Comments on: Will the Mug Outlive the Start-up? http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/ The Business of Technology Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:49:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Return Of The Tech Coffee Mug » Webomatica - Technology and Entertainment Digest http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-547253 Return Of The Tech Coffee Mug » Webomatica - Technology and Entertainment Digest Thu, 13 Sep 2007 03:38:34 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-547253 <p>[...] so upon arriving home last night I was greeted with a coffee mug from Smalltown, as did Om Malik a few days ago. And I think I know why - upon visiting the site, they seem to be starting with the [...]</p> [...] so upon arriving home last night I was greeted with a coffee mug from Smalltown, as did Om Malik a few days ago. And I think I know why - upon visiting the site, they seem to be starting with the [...]

]]> By: NewTeeVee » Smalltown Adds Video to Local Ads http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82274 NewTeeVee » Smalltown Adds Video to Local Ads Mon, 05 Mar 2007 16:35:30 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82274 <p>[...] and Burlingame (27,387) visit the site at least once a week. The privately held Smalltown, famous for its coffee mugs, received $3 million in venture financing from Formative Ventures in October 2006. Share/E-mail [...]</p> [...] and Burlingame (27,387) visit the site at least once a week. The privately held Smalltown, famous for its coffee mugs, received $3 million in venture financing from Formative Ventures in October 2006. Share/E-mail [...]

]]> By: Hal Rucker http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82273 Hal Rucker Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:04:30 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82273 <p>A quick explanation regarding why Smalltown asks "Are you sure you want to leave Smalltown?" when a user clicks the browser back button:</p> <p>Smalltown is a web application that lives in the browser. Once it's loaded, the application never does a page refresh; it operates entirely in one "screen" similar to a desktop application. Since we don't have any "pages", the back button means "leave the application".</p> <p>This is a fairly new paradigm, and users - including me - have muscle memory to click the back button. When we do so, and we didn't intend to leave the application, it has to reload. We decided reloading the app was more annoying than responding to a dialog box, so for now we use the pop-up to confirm the user really does want to leave our application.</p> <p>We're working on ways to integrate the browser back button into our application. It's a very tricky problem, both from a technical and a user experience perspective. But when we crack that code, we promise to remove the pop-up right away.</p> A quick explanation regarding why Smalltown asks “Are you sure you want to leave Smalltown?” when a user clicks the browser back button:

Smalltown is a web application that lives in the browser. Once it’s loaded, the application never does a page refresh; it operates entirely in one “screen” similar to a desktop application. Since we don’t have any “pages”, the back button means “leave the application”.

This is a fairly new paradigm, and users - including me - have muscle memory to click the back button. When we do so, and we didn’t intend to leave the application, it has to reload. We decided reloading the app was more annoying than responding to a dialog box, so for now we use the pop-up to confirm the user really does want to leave our application.

We’re working on ways to integrate the browser back button into our application. It’s a very tricky problem, both from a technical and a user experience perspective. But when we crack that code, we promise to remove the pop-up right away.

]]> By: MJ http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82272 MJ Sat, 20 Jan 2007 11:05:42 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82272 <p>I have a Nortel mug from my days there.</p> <p>They went bust didn't they?</p> I have a Nortel mug from my days there.

They went bust didn’t they?

]]> By: carl http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82266 carl Fri, 19 Jan 2007 08:12:11 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82266 <p>don't know what's wrong with my posting earlier - http://egoboss.com/deccirca1992.bmp - the correct link has an underscore between "dec circa 1992" - that should open the picture in all its glory! not that it's that important, really, but url's that don't work are rather annoying …</p> don’t know what’s wrong with my posting earlier - (link) - the correct link has an underscore between “dec circa 1992″ - that should open the picture in all its glory! not that it’s that important, really, but url’s that don’t work are rather annoying …

]]> By: Andy Sack http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82271 Andy Sack Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:50:37 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82271 <p>Om, Just wanted to clarify -- we aren't in trouble and in fact changed direction well in advance of trouble or Insider Pages induction into TechCrunch's deadpool. We are in transition -- and I'm blogging about it at a<em>sack</em>of_seattle but my bet is that we'll outlast your mug competition. If we do outlast your mug competition, coffee is on me -- if we don't, coffee is on you. Time will tell. Stay tuned for our relaunch. </p> <p>Andy</p> Om,
Just wanted to clarify — we aren’t in trouble and in fact changed direction well in advance of trouble or Insider Pages induction into TechCrunch’s deadpool. We are in transition — and I’m blogging about it at asackof_seattle but my bet is that we’ll outlast your mug competition. If we do outlast your mug competition, coffee is on me — if we don’t, coffee is on you. Time will tell. Stay tuned for our relaunch.

Andy

]]> By: Greg Cannon http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82270 Greg Cannon Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:44:10 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82270 <p>So when can we get our GigaOm mugs?</p> <p>But forget the mugs, Smalltown's biggest offense is the "Are you sure you want to leave Smalltown?" pop-ups you get when hitting the browser back button. Uh, yeah I'm sure, that's why I clicked "back."</p> So when can we get our GigaOm mugs?

