What it does

StreetEasy, the New York based real estate listing service has now expanded down to Jersey. So far, Hudson Essex, Morris, Bergen and Passaic Counties are all covered. As the name suggests, StreetEasy has made the daunting task of finding an NY apartment a much friendlier, less frustrating ideal. It has taken the same approach with New Jersey. The site gives users highly customizable search system. Searches can be filtered by the standard neighborhood, price, number of bedrooms, and also by building, zoned school area, and new developments. The site also compiles extensive demographic and statistical information about particular regions and neighborhoods. Recent sales are listed with the selling price in plain view. You’ve also got featured listings and quick snapshots of average price per square foot. Users can save searches and sign up for updates as new information comes along. There are also discussion boards and RSS feeds.

In their own words

“You’ve been asking for it, and here it is. We finally brought all the great features of StreetEasy to North Jersey including advanced search, new developments and open houses. We’re currently in beta, and we’ll be improving over the next few weeks, so we’d appreciate any feedback you have!”

Why it might be a killer

Street Easy for New Jersey offers the same flexibility and resourcefulness as it with the NYC site. It really makes it much easier to find property the way that works best for you. Listings can be sorted and ordered however it makes sense for the user. The site also provides ample demographic information which can be quite important when considering a property.

Some questions

Will Street Easy offer videos of the properties? Will it expand beyond NYC and Jersey? Can owners add their own listings?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Slandr is a brand new Twitter app which seeks to make your on the go Twitter experience a lot smoother. Although somewhat inauspiciously titled (perhaps it has to do with its Dutch origins), the app does deliver all the perks of Twitter on your mobile and more. Features include replies, messaging user overview, search and geo. Users simply have to log in with their Twitter credentials. Besides that, Slandr also provides backchannel services which can be run on IM, Twitter, Jaiku and SMS. Backchannels allow users to discuss, rave and criticize digitally during any live event or conference. Simply contact the site admin/creator to get your own backchannel up and running.

In their own words

“Slandr delivers an enhanced mobile site for Twitter, with: replies, direct messaging, users overview, search and geo.



Slandr also makes custom backchannels for you and your conference. They are nice, live and can eat anything from IM, Twitter, Jaiku to plain old SMS”

Why it might be a killer

Slandr appears to be a simple, streamlined Twitter app for mobile usage. It’s got a bare, minimalistic interface which is very navigable. Also, the app offers backchannel services which is more than what you’d find on similar apps.

Some questions

How does Slandr compare with other mobile Twitter apps? How well does the app integrate with other mobile applications? What’s the business model?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

These days, online advertising seems to be dominated by pay-for-click solutions that do not in anyway guarantee that the people clicking will result in new business. Pontiflex looks to change the way online advertising is structured; away from pay-for-click and towards a model that makes the most of advertising dollars. Pontiflex allows lead generators to take control of every aspect of lead generation by giving them the ability to find lead generation publishers using the Pontiflex GENlist directory and allowing them to set up campaigns in under 15-minutes. Real-time reporting, optimization and validation allow for the most successful and efficient advertising solution available.

In their own words

“Pontiflex is the advertising industry's only open and transparent lead generation marketplace. In tough economic times, advertisers want to increase their returns on online marketing. So why should they have to pay for clicks and impressions that might not convert to leads? Instead, they can use Pontiflex to pay exclusively for quality leads that drive business.”

Why it might be a killer

The value of a “click” in pay-for-click advertising is dubious to say the least. Pontiflex will appeal to companies that recognize this and want to maximize their return on investment.

Some questions

How much will it cost to take advantage of the Pontiflex solution? How does one know that Pontiflex’s GENlist will be applicable across industries?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Developed using Ruby on Rails, Qcron is new web-based platform for all project management related tasks. Project managers can use Qcron to keep track of all present and past project budgets, timelines, expenses and workforce distribution. Financial analysts can use to accurately project budget data and human resource managers can use it to help them correctly record their outsourced resources’ remuneration. Since it is web based, Qcron can be accessed from any workstation with internet access and there is no charge associated with using the basic service. Included in the basic free service are email reminders, reporting, data export in csv or pdf format, a dynamic dashboard and a billing module.

In their own words

“Qcron will allow for project management in several different aspects (time, costs, resource allocation, etc.) becoming a great tool for managers to make the right decisions based on hard facts. QCron is a web based application that can be used from any workstation with internet access. It was developed using Ruby on Rails, a very flexible and exciting technology, which allowed us to use multiple Web 2.0 features resulting in a very user friendly solution.”

Why it might be a killer

For small business this is a free way to better manage projects and improve overall efficiency. For larger organizations, this is an affordable way of doing the same and the ability to import MS Project files will be greatly appreciated.

