For the 122 companies that were featured presenters at DemoFall and TechCrunch50 this week, the pressure of making their cases onstage to the audiences of press, venture capitalists, and analysts is now over.
To be sure, those companies now have to make good on the products they introduced, and the market will soon make it very clear who the winners and losers are.
But as the dust settles from DemoFall, where I and my colleague Elinor Mills spent Sunday through Tuesday watching dozens of companies' presentations and talking to many of the people behind those products, I have a few thoughts on the event to share.
First, despite TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington's obvious desire to kill Demo as an important place for many tech companies to launch their products, the fact that TC50 happened at the same time did not have any noticeable effect on Demo.
I say that as someone who spent Sunday evening trying to work the crowd at the traditional first-night cocktail party hosted by Demo lead organizer Chris Shipley and her team. If there was any less attendance at the event due to the timing of TC50, it certainly was belied by the crush of people standing around drinking and talking, making it nearly impossible to move around, and by the packed auditorium at the Sheraton San Diego, where DemoFall took place.
Arrington also told me last week that he expected most of the technology press to be at his event. And not being there--several CNET colleagues covered that show--I can't speak to how many were. But I can say that the press section at Demo was no less full than at any previous iteration of the event I've been to. And the press section on the Demo Web site on Wednesday has links to many dozens of stories written during the two days, which indicates to me that the companies presenting at Demo got a pretty significant amount of coverage.
And because I gather TC50 had a pretty healthy crowd as well, I conclude that despite the meager state of the economy today, there is ample interest in new technology products, especially those that are Internet-related, as nearly every one of the ones at Demo was and, I gather, at TC50 as well.
So, absent any "Demo is dying" story line, the focus fairly needs to be put squarely on the companies that presented and their products.
As with any such conference, there was a wide spectrum of quality among the 72 companies that took the stage for six minutes apiece Monday and Tuesday. I've been to four previous Demos, and this one felt very much like the others. Indeed, the structure is the same each time, with very little variance. And why not? If your formula works, why alter it?
There were certainly a few stand-out companies, and perhaps the most impressive of the 72 presentations was one by Plastic Logic, which showed off its ultra-thin e-Reader. I think we still have a long way to go before this kind of device is mainstream, but the one Plastic Logic showed Monday morning was the best I've yet seen. The prototype the company showed was light, supposedly has long battery life, and can display on its rather wide screen books, newspapers, magazines, PDFs, and many other documents.
There were also a few easy-to-identify trends, and fortunately, those trends were different than in previous years.
In the past, I had felt Demo put far too much emphasis on photo- and video-sharing services: Over the four previous times I'd attended, I'd seen so many different versions of the same basic business model that I wondered if any of the companies behind them had ever heard of YouTube or Flickr.
This time, to me, the most interesting trend, as I wrote Tuesday, was companies building either entire businesses or significant parts of their businesses on iPhone applications.
I didn't talk to every company that showed at Demo this week, but I identified at least 10 different iPhone app plays, and Shipley herself had told me informally at the Sunday night cocktail party that she expected around a couple of dozen iPhone apps to be shown during the two days, either on the stage during the companies' six-minute presentations or on the show floor when they have a little more time to explain themselves and what they're doing.
Mapflow's application designed to help drivers offset some of the cost of commuting by using their iPhones to find riders was just one of many products shown at DemoFall for Apple's hit mobile device.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)In addition to iPhone applications, at the show.
Among them: iWidgets, which launched a service that helps brands syndicate their content on Facebook member pages, and social sharing platform Kadoo, which allows people to share their Facebook data with anyone, whether or not they are on that network. SkyData lets people get their Facebook information on their mobile device; and FamilyBuilder is letting people link together
Another area of concentration was search. Intelius launched iSearch, which offers comprehensive people search; Semanti offered up its semantic-based Web search SemantiFind; Infovell introduced a new way to mine the deep Web of unstructured data that is hidden from major search engines; and Rebus Technology's desktop search helps people find digital documents as well as paper documents that are faxed and scanned.
Other presentations were geared toward empowering consumers. RealNetworks introduced RealDVD for people who want to rip DVDs to their hard drive just like they do CDs. HeyCosmo helps automate party and event planning, even making phone calls for you . And 's new hands-free service lets people use voice commands to retrieve and send e-mails and text messages over their mobile phone, as well as send dictated text messages, use voice to reply to e-mail messages, and listen to text-based messages. And for the online news junkies among us, SpinSpotter debuted its new service that lets readers un-spin the news they read.
Some presenters also aimed to that plague consumers and corporations. For instance, Usable Security Systems has come up with a way for people to remember only one password for every site they log into on the Web. introduced a service that helps people locate and disable lost or stolen phones. Unity Solutions introduced Lanxoma, software that will allow executives to keep an eye on IT workers in the hopes of reducing insider security threats. And CoreTrace's Bouncer software automatically creates a white list of safe applications and blocks applications that aren't on the list that could contain malicious software. And Fortressware offers protection against data leaks, allowing companies to block printing, copying, and forwarding of sensitive documents.
