— Jossi
Jossi, and why don't to create a foundation like the Mozilla Foundation (Firefox) or the Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia)?
It could make money just as you said: "You could charge $45 a year for that service… 200,000, 500,000 downloads of a free app, 5-10% conversion on the added services - recurring revenue."
And for fundraising, the first 1.000 people who donate $100 could get premium accounts forever.
Yes, that is a possibility, but creating a 503(c) foundation may take too much time. I want this shipped sooner. I am now in contact with a couple of angel investors that may get this funded.
But I like the idea of "the 1.000 people who donate $100 could get premium accounts forever." Creating scarcity may work here.
Anyway, if it's an open source project it will spread and lots of people will contribute and donate that "$100 for premium space forever" ;). I love the model of Wordpress.com
By the way, an open source project doesn't mean not to make money. As you said:
"Offer SaaS (software as a service) that expands on the functionality of the app, such as stand-alone presentations that you can upload to TalkingPad website and share with your peers, customers, whomever. Or to allow embeds of your TalkingPad presentations, or many other services. You could charge $45 a year for that service, and get recurring revenue (instead of a one off revenue stream from the sale of the app.) A server on a cluster in the cloud costs very little to run, so no infrastructure costs upfront."
I don't know if anyone has ever used Prezi.com, but basically, you can create non-linear presentations with text, pictures, video that are downloadable and playable through a flash player.
You can also create a path that would allow you to present 'linearly', but you can also view the whole mind-map at one time and click to wherever you want.
It doesn't have the total functionality Seth describes, but it may be a starting point.
prezi does what you say but unfortunately it runs on flash.
so it will be impossible on the iPad.
the non flash deal on the iPad is a real bummer.
none the less you will like prezi and same functionality in an app would be sweet as you suggest.
cheers,
I love Prezi but I think its a different type of non linear presentation. I feel like Prezi is more structured than this would be. Prezi works best when you setup a presentation/navagation path. This could be about slides and non linear navigation.
Besides there is already a prezi.com why would you want to copy something that exists? :)
I am working at a VERY large custom home that has a large art collection, and bronze pieces. It would great for our visitors and guests to have an app that would display one or more photos of the piece, and a history/background on the artwork… so as they tour the home they could educate themselves on the pieces.
Ideally it would be nice to have several photos of the piece (drill down) or hand motion for more photos - Split screen of one side photo(s) and other side easy-to-read type…. all up-to-date from a website.
Also ability to mark FAVS, or RANK - that I could print out a "take-home" booklet on these (for further art appreciation).
Version 2 (iPad-MAX) would use mini/local GPS tagging to page to the next page as the guests walked thru the house.
Photo interface should work perhaps from Lightroom export-to-web.
Additional features would be links/updates to local events that are current - current weather, best sunset time today, market index, etc.
Audio could be provided by THE ACTUAL ARTIST - - - way kool - - -
Summary report based on RATINGS could have links to the artist or galleries where their work is available - output to DVD or better yet an USB drive (custom engraved) - or emailed to guests email account (with links) - maybe sponsored by local Galleries…
The size of the screen makes this app really useful - easily kept up to date with corrections/additions/links/valuations…
I'm not techie, but can provide user interface feedback and ideas -
- Scott
Eastgate Systems publish Tinderbox (Mac OS only) that I have used to make and give non-linear presentations in the past with authoring during sessions. Tinderbox does a LOT more than that by the way. I'm using Linux now so no recent experience. There is a downloadable preview.
I use a personal wiki on some web space now for note taking in meetings &c (modwiki, really old school :-).
I've always liked the archive page in Tumblr as a jumping off point…
Have a notepad that can be brought up with one touch. This can be written or drawn on. swipe up to flip to a new page, just like a physical pad. Swipe down to bring back previous pages, which save automatically.
The presenter can press record at the beginning of the presentation, which will record the screen and incoming audio through the built-in mic. When the presentation is over, the presenter can email the whole thing to attendees, absentees, his boss, whoever. Also useful for reviewing presentations to improve your sales skills.
I'm an iPhone dev, and the thought of building something this big makes my stomach (and wallet) hurt. This could easily cost $50-$100k to produce.
