http://www.thestandard.com/node/111782/comments comments feed. en Sun uses Olympic fever to promote Zembly http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly <p> <p> </p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/sun_logo.png" alt="Sun Microsystems logo image" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" />Sun's position as technology provider for NBC Universal during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing gives them a special opportunity to use some Olympic hype to show off their Zembly platform for developing widgets. While the platform is still in private beta, Sun is publically demonstrating some Olympic-themed widget examples on Facebook. </p> <p>The app, promoted widely on <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/angad/entry/sun_powers_the_olympics">Sun blogs</a> (although the link on the main Sun blog doesn't work), is a pool-type competition in which users attempt to predict who will win Olympic events. After users agree to the usual privacy notifications and installs it, they can pick their home countries and predict winners for each remaining Olympic event. Those who have no idea can simply click the Google-esque "I feel lucky" to have the fields filled automatically.</p> <p>In the screenshot below it's interesting to note how many Sun apps are promoted at the bottom of the screen. When it comes to the app, lag is frustrating. An attempt to scroll through the swimmers in the Men's 100m Butterfly was so slow I finally gave up and used the lucky option for the other two medalists. While the opportunity for promoting the platform may be great, the amount of traffic may be contributing to the lag in the Facebook app, giving Zembly an inauspicious start.</p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/mypicksBeijing_screenshot.jpg" alt="MyPicks Beijing screenshot image" align="left" border="0" height="469" width="600" /> </p> <p><b>More news, commentary, and predictions from <i>The Industry Standard</i>:</b></p> <ul> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/twitter-joins-olympics-chinese-journalist-cries-out-help">Twitter joins the Olympics, as a Chinese journalist cries out for help</a></b></li> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/13/michael-phelps-king-web-well-pool">Michael Phelps is king of the Web as well as the pool</a></b></li> <li>Analysis: <b><a href="/news/2008/02/25/chavez-china-and-coming-startup-squeeze">Chavez, China, and the coming startup squeeze</a></b></li> <li>Picture This: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/08/picture-2008-olympics-dominate-online-searches">2008 Olympics dominate online searches</a></b></li> <li><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest">Video: IOC backs off DMCA take-down for Tibet protest</a></li> <p><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest"> </a></p> </ul> http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly#comments Beijing Olympics co:Facebook co:Sun-Microsystems Software & Web The Industry Standard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:35:16 -0700 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira 111782 at http://www.thestandard.com Sun uses Olympic fever to promote Zembly http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly <p> <p> </p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/sun_logo.png" alt="Sun Microsystems logo image" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" />Sun's position as technology provider for NBC Universal during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing gives them a special opportunity to use some Olympic hype to show off their Zembly platform for developing widgets. While the platform is still in private beta, Sun is publically demonstrating some Olympic-themed widget examples on Facebook. </p> <p>The app, promoted widely on <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/angad/entry/sun_powers_the_olympics">Sun blogs</a> (although the link on the main Sun blog doesn't work), is a pool-type competition in which users attempt to predict who will win Olympic events. After users agree to the usual privacy notifications and installs it, they can pick their home countries and predict winners for each remaining Olympic event. Those who have no idea can simply click the Google-esque "I feel lucky" to have the fields filled automatically.</p> <p>In the screenshot below it's interesting to note how many Sun apps are promoted at the bottom of the screen. When it comes to the app, lag is frustrating. An attempt to scroll through the swimmers in the Men's 100m Butterfly was so slow I finally gave up and used the lucky option for the other two medalists. While the opportunity for promoting the platform may be great, the amount of traffic may be contributing to the lag in the Facebook app, giving Zembly an inauspicious start.