Real?“…where you guess if the web 2.0 company/product/service that we present to you today is real.
You see, we give you just enough information to grasp the concept of what we’re presenting, and then ask you to vote - without the help of the web in ANY WAY - if this company is real or not. Voting runs all week, and we reveal the real answer this Friday in the Friday Fishwrap.
Today we present to you a social networking site dedicated to lawyers. Called “LegalForce,” this site allows you to join only if you are a lawyer (all other people will either be sued or pressured into instigating legal action against another!). LegalForce currently has close to 150,000 lawyers enrolled, and provides a platform to share contacts and information about current rulings.
Moreover, it has a special section called “the Water Cooler” where fellow lawyers can start threads about certain topics (”What is the bonus at Cheatem, Lyum and Steele if you become a Jr. Partner?”) or qvetch about that pesky criminal trial you are working on (”How can I trick the judge into giving me a four day recess, because I have tickets to Guadalajara for a long weekend?”).
It seems that every profession has some form of social networking, and LegalForce is the one for lawyers.
So, yooRyoo readers, I ask - is LegalForce real? And be careful of how you answer, they may be watching…
Is LegalForce a real social networking site for lawyers?
Yes - and I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth (50%, 2 Votes)
No - but I only say this on advice of my legal counsel (25%, 1 Votes)
Maybe - I plead the Fifth at risk of incriminating me (25%, 1 Votes)
Welcome, yooRyoo readers, to our Sunday feature - “Is It Real?” where we present a new Web 2.0 tool or technology, give you a brief overview of the product, and then ask you to vote on if it is real or not. There is a catch, though - you cannot use the internet in any way to help you guess your answer. That’s right - this is a gut-check guess!
We reveal the answer in the following Friday Fishwrap posting. That means you have all week to vote on whether you think this is real or not. Understood? Then let’s get started:
As you know, the Obama campaign is always on the forefront with new technologies to help promote their candidate…and the McCain campaign is desperately following on their heels. When Obama launched a Twitter feed, suddenly 30 McCain twitter feeds were created (29 of which are decidedly fake, but much more entertaining). Incidentally, Barack Obama has more than 80,000 people following his Twitter feeds.
You may have heard, the Obama campaign recently released their very own iPhone application - a way for Barack supporters to stay in touch with the candidate. Not to be outdone, the McCain campaign is now introducing their very own iPhone application. Similar to the Obama application, the McCain iPhone app allows users to get instant messages and campaign updates from their campaign.
But, as an added touch, McCain’s iPhone application contains a fun, imbeded game where you can control an animated version of McCain and Palin, and have them shoot at Iranian invaders, wolves (from a helicopter) and Russians from across the sea. This game is called “Grumpier Old Men” (since it’s loosely based on the movie).
So, yooRyoo friends, we ask - do you think that the McCain iPhone application is indeed real? Vote below…the answer will be revealed on Friday!
Did John McCain release his very own iPhone application?
No - c'mon, this guy doesn't even use a computer. (80%, 12 Votes)
Yes - since he invented the Blackberry, he must be pretty tech-savy. (13%, 2 Votes)
Maybe - I wouldn't put it past him, but he's seriously a "me-to" player if he did. (7%, 1 Votes)
Note to yooRyoo readers, the following item is entirely true…sometimes we can’t make these things up:
A Google engineer released a new extension to Gmail that is designed to prevent “drunk emailing.” Entitled “Mail Goggles,” the engineer posted the following description on his blog:
Sometimes I send messages I shouldn’t send. Like the time I told that girl I had a crush on her over text message. Or the time I sent that late night email to my ex-girlfriend that we should get back together. Gmail can’t always prevent you from sending messages you might later regret, but today we’re launching a new Labs feature I wrote called Mail Goggles which may help.
When you enable Mail Goggles, it will check that you’re really sure you want to send that late night Friday email. And what better way to check than by making you solve a few simple math problems after you click send to verify you’re in the right state of mind?
If you add Mail Goggles to your existing Gmail account, it will automatically turn on late on Friday and Saturday nights. Everytime you try to send an email, it will ask you a series of math questions to prove your sobriety. Here is a screenshot of some of those questions:
Again, we have to stress that although it sounds like one of our fake postings, this is entirely real.
Here is a screenshot of the settings panel:
Still don’t believe us? Feel free to download and install this at the Offical Gmail Blog.
It is time for this week’s “Is It Real?” feature - where we scour the internet to find a web 2.0 company that defies the imagination and challenges the credulity of the “new media.”
Here’s how it works - every week we present an online company, and give a brief description of the services it provides. We give you just enough information to understand the concept and then we challenge you to vote on if the company is real, or not. Trick is: you cannot surf the web to find the answer!
