@marksbren - fun seeking hacker

Simple, humble problems

I recently watched a great episode of Foundation with Kevin Systrom from Instagram (full video).

One point that really stood out was when Kevin gave the advice to focus on three humble, simple problems (link to quote).

Instagram solved 3 common photo app problems:

Made photos look good (some would argue with this)
Allowed the user to share photos on multiple networks
Made photo uploading [appear] quicker

Solving problems is not a new mantra. I hear this all the time. But look at the problems that Instagram solved. They have a couple of things in common:

1. The problems are small.

Filters, sharing on Twitter & Facebook, and uploading in the background are not huge, tech-heavy features. Instagram solved little problems people had with all other photo apps.

2. Users experience the solution almost immediately.

This is the most overlooked aspect. It is great to solve problems, but users have to experience the solution. The first time users have their photos uploaded instantly they are hooked. If users don’t experience your solution to their problem soon after giving you a chance, they are gone.

Solving problems is what we do, but start small. If the problem is sharing photos, start with a small pain (slow photo uploading). Then design the product so that users experience your solution immediately!

Pinch of Play: Twilio Present Puzzle

This is the first post in a series on adding a little play to regular activities. I have blogged about this before (Making things fun) and really love adding a "Pinch of play" to activities.

This Christmas I added a little spice to the present opening process. Using a small Twilio app I made (Textbox), I turned opening gifts into an engaging trivia game. Here is how it worked:

To start, my family awoke to an odd sight. All gifts were missing recipient tags. Instead, a large, single letter appeared on the wrapped gifts.

A nearby note explained the puzzle:

We wrapped so many more presents this year
Hoping to bring everyone all some cheer

Departing the north with mounds of gifts
The sleigh was weighed down and began to shift

Raindeer pulled and tugged with all their might
As presents tumbled and shuffled all night

As we elves landed and unloaded here
We realized what happened and along came fear

The presents were shuffled and no one could tell
Which gift each person should open, oh hell

Wanting you to miss the gifts we did not
So we labeled the presents and thought a lot

Back in the north is the master list
So send a text to find your gift

xxx-xxx-xxxx

My dad texted the elves and they immediately replied:

Hey, sorry for the screwup. To start, open package "8" after the person who was given a drug-related nickname while playing a sport. Txt back after

After deciphering the clue, my girlfriend texted in and received:

Hey Sharon... sorry! The turbulence was rough, but the master list says start off the Christmas gift opening with gift "d". Txt back after opening that gift.

The gift trivia game began. For the next 2 hours, we followed the same pattern: people would text "The North Pole" to get clues and open gifts in the order the elves hinted. It made the morning more engaging and fun. By adding a little story and technology (Textbox uses Twilio and Google Appengine) the experience of opening gifts was awesome. Everyone participated and helped each other figure out the clues.

What else can you add play to? Foursquare has made going out a game ("I've gotta reclaim my mayorship!"). Turntable has added playful elements to online music. Often those little elements of play make all the difference.

Follow the User Behavior

"Get uncomfortably close to a user behavior."

I can't remember where this quote came from, but I can't get it out of my head. The concept struck an entrepreneurial tuning fork that is still ringing. I can't stop seeing examples in the wild:

Instagram - Kevin Systrom saw that users liked sharing photos on Burbn, so he positioned Instagram closer to photo sharing than any other app.
Pinterest - Trend setters and fashion lovers have been sharing photos of their inspiration through blogs, email and Facebook. Pinterest built a service for this one type of sharing, removed extraneous features and people are hooked.
Twitter - Some IM users meticulously edit and change their status. Twitter recognized this unintended behavior and built a service around this simple idea, making IM statuses persistent.

I have also experienced this first-hand, as a user. Last year, every Friday, I would spend 20 minutes on Grooveshark creating a weekly playlist. These playlists ranged in theme from all 80's to Lady Gaga vs. Katy Perry (don't judge). Once created, my friends and I hopped on Google chat, I shared the link, my friends struggled to load the playlist, we counted down over IM, and finally experienced the music together. When Turntable launched I knew I would never have to fumble with piecing features from multiple services together again. Turntable aligned almost perfectly with my previous behavior.

So, watch what people do in your application. Can you get closer to that behavior? If you are just starting, look at other applications. What are users doing that are not core features? Are people using extraneous features for unintended purposes? How could you build a service around that behavior?

Text Yourself In Update

Our text message buzzer has been guarding our gate for a few months now. Many have entered. Parties have been had. Upgrades have been made. Here is an introduction:

Recently, we added some simple game aspects. The results have been great!