Probably the biggest company to present a new product was Best Buy, which launched a service dubbed Giftag that lets people create wish lists composed of items from anywhere on the Web.
All in all, Demo proved it was alive and well. It lured a large crowd, a significant number of press outlets, and even featured an onstage discussion between influential tech writers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher.
I wrote in April that the winner of the DemoFall/TC50 showdown would be the one that got Mossberg. But in the end, it wasn't at all about which event carried the day, since it seems both had packed houses and energized companies.
The winner, one hopes, will end up being the companies whose products end up making differences in real people's lives.
CNET News' Elinor Mills contributed to this report.
SAN DIEGO--The promise of Facebook and the nightmare for privacy advocates has arrived in the name of a people search site called iSearch, one of a handful of search-related products announced at DemoFall on Tuesday.
Intelius' iSearch site links offline and online data to help people find other people. It uses proprietary algorithms to integrate data from public records, online social networks, and professional sources to provide a comprehensive people search engine.
A demonstration of several searches revealed results that resembled dossiers on people. For instance, the company showed how you could find someone using just the first name and a past employer. The bio page retrieved was longer than a page and included a list of previous and current schools and employers, as well as basic contact information.
Searches can be run based on age, relatives, screen name, e-mail address, and interests as stated on social networks and other sites.
Semantic introduced SemantiFind, which offers Web search based on meaning of the keyword being used. For instance, it can separate results for Apple the computer company from apple the fruit. Results are displayed next to those from a search engine. Users can add pages to the catalog to help future searches using the same terms.
Infovell offers a way to mine the deep Web of unstructured data that is hidden from major search engines. The initial focus will be surfacing medical and biopharmaceutical-related information. Results are organized into folders that can be saved and shared with others.
Rebus Technology offers desktop search that helps people find digital documents as well as paper documents that are faxed and scanned. See full story here.
For corporations there was Radiant Logic's Virtual Context Server. It organizes structured data from across databases and applications into meaningful contextual information. The system turns operation data into English-language sentences. Employees can do searches based on phrases and context.
Also launched was TetraBase SDT, software designed to improve the performance of relational database operations by reducing bottlenecks using advanced processing technology. For example, the system can inform the database in advance of expected spikes or recommend techniques to reduce drain on bandwidth during rush hours.
SpinSpotter has developed a service that lets readers of news sites like CNN.com weigh in on whether the news presented is balanced or heavy with spin. Here, the words highlighted in red have been tagged by SpinSpotter users as being less than objective.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)SAN DIEGO--Think the media is biased? Well, now you can do something about it.
Seattle-based SpinSpotter launched an online service at DemoFall on Tuesday that lets readers judge whether articles on the Internet are objective and accurate or not.
"People no longer trust the media," Todd Herman, founder and chief product officer of SpinSpotter, said during a presentation. About 66 percent of people consider the press "one-sided" while only 9 percent of journalists are concerned with the media's credibility, according to a Pew Research Center study.
A SpinSpotter toolbar, called Spinoculars, displays any edits that have been suggested on a news article or blog item on the Web. Readers can annotate headlines and text, comment on and rate other reader's spin ratings of the item and e-mail their work to others.
SpinSpotter also allows users to weigh in on the objectivity of other users. Here, you can see that the crossed-out words have been identified as unbalanced.
(Credit: Daniel Terdiman/CNET News)In deciding its policies, the company created rules based on the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics, discussions with journalism professors and others. Journalism experts also serve as referees, Herman said in an interview.
An algorithm is also used to identify instances of bias and inaccuracy and incorporates feedback from readers. Readers are directed to look for things like writers stating opinion as fact, lack of balance, unattributed adjectives, expert sources with a conflict of interest, and paragraphs lifted from press releases, which makes it "not quite news," according to Herman.
Just like on Wikipedia, there will no doubt be debate among readers who have divergent political and philosophical leanings. But readers who abuse the system or demonstrate extreme personal bias will see their activities have less impact than others who play by the rules as their trust rating gets lowered, said Herman, who used to be a radio talk show host.
But in a world where blogging has blurred the line between traditional journalism, opinion and gossip, won't most text on the Web be subject to scrutiny? Items that set themselves apart as news, which is understood to be objective and accurate, is fair game, but blogs that are disclosed as opinion aren't, he said.
What about news that is biased because it omits information or context? The system has a way for readers to provide additional information that can help them assert their case.
The service works only with text online, so broadcast news isn't covered, which is a shame. People would truly have a hay day with Fox News. But maybe that comment is too biased...
SAN DIEGO--Arsenal Interactive launched an online concierge service called HeyCosmo at DemoFall on Tuesday.
The free Web and mobile service offers a way for friends to easily plan activities and make reservations at restaurants and other places, without anyone having to make a phone call.
