Adding some Color to Social Networking
By Azam on March 28, 2011
Color is the new 41M startup from the maker of lala and onebox Bill Nguyen. The new idea by Nguyen allows users to share pictures automatically based on their location on smartphones. Color is based around the idea of spontaneous communities forming around the sharing of photos on their smartphone.
“It takes the concept of Twitter to a whole new crazy place,” Nguyen told AFP while demonstrating Color at his startup’s headquarters in a pair of rented storefronts in the Silicon Valley city of Palo Alto.
“Every time you turn on this app, it’s like a bat, it connects into every other phone around you,” he continued, bat cufflinks in the sleeves of his shirt.
Smartphone users activate Color applications and devices do the rest with no need to upload, log in, or identify users.
“Basically, every camera around you is your camera, instantly,” Nguyen said.
Color users can keep all shared images taken at gatherings, with links between smartphones severing after they leave.
“When you post photos to Facebook, there is this weird single perspective to it; it is just your view of your life,” Nguyen said. “We thought that was lame; we can do better.”
Friends or family using Color can take advantage of a feature that lets them view one another’s smartphone pictures in real time no matter where they are.
Color also lets users keep “visual diaries” of daily doings by automatically saving pictures in a calendar.
Color users can peer into each others’ visual diaries.
“You’re going to start using it and realize your neighbors and co-workers are really cool and you should hang out with them” Nguyen said. “And, you will hopefully spend a little less time on Facebook telling people from high school and college how great you are doing.”
Color identifies phones, not people, so no personal data is gathered from users. Abusing the service will result in a phone being blocked from Color.
The startup plans to make money by letting businesses offer deals or promotions to Color users once they are inside establishments.
“Color will transform the way people communicate with each other,” said Sequoia Capital partner Doug Leone. “Once or twice a decade a company emerges from Silicon Valley that can change everything.
“Color is one of those companies.”
Bain Capital, Sequoia Capital, and Silicon Valley Bank have pumped $41 million in investment money into Color, which Nguyen said was inspired by Apple heralding the start of a “post-PC era.”
Tags : , Android, apple, Bain, Bill Nyguen, Color App, iPhone, lala, Photo Sharing, Sequoia, Social networking