</p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/mypicksBeijing_screenshot.jpg" alt="MyPicks Beijing screenshot image" align="left" border="0" height="469" width="600" /> </p> <p><b>More news, commentary, and predictions from <i>The Industry Standard</i>:</b></p> <ul> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/twitter-joins-olympics-chinese-journalist-cries-out-help">Twitter joins the Olympics, as a Chinese journalist cries out for help</a></b></li> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/13/michael-phelps-king-web-well-pool">Michael Phelps is king of the Web as well as the pool</a></b></li> <li>Analysis: <b><a href="/news/2008/02/25/chavez-china-and-coming-startup-squeeze">Chavez, China, and the coming startup squeeze</a></b></li> <li>Picture This: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/08/picture-2008-olympics-dominate-online-searches">2008 Olympics dominate online searches</a></b></li> <li><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest">Video: IOC backs off DMCA take-down for Tibet protest</a></li> <p><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest"> </a></p> </ul> http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly#comments Beijing Olympics co:Facebook co:Sun-Microsystems Software & Web The Industry Standard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:35:16 -0700 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira 111782 at http://www.thestandard.com Sun uses Olympic fever to promote Zembly http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly <p> <p> </p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/sun_logo.png" alt="Sun Microsystems logo image" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" />Sun's position as technology provider for NBC Universal during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing gives them a special opportunity to use some Olympic hype to show off their Zembly platform for developing widgets. While the platform is still in private beta, Sun is publically demonstrating some Olympic-themed widget examples on Facebook. </p> <p>The app, promoted widely on <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/angad/entry/sun_powers_the_olympics">Sun blogs</a> (although the link on the main Sun blog doesn't work), is a pool-type competition in which users attempt to predict who will win Olympic events. After users agree to the usual privacy notifications and installs it, they can pick their home countries and predict winners for each remaining Olympic event. Those who have no idea can simply click the Google-esque "I feel lucky" to have the fields filled automatically.</p> <p>In the screenshot below it's interesting to note how many Sun apps are promoted at the bottom of the screen. When it comes to the app, lag is frustrating. An attempt to scroll through the swimmers in the Men's 100m Butterfly was so slow I finally gave up and used the lucky option for the other two medalists. While the opportunity for promoting the platform may be great, the amount of traffic may be contributing to the lag in the Facebook app, giving Zembly an inauspicious start.</p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/mypicksBeijing_screenshot.jpg" alt="MyPicks Beijing screenshot image" align="left" border="0" height="469" width="600" /> </p> <p><b>More news, commentary, and predictions from <i>The Industry Standard</i>:</b></p> <ul> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/twitter-joins-olympics-chinese-journalist-cries-out-help">Twitter joins the Olympics, as a Chinese journalist cries out for help</a></b></li> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/13/michael-phelps-king-web-well-pool">Michael Phelps is king of the Web as well as the pool</a></b></li> <li>Analysis: <b><a href="/news/2008/02/25/chavez-china-and-coming-startup-squeeze">Chavez, China, and the coming startup squeeze</a></b></li> <li>Picture This: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/08/picture-2008-olympics-dominate-online-searches">2008 Olympics dominate online searches</a></b></li> <li><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest">Video: IOC backs off DMCA take-down for Tibet protest</a></li> <p><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest"> </a></p> </ul> http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly#comments Beijing Olympics co:Facebook co:Sun-Microsystems Software & Web The Industry Standard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:35:16 -0700 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira 111782 at http://www.thestandard.com Sun uses Olympic fever to promote Zembly http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly <p> <p> </p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/sun_logo.png" alt="Sun Microsystems logo image" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" />Sun's position as technology provider for NBC Universal during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing gives them a special opportunity to use some Olympic hype to show off their Zembly platform for developing widgets. While the platform is still in private beta, Sun is publically demonstrating some Olympic-themed widget examples on Facebook. </p> <p>The app, promoted widely on <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/angad/entry/sun_powers_the_olympics">Sun blogs</a> (although the link on the main Sun blog doesn't work), is a pool-type competition in which users attempt to predict who will win Olympic events. After users agree to the usual privacy notifications and installs it, they can pick their home countries and predict winners for each remaining Olympic event. Those who have no idea can simply click the Google-esque "I feel lucky" to have the fields filled automatically.