Web 2.0 Expo: Instant gratification meets reality
I seek instant gratification from 2.0 applications that measure high on my “wow-ness” barometer. Therefore, I was on cloud nine (pun intended) at the 2008 Web 2.0 NYC Expo.
In the The Real, Long-lasting (and Negative) Impact of Web 2.0 on Technology Adoption session, Fraser Kelton of Adaptive Blue said
The biggest chasm is no longer between early adopters and mainstream users. It is about finding and retaining the early adopters.However, early adopters continually need a greater dose of wow-ness to achieve instant gratification.
In the real world, applications are merely tools that help me get my work done. Wow-ness is a measure of naturalness (i.e., training not required; special attention not applicable). As, my attention span is finite, I have no use for an invasive application.
Well-designed mashups earn a double dose of wow-ness—for sheer instant gratification coolness and for providing me with needed information in an unobtrusive, natural manner. For example, let's say that I want to go to San Jose. TravelZoo's Deals Near You mashes data provided by Tele Atlas with Google Maps. In turn, Tele Atlas receives updates made by members of the Google Maps community.
Despite the potpourri of vendors hawking their applications on the Web 2.0 trade floor, the crux of 2.0 is not technology. Rather, it is the confluence of ideas, which may be aided by the convergence of applications.