When Twitter-clone Yappd launched two months ago, we wrote “Here’s a me-too service that won’t last long” and “yet another hopeful young gun enters the space with little to differentiate itself except the addition of a photo to your status messages.” We may not always be right, but this time it was sort of obvious – the world doesn’t need yet another me-too service like Twitter.
Today Yappd announced that it was being acquired and the service will be shut down on November 5. Welcome to the TechCrunch Deadpool, Yappd. We hardly knew you.
That leaves Twitter, Pownce and the recently acquired (by Google) Jaiku left in the ring.
“The future of Yappd will be in the form of another website that will most likely employ the **same type of technology** that we have created” – who calls a typical database driven web app, “TECHNOLOGY”, I’d rather call it system or something.
Yappd probably would fared better as a ficitional product. I have recently reviewed a lot of products that have never been, and maybe never should be.
How does being acquired by third party qualify to be part of dead-pool? Isn’t that the exit strategy for most startups?
ANurag
Frankly, the world doesn’t need Twitter, let alone 2 Twitters.
Hey, mike did you see Mac OsX leopard
http://www.apple.com/
“That leaves Twitter, Pownce and the recently acquired (by Google) Jaiku left in the ring.”
We’ll put a clone on our new search portal if it makes you feel any better.
It’s not like it’s hard.
@2 Days left!!
“Hey, mike did you see Mac OsX leopard
http://www.apple.com/”
One of our dedicated programmers bitches at me every single day to get him Leopard. I hear it constantly. I’m buying it immediately just to shut him up. Mac fan bois just can’t be shut up no matter what.
Um…they got acquired.
not deadpool.
they are winners.
Can you last with such a name ? does it sound like an english word ?
#7 – yeah, no. “we got acquired” means “we got hired”
@7,
Arrington is right.
But at least they “Got into the arena” which is commendable!
I told you people that this was a non-starter!
http://fakestev...er.blogspot.com
They’re not to be confused w/ Yap, the TC40 finalists that still have a “heartbeat” (inside joke if you were @ the event). At least they saved us the expense of having to protect our trademark.
#7 – yeah, no. “we got acquired” means “we got hired”
And getting hired means you’re in the deadpool? Sense. This headline has none.
You are right on this one Mike. I signed up the site and tried to send a picture. It never showed up on the site.
Why would anyone be so mean to someone who just wanted to build something and did not necessarily get where they wanted to get.
Mike, will you put your kids into a dead pool if their lego castle doesn’t differentiate them from other kids to your satisfaction.
What a jerk.
Acquired could mean they made a pretty penny, which I’m sure they did.
Mike, go write something people want to read, you lame f**k.
That’s nice. Your words have a certain eloquence, I just can’t put my finger on exactly what.
@World According To Michael.
I enjoy Michael’s articles including, actually especially those about startups entering the deadpool… we all got some schadenfreude in us, you know what I mean?
Seems to me that Facebook, Google and arguably Youtube are examples of successful “me too” companies.
I think in this case, ‘acquired’ probably does mean ‘hired.’
But MA: what’s the correct phrasing for when a company gets acquired, makes a nice return, and founders/employees aren’t obligated to work for the buyer?
If the company doesn’t provide you all the details, do you just assume it’s hitting the deadpool?
Yes, *localized* copy cats of Twitter are still needed.
On Digg this would be…
“Buried.. title makes no sense”
They got acquired and their service will be integrated into another service, now I fail to see how that makes it go into the ‘dead’pool. They are prob. smiling as they got the exit strategy.
@ All you guys arguing that Yappd doesn’t belong in the dead pool because they were “acquired”:
Does that mean that bankrupt companys whos assets are liquidated also don’t belong in the dead pool–because their assets still exist? Silly logic.
Yappd has ceased to be. Therefore, it is dead.
Will you people just READ?? It is in the deadpool because the site is being discontinued! It has nothing to do with them being acquired/hired/abducted by aliens.
Anyway! I don’t see any purpose of such sites existing. This is a total waste of time.
Good job, Mike. You made a prediction that actually came true.
My prediction is that TechCrunch will eventually be “Dead”.
There! I can also make a prediction about a company that may or may not come true. This site has no value at all. What are you doing here? Making generalizations is easy. Why not put some truth to what you say and try doing some research. You add no value to the simple truth of what happened to Yappd. Why not call them up and ask them. Try to get teh real story. You are a lazy narcissist.
@Yap’s Igor Jablokov:
Are you guys idiots over there? Why not just call your wife, instead of voice conversion texting her. FAIL! Put an end to the useless service.
Wow: 27 posts, and not a one of them doing anything but talking out of their butts.
@herbert – you added so much to the comments, we appreciate you posting your ability to read butts. Thank you so much.
The founders got half a year’s salary in cash and generous stock options in the acquirer. None of the founders work for the acquirer. Not bad for 80 hours of work between two recent college grads.