Comments on: Frengo Raises $5.7 Million Series A Round http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/ Startup and Technology News Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:53:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: kent http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1361220 kent Fri, 04 May 2007 01:58:09 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1361220 @ #11 Jay - if you can, could you list as many of the '10,000 failed social networks' as you can? @ #11 Jay - if you can, could you list as many of the ‘10,000 failed social networks’ as you can?

]]> By: Sam http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1361002 Sam Thu, 03 May 2007 23:05:25 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1361002 Not sure if this one will stick. Not sure if this one will stick.

]]> By: Dazed http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360725 Dazed Thu, 03 May 2007 19:46:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360725 its a cool concept. but i have a feeling other web/mobile social style sites/services are going to be better. its a cool concept. but i have a feeling other web/mobile social style sites/services are going to be better.

]]> By: Colin Dowling http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360663 Colin Dowling Thu, 03 May 2007 19:17:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360663 I think that it is a mistake to simply try and leverage web-style applications on to mobile phones and call it a "product." While adoption is more difficult, there is infinitely more function in applications for cell phones that operate outside of a browser and are on the phone itself. Building something like that and leveraging SMS and push functionality could lead to a variety of useful mobile products both in business and "friend" spaces. I think that it is a mistake to simply try and leverage web-style applications on to mobile phones and call it a “product.” While adoption is more difficult, there is infinitely more function in applications for cell phones that operate outside of a browser and are on the phone itself. Building something like that and leveraging SMS and push functionality could lead to a variety of useful mobile products both in business and “friend” spaces.

]]> By: Jay (living in First Life) http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360630 Jay (living in First Life) Thu, 03 May 2007 18:55:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360630 cw - Fair point. I think it Twitter can morph to the point that it can have some real functionality from not just a consumer perspective, but a business perspective (e.g. the Nextel-userbase which uses walkie-talkie technology), it could get interesting. I've been busy at my own start-up. The Twitter post will have to wait till I've thought it out a bit and incorporated your point. cw - Fair point. I think it Twitter can morph to the point that it can have some real functionality from not just a consumer perspective, but a business perspective (e.g. the Nextel-userbase which uses walkie-talkie technology), it could get interesting.

I’ve been busy at my own start-up. The Twitter post will have to wait till I’ve thought it out a bit and incorporated your point.

]]> By: cw http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360569 cw Thu, 03 May 2007 18:06:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360569 hi jay. i've been waiting for your twitter blog post. how are you? i just meant 'as a consumer' vice 'as a technology enthusiast' or 'as an investor' or 'as a tech blogger who follows every market trend and knows all about the internet' just as an average person who follows some of the trends but dismisses most of them, i like what twitter can do for me. the widget solves my 'problem' with needing to let anyone know what's going on at any moment. it definitely solves my problem of keeping my crew updated on things happening here. it's clean. it's simple. it works for me. and some others. no big deal. also: i love the poll function on frengo. interactive and simple. and fun! hi jay. i’ve been waiting for your twitter blog post. how are you?

i just meant ‘as a consumer’ vice ‘as a technology enthusiast’ or ‘as an investor’ or ‘as a tech blogger who follows every market trend and knows all about the internet’

just as an average person who follows some of the trends but dismisses most of them, i like what twitter can do for me. the widget solves my ‘problem’ with needing to let anyone know what’s going on at any moment. it definitely solves my problem of keeping my crew updated on things happening here.
it’s clean. it’s simple. it works for me. and some others. no big deal.

also: i love the poll function on frengo. interactive and simple. and fun!

]]> By: Marshall Kirkpatrick http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360564 Marshall Kirkpatrick Thu, 03 May 2007 17:57:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360564 Welcome to TechCrunch, Duncan! I hadn't noticed your posts here yet but I hope you have a good time. Welcome to TechCrunch, Duncan! I hadn’t noticed your posts here yet but I hope you have a good time.

]]> By: Jay (living in First Life) http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360547 Jay (living in First Life) Thu, 03 May 2007 17:28:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360547 @ cw - we're all consumers. It's easy to say "Oh I would use this so everyone will." Saying "some people get it" is the easiest and worst argument in favor of crappy new tech products. Most people don't get it and don't need to. Twitter does not solve a real problem or meet a real need. @ cw - we’re all consumers. It’s easy to say “Oh I would use this so everyone will.” Saying “some people get it” is the easiest and worst argument in favor of crappy new tech products.

