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Indiatimes Launches Social Networking Site - itimes.com

By Nikhil Pahwa - Tue 08 Apr 2008 08:21 AM PST

So it’s been well over a year and a half in the making, and the in the meantime the bloom appears to have gone off the social networking boom in India: finally Times Internet (Indiatimes) has soft-launched its social networking site - itimes.com.

Take a look around here (screencap). itimes users are given an email address separate from Indiatimes. Considering the media push around Indiatimes Mail, I wonder why they went ahead with a login and email separate from Indiatimes. A screencap of the profile page here. There’s also a gaming zone, much like Indiatimes has a gaming zone. The site has blogs, but again - what about O3? itimes has a classifieds section/marketplace, similar to YoList. Why not incorporate existing Indiatimes properties and content, and have a social network around it, instead of running two separate ecosystem with fairly similar features? Perhaps there are legacy issues with Indiatimes…

More after the jump, and in the comments.

What’s most interesting? itimes appears to be ready to open up its API from the word go (screencap) - I’ve requested for a developer guide via the site, and am awaiting a mail with details (been 20 minutes, no mail). Some details here. They’re also allowing users to upload videos and photos here. Well, that’s that then - so far, in beta, it appears to be a fairly basic social networking site. What’ll differentiate it from the rest are the users that Times Internet is able to get on board with a media push. Any plans for integration with 58888?

I wonder how much they paid for the domain name itimes.com (any guesses?)...over the past year that Indiatimes has taken to launch this site, there were a bunch of odd names doing the rounds - including some as vague as “bickering”.

Update: It’s been around 15 hours, and I still haven’t received the developer guide. Maybe it’s something they intend to introduce later.

Posted in: Companies, Times Group (BCCL), Indiatimes, Social Media


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35 Responses:
  • From preetam mukherjee Tue 08 Apr 2008 11:48 AM

    oh no..........! another one?? not ANOTHER one???

  • From Pratham Tue 08 Apr 2008 08:01 PM

    I get an internal error while trying to register.

    P.S. Observe the captcha on the registration page.

  • From VAS-Guy Tue 08 Apr 2008 10:34 PM

    Indiatimes seems to be following many and not heading any-significant-where.

  • From LordHawHaw Tue 08 Apr 2008 10:43 PM

    I know how much the domain cost… smile It was quite a bit.

  • From Nikhil Tue 08 Apr 2008 11:54 PM

    LordHawHaw: since you’re using an anonymous ID, maybe you can tell us how much. :D

  • From Digitalbhai Wed 09 Apr 2008 12:10 AM

    Seems Indiatimes is lossing its focus with each passing day smile Even the brand name iTimes they are using sound like an online mag or some content based site...seems it will fade out soon is BTW Network 18 is following a diversification strategy too ....now they want to open a cinema chain ...Nikhil, whats ur take on Network 18 approach towards media diversification ..

  • From Jack Wed 09 Apr 2008 12:37 AM

    From what I can make out, this looks like a classic camouflage… Rommel tried this in World War 2 and distracted the Allies by opening up another front. Looks like Indiatimes is being clever and not as stupid as we think. I’d wager that they’re opening up another brand… and while they may have lost focus in the past, this is one area they understand best: marketing and brand building. By the way, the product isn’t bad - where else can one find an email inside a social networking site. I also hear that BigAdda is shutting down.

  • From LordHawHaw Wed 09 Apr 2008 12:54 AM

    @Jack
    BigAdda has had it… The writing was on the wall months ago…

    PS: Rommel was on the losing side… Haw Haw Haw…

    @Nikhil
    As my marketing prof used to say… if you don’t know or have nothing to say. say pass…

    Pass…

  • From Jack Wed 09 Apr 2008 12:59 AM

    Rommel didn’t lose his battle. Hitler lost the war because he tried another diversion in Russia that failed. Get your history right milord. And read Sun Tzu too. I’ve been checking out itimes a bit more and I like it. And that’s what matters. So there!

  • From garima Wed 09 Apr 2008 01:15 AM

    i like the interface… and the fact that it has more to do than just become victims to “frandship seekers” ... i have imported my blog from blogspot and its working pretty well… not bad for a start i’d say....the blue is too orkutish though, i hope more colours are coming soon.

  • From LordHawHaw Wed 09 Apr 2008 01:26 AM

    Actually I’m well read on Military History… And Sun Tzu is for sissies.

    I said he was on the losing side…

    AND

    he did lose…

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein

    “In the end the Allies’ victory was all but total. Axis casualties of 37,000 amounted to over 30% of their total force. Allied casualties of 13,500 were by comparison a remarkably small proportion of their total force.[36] The effective strength of the Panzerarmee after the battle amounted to some 5,000 troops, 20 tanks, 20 anti-tank guns and 50 field guns.”

    I love Wikipedia… fantastic for arguments…

    I have to say this… itimes looks better than orkut atleast…

  • From Digitalbhai Wed 09 Apr 2008 01:32 AM

    Mr Lord and Jack, stop fighting over history....if u know more about iTimes..enlighten CS readers on that ?

  • From Aan Wed 09 Apr 2008 01:53 AM

    I liked the site from outside....but not sure if Indiatimes from its past, start abusing the privacy of the user like they did with email. Point is to build trust with users....SN sites still have long way to go in India. Orkut is no. 1 but not as evolved like facebook which is confusing sometime with so many applications. If itimes hit the user at right areas they can really pull back, but I am worried about the marketing guys sitting at the back and if thr is any increase in traffic they will start bombarding the users with thr useless ads.

