A new, more refined communication platform has been developed with the features of Twitter and other micro-blogging apps but is packed with many functions. Pownce is a robust contender for the mind share of users. It offers essentially the functions of Email, IM and microblogging rolled into one.
Remember, all you early adopters, when email emerged in the mid-90’s as a mainstream means of communication? It was 1994 for me and within a year I designed my first website for work. With bated breath I would check each morning and several times a day waiting for the next message from anyone. Fast forward a decade plus and email is 80% spam/cumbersome communication. There has to be a better forum for communication than solely email. In answer to the questions Web 2.0 emerges and begins to mature. Pownce is a good example of the maturation process and the benefit it offers to users. Some of the aspects of Pownce I appreciate are:
- Pownce users are very interactive. Both in posing and answering questions, users are engaging. My Pownce community has grown at a much more rapid rate than on Twitter or Jaiku.
- The Pownce desktop uses a slick Adobe AIR app. Although keeping Pownce open in a browser tab works well, I enjoy the auto-refresh function.
- Pownce is an ideal solution for group communication with the group messaging function to the public, to all friends or to lists.
- Pownce handles private conversations well and is an ideal substitute for email and IM when used actively.
- Pownce can add a dynamic feed to a blog. This works on Twitter and Jaiku as well.
- Pownce is excellent for sending messages, but also links, file transfer and setting events. The free account allows for up to 10 MB file size. Pro accounts (only $20 a year) allows for files up to 100MB.
- Pownce ads are very unobtrusive. Pro accounts have no ads.
- Pownce is very reliable and doesn’t seem to crater like Twitter. Since Pownce is still by invitation only, they are managing the growth well allowing for infrastructure expansion.
- Mobile Powncing is pretty slick using IMified.
- Pownce doesn’t have a message length limit of 140 characters like Twitter so more meaningful communication can take place at the micro-blogging level.
When more of my friends from thoughtsparks.net jump on board and use Pownce, the world will be a better place. I have six invites for the taking, just ask.
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18 Comments
I’ve had an account for a while but had actually forgotten about it. Your post here prompted me to give it another visit.
I set up a profile, downloaded the desktop app, made a post, looked for someone I knew (no luck), and now think I have pretty much done all that I can do. I can’t really even find a way to see other public notes.
I could see this being used for small project groups – sort of a mini basecamp.
SB
Scott, yes a mini basecamp it could be very good observation. Perhaps I should follow-up w/ a “how-to” use Pownce. I’ve noticed a number of people getting stalled-out in getting going. Pownce works a little different than Twitter or Jaiku in that there is no public timeline. Basically, when you click on a users avatar, it displays their friends icons. You can add folks as friends. When they except, you then can communicate, not unlike Jaiku or Twitter. I seek out tech or media oriented folk, so much of the conversation revolves around stuff of my interest.
On Pownce my address is of course thoughtsparks. Add me and then you’ll have your first friend. That will be you off and running. I’ve got some pretty interesting folk on my list.
There is a public feed though – http://pownce.com/public_notes/
Ah, very good point. Had totally forgotten about the public_notes feed. Thanks!
Glad you’re liking Pownce and the AIR client. We were stoked when they decided to use AIR and it seems to be a big hit with users.
=Ryan
rstewart@adobe.com
Ryan, Absolutely. I think Adobe has done a steller job with the development of AIR. Myself a developer, just started looking at it, but I think it has some very promising possibilities, the Pownce client being one of them.
I am a bit leary – I invited my wife and when she views my page she is able to see my private messages.
Not that there is anything there that she can’t see, but it is worrisome that private messages may not really be all that private.
We are on different PCs so not a cookie issue.
SB
Scott, Hmmm… not really sure but I’ve not come across other private messages from someone else. I know that when I log-out none of your or my private messages show-up. I also only see private messages related to our brief communication. Good question to pose on Pownce.
When you invite someone they are automatically added as a friend (once they complete their signup)
Could it be your wife is seeing messages that you posted to your friends list, as she would automatically be included in that.
Aaron, I think you may have hit it on the nail. That would be my guess as well. If it’s in fact private it would say it on your account, but not show-up on anyone elses except the one(s) receiving it.
Thanks guys – hate to turn these comments into a tech support thread but appreciate your willingness to help out.
It is actually the private messages I got from you Phil that she is able to view when she looks at my page – including the one you sent this morning.
I sent an email to the pownce team as well as a post on their support forum so hopefully they will be able to sort it out.
SB
Scott, No problem, in fact it’s very instructive to hear about glitches in the system. Hmmm…This is certainly an important issue to clear-up.
Hi Phil
Just came across your site today, and must say thanks for the heads up with the little web ranking tool – should save me about a million years, although I’m not sure how G is gonna feel about me hammering it with requests. Been there before
Anyway and i know it’s a bit cheeky, but I don’t suppose you have any spare invites to Pownce available? If not no probs; your site is still staying firmly in my rss reader.
Cheers
Rob
Rob,
Glad that tool will prove helpful. Yeah, for anyone doing any level of SEO, there’s nothing like the cold hard facts. As I’ve said in many different ways, simplicity is so very powerful and that is what makes the tool so effective. Just sent you a Pownce invite. I’ve really gained much from the community. Very cool about adding thoughtsparks.net to the reader. I intend to do everything I can to keep generating useful and hopefully interesting and sometimes entertaining content. Thanks.
When I first read this post, I wasn’t really interested, but now that I think about it, if you still have any invites left, I’ll take one.
Mike, Will do. The thing with Pownce is to look for folks w/ like interests that you friend. I find it to be the most interactive community I’ve joined.
Thanks Phil!
You bet amigo.
Anyone else want one? I’ve got four left at the moment.