Comments on: VibeAgent Steps Out Of Beta, Wants To Defeat TripAdvisor With People Power http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/ Startup and Technology News Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:07:54 -0800 hourly 1 By: thinks http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1762047 thinks Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:46:29 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1762047 <strong>VibeAgent and the future of social search…...</strong> TechCrunch announced that VibeAgent launched today. Speaking as a guy working for a hotel company, it’s pretty cool. The weight VibeAgent gives to reviews to determine search relevance is excellent, and a feature other social search engines would... VibeAgent and the future of social search……

TechCrunch announced that VibeAgent launched today. Speaking as a guy working for a hotel company, it’s pretty cool. The weight VibeAgent gives to reviews to determine search relevance is excellent, and a feature other social search engines would…

]]> By: Adam Healey http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1757884 Adam Healey Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:43:53 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1757884 Elliott, Thanks for your comment. It's nice to finally read a comment by someone that isn't a 17 year old hater, but actually has relevant industry experience - jeez! :-) At VibeAgent, we're focused on solving two real world problems. 1) Finding trustworthy hotel recommendations 2) ...at the best available rates People trust their friends, colleagues, and people similar to them. So we made a determination to build our review platform organically. I only need to read a few reviews from trusted sources, not 100 reviews from total strangers, to make an informed travel decision. Elliott, you're right that we face the critical mass challenge - what startup doesn't! However, we believe that with Open Social, Facebook Platform, etc. etc. that we can solve the critical mass issue via marketing partnerships and open APIs easier than we can solve the trust issue without a review linked to a user profile. But you're absolutely right - with competition, customers win! And it is innovative businesses like Kango and VibeAgent that are paving the way in online travel. At the end of the day, it's not going to be the teenagers trolling TC's message board that determine who wins the race - it's going to be the market. Elliott,

Thanks for your comment. It’s nice to finally read a comment by someone that isn’t a 17 year old hater, but actually has relevant industry experience – jeez! :-)

At VibeAgent, we’re focused on solving two real world problems.

1) Finding trustworthy hotel recommendations
2) …at the best available rates

People trust their friends, colleagues, and people similar to them. So we made a determination to build our review platform organically. I only need to read a few reviews from trusted sources, not 100 reviews from total strangers, to make an informed travel decision.

Elliott, you’re right that we face the critical mass challenge – what startup doesn’t! However, we believe that with Open Social, Facebook Platform, etc. etc. that we can solve the critical mass issue via marketing partnerships and open APIs easier than we can solve the trust issue without a review linked to a user profile.

But you’re absolutely right – with competition, customers win! And it is innovative businesses like Kango and VibeAgent that are paving the way in online travel.

At the end of the day, it’s not going to be the teenagers trolling TC’s message board that determine who wins the race – it’s going to be the market.

]]> By: www.carversation.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1757814 www.carversation.com Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:15:19 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1757814 cool cool

]]> By: elliottng http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1757162 elliottng Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:43:24 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1757162 Congratulations to VibeAgent on moving into public beta. There is definitely opportunity to provide better recommendations to travelers based on user generated content. We're excited that another reviews-based community like VibeAgent is sprouting up, to complement players like TripAdvisor, Yahoo!Travel, iGouGo, Virtual Tourist, and other smaller communities. At Kango, we're addressing this in a different way, providing a meta-search of reviews and opinions across the Web, so you can base your decisions on the wisdom of the crowds no matter where that wisdom is found. VibeAgent's challenge is building up a critical mass of reviews and community. This is a huge challenge when faced with big existing communities like TripAdvisor. But more consumer choice is a great thing, and we wish them the best of luck, and share the same passion to make travel work better on the Web. Congratulations to VibeAgent on moving into public beta. There is definitely opportunity to provide better recommendations to travelers based on user generated content. We’re excited that another reviews-based community like VibeAgent is sprouting up, to complement players like TripAdvisor, Yahoo!Travel, iGouGo, Virtual Tourist, and other smaller communities.

At Kango, we’re addressing this in a different way, providing a meta-search of reviews and opinions across the Web, so you can base your decisions on the wisdom of the crowds no matter where that wisdom is found. VibeAgent’s challenge is building up a critical mass of reviews and community. This is a huge challenge when faced with big existing communities like TripAdvisor. But more consumer choice is a great thing, and we wish them the best of luck, and share the same passion to make travel work better on the Web.

