Google Tried To Buy Color For $200 Million. Color Said No. • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Tried To Buy Color For $200 Million. Color Said No.

#121

Post by popschedule » Sun, Jul 24, 2011, 7:16 PM UTC

natural219 wrote: post #45

I might be the only person in the universe who thinks Color is a fantastic idea, but not because it's trying to be an uber-cool new social network. Location-based photo sharing is an incredible idea. When I'm at an event -- say, a concert -- there are hundreds of people around me taking lots of different pictures. I want those pictures, but I don't know any of those people. Imagine going to a venue, not bringing a ca…

I'm solving this with my new iPhone app called Crowd (still in private beta), here's a sample of the web viewing portal http://thecrowdapp.com/5Qp6CHy if anyone wants to get a beta invite just email. jmm.seasons@gmail.com

Re: Google Tried To Buy Color For $200 Million. Color Said No.

#122

Post by Hisoka » Sun, Jul 24, 2011, 7:41 PM UTC

hammock wrote: post #117

mark242 wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"When I'm at an event -- say, a concert -- there are hundreds of people around me taking lots of different pictures." You're absolutely correct. They just aren't using Color, and that's the problem. Every single person I've talked to has said that Color is a great idea, _hypothetically_. In reality, Color fails on the most basic of user experience, it shows absolutely no content when it starts up, ever, and there's n…

* They just aren't using Color, and that's the problem. * Then the problem is you, buddy. Self-organization and organic growth doesn't just "happen." It's the aggregation of many individuals TAKING individual ACTION. So it starts with you. The next time you go to a show, get your ten friends to download the app, and share the photos with each other. And make a couple new friends getting them to download it as well (y…

Oh be quiet, secret Color employee. The problem is not with him. He's talking from a business standpoint about the friction for the average user. That's a REAL problem, and it's not his fault for lacking enthusiasm to use it. Besides he got nothing to lose.. it's not like it's a dealbreaker for his life.. Unfortunately, Color has a lot more at stake when they can't make users love their product. The good life down the drain...

Re: Google Tried To Buy Color For $200 Million. Color Said No.

#123

Post by lwhi » Tue, Jul 26, 2011, 1:25 PM UTC

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #55

r00fus wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bingo. I doubt Google was really interested in Color's business model or app.

I couldn't disagree more. Look at how many people Color's already gone through. Look at how atrocious their apps were (that they were pulled and still are). The only thing they have going for them is the "photos-after-the-fact" experience that others have detailed here. (Go to a concert, come back and see hundreds of photos of the band, maybe even you, etc, without even doing anything)

You couldn't disagree with what? The fact that Google couldn't be interested in the app?

It sounds like you're not too enthusiastic about it either ;)

Re: Google Tried To Buy Color For $200 Million. Color Said No.

#124

Post by vnchr » Sat, Jul 30, 2011, 6:54 AM UTC

trevelyan wrote: post #74

vnchr wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

-->"It's exceedingly hard to believe google valued a small pre-funding startup at over low eight figures." But Sequoia did when they made the $40mm investment. That's what's so odd about it.

This "de-bubbles" Color in my mind. Not crazy to get a high valuation when you have Google interested in buying you for significantly more.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I'd chalk it up to 2 groups with deep, deep pockets making a long shot bet because they can.

Once Sequoia invested, the acquisition was derisked for someone like Google. Then Google just needed to offer a price of some multiple of the investment ("How about 5x? Not bad for 6 months!"). Conversely, Sequoia might have hoped for a flip knowing Google was so aggressive for social startups at the time and invested accordingly. As far as I can tell, the Color leadership were blinded by their own genius and these early "signals" of success and they screwed up their acquisition, launch, and thus far all meaningful execution.