Personal Replies
We made sure all the numbers on the whitelist have personal replies. This gives the buzzer a much more human feel. Guests would come up the stairs and be excited to discuss their personal message. In a few cases, they even showed eachother thier responses. It reminded me of people sharing their fortunes in fortune cookies.

Recent Entries Display
We also made a simple website displaying a feed of recent guests. When a new guest arrived the display would update and show who was entering. Many guests loved this greeting and even sent in multiple texts to ensure their name remained on the display.

By introducing small gaming elements into our apartment we are hoping friends will be encouraged to return and share more great times. If you have used the system before, thank you and we hope to see you again.

Want a system like this at your place? Follow me on Twitter to stay updated.

Daily Deal Free-for-all

I have a great idea for a startup: A daily deal email newsletter! I think it would take off... What? There is a company that does this?!? DOZENS!?!?! Shoot....

Over the last year or so the Groupon-clone market has gone from sizzling to "snort Habanero powder up your nose" crazy. Sadly, this has degraded the customer experience for me and others. Originally, I loved being exposed to great experiences like kayaking, a local cupcake shop, or an Alcatraz tour. These services were all about experiences, just look at their about pages:

LivingSocial:

LivingSocial offers daily deals on handpicked experiences that can be shared with friends. Our mission is to add surprise to every calendar. So we dig deep, pursuing both the things that define a place and the undiscovered jewels.

Groupon:

There's so much cool stuff to do, but the choice can be overwhelming. With so many options, sometimes the easiest thing is to go to a familiar restaurant, or just stay at home and watch a movie. As a result, we miss out on trying all the cool things our cities have to offer.

Both companies have strayed from their original goal. I have seen Groupon offering wall art, a baseball and a subscription to the economist. Today, LivingSocial is offering a $20 Amazon Gift Card for $10*. Does that "define a place and the undiscovered jewels"? I think Chris Dixon and others have pointed out why this is happening. There is a land grab for our email addresses. With so many Groupon-clones the competition is high. Living Social is leveraging the recent investment by Amazon to grab as many subscribers as possible (watch out Groupon).

This land grab is leaving something to be desired. I want the experience-center coupons back (experiences >> things). Can one of the twenty players in this market just stick to awesome local experiences? It may not have the same scale as nationial, free money deals (LivingSocial has sold 625,622 gift cards so far) but I would bet the customers are better (read: not coupon craving zombies) and it is not a race to the bottom (you get a bigger piece of the pie).

* The link is an affiliate link. If 3 of you buy the deal I get another $20 Amazon gift card (of course I had to buy the deal :)

Text Yourself In

Meet Beaker, our SMS butler. Completed only a few short days ago, he is now a growing part of our family. He welcomes friends and family into our house. Simply send a text to Beaker and come on in! No more fumbling with keys. How does it work? Beaker maintains a guestlist and password system. We tell Beaker which friends to let in. If he sees a text from anyone on the guestlist he will buzz them in. If we expect many guests, we can simply tell the guests the password for the night and if Beaker sees a text with the password, voila, the gate opens. It is awesome.

The system consists of a Twilio number, an old computer, and two TI Launchpads with wireless transceivers. The guest simply texts the Twilio number, Twilio notifies our server, and our server sends a message to a TI Launchpad sitting across the apartment to open the gate (if the texter is on the whitelist).

There will be some kinks to work out and many ideas for expansion. Currently Beaker simply responds to welcome the visitor. It would be great if the reply from Beaker included who else was in the house ("Welcome, Matt and Brain just arrived!"). Also, we have thought about having personalized entry songs or Facebook integration. Since Beaker knows who is coming in, everyone can have a custom entry experience. We are excited about the potential of the system. What ideas do you have?

A few friends have asked if this would work with their apartment. Currently, the system is quite customized, but could definitely be adapted for other apartments. I'd love to hear how you'd use it. Contact me here.

Staring at Screens

I stumbled upon this video on trends by Paul Graham (of Y Combinator fame). Overall, I think his points were right on. His thoughts and insights are extremely valuable to the entrepreneurial community.

One trend that kept me thinking was #10: Things on Screens. In his description of this trend he suggested devoting more resources to making an online video than bolstering the local theater. Further, he predicts that more people are going to stay at home, staring at their glowing screens. Is that really where things are headed? Spending less and less time with real-world contact? I don't know about you, but I still get MUCH more gratification by spending time in the presence of others than writing on someone's Facebook wall or even having a video chat on Skype.