Most people don’t get it and don’t need to. Twitter does not solve a real problem or meet a real need.

]]> By: cw http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360509 cw Thu, 03 May 2007 17:03:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360509 as a consumer i wouldn't say twitter is dead. two months ago i was like "ya RIGHT like anyone will use this" then now i'm like "twitter me this!" some people get it. it's like these mobile apps tho-- just takes a minute for us to catch up. as a consumer i wouldn’t say twitter is dead. two months ago i was like “ya RIGHT like anyone will use this” then now i’m like “twitter me this!”

some people get it. it’s like these mobile apps tho– just takes a minute for us to catch up.

]]> By: Jay (living in First Life) http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360409 Jay (living in First Life) Thu, 03 May 2007 16:21:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360409 @ #3 fountain - Are you kidding? Twitter does not have acceptance. Twitter is not a particularly useful service and outside of the echosphere, no one cares about it. I would venture to guess that 95%+ of the TechCrunch readership knows about Twitter but has no desire to adopt it. It doesn't add much value to our daily lives nor does it solve any pressing needs. Most people don't care to announce their outfit for the day to all of their friends. @ #6 George - Any consumer-focused start-up should think about dedicating a significant portion of their funding to (a) product development, (b) marketing, and (c) human resource acquisition. My guess is that the product development costs will be quite high here given that developing for cell phones is more expensive than developing for the web. @ #10 pallet jack - How old are the people you know? Your and my friends don't play games on their cell phone (well except Brickbreaker on your Blackberry while on the subway where you can't get internet and email). Pre-teens and teenagers play a lot of games on their phones and US teenagers are taking the lead of teenagers in Asia and Europe by doing more things on their cell phones. Overall, Frengo seems like a decent idea but I'd guess a lot of this money will have to go into marketing. For every Facebook, there are 10,000 failed "social networks." Twitter is one of them. I'm not the first to call it, but Twitter is Dead. @ #3 fountain - Are you kidding? Twitter does not have acceptance. Twitter is not a particularly useful service and outside of the echosphere, no one cares about it. I would venture to guess that 95%+ of the TechCrunch readership knows about Twitter but has no desire to adopt it. It doesn’t add much value to our daily lives nor does it solve any pressing needs. Most people don’t care to announce their outfit for the day to all of their friends.

@ #6 George - Any consumer-focused start-up should think about dedicating a significant portion of their funding to (a) product development, (b) marketing, and (c) human resource acquisition. My guess is that the product development costs will be quite high here given that developing for cell phones is more expensive than developing for the web.

@ #10 pallet jack - How old are the people you know? Your and my friends don’t play games on their cell phone (well except Brickbreaker on your Blackberry while on the subway where you can’t get internet and email). Pre-teens and teenagers play a lot of games on their phones and US teenagers are taking the lead of teenagers in Asia and Europe by doing more things on their cell phones.

Overall, Frengo seems like a decent idea but I’d guess a lot of this money will have to go into marketing. For every Facebook, there are 10,000 failed “social networks.” Twitter is one of them. I’m not the first to call it, but Twitter is Dead.

]]> By: pallet jack http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360329 pallet jack Thu, 03 May 2007 15:44:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360329 I would object - out of the 200 people I know / talk to everyday - - maybe 4 have phones actually use their cell phone for games I would object -

out of the 200 people I know / talk to everyday -

- maybe 4 have phones actually use their cell phone for games

]]> By: Startup Booster Blog http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360272 Startup Booster Blog Thu, 03 May 2007 15:17:27 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360272 I am not exactly sure where they can go at this stage of the game. Interesting to see that there are people out there with money that are still willing to take risk with such a not new idea. -SB I am not exactly sure where they can go at this stage of the game. Interesting to see that there are people out there with money that are still willing to take risk with such a not new idea.

-SB

]]> By: Brads http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360226 Brads Thu, 03 May 2007 14:44:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360226 The community in your pocket (aka mobile SN) business model will change the way businesses compete. I think the shortage of mobile device programmer will open a slew of opportunities for those types of programmers. I think that Java will be the language to lead the revolution of mobile SN. What do others think? The community in your pocket (aka mobile SN) business model will change the way businesses compete. I think the shortage of mobile device programmer will open a slew of opportunities for those types of programmers. I think that Java will be the language to lead the revolution of mobile SN.

