Pseudo web 3.0 updates fail to get my vote

Posted by neha | Ramblings, Social Networking, Websites | Monday 14 July 2008 12:23 pm

No matter where I turn, the website updates keep coming. A few days back, it was my iGoogle page. With left hand navigation to all your widgets, it was an unwelcome change to my homepage. I like my iGoogle the way it was–not fancy, unassuming and utilitarian. The expanding modules also seem to be a feature that I could go without as the actual use is limited. The only thing that is somewhat interesting is the option to gChat from iGoogle, but I don’t gChat all that often anyway [and if you have Adium, this is pretty useless]. Something that I do like is the growing selection of artist themes. My current choice is “Puppies” (how cute is that)!

Then, I checked out my new Facebook page thanks to a post on Mashable. I know the Facebook folks are still working on it, but my first impression was not a great one.

First off, everything seems to be a mirror image of my preexisting Facebook page. I have become accustomed to my picture on the right, links below, and even the mini-feed (which has grown on me) being the first thing I see. It seems that tabs rule the new Facebook page, with wall, info, photos,boxes and an option to add more tabs. This makes it more organized, but can increase the time spent navigating through a friends page. Also, the boxes tab may be the end of Facebook apps as we know it. Who would really be curious as to what apps someone has, unless they are smack dab in the middle of your page?

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eBay Alternatives:iOffer.com, Ebid.net

Posted by neha | Ramblings, Websites | Tuesday 8 July 2008 3:03 pm

I am a big fan of online shopping. Whether it’s buying my latest read from Amazon.com or bidding on some vintage jewelry on eBay, I am all about it. The convenience, the price and selection online is usually unbeatable.

Recently, I stumbled upon a site called iOffer.com. This site is a community of traders from around the world. I just had my first transaction, and was relatively pleased with it. I received the items I ordered in a timely fashion, and liked the way the website worked. Basically, a seller lists an item with a price plus shipping and a lot/bulk price if applicable. Then, the buyer can offer whatever they deem fit and go through a series of counter-offers or negotiations with the seller. An added incentive over eBay is that there is no selling fee, though they do not disclose how much of your final sale they take a cut of. Users can also import their eBay ratings, which is a nice feature for buyers and sellers alike.

Another site, Ebid.net is also a place to buy, sell and trade goods. I haven’t personally used eBid, but it seems like a site worth trying. Ebid has different types of memberships, mostly for sellers. Unlike eBay, sellers can run an auction until something is sold, rather than limit it to 5 or 7 days. Users can also list items they are searching for, a feature that has not caught on based on the number of people posting [< 100 items listed], but has potential.

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My first Pinkberry with Dave Mora

Posted by neha | Ramblings | Saturday 5 July 2008 1:43 pm

Last week, I had the chance to escape the smoky bay area to lovely Los Angeles. While there, I met up with DMS’s own Dave Mora for my first taste of Pinkberry and a chat about the new media space, micro-blogging trends, and weird yogurt.

Check out the video, and Dave’s blog for more!

p.s. I am fully aware of the fact that I sound like a valley girl. Like OMG!


DMS-onLocation Episode 2 with Neha Tiwari from Dave Mora on Vimeo.

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