Archive for June, 2007

Office Space

Published by Beth on June 29, 2007 in General. 0 Comments

The big news from Pluck this week is that we’ve moved to new offices!

After outgrowing our startup space in downtown Austin, we have taken up residence in a storied building that used to be Willie Nelson’s Austin Opry House, a legendary concert venue in the 1970s and ’80s.

Not only are we happy to have room to move around in our wonderfully renovated space, but some say they can still feel the good vibes coming from the great acts that played inside these walls: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, The Pixies, Lou Reed, and the list goes on.

We’re located just off South Congress Avenue near some of Austin’s most popular landmarks including the Continental Club, Hotel San Jose and the Congress Avenue Bridge (home to the world’s largest urban bat colony).

Here’s our new address:

Pluck
200 Academy Drive, Ste. 120
Austin, TX 78704

We All Scream for iPhones

Published by Beth on June 28, 2007 in General. 0 Comments

People have already been camping out in front of Apple Retail and AT&T stores, braving the long lines and crowds, to get their hands on the much anticipated iPhone. (I’d hazard a guess that some BlogBurst bloggers are first in line.) Everyone’s talking about the iPhone, and even more people are blogging about it.

On the eve of the launch, we thought we’d tell you what you can expect… or, rather, we’ll let our bloggers tell you.

“Apple iPhone - Get in Line or Wait for Version 2.0?” (The Bivings Report)

“iJustine and Technology Evangelist at Mall of America iPhone” (Technology Evangelist)

“AT&T: Only ONE iPhone per person!” (IntoMobile)

“How To: Survival Guide to iDay” (Gadgetell)

“AT&T Hires Extra 2,000 for iPhone Launch” (Digital Trends)

“7 Ways to Avoid the iPhone Hype” (Apple Matters)

“We Now Enter the iPhone Backlash Phase” (IP Democracy)

“Camping and Drooling for an iPhone” (Coolest Gadgets)

Bloggers Go Mainstream: Come On In, The Water’s Fine

Published by Beth on June 21, 2007 in Blog Industry News. 0 Comments

Bloggers are going mainstream. We knew that. But it’s happening more and more as traditional media outlets acquire independent sites (usually written by one person). Bloggers go on to become columnists and writers for mainstream media, perhaps receiving validation for their opinions and viewpoints. Or just a steady paycheck.

This “revolution” is described in a Forbes article, which points to bloggers who have been picked up by such big names as The New York Times, CBS News, McClatchy and others.

With increasing frequency, media outlets big and small are deciding that if you can’t beat ‘em, buy ‘em. And why not? Slammed by critics for not being Internet savvy, the moves are a natural. You get an instant audience and fresh talent steeped in a sensibility that’s still evolving.

If bloggers continue to trade in their own brands for journalistic credentials, what does this mean for the blogosphere? The line between blogs and media is already blurred. Looks like it’s going to get even blurrier.

Father Time

Published by Beth on June 15, 2007 in General. 0 Comments

As families get ready to celebrate Father’s Day, we’d like to share the following BlogBurst blogger posts on family, parents and children. Happy Father’s Day!

  • “If You Know Me, You Already Know My Dad” (Eye on Vision - WebMD)
  • “Father’s Day - Things That I Love and Hate About Being a Dad” (Creative-Type Dad)
  • “Dads, Daughters and Cars” (Ask Patty)
  • “Some Father’s Day Recommendations for the Outdoor Cook” (Well Fed Network)
  • “Create a Family Coat of Arms for a Unique Father’s Day Gift” (Fun Play Dates)
  • “Happy Father’s Day” (All Ears - WebMD)
  • “Songs for Dad” (Zooglobble)

The New and Improved Workbench

Published by Beth on June 13, 2007 in General. 1 Comment

The BlogBurst engineering team has streamlined the BlogBurst tool yet again, rolling out a new workbench design this past weekend. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to login and try it out! The look and feel may be new, but the workbench has the same basic functionality with only a few minor changes.

Once you log in, you’ll find your blog menu in the left-hand column. You can access all of your reports there, and check out the latest leaderboard listing the top 100 blogs based on headline views. You can also easily edit your blogger profile and change your password.

Let us know what you think of the new interface!

Is the iPhone for You?

Published by Beth on June 6, 2007 in General. 2 Comments

Tech bloggers have been all over Apple’s announcement Sunday that the long-awaited iPhone will debut at the end of June. Will the iPhone be as wildly successful as the iPod? Will consumers pony up the cash ($500 to $600)? How will such a high-cost phone impact your AT&T bills? How will people feel about not having a keypad?

Here are a handful of opinions from our tech bloggers, who are always ahead of the curve.

iPhone on June 29th, But Not for Me (PaulStamatiou.com)

I know the #1 issue with the iPhone (CenterNetworks)

iPhone: What if it’s not all it’s cracked up to be? (Gadgetell)

Apple’s iPhone to Hit Stores June 29th (Mashable!)

iPhone rumored to release on June 29th (Slippery Brick)

Steve Jobs and the iPhone (Coolest Gadgets)