Which ones of these things is not like the others?
Weeelll…if you’re past a certain age, you’ll remember some of those cartoon exhortations popping up on screens during the original mid-60’s Batman show.
But Shizzow has roared out of the Batcave and taken on a life of its own – it’s now the creation of four local PDX tech gurus, and it’s billed as a “location-based social web service that we built with the goal of helping you build quality relationships through face-to-face interaction.”
While the Shizzow service—in private beta now for PDX users—is currently web-based only, there are Big Plans Afoot. We’re talking API integration. Mobile interfaces. Using everything from phones to email to SMS to IMs to connect people to other people.
In real life, from real places.
So I can inform my friends using Shizzow that I’m currently at Green Dragon—and they’ll drop by if they’re in the area (especially if there’s a chance I might buy *them* a beer! Hey, it’s been known to happen…) Or a friend might call or IM me once he sees I’m at Uwajimaya—I could pick him up one or two items and save him a trip/gas.
Interested? Read more from the Shizzow FAQ, or hear what others have to say.
If you’d like to give it a whirl yourself, email me: betsy at ourpdx dot net. (Or DM me on Twitter.) I’ve got a handful of invitations to give out, and I’m happy to share.
To the Batpoles…!
{ 3 comments }
Thanks for writing this! I gave you an extra special batch of invites this morning, but let me know if you run out. I have the power to issue more
The reason that I don’t jump on the location-based social networking bandwagon (unlike every other bandwagon that comes rumbling down the street) is that Shizzow and others of its ilk are so clearly not meant for people like me.
People who go to interesting places, have drinks with friends, go to galleries, etc. etc. — THAT’S the demographic for whom Shizzow would truly shine. But for curmudgeons like me, who shuttle between home and work, and sometimes venture out their kids’ school or out for dinner in the ‘burbs? Who cares about that?
*I* care, *I* care! See, it makes me feel a lot better to know you’re buried in the ‘burbs on the rare occasions that I get to go out gallivanting, and I don’t feel so alone when I see there are tons of other people staying at home on a Saturday night.
Take one for the team, will you?
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