The idea that we are going to increasingly sit in front of screens makes it sound like we are following the screens. The screens are inside, so that is where we will be, soaking in the reality show glow. This may have been a technology barrier originally (TVs are not mobile), but I think screens are making their way outside the house to come to where we are, not the other way around. Screens are getting smaller and more mobile so they can follow us out into our lives.

To go back to Paul's analogy to local theater, I think the portable screens will bridge the two choices (make an online video or revitalize local theater). Video recording and the internet will be with you while you are at the local theater, enhancing the experience.

Buy Experiences, Not Things

A recent hot theme has been happiness and its relationship with money (reports here and here). These reports seem to align well with my thoughts on money. Namely, that investing in leisure activities makes people happier than investing in physical things. Sure, I would love a Lamborghini, but for the same price, I could take my friends and myself on an unforgettable vacation.

Growing up, I was blessed with a family that understood the value of shared experiences. We lived modestly and chose to spend more on frequent vacations. One of the best things about vacations or any unique experiences is the stories. With new and exciting experiences you get to unlock a new story (like unlocking a Foursquare badge). Not only can you share these stories with the other vacationers, but storytelling can actually connect you to people who did not share in the experience.

These vacations and trips don't have to be extravagant. My friends and I still reminisce about our 4 hour Tahoe boat adventure. I have spent more time talking and laughing about the events that transpired that afternoon than the short 4 hour boat ride. These stories alone have strengthened many relationships and even formed some new ones.

So thank you to all the family and friends who have helped create these unforgettable experiences. It has surely contributed to my happiness, and I hope that I can (and do) return the favor. Create a great new story this weekend.

The Team Text

I am not a planner. It seems like every week I get surprised by Friday. The afternoon rolls around and I have not thought about the evening's activities. I have made a few products to help (example) but I still end up deciding last minute. By then, many people are bunkered into their home, not wanting to budge. To combat this problem, my friends and I have a targeted attack method to get them out, even with short notice. The Team Text.

A Team Text is simply a synchronized text message from many people targeted to one individual. Performed correctly, the experience of receiving successive texts from many people can persuade even the most entrenched couch potato to join the party. Here are a few examples:

1. The Echo

Team Texter #1: "Join us!"

Team Texter #2: "Join us!"

Team Texter #3: "Join us!"

2. The Disjoint

Team Texter #1: "Where"

Team Texter #2: "Are"

Team Texter #3: "You?"

Notes: Leave time between texts because the order matters. You don't want them to receive "Are Where You?"

3. The Conversation

Team Texter #1: "How fun is this?"

Team Texter #2: "Wow, so fun, but who is missing?"

Team Texter #3: "You!"

Notes: This has the added benefit of being confusing, they might think you are talking to them originally.

4. The Sneaky

Team Texter #1: "Wow, this is fun, you should come!"

Team Texter #2: "Just got here. When are you coming?"

Team Texter #3: "Come out!"

Notes: This is intended to appear as independent texts to the recipient, further convincing them that they are missing a great time.

These are just some examples. Creativity is rewarded with Team Texting. Also, there is no reason to be limited to social gatherings. Send a creative Birthday or Congratulations Team Text. It shows more thought and coordination than a regular text or email while not being as slow as a written letter. What else can you do with Team Texting?

The Mario Moment

I grew up when video games were just appearing and love Mario, Tetris, and Zelda. I can remember staying up all night trying to beat Mario without warp whistles and spending hours competing with friends in Starcraft.

Mobile games have yet to have that breakout, mass-market success. Part of this has to do with the context the games are played. Mobile games are played in subway trains, at bus stops, etc. They excel when you have a few moments to play, which is not conducive to the engaging campaigns like Zelda or Mario. So, what kind of games align well with mobile?

Lightweight - You need to be able to have a meaningful experience in the game in a short period of time.
Social - The phone is a communication device by nature. Games that incorporate multiplayer modes are natural and make the game that much more engaging.
Location-based - This is something that desktop and console games can't do. There is still a lot to explore in this area, but Foursquare and Gwalla are starting to show how powerful location can be.
Native Controls - Phones are increasingly aware of their location, movement, orientation, and suroundings. Games that utilize these new control mechanisms will trump those that attempt to mimic the old joystick controls.

When discussing this with a friend it got me thinking about what mobile applications or games will achieve cult status. In 10 to 15 years we will look back and point to a few mobile apps/games that built an empire. What is the Mario of mobile?