Pownce
Let’s get one thing out of the way before we begin: I don’t like Twitter. Yes, you heard me. I simply don’t “get” it and this is not for lack of trying. Just check out what people post on there, things like “Drinking orange juice and waiting tillclass [sic] is over 12:22.” Are you kidding me?
On the other end of the social networking mashups, we have Pownce. Started by Digg founder Kevin Rose and his newly formed Megatechtronium posse consisting of Daniel Burka, Leah Culver, and Shawn Allen, Pownce is described as a combination of IM, Twitter, and I bet I’m the first to suggest this, Hello. While no single part of Pownce is original, bringing them all together is and I think it’s a combination that may prove useful. Currently invite-only (what self-respecting startup isn’t?), the site is very much a Web 2.0 product, complete with loads and loads of Javascript; there’s also a desktop companion which we’ll discuss later on.
Once you get an invite code, signup is painless. You just create a username, enter some vitals (like gender, birthday, and zip code), and you’re ready to start using the service. Whoever invited you is automatically added to your friend list. There is also a concept of “fans” which is simply a friend request that has not been reciprocated. For example, if I mark you as a friend but you haven’t done the same to me, my profile will say I am your fan. If you choose, you can further update your profile by uploading a picture (no filesize or dimensional limits stated), entering your hometown, and writing a short personal blurb. You can also choose from one of four (currently) available themes. There’s something for everyone, which I like.
Now that your profile is out of the way, you can start exploring the site. You can send messages, which are less IM and more Twitter posts, to one or all of your friends. You can also sort friends by folders (co-workers, friends, etc) to make messages more recipient specific. In addition to simple text messages, you can send a link, upload an image, or send an event announcement. The files are limited to 10MB unless you upgrade to a Pro account which gives you 100MB uploads and the promise of no-ads. Currently there are no ads on Pownce but like all “free” sites we can expect it to be ad supported in the near future. When you receive a message (file, invite, etc), the responses are very straightforward and not cumbersome in the least. You just click on a message to read and reply, click on a file to download, and you can easily choose a RSVP response to an event invitation.
The site reminds me of Google’s under-the-radar product Hello, which is an extremely useful IM client made specifically to exchange pictures. When Pownce was announced, everyone was talking about how IM already does all this (allows you send pictures, links, and files). I am not sure what people are talking about because I have received plenty of “unable to create a connection” errors when trying to send my friends files. In addition, unless you have good, searchable logging on your instant messenger client, good luck finding that link your friend send you two weeks ago. How this differs from Hello is that it’s not designed exclusively for pictures.
As mentioned earlier, Pownce also has a desktop application that runs all the time. It uses Adobe’s new AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime) which you’ll probably have to download (just once though). Think of AIR as Flash or Shockwave but for desktop applications. Once you have the runtime installed, any application written for AIR can be run. It’s difficult to tell why Megatechtronium decided to use AIR (when I can’t name a single other company that does), when Java would have worked perfectly as a cross-platform tool. Either way, once AIR is installed, you can install the Pownce client which gives you access to all the tools on the website but in a faster fashion. I definitely don’t need another icon in my system tray but the idea of having that instead of a Firefox tab constantly open is attractive.
I am not sure how the founders intend the site to be used, but here’s my recommendation on how to best utilize it: use it as a compliment to your existing services, and avoid using it in the same manner as Twitter. Do not leave it open and post lame “status” messages about your life – nobody cares. Instead, next time you are about to share a link or file and want a way to have a record of it so you can reference it later on, post it on Pownce. If you are just asking your friend about his weekend, use IM or email. I have lots of faith in Pownce and though it has the makings of a company created solely to be purchased by Google, I think if the user base increases and the developer support is there, it could prove to be an invaluable tool.