Think you’re up to the challenge? Well, then let’s proceed with this week’s entry:
McDnld’s: a social network based on your fast food experience. Yes, McDonald’s - home of the Golden Arches - are launching into the web 2.0 fray with their very own social networking site. Called “McDnlds,” this platform is designed for kids and adults alike to share in their eating experience.
Children are presented with Flash-animated Ronald McDonald’s and Grimaces, guiding them through fun online-games and challenges. Reward points are earned that eventually can be redeemed for a small-size fries at their local McDonalds.
Adults, on the other hand, are presented with a cool, MySpace-like interface, allowing them to upload pictures of themselves (presumably while eating Big Macs or drinking Shamrock Shakes), list their favorite music, make friends, and even are given a forum to “blog” about their McDonald’s experience. It is rumored that the best blog posting will enter them into a chance to be a star of an upcoming McDonald’s commercial.
With this upcoming launch, other fast-food companies are planning to launch their own online-communities, including: MyWendy’s, BurgerKingBook, and KFCspace.
So, dear readers, without using the web in anyway, vote below on whether you think McDnld’s is actually real. We’ll reveal the true answer - and the results of our poll - on Friday (in our “Friday Fishwrap” post). Until then, happy voting!
Is McDnld's a real online social networking site centered around fast-food?
Why not - it was only a matter of time before they jumped the Web 2.0 bandwagon. (60%, 3 Votes)
No way - this cannot be true (but I could really go for some golden fries) (40%, 2 Votes)
I am not sure - it sounds plausable, but where is the Disney tie-in? (0%, 0 Votes)
Happy Sunday, yooRyoo readers. Today we present another verson of “Is It Real?” - the web 2.0 guessing game that’s sweeping the nation! Here’s how the rules work - every Sunday, we feature a web 2.0 company, application or service and give you a brief description of what it is and how it works. Then we ask our readers to vote on whether it is real, or not.
The twist is that you cannot use the web in anyway to help you find the answer. The voting polls stay open all week (encourage your friends to come out and vote). Then, the following Friday (in our Friday Fishwrap) we reveal the answer.
So, now that you understand the rules, let’s introduce today’s application - called “iHologram.”
This iPhone application is a 3D animation program, and works by assuming a constant viewing angle (35-45 degrees), typical for when the device is placed on a tabletop. The 3d scene’s perspective is then warped using anamorphic perspective, making the object appear to jump off the screen.
It’s hard to describe - it might be better just to see it in action:
While not available through the iTunes appstore yet, interest in the iHologram is high and sales are expected to go through the roof!
So, yooRyoo readers, we ask: without searching Google or using the web in any way, Is iHologram real? Vote below and tune in next Friday for the results.
Is the iHologram for the iPhone real?
No way - this can't be real...but it's a cool idea! (50%, 5 Votes)
Wow - yes, it is real...and I can't wait to get it for my iPhone (40%, 4 Votes)
Hrm - maybe it is, maybe not...I am still not sure how it works (10%, 1 Votes)
Happy Sunday - the weekend is almost over. But before you head back to work, make sure to vote on today’s Is It Real? contender.
For those of you new to Is It Real?, it’s a simple concept: we provide a company name and description, and your job - if you choose to accept it - is to vote on if you think it is a real company or not. We tally your votes all week long, and reveal the real answer on Friday.
One caveat - you cannot use the internet in anyway to help guess your answer. Ready? Then let’s get started:
Today’s company is called MyGlu - a web 2.0 open-source API that allows users to begin threading together information from a variety of social network sites, and presents it in a single dashboard-like interface. Taken from the website directly, here is a brief description of their services:
No two social networks are alike. Taking this into account, MyGlu is designed to aggregate key information from all these sites, and give users an easy-interface to share and update data.
With already existing APIs for MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Friend-Feed and Spokeo (to name a few), MyGlu is a much-needed application is the clouded web 2.0 space.
So friends, we must ask - Is MyGlu Real?
Is MyGlu a real web 2.0 application?
Yes - surely it must be real. After all, it sounds a lot like a previous yooRyoo post. (50%, 2 Votes)
Maybe - I am not sure. Can there be an open-source API that is free? (50%, 2 Votes)
No - MyGlu cannot be real. I try to keep MySpace and Facebook separate at all times! (0%, 0 Votes)
Fans of “Is It Real?” might have noticed a recent trend where most of our “Is It Real?” features are indeed real. That is not only a testament to the wide-breadth of companies on our Web 2.0 world, it also speaks to the strangeness of it all. In fact, a recent set of Google searches has revealed a number of the satirical companies that we created actually do exist!