Some questions

While there is a free basic service, that only includes one active user making it an option for only the smallest of companies. Will larger organizations see value in the package being offered? Do they currently have any customers?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

State bar associations across the country have published articles about the need for attorneys to offer unbundled legal services in order to offer more affordable and accessible legal services to the public. For those not familiar with the term, unbundled legal services refer to providing legal documents or advice to clients but leaving the filling and execution of the document to the client. Virtual Law Office is a portal that allows attorneys to provide these services and thereby increase their online business while at the same time offering a more affordable legal experience to clients. The software can be used as a stand alone platform for all law office needs or it can be easily integrated with existing infrastructure.

In their own words

“Virtual Law Office Technology, LLC (VLOTech) was founded with the purpose of providing a secure, software as a service, web-based product that connects solo and small firm law practices with the online consumer. The goal of the software is to provide a complimentary method for the solo and small firm practitioner to compete by expanding their client base to tap into the online consumer and the need for unbundled, online legal services.”

Why it might be a killer

Law offices across the US will enjoy the ease of use but most importantly, the fact that they will be able to grow their business in the online world. This software will allow small law firms to compete with behemoths.

Some questions

Will law firms take the time to adapt to this new software or will they continue to do business as usual. While offering unbundled services to clients could increase overall business, it could also lead to a radical change in the legal process and a loss in income to the firms who would lose out on the value added services they provide if all clients began doing the “grunt work” themselves.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Kinemo is a mobile greetings company that is offering a way for you to give mom a very unique gift for Mother’s day. If you have a Sprint, AT&T, or T-Mobile cell phone you can get 5 seconds of Time Square Giant Screen fame for your mother. For $100 you can have your mother’s photo placed on the big screen in times square along with a message. First you most upload a photo of mom and add a message you can see a preview of how it will look on the big screen. Then you need to pick a 15 minute time slot for when you want your mom’s 5 seconds of fame to fall within. You will get a notification on your cell phone 10 minutes before your mom’s photo will appear. Besides having your mom’s face on the big screen you will receive a photo souvenir of the moment. A photo of your mom on the big screen in Times Square will be sent to you. Forget the flowers and cards give mom something she will always remember.

In their own words

" It's easy to make this Mother's Day the one she'll never forget."

Why it might be a killer

Kinemo is definitely offering a service that will make a very unique and fun gift for mom. Each year it becomes more challenging to think of a new gift for Mother’s day, Kinemo can help you think outside of the box and into Time Square. The process of setting the gift up is very simple and there are many ways for you to preview the gift which is nice.

Some questions

There are most definitely better ways to spend $100 on your mother for mother’s day. It would be nice if all cell phone carriers could be included not just, Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Google Maps joins forces with Craigslist to provide users with a visual way to see where the housing ads are. HousingMaps is an easy way for users to search for housing and get a visual sense of where the listing is. HousingMaps contains all of the features of both Google Map and Craigslist. You can easily move around the map by using the directional arrows and you can also zoom in and out. There are icons on the map to display where listings are located. The green icons represent cities while the red and yellow represent listings. The yellow icons represent listing that have photos. HousingMaps has the Craigslist features of using filters such as location, price, number of rooms, etc… All of the Craigslist listings are on the right-hand side of the map and you can click on them and be linked to the listing on Craigslist. HousingMaps is very useful especially if you are moving to a new city. I just moved to New York and there are so many neighborhoods to live in, it would have been nice to have used HousingMaps to get a sense of where the listings where located so I could make a decision before I trekked all around the city.

In their own words



Why it might be a killer

HousingMaps is a straight forward site that combines two of the most popular sites Google Maps and Craigslist. It is only logical that theses two sites combine. Choosing housing is very important and location is a key component of choose where to live for many people. It is nice that users have all of the filters available on Craigslist. The map is well marked and the icons are easy to identify.

Some questions

Although HousingMaps is easy to use a help section could be useful. It would be fun if there was a social realm to the site such as a forum where users could talk about specific listings or locations.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

Are you the type of person who prefers to be a guest at a party instead of the party planner? If you are you definitely aren’t alone, planning a party is not an easy task. You must think of everything from the theme, to the guest list to the location. MyInvites wants to help party planners by giving them a site where they can find tools to help them organize their party planning endeavors. The invitation making feature is the core part of the site. To make your invitations you can choose from a large selection of designs. After you have picked a design you can fill in the details of the party, time, location, dress code, etc… Then you send your invitations to your guests and all is history. Some of the other very useful features are the toolbox and photo gallery. The toolbox helps you outline a budget, choose a theme, and keep a to do list. Once the party is over you can save your photos in the gallery section. MyInvites also helps you brainstorm venues, gift bags, party supplies and other parts of planning a party that can be easy to forget. Make planning your party easy and fun by going to MyInvites.

In their own words

"The idea for myinvites was hatched out of frustration.

