SocialU: One of the Most Obnoxious Apps We've Seen in a While (Invites)
Social networking overload - it's a common problem and one that it seems like it could be easy to solve. Thus there are countless attempts being made to build services that tie it all together. Some of those attempts are awful and one of those is a service we tested today called SocialU. RWW readers can try it out themselves via this link.
SocialU is a half-baked, condescending, poorly designed, ad-ridden lifestreaming app built in Adobe AIR. We'd refrain from writing about it, but the things we dislike about it seem worth mentioning and with all the frothy clone-like startups flying around on the web, who doesn't like seeing one that deserves it get a good blog-lashing sometimes?
What's Wrong With SocialU
SocialU is an AIR app, so it runs on your desktop, but it acts as a single-app browser. There's no way to return to your home page, your friends' activity streams or any other logical place without scrolling down to the bottom of the page main. That's frustrating.
Almost all the links on the site throw you out into another browser tab and onto the home page of the various services aggregated. You can see when friends comment or like an item in your activity stream - but you can't interact with that information.
We'd have thought the service was just very unfinished, but the company has retained a PR agent, seems to have a fair sized staff and may be hiring some other support services as well, judging from who's on the site.
It's Hard to Look At
SocialU already has a big ad in the sidebar, annoying the handful of early users who have little reason to stay as it is. In the primary window of the browser you'll find all kinds of insipid "gifts" (McDonalds fries, Starbucks coffee) and stock-photo illustrated "give aways." Gifts on Facebook are icons drawn by Susan Kare, the woman who drew the original Mac icons. That's a classy operation. SocialU is probably pitching itself to ad networks as a company with a plan to use product placement and rounded corners to shovel money into the back of a big truck. It's awful and as the service looks today - it's not going to work.
The SocialU founder's blog is a giant block of undifferentiated text. Update: We deleted an inappropriate line here, commenting on a profile pic is pretty uncalled for and we won't do it again.
We see a lot of apps we think will improve peoples' lives and/or create a ripple effect of innovation around them. This isn't one of them.
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Alrighty then. Believe I'll pass. (Er, thanks for the insight?)
Not only did Susan Kare design the Mac icons, but she's done all kinds of other neat work, such as for Chumby (logos and doo-dads, I believe, not the object itself).
With all the creative talent floating around, you'd think it wouldn't be hard to get something original for little things like the gifts.
You're right, complete waste of time & effort. Sly too if you ask me.
I'm surprised you linked to a RWW co-branded landing page on SocialU, considering the tone of the review. :) and oh, SocialU is down
I love that you took the time to trash this app, that's awesome! While I do like to read your articles on the good stuff out there, sometimes a little negative reinforcement needs to be tossed into the mix to keep people in line.
I tried to DL this App before I read this, the AIR package was broken. Guess I got lucky
thanks for posting this!
Ouch, that's gotta hurt. I may have been lucky but didn't have problem with the app while playing with it. Yes, it's beta (obvious) but looked pretty decent and focused on what (it seems) thay want to promote which is the "get rewarded on your social network activity". I guess the sin is trying to monetize the social environment?...for a different perpective check http://mashable.com/2008/08/26/socialu/
Everytime I bash something I find that tons of people end up downloading it and using it. I don't get SocialU either, though. It's an example of something that sounds better before you use it than after.
Posted by: Robert Scoble
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August 26, 2008 2:02 PM
Is this the future of RWW articles? Maybe the site is a bit crap but I think the comment on his picture was childish and uncalled for
Since there is so much hype about Social Networking websites I'm not surprised that there are so many new attempts to bring everything together.
As more sites and services are developed we are bound to see more and more useless garbage that comes along with it. Social Networking is not a new concept though.. it's more of an evolution of older technologies dating as far back as the BBS (pre-internet dial-up user communities).
I look forward to seeing what these things develop into in the future. You never know... One of the poorly developed, useless sites may turn into the next big thing with future developments and improvements on the original design.
I don't know anything about SocialU or the people behind it beyond what I just read, but I'm bothered by this article. Reviewing the application is always fair game, but insulting the founder's appearance makes it seem more like a personal vendetta. Not cool.
I'm pleased to find someone else doing a scathing review about this trash of an app on their blog besides me. I should've know when I was installing it that it was going to make me a bit nauseous.
Andy, thanks for the comment. You're right, that was taking things too far and wasn't appropriate. I get pretty worked up some times but should have stopped short of that.
It's just a browser in an AIR app with a virtual economy website isn't it? There's no real attempt to integrate with other services... the 'money, belongings, property, rank' etc doesn't seem worth my time investment... and I'm far too busy in the real economy. UI is confusing... I don't need another destination unless it does something cool for me and I'm happy with flock and firefox thanks. I just don't get the point of SocialU.
have you tried using the majority of facebook apps? cannot get worst than those....
I completely agree with @scobleizer. It sounded much better before I actually experienced it.
Posted by: Chris Luckhardt
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August 26, 2008 5:54 PM
You don't really need the Air app actually. Just go to http://socialu.com/beta with any browser and sign up.
Posted by: LouCypher
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August 26, 2008 5:59 PM
And with this article, I take RWW off of my RSS feeds for good.
Gasp! They have ads. It almost seems like they're trying to make money. For shame. ;)
I was invited like I assume most of you were for a beta test of a site that has been up for a week. I was told to give feed back o what they have done so far ( Which i did) to make it more user friendly. I was told that more is coming but they wanted to get constructive feed back. I had no problem downloading the application and it was actually quite easy to navigate. All I hear on this blog is this is sucks and that sucks. This is a work in progress with many good things about it. Be constructive if you were invited to do so. The first beta is allways needs masagging not massing with a splitting mall. Home many beta tests have you done?
Marty
Their approach seems simple, not technically deep and for a younger market. Certainly not for my age group. As far as this article, it's just crass and RWW can do better.