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Month: September 2009

If you’re talking about similar things, you’re probably Simler

Rick Turoczy on September 17, 2009

If you’ve spent any time on any social network or microblogging platform anywhere, you know as well as I do that there is one request that tends to crop up far more than any other: “I wish we could have groups.”

Twitter—thanks to a grassroots effort by Chris Messina—tends to handle that grouping with #hashtags. Local microblogging site CitySpeek made groups part of the process of posting your updates. Friendfeed handles it with groups. And Facebook—which incidentally owns Friendfeed now—does… well whatever it is that Facebook does. Fan pages maybe? I don’t know.

Point being, everyone starts with what I’m—or you’re—doing and then tries to wedge that content into a group. What if, instead, we started with the topic as the central focus? I mean, instead of the user. Well, now you can give that idea a try. With Simler. Read More

Is that a startup idea or are you just happy to see me?

Rick Turoczy on September 16, 2009

Sometimes the most difficult part about forming a startup is finding the right cofounders to help you get that idea off of the ground. It’s not easy. And even though there are a lot of fish in the sea, finding that special somone—or someones—is always a challenge.

Now, there’s hope.

That’s right folks. It’s that time again. Time for startup speed dating with OTBC. So pack up all of your cheesy pickup lines, all of your cool startup ideas, and a list of the complementary skills you need to make your venture a success. And head over to the OTBC on September 26. Read More

pdx.fm: You got your podcasting in my radio schedule, you got your radio schedule in my podcasting

Rick Turoczy on September 15, 2009

I don’t think I’ll be causing any of you to burst into any awe inspired epiphanic fits when I say “radio is broken.” I mean, let’s face it. The format is outdated. And the idea of force feeding folks advertisements and only providing content on the broadcaster’s schedule? It smacks of ludditism. At best.

That’s why new models are emerging. Satellite radio for one. Podcasting for another.

But what if you could get the best of both worlds? What if you could get your regularly scheduled radio program and could still listen to shows on demand whenever you wanted? And what if you could still get all of that for free? Now, you can. Introducing pdx.fm. Read More

Portland One Web Day: Making the Web more accessible to more people

Rick Turoczy on September 15, 2009

Not a day goes by that I don’t think, “I get to do an awful lot of cool things and talk to any number of awesome people simply because I decided to start a blog about something I loved.”

That may seem to be a ridiculous oversimplification—but when it comes right down to it, it’s not. I started blogging and things happened. I found people on Twitter and things happened. I started using services like Upcoming and Calagator and things happened. All because I embraced technology—and the Web—as a way of connecting with other folks.

Shouldn’t everyone have that opportunity? One Web Day believes they should. And Portland One Web Day is working to make that happen, September 22 in Pioneer Square beginning at 6 PM. Read More

Jive Market Engagement promises to help companies monitor—and effectively participate in—social media

Rick Turoczy on September 14, 2009

There are any number of techniques for listening to what’s happening in the world of social media, from simple Google Alerts to complex Yahoo! Pipes. But what happens when you’re a company that wants to move from lurking to participating?

Well, Portland-based Jive Software has announced a new solution that may help, Jive Market Engagement. Read More

Reminder: eROI Lunch 2.0 is Wednesday

Rick Turoczy on September 14, 2009

We’re headed back to eROI for Portland Lunch 2.0 on Wednesday for their second lunch.

If you’re keeping score, this will be the fourth Lunch 2.0 in that office building at 505 NW Couch in Old Town.

In addition to the two eROI lunches, we were there just last month at Nedspace, which is in the old offices formerly inhabited by Vidoop where we had Lunch 2.0 in May of last year.

Read More

Oregon Angel Fund closes $3 million fund—and dishes out portions to three startups

Rick Turoczy on September 14, 2009

Talk to practically any Oregon entrepreneur about angel investors and venture capital and you’ll get a luke warm reception—at best. But is that response simply perception and assumption or is it reality? I ask because the Oregon Angel Fund just gave us three million little reasons for taking another look at the Oregon angel scene.

You see, Xconomy is reporting that the Oregon Angel Fund has closed a $3 million fund. Read More

Entrepreneurs’ Organization launches Portland Accelerator

Rick Turoczy on September 11, 2009

Seems like more and more folks are interested in helping Portland startups spin up. Now, a new program called Portland Accelerator is launching a new program in town. It’s designed to serve as a “catalyst that enables first-stage entrepreneurs to catapult their business to the next level.”

And to introduce the program to Portland, the Portland Accelerator folks will be holding a get together on September 15 at Ruby Receptionists. Read More

Portland Sucks shows glimmers of pdx.fm

Rick Turoczy on September 10, 2009

Anyone who follows my tweet stream known that I’m a huge fan of what Robert Wagner and Sabrina Miller are doing with the PDX Sucks podcast. I’d even describe it as irreverent—if only I knew what that word meant. Maybe I will anyway. I like the meter of it

So imagine my excitement when I heard that Robert was working on a new project called pdx.fm, which—although a wee bit cryptic—seems to be a station of sorts that will use the magic of the world wide Web to broadcast podcast content. Read More

Keeping Portland weird: Microsoft signs on as premier sponsor of WordCamp Portland

Rick Turoczy on September 10, 2009

Portland loves the WordPress. And we love the open source. And that’s why we love WordCamp Portland, arguably the largest gathering of WordPress enthusiasts and bloggers—who use the open source content management system and blogging platform—in the state of Oregon.

And when people think of open source content management systems, what’s the first name that jumps to mind? It probably wasn’t Microsoft. In fact, that probably wasn’t even in the top 10. Still, I’m happy to report that they have signed on as the premier sponsor for WordCamp Portland. Read More

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