Google buys Meebo • Hacker News Board

Re: Google buys Meebo

#41

Post by ALee » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 9:54 PM UTC

I met the Meebo team at SXSW in 2008 and, being the uppity entrepreneur, I asked if I could stay in touch with them...

Even though they were super busy, Seth would take a call over the phone when my startup was about to get acquired or when we were trying as hard as we could to raise money in late 2008.

When I was playing a game of Underground Assassins in 2011, nobody knew my name. So they went by my t-shirt's logo - Meebo. Honestly, six years after they began, people still remembered their logo.

I still find it amazing how Meebo for a period of time inhabited the social consciousness. Like art, I'm glad to have experienced it, and being in the bay area, felt a little closer to it.

Re: Google buys Meebo

#42

Post by jry » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 9:55 PM UTC

debacle wrote: post #27

jry wrote: post #25

One thing no outlet has reported is that everyone except business development and select engineers were laid off as a result of the deal. This all comes from someone who left Meebo recently and is still close with people that work there. Not sure exactly how many, but it sounds like it was a good number. Note: I said it was the majority, that's what my friend made it sound like, but I'm not sure.. will update once I…

Meebo laid off most of its staff as part of this deal?

Most might be too strong, but it seems pretty bad. The chicago office is gone as a result of the acquisition I'm told.

Reports are starting to roll in about other locations

http://betabeat.com/2012/06/meebos-engineers-headed-to-googl...

Re: Google buys Meebo

#43

Post by ericd » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:03 PM UTC

Karunamon wrote: post #36

franze wrote: post #5

I don't think that (even) more developers for G+ will solve ... anything.

The "G+ is dead/dying" canard again? Really?

Honest question - is it not?

Re: Google buys Meebo

#44

Post by drivebyacct2 » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:09 PM UTC

ericd wrote: post #43

Karunamon wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "G+ is dead/dying" canard again? Really?

Honest question - is it not?

No. I'm just as tired of seeing it repeated here as I was hearing people repeat "Twitter is dumb and useless and not going anywhere" 3 years ago. Just because you don't use it or subscribe to people that use it, doesn't mean the rest of us didn't take the time to actually utilize it.

Re: Google buys Meebo

#45

Post by kevinsd » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:11 PM UTC

I have no doubt that startups including meebo got talents. But how does google maintain its bar of engineer qualification? Or does it?

Re: Google buys Meebo

#46

Post by JulianMorrison » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:16 PM UTC

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #3

To me this makes sense as Meebo has really transformed themselves from a "chat" company to an "advertising toolbar" company. They (for better or worse) absolutely dominate the annoying popup toolbar at the bottom of a website market. Ex: http://www.slate.com

Adblock meebocdn.com and they go away.

Re: Google buys Meebo

#47

Post by ticks » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:17 PM UTC

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #3

To me this makes sense as Meebo has really transformed themselves from a "chat" company to an "advertising toolbar" company. They (for better or worse) absolutely dominate the annoying popup toolbar at the bottom of a website market. Ex: http://www.slate.com

That toolbar has improved a lot since I last saw it, it used to make the websites all jerky and difficult to browse.

Re: Google buys Meebo

#48

Post by mibbitier » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:17 PM UTC

drivebyacct2 wrote: post #44

ericd wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honest question - is it not?

No. I'm just as tired of seeing it repeated here as I was hearing people repeat "Twitter is dumb and useless and not going anywhere" 3 years ago. Just because you don't use it or subscribe to people that use it, doesn't mean the rest of us didn't take the time to actually utilize it.

People said this about Wave as well.

I'm not convinced. I tried google+, I was really impressed with the UI. I used it for a few days, then a few weeks later I suddenly remembered it existed. I don't think I'm alone.

Presumably they still count me as a 'user', even though I haven't used Google+ for ages.

Re: Google buys Meebo

#49

Post by durin42 » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:18 PM UTC

jry wrote: post #42

debacle wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Meebo laid off most of its staff as part of this deal?

Most might be too strong, but it seems pretty bad. The chicago office is gone as a result of the acquisition I'm told. Reports are starting to roll in about other locations http://betabeat.com/2012/06/meebos-engineers-headed-to-googl...

Did they have any engineering folks outside the bay area?

Re: Google buys Meebo

#50

Post by mibbitier » Mon, Jun 04, 2012, 10:19 PM UTC

lbbb wrote: post #23

grhino wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing the relationship Meebo has built with its customer base is more important than the technology.

I've been using the (old) Meebo Messenger for years. I've never had the impression that they cared about its users a lot. There were no updates on the user interface since I began using it, they didn't add features that were highly requested on the feedback forums. The toolbar thing is just... I don't know what that is. Looks useless to me. Another thing, are there any good other web based multi messengers? I guess t…

I'm pretty sure they gave up on the messenger, and decided to put all their effort into the toolbar.