Launched: GlobalGrind.com
The long awaited Global Grind launched today and there is much to see over there. More importantly though, this is a great example of why niche startpages and social networks will be successful despite what some may think. Markus (he keeps the back-end under control here, look at our About page if you don’t know who he is) and I reguarly discuss niche web applications and often ask the question “Why would I use this instead of ____fil in your favorite web app here___?” So naturally I did the same when I surfed over to Global Grind this morning and my answer was simple, it feels like home. To elaborate, their content and selection of featured content is in no doubt what the demographic is already acustomed to on random pages throughout the internet (Disclaimer: While I love ALL music, I am an 80’s baby and grew up on Hip-Hop) except that on Global Grind it is all in one place. On with the review….
Their homepage allows users to select what they want to do first or they can just simply enter the site without a selection.
I choose to enter the site whitout a selection and the result was a beautiful user experience. The first tab, “How to Use G.G.” is embedded video powered by Metacafe on the most popular ways to use Global Grind: How do I add a Blank Page, How to I add more Grinds, How do I remove a Grind, How do I change the Appearence. There are 8 in total including a video as basic as How to add a Feed.
The tab G.G. Highlights has highlights from across the web: Video of the Day, Wikipedia Search, Flicker Search, Last FM, and other content.
The G.G Daily news tab features hip-hop news and also get this…. regular news!!! From a hip-hop perspective that is.
They have a large amount of feeds, Grinds, and applications that can be added to a new tab at one click. If your a techie like me you can also upload your OPML file and get all your favorite feeds that you are already subscribed to in one place. I decided to search the feeds in the technology section just to see what came up. Twenty-seven feeds of the most popular Tech feeds including GigaOm, one of my favorites.
And this is why web users whi identify with the Hip-Hop culture will probably switch their start page. I am on the computer most of my day and when I get off I don’t really watch that much T.V. I think that goes for a lot of people these days, since Global Grind targets a niche I can still stay update on news and whatever else I want by importing my OPML and reading Global Grinds selected content. I think this is the best example I have seen in a while of a mash-up of niche content and a web application. I am curious to see what you all think as well?
September 26th, 2007 at 9:39 am
This might work since like you said, i watch more video from itunes than tv,(except Eagles games)and i spend my day reading or listing to feeds…This might just might work…
September 26th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
My biggest problem with the Alpha version of GG was that, they made too many assumptions about the users. I likened it to purchasing a new computer, you had to get rid of all of the crap before you could really enjoy it. Thankfully they rectified this by giving users the ability to select categories.
Also I don’t know if I like the fact that clicking on a link doesn’t actually take me to web page. Instead it takes me to a iframe inside of GG. I understand why they do it, but I think it would make more sense to open up in a new window.
I also like the help videos. A few of my friends thought that the site would be difficult for some users, but the videos were very helpful.
All and all I think global grind is off to an impressive start an. I haven’t imported my OPML over yet, but I am starting to drink the Kool-aid.
October 10th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I love this website! I never used RSS feeds in this way before and in fact wasn’t really aware of them before I started using Global Grind. What I like about the site is that it provides Hip-Hop related content but also other content outside of Hip-Hop. Everyone thinks this is a bad thing but I think its great because who is to say that just because we like Hip-Hop that we don’t care about the news??? I also like that I can customize things by adding or deleting grinds or tabs, and that its easy to search through the feed and tab gallery for content other users have created.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
DJ Gee, I think your point is exactly what makes Global Grind so attractive. GG introduces RSS feeds and other technologies to a demographic that has not been reached in the past.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
[...] seems as if GlobalGrind has modified their business model as well. When we covered the sites’ public Beta launch in September the concept was more like a startpage and was based on the Pageflakes API, currently the site is [...]
February 27th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I was very interested to find out about the site after hearing the Great Russell Simmons elaborating about its content to his brother Rev. Run on the show Runs House.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:20 am
This is a good site. It is very well designed and easy to use I hope support it. Plus russell is hardly wrong so im putting my money on this site.