Netvibes Universes: just a Directory of data sources

Hi,
I was looking for some interesting Universes in Netvibes, and I found them quite boring in fact. All of them.

Let's see the most popular (by the way, there is no sign of any downloads numbers contrary to the Widgets): Marianne, a French news magazine.
You have loads of RSS Feeds , the Forums, the Podcasts, the Videos and the Podcasts and the blogs all from one source : the Marianne magazine.
It is ok, if you want to choose only from it, let's say it is a Directory of Data sources from one supplier.
But there is no life, no added content, no way to create something.
It is just a Free News Stand from 1 source!

And almost all Universe are like thet, they add the weather (why?) , if they are Commercial Brand Universes (like Glenfiddich) there is a little game but, so what ?

Who is going to add those games to its own page ? If you know , tell me.

Is that all for the WEB 2.0 Personalized Homepage innovator ? I hope not!

New: Netvibes Premium Universes

Hi,

Netvibes is announcing the creation of Premium Universes.

A Netvibes Univers brings together and delivers on a single Netvibes page all of a brand's rich online media, including RSS feeds, websites, podcasts, videos, blogs, photos, stores and widgets, which can be remixed according to each user's personal preferences and interests.

Premium Universes are the same but the Premium Netvibes Univers is embeded in the Web site of the Announcer. Check here the Premium Universe of Le Figaro Newspaper web site called Myfigaro and you will see the Url is: http://www.lefigaro.fr/monfigaro/.

You can add feeds, widgets or all the tab to your own Netvibes page.

If you click on the upper left side link of the embeded Netvibes Univers "go to your own private Netvibes page" you go there but with the new Upper Headline from the Figaro.

Fred Mini, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Netvibes, in his French blogs adds "for those interested" that these Premium Universe are "Not for Free"... That means that could be a "source of revenues".

What I do not understand is the interest for the Netvibes partner/announcer .
If I can import the single Premium Univers feed or widget in my own Netvibes page, I will no more be exposed to the "contestual world" of the Announcer...

And if in the future, if this Embeded Netvibes is a success, then the hundred of cloned applications will be available to integrate this kind of Feeds Aggregator service in any website.

The New York Times has just followed another way. They have built their own Netvibes like starting page called My Times: a free service that lets you create a personalized page with what you like best in The New York Times and your favorite sites and blogs from all over the Web. This personalized service makes it easy to read all that you like, from one central place.


If you want to choose between the 750 Universes offered by Netvibes go here.

Pierre CHAPPAZ, co-CEO, quits Netvibes

Hi,

Pierre CHAPPAZ, co-CEO of Netvibes since June 2006, has just announced on his Blog that he was quitting Netvibes on a desagreement with founder Tariq Krim over the Business Model of Netvibes.

Chappaz, also founder and CEO of Wikio, has pointed out that since the beginning there was a different point of vue over the future of Netvibes and that the actual development of the Universes of Netvibes was not in line with his own ideas.

The main objective of Pierre Chappaz , who in in 2004 already sold Kelkoo to Yahoo for €475 million, was to find ways to create a solid distribution and a way to make money... That seems not already the case.

Pierre Chappaz writes that he remains shareholder of Netvibes, but for how long?

The actual Business Model of Netvibes is not clear... and Tariq Krim, founder and co-CEO of Netvibes is reported to have said: "Once users are happy, I am sure the revenue model will make itself clear."

Pierre Chappaz was not patient enough...

In the mean time Tariq Krim is enjoing the new i-phone , he just bought in San Francisco...

Netvibes announces over 500 Universes

Hi,

Today at 5PM CET Netvibes will present over 500 UNIVERSES.

After the launch in April of the concept of Universe, Netvibes has concluded a series of deals with major Content Providers.

*
Here is the Official Press Release by Netvibes:

PARIS, June 21 /CNW/ - Netvibes, the pioneer of the personalized
homepage, today announced partnerships to publish hundreds of official content
Universes for major media and e-commerce companies, celebrities and
non-profits, dramatically changing the landscape of personalized media online.

A Universe brings together and delivers on a single Netvibes page all of
a brand's rich online media, including RSS feeds, websites, podcasts, videos,
blogs, photos, stores and widgets, which can be remixed according to each
user's personal preferences and interests.

In April, Netvibes launched Netvibes Universe with an initial list of
over 100 pilot content Universes that included major media companies,
non-profits (Harvard) and celebrities (50 Cent, Moby) across the United
States. Today's announcement will expand that number to over 500 partners
around the world, spanning Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

"This is concrete proof that the future of all media lies in deep
personalization. No other Internet company can claim as many officially
branded content partnerships in this many countries and languages," said Tariq
Krim, CEO and founder of Netvibes. "What does this mean for audiences? Your
favorite content, your way."

