Google Fusion - Orkut Whiteboard

Orkut trails MySpace in terms of number of registered users and number of unique visitors. There are many reasons that can be attributed to the phenomenal growth of MySpace as compared to Orkut even though both debuted at roughly the same time. Orkut started as a invitation only social networking website, a restriction not put in place by MySpace on new registrants. Orkut was never really promoted by Google. Google does not overtly promote its products the way Yahoo! does and Orkut never showed up on Google Labs a primary interface for showcasing new ideas. So if you didn't have friends who were on Orkut, you wouldn't even know of its existence let alone register. I joined Orkut about 3 years ago, the website had basic social networking features (photo album, message boards, community), a simple interface that didn't seem to be evolving! If I am not mistaken most new features have been added in the last year. Features that especially stand out are reply to scrap and new scrap notification through GTalk. Someone in Google has finally realized the hidden potential of Social Networking Websites. I am sure more new features are already on drawing boards and keeping people busy.
Here's my contribution. Its not rocket science, just a manifestation of my requirements from Orkut. I don't use MySpace or any other social website for that matter and don't know if they have a similar feature, though I would be surprised if they did.

Orkut Whiteboard
A social networking website is primarily intended to help people stay connected. It brings together people who have similar interests through online groups such as Orkut Communities. The next step is being able to share information with your friends easily and quickly about important and interesting things online. Enter Orkut Whiteboard. User's can exchange information and collaborate online using the whiteboard. Think of the Orkut Whiteboard as a combination of Delicious and Orkut Scrapbook. Here is how I see it being used.

• It will appear as a link on a user's Orkut home page just like album, lists, and scrapbook.
  
• When a user is viewing an item online such as a news link on Google News, a video on YouTube, a text or image search result on Google, or a blog on Blogger they should be able to whiteboard (used as a verb here) the item. Users should be able to link the item on their Orkut whiteboards with comments and tags so that friends can also view them. This is the Delicious part. Friends can then leave comments on the each others whiteboards on what they thought of the link. Think Orkut Scrapbook.
• Users can scribble thoughts on their whiteboards and notify friends. Or they can leave messages on their whiteboards, such as 'On Vacation' which would otherwise require sending emails or leaving scraps to selected friends.
• The Google Calendar can be integrated with the Whiteboard and users can mark events on the Whiteboard through the Calendar.
  
• Users can link items on their friends whiteboards on their own whiteboards.

Its easy to replicate this feature, after all adding a link to another website is just that...adding a link. YouTube already provides the HTML code to link a video on another web page. The difference is that while other website users will need to copy paste the link on their page, Google users will be able to whiteboard the video directly using a special Orkut Whiteboard button near the video. Similarly users will be able to whiteboard news items on Google News using the same button placed near the news item. This will make the sharing of information easier attracting users. Once the usage increases websites will probably include the Orkut Whiteboard button within their pages just as they have Delicious links. I am not sure if there are trademark implications of using the name Whiteboard. While its an interesting name the name itself is just used as a tool in this blog to put the point across and make it easy to visualize my idea.

Google Fusion - Introduction

Google at last count has 83 products! This number includes both test-stage and completed products. The uncontrolled growth of products has side effects such as poor integration between the products. For example, till some time back most of Google’s products such as social networking website Orkut, online document editor Writely, Gmail, etc had an independent web presence. Users were required to remember myriad username and passwords making it difficult for them to use the products. The uncontrolled innovation and poor integration of Google’s products early on with one another can be one reason why they still trail the market leaders in their respective categories. Some have likened the uncontrolled innovation at Google to the strategy of throwing a lot of stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks. Cofounder Sergey Brin has publicly acknowledged that the myriad product releases are confusing users and is leading a company wide initiative called 'Features, not products.' Instead of developing new individual products in their own silos the company now plans create horizontal functionality across a range of products.

The Fusion series of blogs is essentially my opinion as a user on features I would like integrated between the various Google products that I use. As a user and a strategic thinker I am confident that there is an opportunity for Google to cement its place as the Internet powerhouse by better integrating its products. The name Fusion sounds appropriate for a strategy to fuse or link Google products together to create a unified Internet experience for users. This unified experience can create lock-in as users get better at using the integrated products. Finally, if the series doesn't make any sense or seems impractical consider this series as my wish list in the new year.

Back on my feet again

Its been one semester and half a vacation since my last post. Needless to say the interruption in my climb to blogger stardom ;) was caused by the 9 courses I took in Fall. My bravado in choosing courses coupled with the fact that Fall was the job hunting season here at CMU was the potent mix that knocked the blogger in me unconscious. Having recovered fully I plan to use the rest of my vacation to blog on ideas I have for everyone's favorite company, Google. Stay tuned.