Plan E
Because Plans A-D aren't usually interesting enough.
Sunday 10 December 2006, 5:55 PM
atlarge.com - new social networking site for business travellers
We're not used to doing stealth launches here at CNET Networks UK, so our latest project - the launch of atlarge.com is an interesting experiment on two fronts.
Firstly, its the first time we've launched a 'non-media' brand in the UK market. By that I mean that atlarge.com is about functionality first. It is an information service which brings user-generated content to the fore - written by business travellers for business travellers. The only input from our editorial teams is when they too are travelling and use
the site to share knowledge as any other user would. New territory for us and exciting territory too.
Secondly, we are relying in the first instance on word-of-mouth and connected communities to populate the atlarge.com database. We figured that niche, 'social networking' is exactly that - it can only be as useful to the community it serves as the effort they put in to getting it off the ground. So we've just kind of "put it out there" and are waiting with interest to see what happens. Thanks to the teams over at sites like Mashable a number of blogs have already picked up on the service and we're hoping that if they like what they see (which they seem to) it will slowly gain momentum and deliver the value back to the community that we want it to.
So what does atlarge.com actually do? It aims to provide, with the help of people like you, the information and advice that globetrotting business travellers need to get connected from any of over 2,500 commercial airports in the world.
Travellers can tell each other what they have found useful (and not so useful) - posting descriptions and ranking information on areas such as wi-fi, 3G, power points and even the quality of coffee and seating. Check out my review of Geneva Airport (GVA) and you'll start to get the idea. As an aside, you'll notice that I didn't spend long at the airport - it always ends up being a bit of a rush and you'd be wise to never travel with me, as several colleagues who have missed flights and even ended up in wrong countries can testify...
Anyway, atlarge.com is free to use, is quite addictive once you get going and we hope that it will take some of the pain of being a road warrier away - check it out, contribute if you can, and definately let us know what you think.
Firstly, its the first time we've launched a 'non-media' brand in the UK market. By that I mean that atlarge.com is about functionality first. It is an information service which brings user-generated content to the fore - written by business travellers for business travellers. The only input from our editorial teams is when they too are travelling and use
the site to share knowledge as any other user would. New territory for us and exciting territory too.
Secondly, we are relying in the first instance on word-of-mouth and connected communities to populate the atlarge.com database. We figured that niche, 'social networking' is exactly that - it can only be as useful to the community it serves as the effort they put in to getting it off the ground. So we've just kind of "put it out there" and are waiting with interest to see what happens. Thanks to the teams over at sites like Mashable a number of blogs have already picked up on the service and we're hoping that if they like what they see (which they seem to) it will slowly gain momentum and deliver the value back to the community that we want it to.
So what does atlarge.com actually do? It aims to provide, with the help of people like you, the information and advice that globetrotting business travellers need to get connected from any of over 2,500 commercial airports in the world.
Travellers can tell each other what they have found useful (and not so useful) - posting descriptions and ranking information on areas such as wi-fi, 3G, power points and even the quality of coffee and seating. Check out my review of Geneva Airport (GVA) and you'll start to get the idea. As an aside, you'll notice that I didn't spend long at the airport - it always ends up being a bit of a rush and you'd be wise to never travel with me, as several colleagues who have missed flights and even ended up in wrong countries can testify...
Anyway, atlarge.com is free to use, is quite addictive once you get going and we hope that it will take some of the pain of being a road warrier away - check it out, contribute if you can, and definately let us know what you think.
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