Re:Picwing (YC S08) and the importance of print photos
by adamhowell on Wednesday August 19, 2009 @02:45PM
(#773428)
With all the small, actually-have-a-business-plan startups we're going to be seeing in the next several years, I think there's a huge demand for more press coverage like this.
Daily articles, audio and video from knowledgeable reporters and interviewers that really dive into the business, technology and lifestyle of small startups (even more so than this video, which is more 30,000 ft).
Of course, then you'd have an awesome little media company with great, original content that still had to make its money via... advertising. Ugh.
Re:Picwing (YC S08) and the importance of print photos
by edawerd on Wednesday August 19, 2009 @03:44PM
(#773602)
Vator.tv has a refreshing take on startup reporting, I think. Instead of copy/pasting your "About" page, Chris of Vator actually came over twice to chat with us and learn more about the company and learn more about us, the founders more personally.
Re:Picwing (YC S08) and the importance of print photos
by Timothee on Wednesday August 19, 2009 @03:13PM
(#773508)
I thought Picwing was only making the smart frame (http://www.picwing.com/frame). Was the printing there all this time and I missed it, or did they just change direction and focus on the print service rather than the hardware?
Re:Picwing (YC S08) and the importance of print photos
by edawerd on Wednesday August 19, 2009 @03:52PM
(#773617)
We've changed directions and have been focusing on our print service.
We still think our frame is quite awesome, but it turns out that a lot of families still like getting physical prints in the mail and posting it up on their fridge and what not. We learned early on that there is a much bigger opportunity, huge market, and slower competitors in the prints business. Add on top of that a much lower investment requirement for a software business (even our printing and order fulfillment is done on the cloud), and it just made business sense for us to switch to an online printing service.
Re:Picwing (YC S08) and the importance of print photos
by anigbrowl on Wednesday August 19, 2009 @10:21PM
(#774284)
Props on your flexibility, and particularly on having the vision to service the other side of the digital divide. If it's not confidential, I wonder what proportion of your business is urban v rural?
While I was looking at your site I was thinking it was sad that people would upload photos for automated delivery to Grandma rather than (say) print them out at home or Walgreens and add a handwritten note...then it struck me that I take digital convenience for granted, living in SF.
Daily articles, audio and video from knowledgeable reporters and interviewers that really dive into the business, technology and lifestyle of small startups (even more so than this video, which is more 30,000 ft).
Of course, then you'd have an awesome little media company with great, original content that still had to make its money via... advertising. Ugh.
We still think our frame is quite awesome, but it turns out that a lot of families still like getting physical prints in the mail and posting it up on their fridge and what not. We learned early on that there is a much bigger opportunity, huge market, and slower competitors in the prints business. Add on top of that a much lower investment requirement for a software business (even our printing and order fulfillment is done on the cloud), and it just made business sense for us to switch to an online printing service.
While I was looking at your site I was thinking it was sad that people would upload photos for automated delivery to Grandma rather than (say) print them out at home or Walgreens and add a handwritten note...then it struck me that I take digital convenience for granted, living in SF.