</p> <p>In the screenshot below it's interesting to note how many Sun apps are promoted at the bottom of the screen. When it comes to the app, lag is frustrating. An attempt to scroll through the swimmers in the Men's 100m Butterfly was so slow I finally gave up and used the lucky option for the other two medalists. While the opportunity for promoting the platform may be great, the amount of traffic may be contributing to the lag in the Facebook app, giving Zembly an inauspicious start.</p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/mypicksBeijing_screenshot.jpg" alt="MyPicks Beijing screenshot image" align="left" border="0" height="469" width="600" /> </p> <p><b>More news, commentary, and predictions from <i>The Industry Standard</i>:</b></p> <ul> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/twitter-joins-olympics-chinese-journalist-cries-out-help">Twitter joins the Olympics, as a Chinese journalist cries out for help</a></b></li> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/13/michael-phelps-king-web-well-pool">Michael Phelps is king of the Web as well as the pool</a></b></li> <li>Analysis: <b><a href="/news/2008/02/25/chavez-china-and-coming-startup-squeeze">Chavez, China, and the coming startup squeeze</a></b></li> <li>Picture This: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/08/picture-2008-olympics-dominate-online-searches">2008 Olympics dominate online searches</a></b></li> <li><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest">Video: IOC backs off DMCA take-down for Tibet protest</a></li> <p><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest"> </a></p> </ul> http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly#comments Beijing Olympics co:Facebook co:Sun-Microsystems Software & Web The Industry Standard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:35:16 -0700 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira 111782 at http://www.thestandard.com Sun uses Olympic fever to promote Zembly http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly <p> <p> </p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/sun_logo.png" alt="Sun Microsystems logo image" align="left" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" />Sun's position as technology provider for NBC Universal during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing gives them a special opportunity to use some Olympic hype to show off their Zembly platform for developing widgets. While the platform is still in private beta, Sun is publically demonstrating some Olympic-themed widget examples on Facebook. </p> <p>The app, promoted widely on <a href="http://blogs.sun.com/angad/entry/sun_powers_the_olympics">Sun blogs</a> (although the link on the main Sun blog doesn't work), is a pool-type competition in which users attempt to predict who will win Olympic events. After users agree to the usual privacy notifications and installs it, they can pick their home countries and predict winners for each remaining Olympic event. Those who have no idea can simply click the Google-esque "I feel lucky" to have the fields filled automatically.</p> <p>In the screenshot below it's interesting to note how many Sun apps are promoted at the bottom of the screen. When it comes to the app, lag is frustrating. An attempt to scroll through the swimmers in the Men's 100m Butterfly was so slow I finally gave up and used the lucky option for the other two medalists. While the opportunity for promoting the platform may be great, the amount of traffic may be contributing to the lag in the Facebook app, giving Zembly an inauspicious start.</p> <p><img src="/sites/thestandard.com/files/u4993/mypicksBeijing_screenshot.jpg" alt="MyPicks Beijing screenshot image" align="left" border="0" height="469" width="600" /> </p> <p><b>More news, commentary, and predictions from <i>The Industry Standard</i>:</b></p> <ul> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/twitter-joins-olympics-chinese-journalist-cries-out-help">Twitter joins the Olympics, as a Chinese journalist cries out for help</a></b></li> <li>News: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/13/michael-phelps-king-web-well-pool">Michael Phelps is king of the Web as well as the pool</a></b></li> <li>Analysis: <b><a href="/news/2008/02/25/chavez-china-and-coming-startup-squeeze">Chavez, China, and the coming startup squeeze</a></b></li> <li>Picture This: <b><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/08/picture-2008-olympics-dominate-online-searches">2008 Olympics dominate online searches</a></b></li> <li><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest">Video: IOC backs off DMCA take-down for Tibet protest</a></li> <p><a href="http://thestandard.com/news/2008/08/14/video-ioc-backs-dmca-take-down-tibet-protest"> </a></p> </ul> http://www.thestandard.com/news/2008/08/15/sun-uses-olympic-fever-promote-zembly#comments Beijing Olympics co:Facebook co:Sun-Microsystems Software & Web The Industry Standard Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:35:16 -0700 Cyndy Aleo-Carreira 111782 at http://www.thestandard.com