ooVoo Blog

I’m really excited about some great news we just received from CNET. ooVoo is being considered for a 2008 Webware 100 Award – an awards program where CNET’s Webware users vote for their favorite Web 2.0 applications across many different categories. The editors of CNET Webware.com selected ooVoo to be one of 30 nominees in the communications category -- and now it’s time for our users to show their love for ooVoo by voting for us here!.

Since we launched in June 2007 we’ve received a lot of positive feedback (some not so positive, but we encourage that too) and reviews from ooVoo users, bloggers and media. Our recent release, ooVoo 1.5, was positively reviewed by the Associated Press, Laptop Magazine, Yahoo Tech, ZDnet.co.uk and CNET. And last year, we won PC Magazine’s for Best Software Innovator award at the Digital Life show and a 2007 Web User Gold award. With your help, we can add to our growing list of kudos. But most importantly, these things help to increase awareness of ooVoo – which means more friends and contacts for you to chat with.

Please vote for us before March 31st. The winners will be announced on April 21 – please vote for us here!

Thank you!!!

Philippe

I’m Marty Walker, COO of ooVoo. I basically get to do whatever Philippe doesn’t want to do.

I’ll admit it: I don’t have a technology background. Before joining ooVoo, I was in the pet food business for many years. I had the good fortune to be at The Iams Company when it was very small and was there as it grew into a $1.7 billion business. You could say my background is in helping bring something small to a point where millions of people can enjoy it.

I’m also in that technologically challenged age group – I’m approaching 60, my kids are grown , have all left home and now live in different cities in America. I’ll tell you something: having the ability to see them on a regular basis with ooVoo is pretty cool.

Right before my son graduated last year, I ooVoo’d with my two sons. One’s in Hoboken. One’s in Boston. I was headed to Israel on business. The three of us had a great conversation and a big laugh about football chatter. It was funny watching them on camera being themselves - one is a typical college kid who was wearing a baseball cap and no shirt, his brother was “giving him the razz.” (translation “making fun of him”). His brother replied with an obscene gesture and we all laughed. That’s ooVoo – real communication!

Another example of how easy ooVoo makes staying in touch: My 71 year old mother-in-law is from Tokyo. Her daughters are in Sacramento and her son’s in Bakersfield. When she first connected with them on ooVoo it was incredible to watch – to be 71 and see your daughter this way whenever she wanted despite the distance. She had a real sparkle in her eye.

I’d like for everybody to experience face-to-face communication with ooVoo. A tremendous number of people don’t know the capability is there. It’s a brand new category of consumer experience. You need it in your home. As with all advancements, we believe technology savvy early adopters will use this first, and then, as awareness grows and people become more comfortable sitting in the living room ooVooing, face-to-face communication will become more widely used.

What’s unique for me about ooVoo is that the people here live and breathe this thing. We are heavier users of our own product than just about anybody. I use it every day. We’re really conscientious about understanding what it is we are providing by experiencing it personally. That really impressed me.

What would I be doing if I weren’t here? Something challenging that contributes to the lives of humans or pets. Maybe just reading a good Vince Flynn novel and drinking cocktails on the beach.
 
See you on ooVoo.

Marty Walker, chief operating officer, ooVoo