Another lame idea or next “million dollar pixel” site? Or both?

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Sometimes I see things that I personally don’t want to participate in, but I think are brilliant businesses — remember that guy who made a million bucks by selling off pixels on his Web site for a buck each? Brilliant, but lame. Weblo is potentially one of those (it’s a virtual world where you can buy and sell real estate, domains, and other things). Watch the demo, then let me know. Which side are you on? I have a feeling this guy is gonna get freaking rich. If it gets you interested, there’s an interview on ScobleShow too.

[podtech content=http://media1.podtech.net/media/2007/04/PID_010804/Podtech_WebLo_demo.flv&postURL=http://www.podtech.net/scobleshow/technology/1427/demo-build-your-own-virtual-realestate-empire-with-weblo&totalTime=751000&breadcrumb=3efbd44b-c7ca-4072-a571-8e39f31144cc]

Published by Robert Scoble

I help entrepreneurs build their technology business' story, help with getting ready for investors, with other launch plans, and many other strategic things that can help your new startup. Call to talk: +1-425-205-1921 (text first).

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46 thoughts on “Another lame idea or next “million dollar pixel” site? Or both?”

  1. Valleywag is gonna have a field day with this one. Tony Walsh from Clickable Culture wrote briefly about it in October 2006 and is convinced they are going to get sued into the ground. Time will tell.

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  2. Valleywag is gonna have a field day with this one. Tony Walsh from Clickable Culture wrote briefly about it in October 2006 and is convinced they are going to get sued into the ground. Time will tell.

    Like

  9. I think it’s lame. What’s the value of owning virtual property? I just don’t see it. I suppose we each assign some value to the stuff we like, but I wouldn’t waste my money buying up virtual property when I can purchase the real, physical kind that I can actually use. The site is clearly based on speculation, and is designed as a money-making mechanism for its owner. I fail to see what value (if any) it brings to its customers.

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  10. I think it’s lame. What’s the value of owning virtual property? I just don’t see it. I suppose we each assign some value to the stuff we like, but I wouldn’t waste my money buying up virtual property when I can purchase the real, physical kind that I can actually use. The site is clearly based on speculation, and is designed as a money-making mechanism for its owner. I fail to see what value (if any) it brings to its customers.

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  11. I don’t understand how Weblo can sell naming “rights” to IP, places and people it doesn’t own. Any lawyers care to jump in and explain?

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  12. I don’t understand how Weblo can sell naming “rights” to IP, places and people it doesn’t own. Any lawyers care to jump in and explain?

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  19. First thought was the legal aspect, but then I looked at how long they have been tracked by Alexa and it seems noone has deluged them into oblivion with legal documents yet and there has certainly been the opportunity. Neat idea…if they don’t get creamed by lawsuits parts of the idea will probably get incorporated into other sites.

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  20. First thought was the legal aspect, but then I looked at how long they have been tracked by Alexa and it seems noone has deluged them into oblivion with legal documents yet and there has certainly been the opportunity. Neat idea…if they don’t get creamed by lawsuits parts of the idea will probably get incorporated into other sites.

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  23. Not to beat people with a dead horse, but the ‘I don’t get owning virtual blah blah blah’ thing has run its course.

    When you pay 60 bucks for an XBOX video game, aside from the disc, you are buying something virtual.

    You aren’t *really* a warrior on a battlefield in the year 2142, juuuuust in case that part might have fallen off the radar.

    But back to Weblo, I wouldn’t think it’s anything like Second Life or Sim City at all, instead, it’s more like, “domain registration site calls their stuff virtual world”. And by that argument, everyone from Verisign to GoDaddy allows you to HAVE A HOME ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY with _their_ virtual worlds.

    Comedy gold. I

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  24. Not to beat people with a dead horse, but the ‘I don’t get owning virtual blah blah blah’ thing has run its course.

    When you pay 60 bucks for an XBOX video game, aside from the disc, you are buying something virtual.

    You aren’t *really* a warrior on a battlefield in the year 2142, juuuuust in case that part might have fallen off the radar.

    But back to Weblo, I wouldn’t think it’s anything like Second Life or Sim City at all, instead, it’s more like, “domain registration site calls their stuff virtual world”. And by that argument, everyone from Verisign to GoDaddy allows you to HAVE A HOME ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY with _their_ virtual worlds.

    Comedy gold. I

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  25. I think he will get rich at first… people love messing with fake worlds because it doesn’t hurt them too badly when they mess up. They’d rather have a false life on the internet than put a real one on the line.
    People are just pathetic enough to participate. Can’t wait to see where this goes, though. Hopefully down the drain. I need something that will redeem my view of mankind.

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  26. I think he will get rich at first… people love messing with fake worlds because it doesn’t hurt them too badly when they mess up. They’d rather have a false life on the internet than put a real one on the line.
    People are just pathetic enough to participate. Can’t wait to see where this goes, though. Hopefully down the drain. I need something that will redeem my view of mankind.

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  27. The concept of fantasy trademark and copyright ownership will infringe on legitimate intellectual property owners.

    The worst thing that could happen to weblo.com is rapid adoption. The desirable rip-off name space will undoubtedly get bought up and the lure of coming to the world will fizzle out.