What do others think?

]]> By: Greg Harris http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360196 Greg Harris Thu, 03 May 2007 14:24:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360196 It's interesting how one comment mentions the market not being ready, and the next one talks about how it's outdated. The U.S. in 2007 is not Israel in 2000. Investors are putting money in, because they will make money on their investment. I have an SMS technology and mobile marketing company that gets small business into this technology quickly and inexpensively. The problem we have is that they don't understand the technology. Consumers are using text messaging, but business owners don't know it exists. What was being done on the other side of the world has no relevance. It is growing here and that's a fact. SMS works on every phone. The same can't be said for WAP, Video, Audio and other mobile technologies. Investors invest in what will make them more money (and by the way, we are looking for investors). Greg Harris http://www.mobilemarketing.net It’s interesting how one comment mentions the market not being ready, and the next one talks about how it’s outdated.

The U.S. in 2007 is not Israel in 2000. Investors are putting money in, because they will make money on their investment.

I have an SMS technology and mobile marketing company that gets small business into this technology quickly and inexpensively. The problem we have is that they don’t understand the technology. Consumers are using text messaging, but business owners don’t know it exists.

What was being done on the other side of the world has no relevance. It is growing here and that’s a fact. SMS works on every phone. The same can’t be said for WAP, Video, Audio and other mobile technologies.

Investors invest in what will make them more money (and by the way, we are looking for investors).

Greg Harris
http://www.mobilemarketing.net

]]> By: George http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360173 George Thu, 03 May 2007 14:01:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360173 So I read these articles about start-ups getting $5M - $10M - $20M worth of funding. What exactly are they spending this money on? Would anybody have a simple breakdown of the percentage of spend, i.e. 20% development 30% marketing... Just curious!! So I read these articles about start-ups getting $5M - $10M - $20M worth of funding.

What exactly are they spending this money on?

Would anybody have a simple breakdown of the percentage of spend, i.e. 20% development 30% marketing…

Just curious!!

]]> By: ashok http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360141 ashok Thu, 03 May 2007 12:55:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360141 hi this web site is nice send me latest software to download video of youtube, dailymotion hi
this web site is nice send me latest software to download video of youtube, dailymotion

]]> By: abba-daddy http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360136 abba-daddy Thu, 03 May 2007 12:43:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360136 this is amazing back in 2000 working in Orange Israel we used to play with the thought that SMS is so obsolete and that 3G will one replace this cripple technology. It is a mystery to me why they invested in this company and how it is different then any other one that is already out there. SMS - WEB 2.0 ??? this is amazing
back in 2000 working in Orange Israel we used to play with the thought that SMS is so obsolete and that 3G will one replace this cripple technology.

It is a mystery to me why they invested in this company and how it is different then any other one that is already out there.

SMS - WEB 2.0 ???

]]> By: fo.unta.in http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360049 fo.unta.in Thu, 03 May 2007 10:08:32 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360049 "Frengo is trying to take the existing social networking concepts of Twitter to another level of interactivity. The only question is whether the market is ready for it." Thats actually the only question. other than sms, no app has really gained mass acceptance on the cell phone. one reason why twitter caught on. “Frengo is trying to take the existing social networking concepts of Twitter to another level of interactivity. The only question is whether the market is ready for it.”

Thats actually the only question. other than sms, no app has really gained mass acceptance on the cell phone. one reason why twitter caught on.

]]> By: Raj http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360040 Raj Thu, 03 May 2007 09:54:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360040 What's with the SQL queries at the bottom of their homepage? What’s with the SQL queries at the bottom of their homepage?

]]> By: Yakov http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360023 Yakov Thu, 03 May 2007 09:41:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/05/03/frengo-raises-57-million-series-a-round/#comment-1360023 I have tried to register with my Moscow phone. It looks like it doesn't work in here. It would be great to have one, though. Hopefully, in several months we should have a copycat of this service since we have ones of Linkedin, Classmates, etc. I have tried to register with my Moscow phone. It looks like it doesn’t work in here. It would be great to have one, though. Hopefully, in several months we should have a copycat of this service since we have ones of Linkedin, Classmates, etc.

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