Continuing yesterday's blunt force approach to filtering the offerings launched at TechCrunch40, here's a final wrapup of the actual problems being solved by the demonstrators. Interestingly, although the session categories varied between Monday and Tuesday, the problems did not for the most part. Here's an update of yesterday's interim list, with final 'pain rankings' based upon how many of the TechCrunch40 companies were dealing with the issue.
1. It's hard to keep track of loosely associated personal data. (9 presenters)
- Mint tracks your personal finances by aggregating account information and letting you see how it compares to that of others.
- Xobni organizes your Outlook email and extracts task-relevant data.
- Orgoo aggregates your email, IM, voice, and video communication. (Yet avoided the phrase 'universal messaging.')
- ZocDoc finds doctors and dentists on your insurance plan with available appointments, and gives you the information you need to choose a provider. (= OpenTable for doctors)
- Wixi enables Flash-based file sharing from your own desktop.
- mEgo is an avatar-based content aggregator.
- Also see Monday's demonstrators: TripIt, Cake Financial, and Docstoc.
2. Individuals are seeking new (and potentially profitable) forms of self-expression. (8 presenters)
- Kerpoof allows children to create video animations and other story-based works.
- Metaplace is a virtual world within which amateur gods (er, designers) can create their own world-based games.
- Zivity provides a venue for adult models and their photographers to earn income based on popularity.
- Kaltura hosts wikilike, video-based collaboration sites.
- Also see Monday's demonstrators: Ponoko, CrowdSpirit, MusicShake, and StoryBlender.
3. Search engines still don’t cull video and other rich media like a human would. (4 presenters)
- Broadclip MediaCatcher collects music for you based on its own recmmendation engine.
- Also see Monday's demonstrators: Cast.TV, Viewdle, and Flock.
4. People are too lazy to type and/or click buttons. (4 presenters)
- Xtr3D is a 3D machine controller that lets your hand gestures control computer applications, a la Minority Report.
- Also see Monday's demonstrators: Yap, Cognitive Code, and Loudtalks.
5. Advertising newbies need an on-ramp to the advertising ecosystem. (3 presenters)
- Pubmatic lets bloggers auction off their ad space.
- Spottt updates the link exchange concept by hosting an ad exchange.
- Clickable manages ad campaigns for small online advertisers.
6. Telcos and wireless carriers are maintaining too-high prices within walled gardens. (2 presenters)
- See Monday's demonstrators: Cubic Telecom and Ceedo.
