When Color was announced a few weeks ago, there was very little talk about what it actually did and more about the fact that they got $41 million from Sequoia without anything being released. Most of the discussion was about how we’re in a bubble (which I still believe) and not about the actual technology.
Soon after the announcement, the app showed up in the respective app stores and then things got very interesting. Anyone that installed Color on day one was treated to an application with no instructions or clear direction of what it even did. It was confusing, almost cryptic, and people’s heads were spinning.
The only way you’d understand what it did in it’s 1.0 incarnation was to watch an interview or see a podcast discussing it or something else. Not exactly the best way to get your app to the masses — throw it out and confuse people. It received scathing reviews in the app store (one of which was absolutely hilarious by comparing it to an RPG) and tons of 1 star reviews.
It’s a typical engineer problem… it was too brilliant for it’s own good. If you opened the app anywhere but downtown or at a large gathering of other iPhone users, you saw nothing and it was just incredibly confusing. The problem, after it was explained, is it’s greatest feature.
Color creates an temporary social network with the other people running the app around you, totally on the fly. For example, two people are at a sporting event and both people start taking pictures. Color will figure out the locations of these two people and create a social network automatically in which you can see each other’s photos. Very cool… if you’re into that sort of thing.
If you’re a privacy freak, you’re probably jumping out of your skin right now. I’m not, but I totally understand where those people come from.
As an engineer, I think this is such a neat idea. It’s a great mashup of all the hot tehcnologies and making something that could almost be seen as magical. But the question that really needs to be asked if it really does anything for anyone.
Yes, it’s neat, but what’s the real purpose? When I was at the Sixer’s game last week and made an impromptu network with some guy named Tom, did it change my life? I’ll give you a hint… no.
It’s possible that I’m just not in the right demographic for this — I’m starting to think that’s the case for most “social” technology. But unless this is a gateway to some bigger and better thing, then I think I’ll just let it pass by and wait for the next big thing.