When new people are added to the invite list, the service sends a voice SMS, providing details on the event, who is invited, restaurant location and other details. Invitees then respond whether they will be attending.
The company promises that you can deliver your messages and get a confirmation in 60 seconds or less, guaranteed.
The service can be used for other activities, as well, such as locating a local plumber.
Depending on how many merchants are included, this service could save an organizer a lot of time.
SAN DIEGO--Best Buy launched at DemoFall on Tuesday an online gift registry that enables people to create lists of items they want from any Web site and share that list with others.
Best Buy demonstrated a version in Firefox and said an Internet Explorer version will be available soon.
Basically, you click on the Giftag icon in the browser bar, pulling up a window at the bottom for adding items to a list. If the site supports the Microformats standard, you can just click on the item you want and the specs are added to the Giftag window. You can add tags and create a new list or add it to another list.
If the Web site doesn't support the standard, which most retailers won't, you can highlight and select the item and description and it pulls the information automatically into the Giftag window.
You can e-mail the list to anyone and it will include links they can click to make purchases.
There is integration with Facebook so all your friends there can see your wish list and buy gifts for you.
Other social networks will be included later, as will mobile support, the company said. The application programming interface will also be made available to developers to create other applications.
SAN DIEGO--FamilyBuilder demonstrated at DemoFall on Tuesday software that is letting people link together family tree information from Facebook and other social networks. They also offer a DNA test kit.
The company, which launched in June 2007, released the first version of its cross-network, cross-platform Web site that allows people to search across all the social networks.
FamilyBuilder allows people to do genealogy research and find and connect with family members via Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Hi5, and Orkut. The service offers one place to manage all the information from across the networks.
The cheek-swab DNA test kit will be available in mid-October for $59.95.
The service has 4.2 million users, who have added more than 21 million family members, many between the ages of 20 and 35, the company said.
SAN DIEGO--A variety of new enterprise security-related products were presented at DemoFall on Monday, including software for blocking malware and preventing data leaks and insider threats, and a desktop management service.
CoreTrace showed its new Bouncer software, which automatically creates a whitelist of applications that are deemed to be legitimate and blocks applications that aren't on the list and which could contain malware.
New applications are checked against the whitelist and are not allowed to be installed or run when they are not on the list. But it allows approved applications to be added to the whitelist.
Fortressware offers protection against data leaks. It lets companies maintain control over sensitive documents even when the files are shared with outsiders. Companies can use the software to block printing, copying and forwarding of the documents.
Paragent detailed its new Paragent MSP, a remote desktop management service for $8 per computer per year. It allows users to inventory their software and hardware, get alerts, offer a help desk function and track warranties.
Enterprise Informatics presented its new eB for SharePoint, which lets people relate information and assets across a corporation. It is designed to make it easier for corporations using Microsoft Office SharePoint Server to see what data they have and create models and classify the data as well as do centralized site provisioning.
Unity Solutions demonstrated how its Lanxoma records every action of IT workers to counter insider threat at corporations. It is in beta test.
And Usable Security Systems announced software that will enable people to use one secure password to log into multiple accounts online
SAN DIEGO--A new service announced at DemoFall on Monday allows people to use voice commands to retrieve and send e-mails and text messages over their mobile phone.
Message Sling's hands-free messaging service also lets people send dictated text messages, use voice to reply to e-mail messages, and listen to text-based messages.
The service lets people manage all their contacts, greetings, and messages into groups. Users can edit a caller's contact info and forward messages in e-mail.
For every message, the caller's number is automatically added to the contact list.
SAN DIEGO--For most of us, if we lose our cell phones our mobile data is at risk of exposure by whoever finds or steals the phone.
Maverick Mobile announced a new application at DemoFall on Monday that helps people locate their lost or stolen phone, as well as track the phone, retrieve the phone book, and disable the device remotely.
If the SIM card is replaced, the application sends information about the new account, as well as call logs and messaging history, to a remotely controlled reporting device that helps the owner track down the phone.
All the contacts can be remotely transmitted from the phone to its owner via SMS using the data plan of the thief.
The owner also has the ability to annoy the heck of whoever is trying to use the phone, and render it unusable by remotely setting off a loud alarm to play on the device or disabling the phone. The only way to stop the alarm is to take the battery out, but then it will continue playing if the battery is put back in, said Sujit Jain, chief executive and founder of Maverick Mobile.
SAN DIEGO--Wouldn't it be nice to have access to the contact information from all your friends, family, and business associates in one place on your smartphone?
SkyData Systems announced at DemoFall on Monday a new mobile application that combines corporate and personal contacts and puts them one click away on a smartphone.
The mobile "mashup" allows easy access to information from a variety of sources, including contacts in Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, LinkedIn, Facebook, and others.
It also searches across structured and unstructured sources, offering targeted news feeds, data from the Web, and from back office apps.
The service is available for Windows Mobile. An iPhone version is coming at the end of the year, the company said.
