May 27th, 2008
VITAL Phreadz
‘Kosso,’ a British programmer with many years moblogging experience has quietly launched Phreadz, a threaded multi-media service that combines the ability to post video, images, text, audio and links, hence the VITAL moniker.
Today Phreadz is in closed, invite only alpha with a small number of users testing the system. From what I’ve seen, it shows genuine promise when compared to similar video services like Seesmic, Ustream.tv or Bloggingheads.tv.
The whacky promo video Kosso produced (at the top) says it all and while he over-eggs current capability - some features like private areas are more placeholder than reality - the conversations stimulated by the service are of exceptional quality and way above the banal.
An interesting thread centered on the business model, always a topic of interest for Web 2.0 businesses starting with an idea and little else. In his video, Kosso mentions channels for brands, something that seems obvious the way the site is designed. I can see this being offered as a white labeled service alongside public versions used by brands or the Phreadz community. In seeking to find a business model from the get go, Kosso is not boxing himself into the land grab game so many others play. That bodes well for the future, something that was recognized today when Phreadz was awarded the opportunity to present at the upcoming Being Digital conference.
Many of those invited to the alpha test are Seesmic users so they can provide direct feedback on how the site compares (I think the comparisons stop once you get past basic video) and help with suggested enhancements.
What makes Phreadz interesting is that Kosso has managed to assemble a credible service with zero funding, demonstrating once again that today’s technology tools can provide the springboard with which to deliver innovation that has broad appeal.
Dennis Howlett has been providing comment and analysis on enterprise software since 1991. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