But forget the mugs, Smalltown’s biggest offense is the “Are you sure you want to leave Smalltown?” pop-ups you get when hitting the browser back button. Uh, yeah I’m sure, that’s why I clicked “back.”

]]> By: carl http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82256 carl Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:22:22 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82256 <p>http://egoboss.com/dec<em>circa</em>1992.bmp</p> <p>yes, i am that old … ;-)</p> (link) circa1992.bmp

yes, i am that old … ;-)

]]> By: Rodney Rumford http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82265 Rodney Rumford Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:13:17 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82265 <p>OM, We have no mugs to hand deliver. Sorry about that. We are keeping the funds where they need to be focused… on coffee for our programmers and the launch team. ;)</p> <p>Rodney</p> OM,
We have no mugs to hand deliver. Sorry about that. We are keeping the funds where they need to be focused… on coffee for our programmers and the launch team. ;)

Rodney

]]> By: John http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82269 John Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:55:17 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82269 <p>My personal favorite mug:</p> <p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnkevinlin/361372379/</p> <p>Long live Netscape!</p> My personal favorite mug:

(link)

Long live Netscape!

]]> By: Webomatica http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82268 Webomatica Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:38:21 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82268 <p>Rats, I have two startup mugs but they're in the garage, packed away… might have to dig them out…</p> Rats, I have two startup mugs but they’re in the garage, packed away… might have to dig them out…

]]> By: Pramit http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82257 Pramit Thu, 18 Jan 2007 04:20:55 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82257 <p>The main challenge for web 2.0/.web 1.0/.web 3.0 service: How do you increase usage of your service?> If a mug helps that,then do it…</p> The main challenge for web 2.0/.web 1.0/.web 3.0 service:
How do you increase usage of your service?>
If a mug helps that,then do it…

]]> By: Paul Kapustka http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82267 Paul Kapustka Thu, 18 Jan 2007 02:30:38 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82267 <p>Trust me, the days of people coming to your door are not over -- except now it is scammers and dubious marketing schemes that usually employ naive youths to offer dead-tree magazine subscriptions. At least telemarketing has the do-not-call list.</p> Trust me, the days of people coming to your door are not over — except now it is scammers and dubious marketing schemes that usually employ naive youths to offer dead-tree magazine subscriptions. At least telemarketing has the do-not-call list.

]]> By: Bryan http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82254 Bryan Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:02:06 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82254 <p>I like the idea of the mug, it brings back the grassroots feel of marketing. Remember when someone would come to your door and sell you a vaccuum, and you could trust they would not rob you at the same time. I wish we could bring back the days when people came to your door, instead of telemarketers from the mid west calling me all night long…or at least til 9:30pm.</p> I like the idea of the mug, it brings back the grassroots feel of marketing. Remember when someone would come to your door and sell you a vaccuum, and you could trust they would not rob you at the same time. I wish we could bring back the days when people came to your door, instead of telemarketers from the mid west calling me all night long…or at least til 9:30pm.

]]> By: Angie http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82263 Angie Wed, 17 Jan 2007 22:04:48 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82263 <p>I live in Palo Alto. When can my front doorstep be charmed by my own hand-delivered Smalltown mug? </p> <p>Local is good…</p> I live in Palo Alto. When can my front doorstep be charmed by my own hand-delivered Smalltown mug?

Local is good…

]]> By: Hal Rucker http://gigaom.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82255 Hal Rucker Wed, 17 Jan 2007 21:23:52 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/01/17/will-the-mug-outlive-the-start-up/#comment-82255 <p>Smalltown has user-generated reviews like Insider Pages and others, but that's not what's interesting about our sites. Smalltown's innovation is a technology we call the Webcard, a new form of local word of mouth advertising.</p> <p>(This thread is about mugs, so I'll ask people interested in learning more about Smalltown Webcards to watch our video quick tours at www.smalltown.com/sanmateo .)</p> <p>Now, about that mug you received from us…</p> <p>Our sites are truly local. Attaching small brochures to mugs and hand delivering them to doorsteps is surprisingly affordable when it only involves one town like San Mateo. Figuring out the ROI of local efforts is very different than regional or national campaigns. </p> <p>We also handed out It’s-It ice cream sandwiches at the San Mateo Halloween Festival we sponsored because It’s-It is a local company. And we handed out milk and cookies baked by a local bakery at the Burlingame Holiday Pageant.</p> <p>Local has changed how we think of schwag ;-)</p> Smalltown has user-generated reviews like Insider Pages and others, but that’s not what’s interesting about our sites. Smalltown’s innovation is a technology we call the Webcard, a new form of local word of mouth advertising.

(This thread is about mugs, so I’ll ask people interested in learning more about Smalltown Webcards to watch our video quick tours at (link) .)

Now, about that mug you received from us…

Our sites are truly local. Attaching small brochures to mugs and hand delivering them to doorsteps is surprisingly affordable when it only involves one town like San Mateo. Figuring out the ROI of local efforts is very different than regional or national campaigns.

We also handed out It’s-It ice cream sandwiches at the San Mateo Halloween Festival we sponsored because It’s-It is a local company. And we handed out milk and cookies baked by a local bakery at the Burlingame Holiday Pageant.

Local has changed how we think of schwag ;-)

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