Generating Buzz
Color, the new photo-sharing app from a start-up by a company of the same name, has created a lot of buzz in the tech world. Much of the hype comes from the significant capital it raised, $41 million, from venture capitalists. Sequoia Capital's Doug Leone says the company dropped $25 million, double what it originally invested in Google, because it's the only social network that allows you to share experiences as they occur.However, early critics are unsure of some practical uses of the app. One sarcastic Twitterer said to a friend, "Please use the Color app to take a picture of that face so that, when I'm within 150 ft of you, I'll be able to see it..."Despite this early doubt from the peanut gallery, the app has use in certain situations. Here are five in particular that would work well with Color. Color

Color, a red-hot tech startup with $41 million in venture capital backing, just launched. It’s available for download for the iPhone and Android at color.com.

Color is in some ways a photo twitter or video twitter for the iPhone and Android. Whenever a Color user physically goes to a location, all his photos and videos taken there in the Color program will be available for viewing by all other Color users within 100 feet of him, according to TechCrunch. They’re also viewable by those the users are bonded with.

Unlike Twitter, though, these bonds are not forged by clicking a button to “follow” someone; instead, it’s formed by being physically together often and commenting/liking each other’s photos and videos, according to Forbes.

Bonds also get stronger or weaker over time, depending on the factors described above (and the shades of people’s thumbnails reflect the strength of the bonds). Color calls these “elastic networks,” said Forbes.

The technology strives to be natural and real-time. Forbes pointed out that the bonds and sharing of Color all happen without discrete actions like friending or tweeting; they just automatically occur. The lack of action required for sharing also makes it more public than even Twitter and much more public compared to Facebook. This lack of personal privacy may be a turnoff for some users.

TechCrunch points out that Color can organically spread events and points of interest. For example, if a street performer is putting on an amazing show, Color can quickly help him draw a crowd. Moreover, if a crime or accident is taking place, Color can document and spread them as well.

Color is the latest startup in the trend of bringing social networking technology to the physical world; a key catalyst for this trend is the GPS (global positioning system) capability of smartphones. Besides Color, another example of this type of integration is Seth Priebatsch's SCVNGR.


Color Twitter Iphone Video