I almost forgot about xobni

I think the lull is real, but I also think the lull exists in the realm of the trendy. Startups focused on current trends in the web aren’t going to stand out. What really stands out to me is a startup that is not focused on the trends… Right now that’s xobni, a startup that is focusing on the email client when everyone else is focusing on the browser. By bucking the trend xobni is completely avoiding the lull.

xobni didn’t take the same approach of trying to build a social network from the ground up - xobni built off a tool that was already social in nature, but that completely lacked social features. That’s the pitch anyway, but I could honestly care less about the social aspects of xobni - I love it because it makes outlook interesting and more useful. Improved search, conversational organization, easy file view and most importantly - intelligent presentation of information (which might just be where the ‘plug-in’ company turns into a business).

xobni’s not predictable, it has nothing to do with the semantic web or the mobile web, it’s not the next facebook or the next google, it’s not something anyone said would be the next big thing - it’s not trendy, it’s just brilliant (though the micorsoft move may have been stupid (even if I do like the company more for it)).