Thank you for opening this page. This page tells you about Meltingdots, explaining what and why we have this company for.
Where is "Real time" in the web？
Meltingdots believes the real time information and communication to be "the next big thing" in the web. Real time based information and stock based information seem alike, but are completely different. As you see in news articles, the same article, would be real time if it's the newest article on the page, but will be a stock based information once it goes in the archives.
When you browse the web, you can see many stock based information used in various ways, with thousands of business (like search engines) working around it. Compared to this, real time communication in the web isn't used as so.
We need more ways to communicate in the web
You should have experienced at least once, watching an announcement right before a tv show starts, and keep watching the show itself.
The instant notice is the point here, where the announcement being shown right before the real one. Meltingdots concentrates on the information and experience on the web "right now". The instant response and communication on the web will drastically change the communication through the web.
For example, a customer will be able to ask questions to the shop owner on a e-commerce site. You may be able to attend concerts and campaigns, even if it's a event a 1000 miles away.
The internet was first used as a asynchronous communication tool, since the real life was the synchronous part of communication.
People say the internet has grown since it was interactive, but I don't think this is quite right. It may have been true during the beginning of the web, but it's changing.
Some internet users use the web every day, but won't put comments on forums, post blogs, comment on websites, or send e-mails. These kinds of people are using the web as an information source. Nothing interactive.
In the other hand, the most active users in the web communicate with text chat and actually talk via voice with people around the world, making friends they meet on the web with the same interests.
Communities are only made from people getting connected, but it is still not easy to do this through the technology today. But when I see the comments posted all around the web, I just know they have the desire to meet each other.
A positive way to look at time difference : asynchronous communication
Web services today are made to communicate on each users own time. Facebook, ebay, and amazon gets comments and ratings from user communities, and stocks content inside their service. The users access to the site on the time they want, do things on their time, and communicate with friends through the site, knowing not everyone is there at the same time.
Even though people are used to this, it doesn't' mean they don't need real time. We can see people wanting to communicate "together" and communicate "now" using services like skype, twitter, and niconico douga which are services you feel closer to real time.
The person behind a blog post
Won't you say hi to a friend if you see them while you're walking down the street? Meltingdots wants to create an experience like this on the web. Have you ever thought of the person behind the posts on community sites? I guess not. This happens because we don't have the chance to see the actual person. (Please read the Extra for more information) If you can notice that he or she is there, people will be able to appreciate more, and also communicate more on the site. The user experience will change on the website itself, with closer relationships built inside the site. Users who are used to the asynchronous communication would be happier and easily adapt to the new way.
Presence. You, me, and somebody
To start a communication on the web, you will need to know who you with, (even if it's not their real name), and a way to actually communicate (mail, chat, voice, meet, etc.). For example, people in mixi notice users from their nicknames and their photos, and communicate through their diaries and comments. Communication with a person happens for the first time, when they know who they are talking to.
In real life, you notice people from their face and voice. But since these don't exist in the web (or since not all people want to show their face to everybody,) it is important to have a virtual presence in some way to communicate to know each person is there. This fits to both asynchronous and synchronous communications, and Meltingdots thinks an "avatar presence" is one big solution to bring in real time communication to the web.
Real time and stock base both starting and ending in the web
Meltingdots is a company which brings in synchronous services to start real time communication into asynchronous services using avatars and other technologies. Meetings and minutes. Concerts and videos. These are a few examples of asynchronous and synchronous services which supports mutually and brings value to both content.
The web has achieved growth by providing asynchronous communication to the real life. But with the web being as popular as today, there are many cases with the first communication starting inside the web. We now need to create 2 ways to support full communication on the web.
Meltingdots provides many virtual world and social media solutions to provide real time communications to brands and companies. Weblin, a service making a place to communicate real time on each website, and Secondlife, a 3D online virtual world which helps you have immersive experiences are 2 major services which represent are business.
Meltingdots will stand in the edge of the web community, and realize the future we believe in, so the development of the internet will make a better and smaller world for the next generation.
Hiroshi Asaeda
Meltingdots CEO ＆ Founder
Extra
Most characters who die, or gets beaten in fights by the main characters on movies, games, and comics don't have their actual face. They wear helmets, goggles, masks or something that won't show each characters individuality (like the troopers in star wars) The characteristics of each trooper isn't needed in the movie scene. Try imagining a trooper going home everyday after working at death star, and getting killed by Harrison Ford. Is Harrison Ford still a good guy? The same thing can be said on web communication. If you can see and notice the presence of people on websites, you can think more about the person behind it.
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