ReadWriteWeb

Interesting article from PingMag, detailing the most popular web apps and services in Japan. The highlights...

- SNS: "In Japan, social networking is represented mainly by Mixi, with GREE following a distant second."
- Video: "To my knowledge there is no direct competitor to YouTube in Japan but there is an interesting little mashup* from the boys at fladdict.net, and it is called hatenatube. Hatenatube simply takes popular YouTube videos from a variety of sources and displays a thumb for each one."
- Podcasting: "Newly-released and IMG SRC-produced ZapZap is a podcast directory that lets users decide what is popular and what should be on the front page, whilst also allowing you to mix-and-match a custom playlist of podcast episodes."
- Productivity: "Checkpad represents one of the few productivity-oriented web applications in Japan. Providing a similar service to Ta-da Lists, Checkpad differentiates itself by also allowing users to access their lists from their mobile phones."
- Start pages: "Japan-based Startforce takes an altogether different approach. Although they don’t explicitly state they are a start-page service, some of their ideology is the same. Rather than providing a panel-based interface like Netvibes, Startforce has attempted to visually emulate a computer’s operating system. Startforce allows you to store and swap files as well as chat with other people, all within an OS-like environment."
- Blog Tracking: "The near-unpronounceable Kizasi provides a similar service to Technorati, but in my opinion provides a clearer method of finding out what bloggers are talking about."
- News: "...industry news in Japan is probably best seen through the eyes of the 100shiki website. [...] Hatena Bookmarks is a del.icio.us-like social bookmarking service and is probably one of the best places to look for aggregated tech-related news in Japan, thanks to an army of IT-obsessed users."

I'm looking to cover more of international markets in the near future, so posts like this from PingMag are very useful. Anyone know of similar articles for other countries?

Last night my friends in Melbourne held a Long Tail BBQ, as part of the worldwide Long Tail Camp. Seeing as I live across the ditch in New Zealand, I participated virtually via a Skype call - which Cameron Reilly from The Podcast Network recorded. The MP3 is here (10MB - 30min). 

At first I thought I was supposed to deliver a Sermon on the Mount to all the aussie disciples of Web 2.0, but thankfully it turned out to be a nice chat between mates instead. Cameron and Ben Barren asked some probing questions, which unfortunately my tired mind didn't process very well (it was after midnight on a Friday night at my end). So I rambled a bit in the latter stages, but even so everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I certainly did.

Some of the things I talked about in the podcast: my experiences of Silicon Valley last month, the origins of the 'Father of Web 2.0' meme and my ambitions for it to go mainstream, what's happening in Web 2.0 in our part of the world, trends for the next couple of years (which is about when my brain decided to fall asleep). Darren Rowse, who it turns out is actually qualified to deliver sermons, made an appearance in the podcast too.

The Snarksters from Supr.c.ilio.us also had a Long Tail event happening in the US. I look forward to hearing more about that.

Here are a couple of pics from the Melbourne event - more on Cameron's Flickr stream.

Ben Barren. That doesn't look like an aussie beer mate...

Paul Montgomery knows the way to a good honest aussie beverage.

Congrats to Ben, Paul, Cameron, and all the other Melbourne 2.0 believers for organizing the event.

Rebecca MacKinnon has been at the Chinese Blogger Conference and has come away from it wondering if "Web2.0 is potentially a very Chinese thing." She explained:

"One of the most important words in the Chinese language is “guanxi.” It means “relationship.” Whatever you think about the term “Web2.0”, the point is that social networking and relationship-building are at the core of today’s most exciting web innovations. The Chinese happen to be the most natural and skilled social networkers on earth."

Censorship is an issue in China of course and Rebecca outlined some practical measures to work around that, in her thought-provoking post. And I loved how Rebecca ended her post:

"Another thing about this story: it’s not so much about what the internet is “bringing” to the Chinese, or how the internet is coming in as an outside force and “changing China.” The real story is about how Chinese users are taking the connectivity, tools and applications, internalizing them, and making them their own."

Also check out China Web2.0 Review's post about Intellectual Property Issues in China’s Web2.0 business, in response to a comment someone left on my blog the other day.

Here's a site to keep an eye on - an English language blog about Web 2.0 in China:

"China Web2.0 Review is a blog dedicated to track and review web2.0 development in China. We will profile and review web2.0 applications, products, services and business in China, and track the buzz about web2.0 in Chinaís internet industry as well."

Graphic from keso

China Web2.0 Review has an interesting post about FeedSky, which is like China's answer to Feedburner (although more than that, according to the post).

Hat-tip Rex Chung for the link. It's great to see what's happening outside Silicon Valley and I hope to discover more international Web 2.0 blogs.

The UK has its own Web 2.0 Conference on 11 November in Brighton, in the form of d.Construct:

"d.Construct 2005 is the UKís first grassroots Web 2.0 conference. It is an affordable, one-day event aimed at those building the latest generation of web-based applications. The event will discuss how new technology is transforming the web from a document delivery system to an application platform. Internationally renowned speakers will discuss hot-topics such as Ajax, using the power of APIís and the future of the mobile web."

Apparently tickets sold out within 30 minutes of registration! It's an interesting line-up, including representatives from Flickr, BBC Backstage, and Cory Doctorow discussing The Remix Economy. Apparently there will be podcasts of the sessions. (hat-tip Josh Porter)

Also, over in Canada Raincity Studios is running a workshop series on blogging and social networking - with the intriguing title Blogs n Dogs. It's being held at the Banff Centre, Alberta, Canada from December 4th to the 8th 2005. (thanks Will Pate for the tip)

Great to see so much activity happening all over the world in Web 2.0! Feel free to contact me if you know of more happenings. I'm happy to be the TechCrunch of International Web 2.0 Events :-)