To that end, today we are featuring a few of those companies. No polls this week - but be sure to tune in next Sunday for a brand new version of “Is It Real?“…
Introduced on June 12, Triangle Hero was a parody of Guitar Hero, but with a less-sexy instrument. Designed to teach players how to patiently wait through 138 bars of rest in symphonic pieces before playing your triangle controller, we thought it was a smarmy commentary on those crazy instrument games. Well we weren’t the only ones…
The Cartoon Network started featuring this commercial for a suspiciously similar game…
Created as a rip on Twitter, Toot (and Toot 2.0 - now available for the iPhone 3G!) is a faux company designed to provide your health updates to subscribed friends through a micro-blogging service. Now you can Toot all day long, and no one will be the wiser!
Did you know there’s a real Toot company? We didn’t either…here’s a description of their services:
Toot! is software for making rich résumés and portfolios.
A rich résumé includes examples of your work. It exchanges the dry chronology of dates, companies, job titles and duties for an enriched résumé with actual pieces of your work that prove you know your stuff. Those pieces can be presentations, reports, plans, lesson plans, budgets, schematics, art, music, dance — anything you can render in digital form.
A portfolio is a trove of your work, collected over time with reflections about each piece. With Toot!, you can keep an on-going record of your life, including artifacts from all its aspects — work, education, hobbies, family, vacations, etc. When it comes time to create a résumé for a specific opening, you can select those pieces from your portfolio that best exemplify your qualifications for the position.
With Web 2.0 parody, Apple’s “i” series (iPod, iTouch, iPhone, etc.) is an easy target. yooRyoo imagined a time (hah!) when Steve jobs would create a clock where he could control - and enhance - the time-tracking experience.
However, there really is an iClock application. Here’s a review:
iClock’s simple, intuitive interface never lets me down. With a quick glance at the pull-down menu, I can see what time it is where I am….where I’m going…and where I’ve been. With another click, I can check the weather at my next destination. Its so much more than a digital timepiece for the Mac.
In a clever twist to combat the popularity of the gPhone, yooRyoo introduced on July 22nd, our “open-source” version of a Google-created phone, called the gPhone. Ultimately, the gPhone is designed to do one thing really well - make phone calls! In addition, we added a feature called “I’m feeling lucky” which randomly calls people - it’s like the Web 2.0 version of drunk-dialing.
Since we debuted this clever satire piece, many people have started calling Google’s upcoming Android phone the “gPhone” (yes, Google is really creating a smart phone). We’ll take credit for where credit is due. Here are a few gPhone links:
It’s clear that since we launched yooRyoo in mid-June, we’ve already had an impact on how technology is evolving. Stay tuned for more “OMG - It IS real!!” features in the future. Have a great rest of the weekend.
Today, in our regular “Is It Real?” posting, we’ll present to you a Web 2.0 company/service, and then we’ll ask you - the readers - to vote if it is real or not. But first, let’s ask an important question that might be plaguing readers of our site - why should you vote?
The answer is simple - Web 2.0 is great because it provides openess and true democratization to the web. However, because of this, it’s also very scary! Some things on Web 2.0 just shouldn’t exist. And you, as a savvy Web 2.0 consumer, must be sure where to spend your precious time on the web. Because, Google is watching you and ready to serve up ads based on the kind of sites you frequent! Big Brother is Watching!!!
So, with that, let’s get into this week’s Is It Real? -
Estilook - a social networking site designed to allow community members to have “fun” while judging other people’s design and fashion!! This Portugal-based Web 2.0 company allows you to:
Share your style by uploading your pictures and looks
Have fun knowing and voting in outfits of people from different companies
Keep track of trends and news to aggregate even more style while dressing up
Here is a rough (online) translation of their company mission (translated from Portuguese):
Estilook is an innovative social community directed toward people who have proper style. Our mission is to provide a democratic space where people of some countries, cultures can show and share its styles, interacting with other users of similar interests.
Professionals and not lovers of fashion are welcome to the site. Estilook Is a place where common people can learn to dress in accordance with proper style, can make uploads of these looks, to think on different appearances, to be aware of trends, events in the area and much more.
Simply put - this is Web 2.0 fashion police community! What more could one ask for?
So, readers, I ask of you: Is Estilook Real? Take a second to vote below:
Is Estilook as real web 2.0 social networking community that allows users to judge each others fashion?
Yes - anonymously ripping on other people's fashion sounds like a fun activity (60%, 3 Votes)
No - people that would belong to a site like this are fashionistas, and don't take any criticism (20%, 1 Votes)
Yo (the mythical state between yes and no) - it could be real, but if it were, I wouldn't be part of the site since I only wear jeans and t-shirts. (20%, 1 Votes)
Welcome to this Sunday’s edition of “Is It Real?” where we present to you a Web 2.0 company/product/service, and ask you to guess - without the use of the internet at all - whether it’s real or not. We collect votes all week, and then the following Friday, we reveal the real answer. Ready to get started?
Loading ...