]]> By: HGuide http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1757047 HGuide Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:53:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1757047 Here is a site that has absolutely no traffic. The site is pretty atleast, but nearly impossible to navigate and hardly usable. Here is a site that has absolutely no traffic. The site is pretty atleast, but nearly impossible to navigate and hardly usable.

]]> By: erick http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756588 erick Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:26:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756588 Nothing like a pointless moving list in the review section. Nothing like a pointless moving list in the review section.

]]> By: Jessica Mah http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756566 Jessica Mah Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:14:55 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756566 Yay clones! It's not bad to have alternatives, but network effect means a lot. What's the ETA to the deadpool? Yay clones!

It’s not bad to have alternatives, but network effect means a lot.

What’s the ETA to the deadpool?

]]> By: nick of cebu http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756463 nick of cebu Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:32:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756463 Yes! Nothing like a good old rivalry! TripAdvisor have been sitting on their laurels, advertising too much and innovating too little, and their traffic has been dropping. Meanwhile, VibeAgent have a great slogan, a great product, but are starting from zero. This should be fun to watch. Excellent post, Nick. Yes! Nothing like a good old rivalry! TripAdvisor have been sitting on their laurels, advertising too much and innovating too little, and their traffic has been dropping. Meanwhile, VibeAgent have a great slogan, a great product, but are starting from zero. This should be fun to watch.

Excellent post, Nick.

]]> By: Anon http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756321 Anon Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:38:21 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756321 I have to admit, I do like their UI. Most of these travel sites are down right ugly. It needs work, such as their hotel search takes you to a new page for the details, but its quite clean. I really, really think I've seen their hotel search before. All look fairly similar, true, but the layout and how they use Google Maps seems familar. I know they copied it directly off someone, I just can't place who. I have to admit, I do like their UI. Most of these travel sites are down right ugly. It needs work, such as their hotel search takes you to a new page for the details, but its quite clean.

I really, really think I’ve seen their hotel search before. All look fairly similar, true, but the layout and how they use Google Maps seems familar. I know they copied it directly off someone, I just can’t place who.

]]> By: micfo.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756259 micfo.com Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:42:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756259 Yep, also how many people really use all features. Just wondering! Yep, also how many people really use all features. Just wondering!

]]> By: Dolores Wheatly http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756238 Dolores Wheatly Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:25:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756238 Innofest 2007 Innominds is planning to organize its 2nd Annual Convention and Customer meet (InnoFest 2007) in Santa Clara, CA on Friday, November 16th, 2007. The common theme of Innofest2007 is “Defining business models and partnership objectives to gear up global growth strategies for the participants in the IT ecosystem”. During the Convention Party they plan on identifying and debating fundamental issues that will shape the future of innovation and software product development in the lines of the common theme. Innofest2007 will be attended by Innominds’ ISV customers, business partners, prospect ISVs, VCs and industry analysts. The event provides a platform that would enable the players of this ecosystem to interact. It will be an opportunity for you to meet your peer community and learn from their business practices, potential partners, funding houses who may be interested in your products and analysts who may want to write about you in their features. http://innofest2007.blogspot.com Innofest 2007

Innominds is planning to organize its 2nd Annual Convention and Customer meet (InnoFest 2007) in Santa Clara, CA on Friday, November 16th, 2007.

The common theme of Innofest2007 is “Defining business models and partnership objectives to gear up global growth strategies for the participants in the IT ecosystem”. During the Convention Party they plan on identifying and debating fundamental issues that will shape the future of innovation and software product development in the lines of the common theme.

Innofest2007 will be attended by Innominds’ ISV customers, business partners, prospect ISVs, VCs and industry analysts. The event provides a platform that would enable the players of this ecosystem to interact. It will be an opportunity for you to meet your peer community and learn from their business practices, potential partners, funding houses who may be interested in your products and analysts who may want to write about you in their features.

http://innofest...07.blogspot.com

]]> By: Mark Samson http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1756164 Mark Samson Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:18:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/14/vibeagent-steps-out-of-beta-wants-to-defeat-tripadvisor-with-people-power/#comment-1756164 Lame. Another clone of a clone of a clone. When will the madness end? Lame. Another clone of a clone of a clone. When will the madness end?

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