Quickish Launches
Re-publishing the release put out yesterday about the launch of Quickish.
Online media is reaching terminal velocity: News is quick-hit — in form (the “news feed”); in frequency (“30 seconds ago”); and in function (“did you hear?”)
The new problem is keeping up. Automated solutions get overwhelmed. Incumbent media is still trying to wedge old content into new boxes. It’s getting more noisy and more complicated for people to keep up quickly with the big news that is happening.
With the public launch of its beta today, Quickish, founded by longtime online consumer media content developer Dan Shanoff, wants to simplify the experience with quick-hit real-time editor-vetted news recommendations built specifically for the new pace of news.
“People have made it clear how they want to stay updated: Fast,” Shanoff said. “Quick to know something happened, quick to access the best of what is being said, quick to consume, quick to recognize if something is worth their time. Quickish is built for them.”
Quickish is built on “tips” — editor-curated bits of news, analysis and insight that are relevant, smart and urgent. As topics pop, Tips are vetted by editors sourcing everywhere, from Twitter to TV to Tumblr to talk-radio, including user referrals and original content, and published into an easy-to-follow flow.
“We are at the front end of the ‘tip economy,’” Shanoff said. “Information that does a few things at once: It quickly offers you value, it points you to something more if you want it, it gives credit where it’s due and it has the authority and authenticity of someone you trust passing it along.”
Quickish’s initial product will incubate in sports — a natural fit given its news pace and universal interest — with plans to expand into more categories in the second half of the year.
A veteran online media content developer, Shanoff’s previous roles included VP of Content for Associated Content (acquired in 2010 by Yahoo!); creator and producer of the popular “Daily Quickie” on ESPN.com (which followed a content development role in the mid-1990s at Starwave, the pioneering Seattle media and technology studio); and the first editor of Real Fans Sports Network, an original AOL Studios “Greenhouse” investment ultimately acquired by AOL.
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Quick(ish) Notes:
*Quickish’s launch Monday coincides with the college football national-championship game, and Quickish will be bringing in a roster of expert guest-contributors to add exclusive commentary before, during and after the game. Follow along at quickish.com/tag/bcs.
*Quickish plans to help publishers and marketers complement their existing editorial and social media initiatives by creating custom editor-vetted real-time quick-hit content streams.
*Quickish is ideal to keep up with hot topics in the first few hours after something trends. It is also useful if you have other stuff going on and just want to catch up quickly at the start or end of the day or when you have a minute of downtime.
*Quickish looks awesome on an iPad’s web browser. Right now it looks “good enough” on the iPhone’s web browser. (There will be a redesigned Web app in time for March Madness.)
*Quickish’s easy-to-follow design was created by Hard Candy Shell, the award-winning UX team. Its development was through Jolly Science, specializing in early-stage companies.
*The web address is quickish.com. The Facebook page is facebook.com/quickish. The Twitter feed is found at @quickish. Dan Shanoff can be reached anytime at dan[at]quickish.com.
*There are no questions about Quickish on Quora, but the quick answer to “Is it a mere coincidence that Quickish and Quora start with the same letter?” is yes.