However, if this didn't have to have it's own version of powerpoint built in, it would be a lot more feasible.
In other words, a lot of the cost would go into duplicating the slide creation tools in powerpoint and keynote. What if there was an "import powerpoint/keynote" option? You would build your slides in powerpoint/keynote, then import them into this for presentation. There could also be simple slide creation tools, so you could import and duplicate a basic template, then the talkingpad app could insert basic text and such.
As long as you don't have to create all the charting, graphing, detailed text manipulation tools, etc. of powerpoint, the app dev could focus on the more important stuff.
Workflow:
1. Launch new project
2. Import slide presentation that you created in powerpoint/keynote, which includes a blank slide for template purposes in talkingpad.
3. Rearrange slides in new nav system.
4. Add links, movies, etc.
5. Add WebUI based webpage "slides." (Basically just a browser page within the presentation, with address loaded up.)
Etc., etc., etc….
That way this program doesn't have to do everything that the highly advanced powerpoint programs do, it's just a shell that takes pre-made presentations and is much better at PRESENTING.
SO… I guess Seth could say that powerpoint and keynote have always focused on the CREATING of presentations, and this app would focus on the PRESENTING of presentations.
To raise $100K is not an issue. The issue is, if we really want to do this or not. I do. Do you?
I'm not as concerned with raising the money as with making sure the investment is a good one. Let's look at pricing for a second:
Apple is pricing Keynote at $10. Most other business apps are in the $5-$10 range. However, with this being a valuable presentation tool for businesses, and not just businessperson's toy, and also with the iPad being a larger device, I think you could push the price up a bit. I'm thinking the $30 range could work. If you go much higher than that, people will balk and/or you're asking to be undercut by a competitor.
For a $100K investment that is as risky as an iPad app (which they are… very risky), I would be looking for at least $300-$500k realistic possible return. Earning $21 for each sale (Apple takes $9 on a $30 sale) means we need 5k downloads just to break even, and 15k to bring in $200k profit.
That means 15,000 people would need to purchase this app just to really make it a real winning venture.
But if we keep that price down in the $20-$30k range, life is a lot easier. It becomes something we can put together in 2 months, and if it doesn't sell all that well we haven't lost too much time or cash.
You see this as a "business app". But I see this as universal app.
For students, teachers, sales people, coaches, marketers, tech people, designers — for anyone that has a need to communicate an idea and engage the listener. And that is all of us.
Linear is dead.
Why do you think this is going to cost that much to produce?
How much time do you think is required?
Also I don't think it needs to be anywhere near the level of power point or keynote. It can be very basic and still very powerful. Look at prezi.com. Its not the options or features that makes it interesting.
What if this app was a lot smaller to start with and grew over time?
My initial research shows that it will cost around $150K to develop. Timeframe, ~3-4mo.
Like I said in previous posts, I'm an app developer. My partner and I would be willing to build this app if someone wants to fund it. It will cost around $25-$30 if we just use the UI elements with no real graphic design, and another $10-$15k to do it up pretty with graphic touches everywhere.
If anyone is interested in taking on funding, we can talk about partnering on this.
SSSAM said "As long as you don't have to create all the charting, graphing, detailed text manipulation tools, etc. of powerpoint, the app dev could focus on the more important stuff."
I take your point. Perhaps bitmap 'slides' with a link editor and import functions for common slideware as you suggest and a way of associating media files.
I actually see this more along the lines of using the Media Browser (if you use a Mac, you know what I am talking about).
From there you can select photos or videos for the slides. Other type of slides, (URLs via webkit, empty slides for writing, etc) can be done on the app itself.
The TalkingPad interface, needs to be one that allows the reorg of slides. The navigation is done through the eight directions (N, S, E, W, NE, NE, SE, SW).
Are we still working on this?
Building on the idea of importing slides instead of using the app to build them…
The media browser model would work well… but instead of using the UI Kit built-in media browser, what if we had a login online, where you could upload powerpoint files, photos, videos, anything, from your computer… then a login in the iPad app that could serve up your uploaded files for inserting into the app? That way you could import files into your app that the media browser doesn't support.