  • From Jack Wed 09 Apr 2008 02:52 AM

    Can’t see any ads! Hope it stays a virgin site!! Another reason why I love it…

  • From Swati Wed 09 Apr 2008 03:55 AM

    @ jack yeah no ads from indiatimes is worth quite something. Facebook banners these days are quite a put off...and myspace...i dont even get that site, theres just sooooo much there!
    i subscribed to the news feeds from ibn-cnn and its super-cool to see Indiatimes actually let me go out of their site to read the entire article :O...now thats some opening up wink

  • From madgeek Wed 09 Apr 2008 04:25 AM

    dal, mein kuch kaala hai…

  • From deepak Wed 09 Apr 2008 04:30 AM

    60 lakhs.
    worth it?

  • From Jack Wed 09 Apr 2008 04:42 AM

    Yeah… I think Indiatimes has opened up. Finally. Maybe that’s why this site took so long. As for that 60 lakhs? I find it difficult to believe Times would shell out so much! Not that it matters. Check out the smileys…

  • From scorpio Wed 09 Apr 2008 05:17 AM

    I think the site is pretty good. I am happy that an Indian site can stand up to facebook. i am hoping that a lot of developers will get involved and we should see some cool apps

  • From Ranveer Khanna Wed 09 Apr 2008 05:58 AM

    hey guys

    wait something else also is on a launch in june or july date not fixed .... and then u might have to say bye to bigaddas , etc etc etc for sure

  • From manish jain Wed 09 Apr 2008 07:05 AM

    UI is weak, but then again that is not surprising.  As far as the cost of the domain, who cares it’s part of the startup costs. It would be like asking how much rent someone is paying in Nariman Point or BKC - get over it.

  • From Sanjeev Wed 09 Apr 2008 01:55 PM

    You should check out http://www.corners.in in the meantime - takes a different angle and focuses on “content” based social networks unlike orkut or facebook which is around user profiles. Also you dont really need to upload content yet again to this site - you can pull the content from internet via search....how many places one would want to upload stuff....think about that.

  • From Sudhir Syal Thu 10 Apr 2008 12:14 AM

    I think Nikhil has given some valid suggestions, it would make far more sense for Times to consolidate their existing properties into this new Social Networking site.

    They are going to find this extremely difficult to add value to their total basket of internet services otherwise…

  • From rex Fri 11 Apr 2008 04:57 AM

    hi guys ,

    I have just come to know about the itimes - it is pretty cool yaar.

    seems World’s 1st social networking site which has all the feature in one platform

  • From Nancy Fri 11 Apr 2008 05:05 AM

    Hey garima,

    I totally agree with u to the fact ,Privacy settings – you can set your content to either private, only friends or public in itimes.Best part i have found in itimes.
    do u hv any idea where u get the same feature .i pretty much doubt.

    Anyways for colour lets make a suggestion to iTIMES

  • From rajesh k joseph Fri 11 Apr 2008 05:18 AM

    dear all

    It is the best social networking site to be in future.......................... all i can say after sufing.

    We can use email independently of social networking page . This is like any other email portal giving complete privacy to mails.  Friends in social networking page cannot see my incoming or outgoing mails.

    I would like to ask all community lovers to join itimes and have their say on what they think about the unique feature

  • From Pratap Kumar Pattanayak Fri 11 Apr 2008 05:20 AM

    First. I dont agree that there is a slowdown in times spent on community sites. 2nd: ITIMES is a community site with a difference. You should use it to believe it.

  • From Pratap Fri 11 Apr 2008 05:25 AM

    Is there anything wrong if the user has to provide two separate mail ids for separate products by the same company. Ok. Mr.Pahwa is comparing it with Orkut where the user can register with any of the existing mail id(whether gmail or yahoo....).But I dont see there is any flaw in it.

  • From Harikumar Fri 11 Apr 2008 05:28 AM

    As far as the cost of the domain, who cares,it is none of my business.what i am looking for is better n faster way to save photographs.

    wherin itimes i could link back photos uploaded at Flickr or Picasa to itimes. You just need to type in the username and save it.

    what else u need dude ,being a photographer found it interesting.

  • From jacques Sat 12 Apr 2008 03:39 AM

    Guys with respect to all bloggers I must say we should be concentrating on the features & use it till the core rather than commenting on the sites.

  • From Anjali Sat 12 Apr 2008 03:40 AM

    Why can’t we have two separate mail id’s don’t we have more than two private ID’s.
    I think it is a good tool to intact your privacy.

  • From Rahul Tue 15 Apr 2008 01:20 AM

    i must say it’s brand duplication from igoogle and product duplication from so many other sites. So all duplicate nothing original. At the same time another id now think about the confusion.

    when u lack ideas this happens…

  • From Raghu Tue 15 Apr 2008 02:35 AM

    I wish my site would find praise from “People” like itimes is getting here wink

    Just read what Rex has to say a few comments above… man.. ROTFL smile)

    And, i have almost believing that its a genius move not to integrate itimes with the parent email service.. well so many “People” are trying to make me believe.. ITS FUN man smile) again ROTFL

  • From mekky Mon 21 Apr 2008 10:47 AM

    oh well itimes is a relatively new site and is having its share of ups and downs...which i guess is natural...i mean most of us in india got to know about orkut and facebook when it was like a couple of years old here!guess we sould give it some more time to evolve and see where its heading towards before giving our final verdict on it.

    psst...i personally find the idea of blogging,gaming,email and social networking in one platform really hassle free.orkut is way too cluttered now,facebook very uni dimensional and myspace,bigadda & ibibo..well lets not even get there!! :p

  • From Gaurav Mon 23 Jun 2008 12:41 PM

    itimes has some features which will certainly attract a niche segment of users and get brownie points for itself.

    The way to go ahead is social networking and indiatime have done a right thing to lauch it now. I am sure in years to follow it will create its own market in this industry.

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