I have Pownce Invitations
So what?
After reading, mostly on Twitter, a lot of hype about Pownce, I finally got an invitation from a fellow Twitterer, newmediajim. I signed right up to check it out.
And was extremely unimpressed.
Sure, Pownce is pretty — much prettier than Twitter. And Pownce is apparently attracting the more mature crowd that I wish used Twitter more frequently. And Pownce offers a lot of additional features, like file exchange, event sharing, and the ability to send messages to just your friends — or a specific friend.
But, as one of the recent TWiT participants mentioned on the most recent TWiT podcast, why do we need that? We have e-mail to send files and online calendar programs to send event notifications.
Finding new Pownce friends is virtually impossible without a “public timeline” like Twitter has — you can only see the messages posted by your Pownce friends and the people you are a “fan” of. Of course, there is the occasional “public” message, which goes out to everyone. But in the one week I’ve been a member, I’ve only received one of those, so it’s obviously not a feature people want to use.
And I really like Twitterific, which works with Twitter. The Pownce non-browser solution requires you to install Adobe Air and then an application that runs within it. I don’t know about you, but I think Adobe is even worse than Microsoft at installing a lot of useless under-the-hood crap on your hard disk when you install its software. I prefer to keep new Adobe apps off my computer unless I need them to get my work done. (Can someone explain what Adobe Bridge is all about and why I should keep it when I have a perfectly good Mac OS Open dialog?)
And then there’s the advertisements vs. fees we can expect in the future. A note on the Pownce sidebar urges you to “Go Pro!” This will support larger files — certainly larger than you can send in e-mail — and will hide advertisements. Right now, there are no advertisements. There aren’t any on Twitter, either — unless you count the never-ending stream of self-promotional tweets by some Twitter members (which are easily blocked out). Pro will cost you $20/year. Is it worth it? We’ll see. But I know that if Pownce starts filling up with advertisements, I’ll use it even less than I currently do — which is once every few days, just to check in.
Because you must have an account to participate at all on Pownce, the folks at Pownce give new members 6 invitations so you can invite your friends. Trouble is, I have enough trouble convincing my friends to get online with Twitter, which I prefer. If I’m going to bring new friends online to this new kind of social networking phenomena, I’m going to ask them to join Twitter, not Pownce. I have no desire to monitor both services.
Now I know that Pownce was created by the folks who gave us Digg. And there are rumors flying around that any anti-Pownce Diggs are being buried by the folks at Digg. (It would be interesting if everyone who read this post dugg it just to see if it survived this test; you can find a “Digg This!” link at the bottom of the post.) And the TWiT-TV team seemed to have a lot of respect for the programming team. But even they aren’t pushing Pownce. And that says a lot because they push almost everything they talk about.
In any case, I have 6 Pownce invitations — unless the folks at Pownce take them away from me for being so unenthusiastic. I’ll hand them out to the first six people who comment on this post and specifically say that they want an invitation. Please do not put your e-mail address in the body of the comment. Just put it in the e-mail field of the comment form; I’ll find it.
And if you’re reading this and already have a Pownce account, please use the Comments link or form to tell us what you think about it. Am I missing something? Or do you have the same general thoughts about Pownce?
And, for the record, I was equally unenthusiastic about Jaiku. Sorry.
Call Me a Geek, On Blogging, Social Networking
Did you enjoy this post? If so, please comment on it or share a little link love:
Add to Del.icio.us
Technorati This
Digg This
Stumble it!
Tweet This














I’d like to see what all the hubbub is about, can I get an Invite?
One down, five left. Anyone else? I don’t think I’ve ever had this much trouble giving something away.
I’m curious- can I get one please?
I’d like to try it out if you don’t mind.
I’ll take one if you have one to spare…
I;d like to snag an invite as well, if possible.
i’d love to see this, please
One left.
Would love to get comments from current Pownce users.
Do you still have one left? I’d be very happy to relieve you of it. (I hear they’re heavy.)
All gone. Thanks guys. Please do stop by and let us know what you think.
I would love to get an invite as I have not been able to get any yet. Please make feel part of the click!
Thanks in advance, Jon
Sorry, but I gave them all away already. Maybe one of them (or someone else) will see your request. Or maybe I’ll get more. (Just checked and I don’t have more yet.)
I received 7 more invites once I did the initial 6 invites. I used Pownce to do it and not one of them got delivered. I’m with you, Twitter works and have a hard enough time getting family to join the fun as it is, yet alone joining Jaiku and/or Pownce.
Please count me in if you should receive anymore invites. I’m eager to try out Pownce.
please do count me in when u have more invites… i am waiting for your invitation
I would love to get an invite to check it out
Still don’t have any more invites. I don’t expect to get more, either, since I really don’t use the service. However if more show up in my account there, I’ll be in touch with those of you who commented here.
Frankly, I don’t think you’re missing much.
Okay, I just got 6 more Pownce invitations, if anyone still wants them. Just comment here; be sure to include your correct e-mail address. (It doesn’t appear here but I can see it.)
Hey, Maria –
Here you go, per your Twitter message. It’s nice reconnecting with you — sometimes I still miss the old BBS days!
– Chuck
May I get a Pownce invitation?
jerseyjoeplease683@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Joe
i was wondering if there were any invites still available?
either way, thanks…
sdspringer@viterbo.edu
Got any pownce invites left?
I do have pounce invitations. If anyone still wants one, please let me know here.
Hi Maria,
I need an invitation of Pownce, if you still have some left.
I’ll appreciate it, if you can send one invitation of Pownce to me too.
Hey, sounds like this Pownce isn’t all it’s been cracked-up to be! I’d like to check it out anyways, though. Do you have any more invitations? If so, please send one my way. Thanks!
Done. Seven left.
can anyone please send me a pownce invite
trevorkatilius@yahoo.com
Apparently someone else has. Your name is already registered on Pownce.
I still have seven invites left.
Hi Maria,
I’d like to have an invitation if you still have some left. Really appreciate it.
wanqian (at) yahoo (dot) com
Just sent one your way, Mike. If you don’t see it, check your junk mail filter.
Six left.
Do you happen to have any pownce invites left? I would really like one if you do. Thanx.
[e-mail deleted for privacy]
On it’s way.
Five left.
I’d love one, please…
Can you invite me please!
Thks!
At last… I may have found an invite. Could you send me one too? Thanks
Done. Only 25 left, folks.
Hi, I’d like an invite if you still have one. Thx!
Just sent. Sorry about the delay.
I have 24 invites left, folks!
Invite please! Thanks in advance.
Done. Check your spam filter if you can’t find it.
I have 23 more.
Have any pounce invites?
Also since you seem to be so into it, can you recommend a good starting point for twitter?
Thanks.
I’d like to have one, please.
dima767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Thanks.
Dmitriy Kopylenko’s last blog post: Fetch random GORM model
Just sent Jordan’s; Dmitriy seems to have already gotten one. 22 invites left.
As for a starting point for Twitter, get a good Twitter client (I use Twitterrific on the Mac) and follow a few people. Stay involved by tweeting. You’ll catch on and make friends. I have.
Hello! I just bumped into your site while Googling for pownce invites.
You still have any pownce invites left? Can you spare me some? Thank you so much!
rollchan, I just sent it. If you don’t see it in your inbox, check your junk filter.
I have 21 invites left.
many thanks! ^____^.
and… wow, you’re a pilot? can you teach me? hehe!