8.15.2010

Checking in to content consumption with Blippy and GetGlue

Two social networks I've been enjoying lately are Blippy and GetGlue. Both networks build community around content consumption and recommendations, but in very different ways. Through Blippy and GetGlue I share the apps I download, books I read, movies I see, shows I watch, and more. All of that sharing connects me to others who share my interest for the same content and leads me to recommendations of other content I might enjoy.

Blippy plugs into purchase points, enabling you to share everything from your credit card transactions to Netflix orders.  In effect it's very similar to the original idea behind Facebook Beacon, but completely opt in.  Even as open as I am I am uncomfortable with opting in to sharing my credit card transactions, but I do happily share my iTunes purchases and Netflix orders.  That means as soon as I download a new iPhone app, purchase a song on iTunes, or order a movie- a record is shared with my Blippy network.  I can later log on and review any of the items.  Something unique about Blippy though is people who view my profile can easily request that I review specific things, which means I don't have to waste time reviewing stuff that no one cares about.  In particular, I am having a great time sharing and learning about iPhone apps with on Blippy.

GetGlue has actually been around for a while as a browser toolbar that lets you easily share and comment on content you are viewing while you're online.  This could be anything from a wikipedia article you find interesting to an IMDB article about a movie or TV show.  This month they launched an iPhone app that enables more traditional check-ins similar to Foursquare, but rather than focusing on places they focus on the content consumption similar to the browser plug-in: movies, shows, music, and books.  Also in the tradition of Foursquare there is a gaming aspect, with badges and rewards.  Both the browser actions and mobile check-ins lead to discussion and recommendations.  So far with GetGlue the best conversation I've had has been around sharing when I'm reading The Facebook Effect.

I always recommend trying new social tools to see if they fit for you, and these two are definitely getting my attention lately.  If you do give them a try make sure to connect to me:

Blippy
GetGlue