It's tough making money online when everyone else is also trying to, and it takes Web start-ups with fresh angles and useful products to actually get on the scoreboard, let alone win.
We're not sure if these four online applications for deal hounds and daily shoppers will become the next Travelocity or Amazon.com, but they stood out at the half-day Plug and Play Expo in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Voyij is an alpha-stage travel deal finder. Unlike Kayak, Orbitz, and Travelocity, Voyij doesn't collect real-time inventory. Instead, it seeks distressed and discounted fares, and it serves you what you want based not just on your destination, but on the experience you want.
Sesh's main concern is to give shopping sites a shot of personality--the kind of information and human touch that bring questing customers into brick-and-mortar stores. A customer and a store representative use collaboration software with drawing and chat tools to discuss a site's products. If Sesh is successful in marketing this technology to online stores, it's a feature that could convert a lot of those late-blooming e-shoppers who resist impersonal experiences.
Apprema's premise is to deliver real gifts to your real friends via e-mail or social-networking sites. You can place an Apprema Gift Box widget on your blog or profile, where you'll be able to receive gifts that are typically less than $10 apiece--a Starbucks drink, for instance. If you give a gift through the widget, others can see your generosity. It sure beats getting or giving five of Facebook's virtual cartoons for your birthday.
SmartShopIt is essentially a site that evaluates the items on your shopping list. It compares and contrasts the prices at various stores to try to find you the best deals, as well as the overall cheapest place to shop that day.
This morning at DemoFall, we jump right in with applications to schedule and conduct meetings.
Tungle (previous coverage) is a plug-in that works with Outlook, and soon, Lotus Notes, Google Calendar and iCal. It's basically and IM client, a download that's preloaded with Outlook contacts. The other person you invite that doesn't have Tungle will get asked to join if you message them to set up a meeting. (Hmm, that could be annoying.) The company says to think of Tungle as your "private Exchange server to the outside world." We first saw Tungle at Under the Radar a few months back. The product has been simplified this time around so you can click on people's names and their availability calendars show up overlain on each other.
Vello is "the conference that calls you." Log into MyVello.com, contacts show up with phone numbers already plugged in. Just check the boxes and it calls everyone all at once. As Vello demonstrates this a series of cell phones in the auditorium start jingling all at once. If you miss the call, there's a 1-800 number to call back that routes you back in.
Tubes Network lets you share files on a PC without e-mail. It's named after the pneumatic tubes used to move docs at banks (not a "series of tubes" apparently). Using Tubes gives every file on your hard drive its own URL. So you drag and drop files into the Tubes window on the desktop. Users can also create a "Tubes" site that hosts all the photos, videos, etc. that have been uploaded. The site is private by default, but can be made public, and it's published at TubesNow.com. All the sites you've created are still available offline.
MyQuire is a project management tool that allows people to collaborate online in real time. See who's online, set up meeting rooms for live conference calls, and share control of documents. Participants get e-mails with to-do lists, meeting times and more. All the documents are viewable on the site, tasks can be added or checked off the list for everyone to see. Works for personal and professional projects, plus the aesthetic is very clean-looking.
Apprema lets business clients send collaborative e-mails. Pick a recipient and each person that is sending the note. Can add gifts to send as well: Starbucks, iTunes gift cards, and more. The gifts can be given online or snail mailed.
Prolify is an e-mail collaboration tool, so you can get stuff done even if you are checking your messages during a meeting, the company says. It lets users convert e-mails and attachments into a Prolify e-mail. Everyone on the e-mail gets access to the Prolify e-mail and the most current version of the documents. Information from the application gets sent to users' inboxes and then back to the application. Plus, it integrates with CRM applications and others.
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