Filed under: Web services
Rumor Alert: AOL to attempt MySpace assault
Ooh, here's
some juicy, unsubstantiated buzz: According to Dave Winer, AOL (this blogger's employer) is planning a new service that will challenge MySpace
"head on." The announcement will allegedly be made in two weeks.[Via my boss Jason Calacanis, who neither confirms nor denies, but is probably tenting his fingers right now.]
Update: Down in the comments we've got comfirmation from Armughan Javaid, Program Manager in AOL Technologies' Open Services group. He says "it will be kick-ass!"
I don't know if this is a labor of love or merely the brainchild of four very gifted games designers, but Level Up is a really weird mash-up of gaming elements that you have probably never seen in a Flash game before.
Let's start with the premise itself: Groundhog Day meets Memento. The game experience revolves around 'days': you explore the world and the clock slowly ticks towards the evening. You bounce around picking up gems and talking to the denizens of 'Level Upland'. Eventually you feel tired and head back to ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Geoff said 7:07PM on 4-19-2006
As long as they hire better programmers and designers than MySpace did and if it's open to non-AOL members, then I'd switch in a second.
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Trekker said 9:12PM on 4-19-2006
Yes it will be open for non-members and it will be kick-ass! Stay tuned.
Trekker
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Matt said 10:45AM on 4-20-2006
Well, I htink people will probably stick with myspace/facebook for the same reason people stuck with AIM despite ICQ, MSN, etc being technically superior: Everybody's already using it.
On the other hand, Myspace is pretty horrible... always slow and crashing. By contrast, Facebook (altho probably less popular) is a speed demon. Buy more damn servers!! You can afford it!!
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Prime said 1:41PM on 4-20-2006
Matt where have you been? AOL bought ICQ in 1998 and they have shared the infrastructure since then.
Dulles, VA, June 8, 1998 - Significantly advancing its multiple-brand strategy, America Online, Inc. [NYSE: AOL] today announced that it has acquired Mirabilis Ltd, an Israel-based company which has used its ICQ instant communications and chat technology to rapidly build a Web-based community of more than 12 million registered users worldwide.
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Trekker said 2:10PM on 4-20-2006
All, just to point out, the original "rumor" was carried by BusinessWeek back in January: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_05/b3969023.htm
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Vorobushek said 6:12PM on 4-20-2006
A MySpace killer?
I hope so. MySpace has some huge limitations comparing whats on MY desk, and I am pretty sure that even the new AOL MySpace Killer will be less than what I invented. :-)
Not Joking, days before the dot-com crash in 2000 we aquired 6.000.000 USD for a project that you can see as a kind of Myspace avant la lettre.... Only the dot-com crash killed our project :-(
In the past 5-6 years I developped the idea further and have developped a project that is a REAL killer since it goes far far far beyond what MySpace does, and.... its a dream, a gorgeous wet dream for marketers WITHOUT ANNOYING the members :-) My project solves problems, add t-o-t-a-l new features..... and is attractive to everyone and everything.
The only problem is on this moment funding. As always.
But here in tiny Belgium the possibilities are a bit smaller, but I try to find new investors.
I hope AOL (and others) have not invented the same as I did :-))). There is still hope.....
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Rob said 6:45PM on 4-20-2006
The inertia of 70-million MySpace accounts means that AOL's MySpace Killer has a lot of work to do.
It's going to have to be so much better, easier, and buzz-ier than MySlow before it'll make so much as a dent in the numbers.
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Shawn Carnell said 10:06PM on 4-20-2006
http://ted.aol.com/index.php?id=167
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BBaxter said 12:23PM on 4-21-2006
Vorobushek...what did you invent?
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Peter Durkson said 8:39PM on 5-10-2006
I'm interested in contacting VOROBUSHEK about his needs.
Please contact; peter@huladogfashions.com
ALOHA
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vorobushek said 12:30PM on 10-11-2008
Peter,
This week I'll email you.....
Ok, it's 885 days or so after your post..... :-)
Vorobushek
Peter Durkson said 8:42PM on 5-10-2006
How do I contact VOROBUSHEK?
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