The Mesh - Lisa Gansky [78]
Klout: Measures influence across the social Web and allows you to track the impact of your opinions, links, and recommendations.
http://klout.com
LinkedIn: Service for colleagues, former colleagues, and friends to network.
http://www.linkedin.com
Meetup: Network of local interest groups that meet face-to-face. Users organize groups or join them.
http://www.meetup.com
Schoolwires: Provides online communication, Web site, and community management tools to schools.
http://www.schoolwires.com
Shareable: Online blog that tells the story of sharing.
http://shareable.net
Springspotters: Global online community that reports new business ideas.
http://www.springspotters.com
Thread: Allows users to find common friends and get in touch with people in their social circle.
http://thread.com
Twitturly: Ranks and tracks what URLs people are talking about on Twitter.
http://twitturly.com
TECHNOLOGY
Companies in this category use new technology to develop tools and platforms for enabling the Mesh. This includes sophisticated information systems, as mentioned previously, that track and aggregate consumer data to make sharing possible. Online photo-sharing sites, for example, use Mesh-friendly technology not only to help users upload, store, and share pictures with their social networks but also to make timely, customized offers (such as baby-themed photo albums) to consumers. Similarly, open-source share platforms use advanced data capacity to make valuable information available to the public. You’ll find these models, and others, in this category.
In 2009 a new civic engagement tool called CitySourced hit the streets in San Jose, California, allowing citizens to identify and report civic issues on the go. Using the CitySourced smartphone application, people can file sightings of graffiti, littering, potholes, and so on to city hall. Think of it as civic crowdsourcing. The app lets you photograph an infraction and locate it via your phone’s GPS tracking device. Once the image uploads successfully, users can then add comments about the problem and share it on Twitter as well. It’s a techy occasion for government to improve citizen accountability.
Celltradeusa: Enables dissatisfied cell phone customers to get out of their service contracts by finding others who want in.
http://www.celltradeusa.com
Citizens Connect iPhone App: Aims to gather information about Boston, Massachusetts, from residents and visitors.
www.cityofboston.gov/mis/apps/iphone.asp
Drupal: Open-source content management platform.
http://drupal.org
esloúltimo: Enables communication between brands and consumers.
http://www.esloultimo.com
FleetCommander: Web-based fleet management system that can be used for car-sharing services.
http://www.agilefleet.com
Open311: Provides open communication with public services and local government.
http://open311.org
SkiReport: iPhone application that gives users access to information about ski areas.
http://www.skireport.com/iphone
TechForward: Offers members a guaranteed buyback plan with their next computer or consumer electronic purchase.
http://www.techforward.com
The Extraordinaries: Smartphone application that enables people to complete micro-tasks for organizations, causes, or people.
http://www.beextra.org
WeFridge: Photo-sharing site that lets users combine their photos with other users’ photos from the same events.
http://www.wefridge.com
YouNoodle: Users discover and support early-stage companies.
http://younoodle.com
TRANSPORTATION
Mesh companies make sharing cars and bikes more convenient and fun—and less expensive—than owning them, while increasing the efficiency of our transportation systems. As a member of a car-sharing company, you can reserve a vehicle on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis. A personal key (such as a Zipcard) gives you access to the car-sharing fleet so you can drive away in a clean, maintained, and fully insured