Kevin Rose’s microblogging startup Pownce has announced a number of new user focused features.
New features include incoming event notifications, inline video playback, the ability to display social networking links and new preference settings.
Notably though, the additional features are focused on those interacting with Pownce via the web, not the Pownce AIR client. Of course it would be possible for a third party desktop application designer to create a client that utilized these additional features…if only Pownce ever got around to offering an open API; the last we heard of that was July.
The minority of people who use microblogging tools directly from a web page should enjoy the new features.
Duncan, why do you think is an API _so_ important (especially for pownce)? I think websites itself are a giant API. Tools like iMacros or Kapow make it easy to connect to all of them. This approach is “good enough” for most uses.
Stefan
Because the Pownce client isn’t up to scratch and I’d argue the majority of users prefer a desktop app; certainly the variety and popularity of Twitter apps would support that notion. Believe it or not, not everyone wants to connect to a microblogging platform via a webpage
Duncan,
In the previous post, you’ve linked TouchGraph’s logo to its site whereas in this post, the Pownce logo links to the Crunchbase. I, as a regular loyal Techcrunch reader would request you to keep some consistency. Also, while posting about a company, a link to its site would be of great use.
For example, in the above post, none of the links leads to Pownce.com which is little annoying.
Thanks and keep up the good work,
Raja
Pownce does nothing much, but should have done something that was slightly more important than nothing. yawn…..
I think another good title for this weblog post would be something like “Pownce Offers New Features, Still No Proper RSS Feeds”. Despite the fact that Pownce keeps adding more and more new features some of the very basics from any Web 2.0 application are just missing: RSS / Atom feeds.
Yes, I do know you have got the Public RSS feed, but that is what I meant with “proper”. A feed for every single type of notifcation you are getting already directly via e-mail, and a universal feed for your own profile. Unless Pownce provides some of that basic functionality, we would just continue to make use of “other” tools, even if they are not as powerful as Pownce could well be. Just my two cents…
Forget this crap!
We are about to release MS Geikra!
http://fakestev...er.blogspot.com
It’s also still invite-only. While it still may be quite easy to get on, I still find it to be a turn-off and haven’t bothered to sign-up.
They need to learn to spell first, before offering new features.
Pownce is not very useful and the fad will go away in few months.
DONT put in an API. look how crappy it made facebook
Allan: Yet from they made thousands of startups inside their website rich, and had TONS of press releases about it. I wouldn’t call that crappy.
>>I’d argue the majority of users prefer a desktop app; certainly the variety and popularity of Twitter apps would support that notion. Believe it or not, not everyone wants to connect to a microblogging platform via a webpage>>
This is the most logical comment I have seen on the subject. Most web 2.0 heads do not know what a compiler is . Good article and good call, arrington needs to get you to write more.
pownce definitely needs an API. Funny how you mention pownce in this article but not newcomer yappd who released their api last week. Must be because of kevin rose….
“I’d argue the majority of users prefer a desktop app;”
Let’s hear your argument, because one of the major aspects of what why “web 2.0″ is so innovative is that sites are beginning to support the functionality of desktop apps through a browser. I for one, would not want to install a desktop app… Why clutter up my start menu when I don’t have to.