    The idea of an alternate *organic* and *original* reality played out in a virtual world works but this does not unless I’m missing something.

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  28. The concept of fantasy trademark and copyright ownership will infringe on legitimate intellectual property owners.

    The worst thing that could happen to weblo.com is rapid adoption. The desirable rip-off name space will undoubtedly get bought up and the lure of coming to the world will fizzle out.

    The idea of an alternate *organic* and *original* reality played out in a virtual world works but this does not unless I’m missing something.

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  29. It just goes to show, there’s one born every minute.

    I wonder how many of those ‘owners’ (ha!) are ‘real’ accounts?

    So many ppl will rush to this thinking they can make a buck or two(or a ‘pretty penny’ lol) like those users already there and sign up, join in and make that gut his ‘pretty penny’.

    It’s his ‘fantasy marketplace’.

    It will be interesting to see the legals on this, as they develop, as he seems to know something about the ‘civic address’ thing – and being able to trade them. Probably something to do with him not actually selling *anything*.

    It also would not surprise me if he made a wedge of cash either, as there are sadly many people who will get into this type of thing. It’s in their blood. They can’t resist the opportunity to make money. No matter how. Who cares?

    Next sucker!!! 😉

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  30. It just goes to show, there’s one born every minute.

    I wonder how many of those ‘owners’ (ha!) are ‘real’ accounts?

    So many ppl will rush to this thinking they can make a buck or two(or a ‘pretty penny’ lol) like those users already there and sign up, join in and make that gut his ‘pretty penny’.

    It’s his ‘fantasy marketplace’.

    It will be interesting to see the legals on this, as they develop, as he seems to know something about the ‘civic address’ thing – and being able to trade them. Probably something to do with him not actually selling *anything*.

    It also would not surprise me if he made a wedge of cash either, as there are sadly many people who will get into this type of thing. It’s in their blood. They can’t resist the opportunity to make money. No matter how. Who cares?

    Next sucker!!! 😉

    Like

  33. In fact, are you sure this guy hasn’t written a ‘get rich quick scheme’ book? 😉

    “Hey! Give me money! I’ll tell you how to make it!”

    by going…

    “Hey! Give me money! I’ll tell you how to make it!”

    etc…

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  34. In fact, are you sure this guy hasn’t written a ‘get rich quick scheme’ book? 😉

    “Hey! Give me money! I’ll tell you how to make it!”

    by going…

    “Hey! Give me money! I’ll tell you how to make it!”

    etc…

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  35. First of all, this guy needs to work on his pitch.

    Secondly, although I don’t think this is a good idea, I don’t see it’s any different than Second Life. Real estate is all about demand…really the only difference between virtual real estate and actual real estate is that you can live on the actual real estate. Both have plenty of money making opportunities.

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  36. First of all, this guy needs to work on his pitch.

    Secondly, although I don’t think this is a good idea, I don’t see it’s any different than Second Life. Real estate is all about demand…really the only difference between virtual real estate and actual real estate is that you can live on the actual real estate. Both have plenty of money making opportunities.

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  41. I really can’t imagine this taking off. It’d be fun to play around with for free but I can’t see anyone paying for this. Add to that the very good chance that they are violating IP rights and probably will get sued and you have the perfect recipe for an old style dotcom story: off the web and broke.

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  42. I really can’t imagine this taking off. It’d be fun to play around with for free but I can’t see anyone paying for this. Add to that the very good chance that they are violating IP rights and probably will get sued and you have the perfect recipe for an old style dotcom story: off the web and broke.

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  43. getting bigger by the second,,i now have Paris France listed for $10,000..they have just rolled out a wiki platform addition that anyone can add content to any page..so the application to transcend weblo into real life ad dollars is now being a reality..real life real estate agents can upload their houses for sale to my city of Mount Pleasant,of course i would charge them a small fee to do this as it would then be advertisement for them,but each city exists on the internet as a webpage. Legalities are nul and void,since everything exsits in a virtual world,so it isn’t a real world,this not applicable to real world laws,most celebrities like publicity anyway,and Weblo does have a take down policy for trademarked companies..

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  44. getting bigger by the second,,i now have Paris France listed for $10,000..they have just rolled out a wiki platform addition that anyone can add content to any page..so the application to transcend weblo into real life ad dollars is now being a reality..real life real estate agents can upload their houses for sale to my city of Mount Pleasant,of course i would charge them a small fee to do this as it would then be advertisement for them,but each city exists on the internet as a webpage. Legalities are nul and void,since everything exsits in a virtual world,so it isn’t a real world,this not applicable to real world laws,most celebrities like publicity anyway,and Weblo does have a take down policy for trademarked companies..

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  45. You all are just lame! Someone else thought of it (weblo) and it wasn't you… shame… now you now it makes you nasty to be like that! Get a life man! Do you know that weblo is still going strong in 2009?! To the Weblo developers… Good on yeah!

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  46. You all are just lame! Someone else thought of it (weblo) and it wasn't you… shame… now you now it makes you nasty to be like that! Get a life man! Do you know that weblo is still going strong in 2009?! To the Weblo developers… Good on yeah!

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