14 DAY TRIAL // TransMedia makes a popular web OS Glide OS 3.0, as popular as a web OS gets anyway. Like its competitors it tries to offer a complete desktop environment online with built-in applications for the most common uses and support for several platforms including mobile ones. Its latest app, Glide Engage, though, takes it a step forward, bringing microblogging and collaboration to the service. An interesting twist, or gimmick, depending on how you look at it, is the 1,400 character limit for the microblogging features.
"Because of Glide’s powerful rights based file sharing system, we are providing users with 1,400 characters so that they can share as many of their documents, photos and other personal files (as rights-based links) in their posts as they like," Donald Leka, TransMedia chairman and CEO, said. "Glide Engage brings a new dynamism, immediacy and control to the sharing of news and information through social networking," he added. "Events like Katrina and Iran's recent election bring to light the demand for such technology."
Glide Engage brings social media features to the mix but also integrates with existing apps like Glide Email, Glide Groups, Glide Meeting or Glide Write, which have the advantage of working by default on any platform that has a web browser and Flash capabilities. However, Glades takes it even further for the ones it actively supports – Windows, Mac, Linux and many mobile platforms – with a customized experience for each one, and even by converting files to formats natively supported by the current platform.
The new social app allows users to easily share content and "engage" with different social outlets. They can send files, bookmark links, share photos and videos but also post updates on several sites, like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, simultaneously, as long as they are within the 1,400 character limit. Engage isn't a direct competitor for Twitter per se but it does have some very similar features. For one, there is the already mentioned limit, which, coincidentally or not, is exactly ten times larger that Twitter's, but even more telling is the fact that users can “follow” others to keep up with their updates. There is also the possibility to send private messages but, again, with the bigger character limit.
The new app does have a lot going for it but it may find it hard to get any real traction. The biggest issue is that it's limited to Glide OS users, itself a very niche product. Still, the site boasts over 1 million users for now, with 2,000 more coming each day, not exactly the 40 plus million Twitter now enjoys but not a drop in the bucket either.