Oneforty: a Twitter app-store-cum-social-network

The in-jokily-named Oneforty is a Twitter app store, with a twist. A cross between a marketplace and a social network, offering hundreds of applications built on the Twitter API. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers give it a generally warm reception (and all of them female, which makes a refreshing change).

By Richi Jennings. September 24, 2009.

Your humble blogwatcher has selected these bloggy morsels for your enjoyment. Not to mention a tiny roguelike...
 

Leena Rao (@LeenaRao) invites you to try it:

With the explosion of Twitter mobile apps, web-based clients, and desktop applications, it was only a matter of time before someone launched an actual Twitter-focused app store. Oneforty has built a marketplace to for basically all things Twitter. ... The site lists 1,332 free and paid applications and services built on Twitter’s API.
...
The site also hopes to be somewhat of a social network, with users having the ability to create profiles of their favorite Twitter apps and services. ... Oneforty’s revenue model is fairly basic. If you want to download Tweetie’s iPhone app, oneforty provides an link directly to Apple’s App Store, allowing oneforty to collect an affiliate fee.

Jennifer Leggio (@mediaphyter) has been waiting for this moment:

It’s been billed as “Twitter’s missing app store” and that’s the most accurate description I’ve heard. ... Founded by Laura Fitton, owner of Pistachio Consulting and author of “Twitter for Dummies,” the oneforty portal aims to provide what’s been missing from the social network landscape for too long — a sensible, organized approach to finding the best Twitter applications.
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If you’re a Twitter application developer you should immediately go in and claim your application. If you’re a user, share this site with your friends so they can find new Twitter apps and provide a service to other users by contributing feedback.

Christina Warren (@film_girl) has the Oneforty-fouroneone:

When you sign-up for Oneforty, you use Twitter OAuth to login. All of your profile information and avatar information is pulled in, and Oneforty will even analyze the apps it sees you using or tweeting from to your profile. You can add other apps to your profile and rate or leave comments on other tools.
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Oneforty has several different methods of helping users find apps. You can browse by category, tag, direct search, or by what apps/services are most popular. There are also “essential” apps in a variety of categories.

Hey, look, it's Laura Fitton (@pistachio):

VERY exciting announcement ... apps ARE its future! ... it's official! @oneforty is in Beta. ... Amazed, humbled and grateful to ALOT of people all over the world!!! ... dozens of unsung heroes. ... all of YOU among them. have no idea how we can adequately thank everyone. ... seriously, i feel like Dorothy thinking back on the LONG long line of people who advised and helped... "YOU were there, and YOU were there".
...
There's an app for that.

Jolie O'Dell (@jolieodell) offers some history, but is concerned about revenue:

[It] received funding just 15 days into its Boston TechStars stint. Although Fitton and her team had been working on the project before entering the startup accelerator program, the funding was nevertheless exciting news and signaled the significance of things to come.
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With the glut of free apps in the Twitter third-party universe, one wonders exactly how much these transactions will add up to. Such ponderings lead us to hope oneforty has a few more revenue streams up its sleeve. Nevertheless, ... we welcome this community-driven system for classifying and qualifying third-party tools. In fact, we think our friends at Twitter might do well to take a close look at how this offering complements their own.

Kim-Mai Cutler (@kimmaicutler) takes a different angle:

Because so many apps are free, Oneforty’s less a store and more a community-edited directory. ... They’ll also offer paid spots on the site to promote apps, which will be marked as sponsored placements.

So what's your take?
Get involved: leave a comment.
 

Richi Jennings (@richi) is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and security. A cross-functional IT geek since 1985, he is also an analyst at Ferris Research. You can follow him as richij on FriendFeed, pretend to be richij's friend on Facebook, or just use good old email: itblogwatch@richij.com.
 
 
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• A Roguelike in less than 512 bytes

 
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