Blog
How we got here
by Ted Gill
I thought it might be interesting for people to understand how the concept for Huddler.com came about and what we're trying to build for our users.
A little background...I'm a geek. Big time. I've always been into geeky toys:
Toy, noun - An object that requires electricity and software to operate. -Ted's 2008 Official Dictionary
Home theater equipment (speakers, receivers, TVs, etc.), cell phones, digital cameras, computers, cars, motorcycles, etc. I've owned countless products in all of those categories and continuously upgrade (more often in the past...we're busy...and poor). Back in the day, when you wanted to stay current on the latest toys, you had to read lots and lots of magazines. You relied on a small group of journalists that had access to the gear and provided their opinions of the products' performance and functionality. Then finally...in the mid-90s, the traditional publications became much less relevant. Online discussion forums gained traction, and they gave us the opportunity to share our opinions and experiences with other enthusiasts around the world. This completely changed how you learned about products, how you made purchase decisions and how you learned to better utilize them. No longer were you reading the opinion of a few 'experts' that tested products for a limited time, you were sharing opinions with your peers, people that actually owned these toys and used them on a daily basis.
As a result, the absolute best resources available on the Internet for lots of products are forum-based communities. Two incredible examples are:
www.howardforums.com (cell phones)
www.avsforum.com (home theater equipment).
If you need information about what the best Smartphone available on AT&T Wireless right now or the best 37" LCD TV for under $1000, I doubt you'll find any better place to answer your question. The problem is attempting to find the interesting information, particularly if you're not a forum regular. While the sites' moderators and users are second to none, they're hampered by outdated, feature poor software. The tools they need to interact and function as a community simply aren't available to them. Can users keep track of what products others own/use? Can they edit content as a community (not to mention integration of this collaborative content with the forum itself?) Is there an easy way to distill out all the best content around a specific topic? I could go on for a very long time...
Being a huge believer in these communities and their members, but realizing they were simply hampered by software, we set out to make things better for them. I think we've already made huge strides in the right direction and we're just getting started.
So if you're an enthusiast/hobbyist in the Green Home products space, a Gymnast or into Mobile phones, check out our existing communities. If you're new to these products, just becoming interested, or looking to make an informed decision, I'm sure our users will welcome the chance to help you. And if you have a Huddle that you think would be a killer, leave a comment.
Also, if you have questions or feedback for me send me a PM on Huddler or comment.
Categories: Company News
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