We loved getting together with our favourite people but we didn’t love the hassle that often comes with being the organiser. We wanted a simple and easy way to plan events and send out great looking invitations online.

At work we had Outlook to keep organised. We did our banking online, our shopping online and booked our holidays online… but when it came to inviting our friends to things we still battled through making our own invitations with clip art or sending tedious email or text invites that just didn’t do our do’s any justice.

We jumped online and searched for an online invitations site that could help with our planning and we just couldn’t find any.

We thought that there must be other people out there like us. So we asked a bunch of people whether they’d love to be able to send online invitations in fun, quirky and stylish designs and a way to manage all of their RSVP’s and event plans and photos online and they said “Absolutely”.

So we got to work.

myinvites.com.au is the first of it’s kind in Australia. It’s a social planning site for people who already have friends. We’re not about meeting your long lost love online, or networking online with people who have the same kinky interests as you – we’re about making getting together with your real, non virtual friends easier and more fun.

myinvites is a tool we’d hate to live without. We hope you grow to love it too."

Why it might be a killer

The MyInvites site is well organized and all of the categories and features are easy to find on the homepage. The introductory video is very fun and definitely sends out the general idea of the site, plan and party. It is great that MyInvites goes beyond most invitation sites and provides useful tools for party planners. Quite honestly there is a lot of planning that goes into having a party and the invitations are only one step. MyInvites helps party planners remember all facets of planning a party.

Some questions

It would be nice if MyInvites had more of a community feel with public photo galleries and forums where users could share party ideas and tips. There are many invitation sites how will MyInvites deal with all of the competition?

Updates


 » original news

What it does

As a publisher you want all of the information on your site to be easy to access and you want users to have all of eth information they need readily available and fresh in their minds. BeamMe is a simple button that providers can place on their website so that users can save that information and have it instantly sent to their cell phone. Instead of having to print out the information such as the location or a store, event, etc.. or instead of having to look around for a pen and paper, users can just click on a button and get all of the information they need. Besides being extremely useful for users and a great way for providers to interact with users after they have been on the site, it is environmentally sound, let’s stop wasting paper. The SMS is free for users and the service is available in 180 countries so the BeamMe service is great for websites with an international audience and user base. BeamMe is easy for users to take advantage of because there isn’t a registration process and their cell phone information is secure. Installing beams for users is easy, a simple copy and pasting of a code and the beam can be edited from the website. There is even an option for advertisers, BeamAds. BeamMe is a great way to promote your brand and a brand that cares about users.

In their own words

"A Beam is essentially a piece of website information that has our code installed so it can be sent to a mobile phone. Our service takes care of all the backend work of making sure it gets to the right phone in the right format. All that you see on a website is a small blue button next to the relevant piece of content. When clicked, a box appears allowing the user to enter their mobile number.

The primary focus of BeamMe. Info is to give Internet users the convenience of being able to send useful information from the web directly to their mobile phones. We want the process for users to be free and so simple that it will become part of their everyday workflows on the Internet."

Why it might be a killer

BeamMe.info is a very thorough site that addresses each audience individually. The tours are very useful and give all of the crucial data on the service. Does make a lot of sense for publishers, it is a great way to inform users and keep contact even after they have left your site. It is great for users as well, there are so many times when you are in a rush and need a crucial fact from a site, now it is easy to receive the information you need instantly. The fact that BeamMe is great for the environment is a big plus more and more people are taking the environment into consideration.

Some questions

plus more and more people are taking the environment into consideration.

?: Some testimonials of the service from bother users and publishers would be a great addition to the site. It would be great if publishers could customize the design of the BeamMe icon to represent or be their logo.

Updates


 » original news

What it does

So smartphones are really big and have consequently spawned a million types, kinds and clones. Yet for all that, there hasn’t been one super phone that does everything. The iPhone comes close, but it’s not perfect. It can’t for instance, offer your voicemail as a text message in real time. Luckily, advances are being made, advances like VoiceCloud. VoiceCloud is a new company with proprietary technology that does just that—direct voice to text transcription. So when you’re in a pinch and can’t contact the all important person who would solve it all but is conveniently MIA, VoiceCloud will make sure that that person gets a human transcribed text of your urgency. VoiceCloud is currently offering a free month trial before a pay scheme kicks in. All major carriers are supported.

In their own words

“VoiceCloud is the premier provider of true, next-generation, real-time voice-to-text transcription services.

VoiceCloud's cost-effective solution is based on patented streaming audio technology and offers users anytime, anywhere, instantaneous audio and voice transcription.”

Why it might be a killer

This is an ingenious bit of technology. It revolutionizes voicemail, allowing users to keyword search voicemail, store it without limits, and it’ll even have a special interface for the iPhone.

Some questions

Because human transcribers are used, will potential users be leery about the service? Will the price be right? Can it handle a large volume of calls?

Updates


 » original news