ShiftSpace, Me.dium, & BlipNut Comparison

11.23.07 |

I really like the idea behind this new web app Shift Space (http://www.shiftspace.com) but the model seems to be really similar to a couple of other recent companies, BlipNut (http://www.blipnut.com/) and Me.Dium (http://me.dium.com/). Lets take a quick look at the similarities and differences

All three of the services allow you to connect to users on a separate layer independent of the source code being sent from the original web site. BlipNuts is the simplest of all of these web apps for two reasons. First, the only thing you need to install is a simple toolbar icon. Second, BlipNut is an anonymous service that doesn’t require a user to log in to leave a comment on a web page.

I was introduced to Me.dium a couple of days ago because it is one of the few extensions made exclusively for the Flock browser (http://flock.com). Me.dium tracks the site you are on and then shows you other users in their network. If this takes off it is going to monumental for E-Commerce as we know it because not only will there be a chat option for store owners, users will be able to talk amongst themselves about products and interests by just being on the same page. Can you imagine going to the Apple we site and being able to ask other consumers what they think of certain products.

Lastly, Shift Space seems to work in a similar manner as BlipNut but different in the two main features: anonymity and simplicity. Shift Space allows you too leave much more extensive edits and even swap out some content from one page to the next. Shift Space is available only on Firefox and uses the GreaseMonkey extension as well as another separate script download. I like a lot of the editing and postit note features but I just worry about the potential abuse in the future. I can seem marketers or affiliates leaving notes on their competitors stores.