Hatena Launces World Shortest 3 Letters Microblog Hatena Now

On April 1, Kyoto-based web service company Hatena released a new microblog service Hatena Now, which restrict users’ message at most 3 characters. Hatena called it “The world smallest nano blog” [J]. In 2009, we reported a nano blog chuitter.jp, which limits message by 14 letters, 1/10 of Twitter. However, Chuitter ceased after one year… Continue reading Hatena Launces World Shortest 3 Letters Microblog Hatena Now

Fuji TV Starts Twitter Clone Imatsubu (= tweetin’ now)

Japan’s major television broadcasting network Fuji TV, who has just generated a topic of conversation [J] among Japanese twitter users with the first Twitter featured TV drama, also launched their own microblogging service Imatsubu [J]. Ima means “now” and Tsubu is abbreviation of Tubuyaku, “to tweet”. As always as a new microblog imitator, Imatsubu provides… Continue reading Fuji TV Starts Twitter Clone Imatsubu (= tweetin’ now)

Naver Japan Starts Another Microblogging Service “Pick”

Naver Japan, a bridgehead of Korean search giant Naver, who is challenging Japanese market second time since 2009, released their new (Tumblr-like) multimedia clipping microblog “Pick” [J]. On Pick, user can post text, image, movie and geolocation. It also encourages users to clip others’ post by 1-click “pick” button so “anyone can join the pick… Continue reading Naver Japan Starts Another Microblogging Service “Pick”

Hatena Testing Reconstructed Microblog Service Haiku2

Hatena, Kyoto-based web startup known by their geek users, the most popular social bookmark service Hatena Bookmark, and recent collaboration with Nintendo DS on Ugomemo Hatena (Flipnote Hatena for oversea), announces that they are running closed-beta test of their microblog service Hatena Haiku’s new version Hatena Haiku2 [J] (currently shows error page). Initially 1,000, currently… Continue reading Hatena Testing Reconstructed Microblog Service Haiku2

Mobile Giant Gree Remodelled Its Unpopular PC Site With Twitter Clone

Following to one of the Big 3 social networking service Mixi’s clone Mixi Voice, which made Evan Williams “unpleasant”, another successful, probably now most vital among three, social networking Gree enters into microblog service (registration required for all Gree pages besides the top login page). As once defeated a battle against Mixi on PC web,… Continue reading Mobile Giant Gree Remodelled Its Unpopular PC Site With Twitter Clone

Hatena Haiku English version released

Hatena Inc., USA subsidiary of Hatena Corp, one of the web-geek community center in Japan, released its Hatena Haiku‘s English version today. It’s clearly influenced by microblogging platforms like twitter, but adds its own unique functionality. One is the drawing tool on comment forms, where users can post messages via handwriting. Another community oriented feature… Continue reading Hatena Haiku English version released