5 ms·

Everyblock re-launches in Chicago

19 points by alwaysunday 13y ago

flavor8 13y ago
If you're looking for a site like this, I'd recommend nextdoor.com. Bonus: not owned by Comcast.
johnhok 13y ago
That intro video was pretty good although seemed a bit long. Cool idea but I'd imagine these type of sites have a big chicken and egg problem.
- yogo 13y ago
  Yes, but EveryBlock was up to speed and pretty widely used (as far as I can tell) before it was shut down. Whether the people that were on there return remains to be seen.
simonw 13y ago
Anyone know the background story on how they came back after being shut down by their parent company?
- abraininavat 13y ago
  Comcast acquired NBC recently, and with that came NBC's assets, one of which was EveryBlock (which NBC had only recently acquired and then shuttered). Comcast brought it back -- not under NBC anymore, but under Comcast proper. The big question is why? What is their monetization strategy? As a Chicago resident and past EveryBlock user, I'm very curious about this. My first guess is that Comcast appreciates being able to correlate an email address with a neighborhood, for marketing opportunities.
- alwaysunday 13y ago
  Here's an article from the Chicago Tribune that gives a little more backstory on its resurrection: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-everyblock-relaunch-20140121,0,7159678.story http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-everyblo...
officemonkey 13y ago
The hard part about a site like this is getting me to keep logging in. Turns out my block club in Chicago has a very active Facebook group, so very local news gets integrated into my feed already. My other source of "extremely local news" is a blog called Uptown Update [1]. If these sites had a way to attract and fund local bloggers, they would have more staying power. [1] http://www.uptownupdate.com/ http://www.uptownupdate.com/
normloman 13y ago
Pet peeve: Intro videos with cutesy music, animations, and screenshots on a macbook.
- jaegerpicker 13y ago
  It matters that it's a macbook? Really?
  - normloman 13y ago
    Every cheezy startup website uses the same photo of a screenshot on a macbook nowadays. It's just cliche. Typing this from a mac right now.
izzydata 13y ago
"Sorry, we don't cover your zip" Well... ok. I was even going to advertise it a little, but I guess I'm not cool enough.
m0x2 13y ago
Honestly, who cares and why is this worthy of the HN frontpage?
- alwaysunday 13y ago
  Because they had a lot of traction before the shut down and now the service is re-launching without the founder who made it what it was: https://twitter.com/adrianholovaty/status/426366737294958592 https://twitter.com/adrianholovaty/status/426366737294958592
minimax 13y ago
Some of the people at Comcast involved with relaunching Everyblock are speaking at the OpenGovChicago meetup tonight. I think there will be a live stream for anyone who is interested but can't go to the meetup. http://www.meetup.com/OpenGovChicago/events/160401092/ http://www.meetup.com/OpenGovChicago/events/160401092/
tyoma 13y ago
During the previous incarnation of EveryBlock, there were persistent rumors that posts embarrassing to the City of Chicago government (like about crime in high tourist areas) would mysteriously disappear. I'm curious how transparent the new incarnation will be.

19 points by alwaysunday 13y ago

If you're looking for a site like this, I'd recommend nextdoor.com. Bonus: not owned by Comcast.

That intro video was pretty good although seemed a bit long. Cool idea but I'd imagine these type of sites have a big chicken and egg problem.

yogo 13y ago
Yes, but EveryBlock was up to speed and pretty widely used (as far as I can tell) before it was shut down. Whether the people that were on there return remains to be seen.

simonw 13y ago

Anyone know the background story on how they came back after being shut down by their parent company?

abraininavat 13y ago
Comcast acquired NBC recently, and with that came NBC's assets, one of which was EveryBlock (which NBC had only recently acquired and then shuttered). Comcast brought it back -- not under NBC anymore, but under Comcast proper. The big question is why? What is their monetization strategy? As a Chicago resident and past EveryBlock user, I'm very curious about this. My first guess is that Comcast appreciates being able to correlate an email address with a neighborhood, for marketing opportunities.
alwaysunday 13y ago
Here's an article from the Chicago Tribune that gives a little more backstory on its resurrection: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-everyblock-relaunch-20140121,0,7159678.story http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-everyblo...

officemonkey 13y ago

The hard part about a site like this is getting me to keep logging in. Turns out my block club in Chicago has a very active Facebook group, so very local news gets integrated into my feed already. My other source of "extremely local news" is a blog called Uptown Update [1]. If these sites had a way to attract and fund local bloggers, they would have more staying power. [1] http://www.uptownupdate.com/ http://www.uptownupdate.com/

normloman 13y ago

Pet peeve: Intro videos with cutesy music, animations, and screenshots on a macbook.

jaegerpicker 13y ago
It matters that it's a macbook? Really?
- normloman 13y ago
  Every cheezy startup website uses the same photo of a screenshot on a macbook nowadays. It's just cliche. Typing this from a mac right now.

izzydata 13y ago

"Sorry, we don't cover your zip" Well... ok. I was even going to advertise it a little, but I guess I'm not cool enough.

m0x2 13y ago

Honestly, who cares and why is this worthy of the HN frontpage?

alwaysunday 13y ago
Because they had a lot of traction before the shut down and now the service is re-launching without the founder who made it what it was: https://twitter.com/adrianholovaty/status/426366737294958592 https://twitter.com/adrianholovaty/status/426366737294958592

minimax 13y ago

Some of the people at Comcast involved with relaunching Everyblock are speaking at the OpenGovChicago meetup tonight. I think there will be a live stream for anyone who is interested but can't go to the meetup. http://www.meetup.com/OpenGovChicago/events/160401092/ http://www.meetup.com/OpenGovChicago/events/160401092/

tyoma 13y ago

During the previous incarnation of EveryBlock, there were persistent rumors that posts embarrassing to the City of Chicago government (like about crime in high tourist areas) would mysteriously disappear. I'm curious how transparent the new incarnation will be.