I think we need a logo for the JasonNation, which I'm planning on doing once a week at a set time. I'm thinking Wednesday's at 5pm PST and 8PM EST this way folks on the west coast can watch at work and east coast folks can watch at home (or work if they are working late).
We need a logo and I have one of these really amazing DASH GPS units here. So, why don't we do a little contest: best logo gets the DASH GPS unit. We'll start today and decide by next week.
.... I'm thinking only five folks will even signup for this so you got a 20% chance of winning!
I'd like a logo that is iconic/powerful and that would look good on a tshirt, mug, or polo shirt. I really liked the Howard Stern Fist knock off someone did for JasonNation.
The Mahalo Games team have finished GTA 4 and the GTA 4 walkthrough is about to be completed (we're still writing it). So, don't bother buying the book on how to beat the game.... get it for free at Mahalo! :-) GTA 4 cheats are also complete. Here are the various GTA 4 Missions
People have told me over the past year that I'm obsessed with Twitter and that my obsession should be on Mahalo. Of course, I see Twitter as akin to breathing and talking for business--essential. What's the point of having over 20,000 followers on Twitter folks have asked me. Why have 5,000 friends on Facebook, or over 1,000 people on Pownce.
Why waste your time doing ustream videos? Why be a "community CEO" was the refrain from the peanut gallery. Well, here's one of dozens of amazing reasons: social media focus groups.
Today one of our designers sent me a mockup of a new "guide" page on Mahalo. The concept was simple, what if we put the search result on the right and the guide note (a mini, scanable wikipedia style article) on the left. Currently it's links on the left, content on the right for our "guides" (don't go callin' them search results now!).
So, I took total of 30 seconds to upload the photo to Flickr and twitter and Pownce the URL of the photo asking for feedback. The result? 2,755 views, 48 notes on the image (see above), and 202 comments.
In order to organize something like professionally--the old way-- you would need three weeks, five people, and would spend at least $5,000 to $25,000 depending on if you did it inhouse or with a consulting firm. You can comment on the photo yourself here.
This is one of the coolest uses of streaming technology I've ever seen. I love it! Additionally, this is one of the coolest games i've ever seen. Do check out the GTA 4 leaked videos.
Don't look now but it looks like the biggest release in the history of video games, Grand Theft Auto IV, has leaked on the internet before it's released!
DownloadSquad reports that the piratebay is being renamed Liberty Bay in recognition of the leak. We're covering the GTA IV Leak over at Mahalo as well.
Veronica has left the building and Mahalo Daily is lost and adrift! The team is desperate to find a replacement and clock is ticking now that we've used up all the shows that were in the can!
PRESSURE! LOYALTY! BREAKDOWNS!
Starting Monday we air the search for the new how of Mahalo Daily. Watch the three teaser trailers now, and subscribe to Mahalo Daily in iTunes so you can be the first to see who will be eliminated. Also, you can subscribe on YouTube (note: if you subscribe to YouTube you'll see all the boobies on YouTube... little known fact: you tube has mature content, but only if you create an account).
Mahalo vlogidol Teaser Trailer One:Loren Feldman loses it and one of the contestants breaks down--and cries!
Mahalo vlogidol Teaser Trailer Two:Budke and Lon at each other's throats--again!
Mahalo vlogidol Teaser Trailer Three: Alex Albrecht goes wild while Kristina has a meltdown
If you haven't noticed we have been putting a bunch of zeitgeist-y things on the Mahalo home page. I'll start posting them here since they are really worth visiting (if you're looking to waste some time :-).
A high-profile journalist just asked me "what does this have to do with user guided search?" when I told them about the search for a new host for Mahalo Daily.
This is an excellent question.
Many people have speculated that I'm just wasting venture capital money on Mahalo Daily, or that I'm secretly transitioning to film (a rumor that has been played up since I've appeared in three indie films--two that are coming out in the next year).
Nope, I have a theory: Corporate vlogs are the future of PR.
This is, of course, the same theory that many of us had in 2004 with regard to blogging. Back then it seemed insane that someone like Mark Cuban would blog about running the Dallas Mavericks--now it seems rather obvious.
The chart above shows the number of views to Mahalo Daily videos. Since inception we've had over 4M views to our videos, and last month we broke the 1M mark. Mahalo Daily videos are intended to:
Entertain people
Inform people
Represent and build the Mahalo brand
Be a creative outlet for the Mahalo team
The order above is very important.
We conceived of a general interest show which first and foremost is *entertaining* to the viewers. If it is not entertaining you have no audience. After you make it entertaining it's virtuous for the user to get something out of the show. It could be information on how to become a pilot, speak french, or flirt. Of course, it might not be informative at all and just be fun, like I'm Gonna Get you Spamma.
The Mahalo team has a blast writing, directing, and acting in these videos--it's a ton of fun. I love it every time they write me a part.
Four million views means millions of folks (let's say two million) have come in contact with the Mahalo brand. If you were to pay for four million 15 second spots on the web the cost would be $25 for each 1,000 views--or $100,000. That's about what we've spent on the show over the first six months. Additionally, the shows have archival value and will get another 2-4m views over their life I'm sure.
In other words, the Mahalo Daily will pay for itself fairly easily after one year. A $250,000 investment in the Mahalo Daily a year will bring in--if the growth continues--somewhere between 15-30M viewers a year.
Now, the other piece to this is that we're ALREADY getting significant advertising interest in the Mahalo Daily. So, next year we might actually have the show be profitable!
That's what I call monitzed marketing: marking that makes you money.
In another three years every company will have not only a corporate blog but a corporate vlog. The New York Times, JetBlue, American Express, and Apple will communicate with their leading customers with regular videos.
Oh wait, Steve Jobs does this already with his keynotes. ;-)
You can subscribe to Mahalo Daily on iTunes and YouTube
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On Monday we will start airing the search for a new host for Mahalo Daily.... we're going to narrow down 12 possible hosts to one. It's going to be epic as you will see in this video!
Hello. My name is Jason.
I'm the CEO of Mahalo.com, a human powered search engine. I was previously the co-founder of Weblogs, Inc. with Brian Alvey, and the GM of Netscape.
I'm currently on the board of social shopping site ThisNext. You might remember me from my days as editor and CEO of the Silicon Alley Reporter magazine.
Mike Arrington and I partnered on the TechCrunch40 event in September. We're going to do it again next year.
This is my blog, this is where I live. You should also listen to my podcast.
So, I took total of 30 seconds to upload the photo to Flickr and twitter and Pownce the URL of the photo asking for feedback. The result? 2,755 views, 48 notes on the image (see above), and 202 comments. 