Global Partnerships
What began with a focus on U.S. media companies, including CBS,
Forbes.com, Newsweek, TIME, Washingtonpost.com, and USA Today, Netvibes
Universe now encompasses a wide scope of media alliances in a variety of
sectors around the world. New major media Universes include:
-- Europe: International Herald Tribune, IDG UK, Die Welt,
Computerworld, Les Echos, Le Figaro, Le Monde.fr, L'Equipe, 20 Minutes, Elle
France, El Pais, El Mundo and Rockol.it
-- Asia: Agile Media, ChinaVenture, eNet, HiPiHi HoodongWiki and Sports CN
-- North America: U.S. News and World Report, Wired, Topix, Inside
Edition, Entertainment Tonight, Glam.com, Brightcove, ContentNext Media,
CollegeHumor, Dr. Phil and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

"Personalization, customization and interoperability between content
platforms is a reality of today's Web. By partnering with Netvibes in Europe,
we are widening our reach and offering new and existing users the ability to
access IDG content via Netvibes' exciting new Universe feature, which
aggregates RSS content from our leading brands such as Computerworld,
Techworld, Macworld and PC Advisor into customizable, manageable and themed
modules," said Kit Gould, managing director at IDG UK.

"To serve our global audience, it is important for our readers to be able
to personalize news feeds according to their interests," said Nick Stout,
deputy managing editor of the International Herald Tribune. "Netvibes lets our
readers in more than 150 countries customize the way they view and use iht.com
(http://iht.com)."

"The Netvibes Universe enables us to consistently continue our 'online
first' strategy. It provides our users with comfortable and fast access to our
latest content - apart from the print edition and the website WELT ONLINE,"
says Peter Wurtenberger, chairman of the management board at Axel Springer AG.

Netvibes has also experienced tremendous international growth with
e-commerce companies, celebrities and non-profits.

New highlights include:
-- eCommerce & Enterprise: Cetelem, Edgeio, Etelos, Sage, Shopping.com,
Tencent
-- Celebrities & Movies: 60+ artists & films, through a partnership with
Buddylube, now including Beyonce, Gnarls Barkley, Jamiroquai, P. Diddy, Rush
Hour 3, Hair Spray
-- Non-Profits & Institutions: 200+ organizations, through a partnership
with Freelanthropy.com, including Boys and Girls Clubs, Operation Smile,
Ronald McDonald House, UK National Museum of Science and Industry, USGS.gov
"Our artists want to get closer with their audience and build community.

Universes are the perfect portals to transport fans into the lives of our
artists," said Kathy Baker, senior director of digital media at Columbia
Records.

"Demand from new content partners for Netvibes Universe has experienced
tremendous growth since our introduction just a couple months ago. Five
hundred content partnerships is an important milestone for us and we expect to
add another 100 next week," said Freddy Mini, COO Netvibes.

To commemorate the momentum of their fast-paced international growth, the
company will host a press conference and VIP party this evening in Paris,
kicking off the city's annual Fete de la Musique.

For a complete list of all 500+ official content partners, please visit:
http://eco.netvibes.com/500universes

Already 126 Universes available at Netvibes

Hi,

You can check here the 126 Universes already available on Netvibes.

you can choose from:

CNN MONEY,
BEN HARPER,
LEFIGARO.FR,
MOBY,
NEWSWINE,
TIME,
USA TODAY...

In a few days I will publish my NETVIBER EXPERIENCE UNIVERSE...
Have ideas or suggestions ?

Future Business Revenues for Netvibes

Hi,

The Branded Universes step by Netvibes, is in line with what Tariq Krim announced back in 2006 and that I have reported here concerning the Business Model of Netvibes.

"... Netvibes was going to try to get distribution deals with big media companies to have branded personalized homepages. That sounds like a promising business, but skepticism prevails. "

Well done Tariq ! You did what you said !

Netvibes is Charging the new NETVIBES UNIVERSES

Hi,

Since April 17, 2007 at 01:29 AM, Netvibes is charging their new: NETVIBES UNIVERSES and thet is what I see on my Netvibes page:
"We are currently upgrading our server infrastructure to serve you better, please come back later.
Check the blog for more details"

In their Blog, Tariq Krim, the CEO, is announcing many new improvements even after the Coriander version: the NETVIBES UNIVERSE concept.

"Soon, every single Netvibes user will be able to create a personal Netvibes Universe, that is, a Netvibes page that you can build using the content and widgets that you want -- and make it available to the world at large."

That will give you:

1) The possibility to Share a Netvibes page with others (as I was asking in my 10 things I want from my home page)
Netvibes users will soon have two pages for every account: a private page, where you subscribe to all the content for your personal, everyday use, and a public page, where you can allow others to access your favorite content -- everything that you love on the web.

2) Access a selection new Branded Universes
More than a hundred special Netvibes Universe pages will be available trough partnership with leading content publishers to create official Universes for some of your favorite musicians and media outlets.
Other Universes are on the way, and Netvibes asks for your advice.

Well let's wait and see...