Jooce in India: strategic philanthropy

Before delving into a discussion on Jooce in Indian context, let us consider some of the available statistics on Indian internet users:

• Less than 5% of India’s populations are online
• Home PCs at 3.5 million out of a total of about 210 million homes
• “India has the fastest growing Internet user base in the Asia Pacific Region" -IDC report
  
• The Internet & Mobile Association of India predicts that internet users will grow from the current 39 million to a 100 million by 2007. A majority of these users will be accessing the Net from cyber cafes

I have traveled and stayed in almost all of the big cities in India and have noticed the ever increasing crowds of the cyber-nomads around the cyber cafes. Most of them are young generations addicted to social networking sites .Due to this increasing number of net users, internet service provider Sify’s iWay Cyber Cafe Chain already crossed the 3100 mark in India.

Jooce, a Paris based startup is targeting those cyber-nomads. They are coming up with a flash based webOS and sharing platform. Jooce has got that X factor in its user interface.

Jooce could be used as a private online desktop with public file sharing capabilities. It is a online space to keep, view, listen to – and instantly share files, photos, music and video with friends.

Considering the large number of cyber cafe users, I can see a bright future of Jooce in India



I can feel the pulse of their marketing strategy just looking at their blog. The proper term to describe the strategy would be ‘grass root level penetration’.

I could not resist myself from quoting jooce’s blog where they say,

“As we prepare to launch private beta it is worth reminding ourselves that potential applications for internet platforms are not always obvious to those of us in the western world who own several laptops, PDAs or PCs.”

So true!

“If a community believes a product is going to contribute to the education of the next generation and create a brighter future for them, they will find the money to pay for it,” said Dan Shine, Director of the 50×15 Initiative, speaking in the “Connecting the four billion” session. “If you spend time in any one of several developing countries, you soon start to appreciate that it is standing room only in cybercafes. There are huge market opportunities that are largely untapped.”

I agree on the above “strategic philanthropy”. I wish if we can come up with a product something like jooce in our own. I hope some day Indian MNCs will realize the potentiality of Indian market and work on it rather then focusing on outsourcing work only.

Good luck jooce!

Mogulus:Live 24/7 online Television Channel!

Another kid on the block!This time it’s Mogulus! In this era of citizen journalism and user generated content,Mogulus has come up with a unique concept.

No progressive download like YouTube anymore! Its Live and real time video stream! The beta website looks promising .I have enrolled myself for the beta testing and eagerly waiting for the invitation.

Three months without Internet connection!

I have spent more than three months without an internet connection at home (without TV too). It's long three months. I never imagined that I would be able to live my life without internet.

"To say, 'Try to give up the internet and if you can't do it you're addicted' would be like saying, 'Try to give up speaking' – It was the saying of one of the netizen.

In this 21st century, we all are like a solitary island. Like those solitary island all My friends are scattered across the globe. I remember my school and college days, my fellow friends, when we all were so well connected with each other. We used to stay in the same small town. But now things are different. We are apart now. Our destiny has taken us to places. Internet has given us the opportunity to stay connected. But is this the same way we used to share and enjoy our company? No, not at all. Sitting in front of a pc and chatting with my friends are not all the same like before. This virtual meeting can not give me the same satisfaction as I used to get in person with friends.

After using internet for 7 years, I have found myself a different person. I have metamorphosed to a different persona. There were times when all my six senses used to fill up with the real experiences of a situation. How can I compare those real lives with this virtual cyber world!

Yes, Internet has given us so many things. It has become the part and parcel of our life The other day one of my fellow Software Engineer was telling that ‘Google ’ should be the another resource name in our project plan. I can see the dangerous part of this dependence.

Enough of the background! Let me put in some simple words what I was up to these days.

I have had the privilege to watch many good movies, heard good music; turning the pages of my favorite books once again. I have given myself a royal treat. It was a celebration. A celebration of my self. I have once again discovered that old small town guy in me. It was just awsome!

If you are a netizen and can’t think your life without internet then try to give your self this treat once in a while. You would simply love it! You would give a big relief to your eyes too. You will feel fresh and energetic. Get yourself busy with the thing you love to do or used to love to do and re-discover yourself once again.