Tech Crunch has a great review of the upcoming Scrapblog release, which you can preview here. It even made the Techmeme homepage, which is awesome. You can call me a little bit biased, since Carlos, Alex, and the rest of the scrapblog team are good friends and a fellow Miami startup. Objectively though, Scrapblog provides a few really exciting possibilites going forward:

1. So rich it feels like a true desktop app- Scrapblog really feels like a desktop app in every which way from Sunday. From the layout to the fluidity, it really shows that Rich Internet Applications are here to stay. I’m an evangelist for RIAs, and Scrapblog raises the bar for everyone else.
2. It answers what’s next- Everyone always asks, so “what’s next?” Video has been done, audio has been done, text has been done,etc. Well, it’s time to take all this media we’ve been creating for the past decade and make it really stand out. The next step starts with online design at Scrapblog.
3. Not An Echo Chamber Product- This is a product for real people. It isn’t a twitter kool-aid application that is only for the geekarati. The real success is in mainstream America where no one knows of twitter, michael arrington, Web 2.0,etc.
4. It’s Meant To Be Shared- Some media you just upload for your own personal benefit. With scrapblog, I’ll make a fair bet that almost all Scrapblogs will be made with the intent to distribute. Maybe ill upload a youtube video for shits and giggles, but if I make a scrapblog it’s there to share

PS- If you want a really in-depth look and tutorial on Scrapblog look at this article
[tags] scrapblog, carlos garcia, tech crunch, miami, web 2.0, publictivity, techmeme, gabe rivera, startups [/tags]

Wow, so Adobe read my mind and launched the alpha version of Apollo this morning. I’ve spent the past few days reading up on it, especially with the O’Reilly Handbook that is available for free. This is a huge step for anyone and everyone, whether you are a developer, entrepreneur, or application user. Here’s a few reasons why it’s big:

1. The Online OS/ Desktop is Going to Be a Hybrid
   The Operating System as we know it, will always exist in some form. It will probably get lighter and keep the basics that are needed (drivers, security,networking,etc.). At the end of the day, people are not going to want their applications to technically live inside the browser, but the applications MUST be web connected. Apollo lets the creativity and collaboration of the web intertwine with the desktop.
2. Software as a Service Can Breakout Into the Mainstream
   Software as a Service, is awesome. I’m betting my entire livelihood on it. The problem is, pure desktop applications still rule the world. People are scared of change. Apollo is a compromise. Comfort of the desktop app, with the flexibility and richness of a web app.
3. Operating System Independent
   Who knows what is going to go on with Apple, bootcamp, parallels, windows,etc. All I know, is that as of right now, operating system independent apps can be built. This is going to be huge for point number two: breaking out into the mainstream. People can get apps off the web, and not have to worry about what OS they are on.
4. Apollo will force better applications.
   Desktop apps were able to get away with being complete and utter crap. Have you looked at some of the apps out there? WOW. Well, that’s going to change. Now Desktop apps are going to be forced to include collaboration and a rich environment. Once again, the users win in the end

PS- No comment as to Publictivity and Apollo

PSS- Great customer service, evangelist, and overall work by Mike Chambers in responding to the blogosphere. Every blog I’ve been to, has had a response of some sorts from him.

[tags] adobe apollo, apollo, apollo, flex2, ria, rich internet applications, mike chambers, techcrunch, online os, publictivity, web 2.0, oreilly media, flash [/tags]

Being an entrepreneur is really something different. It’s a life of dedication and commitment that most people can’t fully understand. One of my favorite quotes, and something to really live by comes from a quote on the TV show, Heroes. It’s a quote from a conversation that takes place between Nathan Petrelli, a politician that can fly, and Mr. Linderman, the puppet master who is behind everything. about a life of meaning or a life of happiness.

[yt]TGx9hJ1o5s0[/yt]
Mr. Linderman: There comes a time when a man has to ask himself whether he wants a life of happiness or a life of meaning.

Nathan Petrelli: I’d like to have both

Mr. Linderman: Can’t be done, two very different paths. To be truly happy a man must live absolutely in the past. No thought of what has gone before and no thought of what lies ahead… but a for a life of meaning, a man is condemned to wallow in the past and obsess about the future.

Very few of us will go for a life of meaning. It means putting ourselves last, and caring about others. Caring about how we change the world is our real goal. We do not concern ourselves with the right now or how large our bank accounts will get aka “happiness”, but learn from the mistakes of the past and obsess about the change we can invoke in the world throughout the future. So I ask my fellow entrepreneurs are you ready for the sacrifice and hardship that comes from trying to achieve a life of meaning?

[tags] heroes, nbc, web 2.0, publictivity, life of meaning, life of happiness, nathan petrelli, mr. linderman, youtube, entrepreneurship [/tags]

Hey everyone, wanted to give a last minute reminder and announcement that Publictivity will be giving a sneak peak of our product this Wednesday at the MIT Enterprise Forum of South Florida’s Event: Web 2.0 in South Florida. The link to register is here. If you’re in the area come check us out! More details on the event are listed below:

Web 2.0 in South Florida

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

University of Miami School of Business, Coral Gables, FL

Panelists Include:

Peter Pezaris, President & Founder, Multiply, Inc.
Jason L. Baptiste, CEO, Publictivity.com
Leonard Boord, CEO, theGorb.com
Carlos Garcia, CEO, ScrabBlog.com
Jason Gorham, CEO & Founder, CareerMetaSearch.com

The definition of Web 2.0 has often been debated, but there is one fact that cannot be denied: it has rocked the foundation of the technology industry for the past year. It is an evolution in the way we utilize technology on the World Wide Web. In the consumer services space, companies such as YouTube, MySpace and Craig’s List have shown that the user and, most importantly, the community control the web. In the enterprise space, software is shifting from the desktop to an on-demand model that allows anyone to work from anywhere with just a browser. Many South Florida entrepreneurs agree that Web 2.0 provides numerous commercial opportunities, and they are not waiting for a Webster’s definition before launching ventures in this new frontier.

The M.I.T. Enterprise Forum of South Florida presents an interactive program entitled “Web 2.0 in South Florida”. The evening will feature brief presentations by several South Florida Web 2.0 companies about the creation of their Web-based businesses, followed by an exchange of ideas moderated by a local Venture Capitalist. Hear from five entrepreneurs representing various stages of venture development and business models. Topics of discussion will include:

• How much capital is required to start a Web 2.0 business
• How Web 2.0 companies think about generating revenue
• How to utilize free word of mouth marketing and user-created content to reach demographic targets

I really love where ning has gone.  They understand not where things are now, but more importantly where they will be by the end of the year. Social networks are no longer the big guys ie-myspace, but a common type of site. The same way anyone could setup a forum, they should be able to setup a social network.  Marc Andreesen is right when he commented on Stowe’s blog: Social networking is what we call it, because that’s what the common term is.  Social networking is basically groups 2.0. The interface is really awesome as well.  It’s intuitive, easy to use, customizable, and makes sense.  From an investment standpoint, I would bet on Ning over MySpace in the long haul.  Oh, how stuff like this makes me miss the consumer space some of the time.  Congratulations Gina and Marc on a wonderful rollout.

[tags] ning, marc andreesen, ning.com, social networking, /message, stowe boyd, web 2.0, publictivity [/tags]