Seesmic Ventures Into Mobile With Powerful New Apps For Android And BlackBerry
Leena Rao
Nov 20, 2009

Seesmic is having a huge week. The startup that develops Twitter and Facebook clients for the web and desktop just unveiled a native Windows client at Microsoft’s Professional Developer Conference earlier this week. At the Real-Time CrunchUp today, Seesmic is launching its first venture into the mobile space with impressive apps for both the Android and BlackBerry, which are now available for download here. This is a pivotal moment for Seesmic because the startup is now conquering all the mediums—web, desktop and mobile. I sat down with Seesmic’s co-founder, Loic Le Meur, to test out the apps.

The BlackBerry App

The BlackBerry app, which works with the devices running OS 4.6 or higher, has a extremely sleek nice interface, which is optimized for BlackBerry users with all sorts of efficiencies. You can quickly change from different timelines, easily switching from your inbox, to mentions, to direct messages. Plus, you can monitor various Twitter accounts within one appp. When you send a Tweet, you can shorten a link via Bit.ly, and upload pictures or videos via yFrog. One compelling feature is the ability to email a Tweet to a contact directly from the Tweet.

The app also includes search (Seesmic stores all the info in cache) and will also feature notifications of new Tweets and DMs while you are scrolling through email (a little raccoon will pop up with a number of new Tweets, says Le Meur). And hands down the two best features of the Blackberry app is the ability to see your Twitter lists directly from the app and geolocation, so you’ll be able to tweet your location directly from the app. Seesmic just added geolocation, as the API was released yesterday. Facebook integration will be added in the near future.

The Android App

The Android App also features a very sleek design and a user-friendly UI. The most noticeable advantage is how fast the app is. Le Meir says the app is native to the Android and claims its the “Tweetie for the Android.” Via a touch interface, you can easily navigate though threaded timelines, direct messages, different accounts, and @replies. And you can email Tweets as well as easily switch to landscape mode.

When you Tweet you’ll see options for Tweeting publicly or via a DM and shorten links through Bitl.ly. You can easily attach a picture or video via yFrog. And here’s the kicker-you can also upload videos directly to YouTube via the app. You can also access other users profiles, see his/her Tweets, who he/she is following and then follow the users. In addition you can also block or unfollow a user.

While Twitter rolled out the geolocation API yesterday, Seesmic hasn’t integrated its API into the app. But the app still features a geolocation tool that lets you embed your location in a Tweet via the Android’s GPS, which will show your location on Google Maps.

The app works with all models of the Android and was optimized for the newly launched Verizon Droid. While the Android app doesn’t have list functionality or Facebook integration, Le Meur says these features will be added in the near future.

The iPhone App

A few months ago, Le Meur informed me of Seesmic’s iPhone app. But the app is still being tweaked. While we don’t know the in-depth details of the iPhone app, we do know that it will have functionality for both Twitter and Facebook status updates.

Seesmic’s BlackBerry app will face competition from UberTwitter, OpenBeak (formerly TwitterBerry), Tweetcaster and perhaps even a RIM-developed Twitter client. But Seesmic’s app is chock full of nifty features, such as lists and perhaps even Facebook integration in the future. It will certainly be a viable contender in the space. The Android app will face competition from a smaller group of Twitter clients for the Android, which include Twitdroid, Swift, and TwitterRide. But like the BlackBerry app, Seesmic’s Android app is fast, sleek, easy to use and will also have Facebook built in soon, making it very attractive.

As I wrote above, Seesmic is now full throttle in developing numerous offerings for the web, mobile and desktop. Le Meur says the Windows clients had 10,000 downloads within 12 hours. I fully expect the the Android and BlackBerry apps to receive the same response. As the startup continues to develop new and innovative products, it is slowly encroaching on rival Tweetdeck’s market share and attracting a whole new set of followers as well. But a little friendly competition is never a bad thing between technology companies.

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  • Jason Boyle

    Yawn…don’t we have enough of these apps already.

    Come up with something innovative, Loic. Not another piggyback app.

  • thelazzyone

    About to go test this out…hope they add lists soon

  • thomas

    any chance you can spell twidroid correctly?

  • Pedant

    There’s no such word as “mediums”.

    “the startup is now conquering all the mediums”

    =

    “the startup is now conquering all media”

  • AK Foulder

    Twidroid is still the best and years ahead of all other Android clients.

  • Farès

    When will we get the iPhone version?

    Already use the web based version and loving it ; )

  • http://www.glam.fr Anaud

    Awesome! Looking forward to interating to the glam platform …

  • Gabe

    Seesmic takes a crap.
    Film at 11.

  • http://beerpla.net Artem Russakovskii

    Actually, the Android client is interesting as there really isn’t a single best client on that OS. Twidroid is quite good but I’m glad to finally see some competition.

  • Dave Barnes

    media and not mediums

  • zato

    “claims its the “Tweetie for the iPhone.””

    Make that “Tweetie for Android”.

  • Andreas Sanovsky

    Typo: It’s Twidroid, not Twitdroid

  • http://www.trillsouth.com DigiPimp

    have yet to find it in my android market, but im using a droid eris, is it possibly not on the 1.5 market?

  • http://www.seesmic.com Mathieu

    We can see it on our HTC Hero on Android OS 1.5. Give it some time maybe, if you can’t see it, just let us know on http://twitter.com/askseesmic

    Thanks!

  • AW

    Oh man, thank God they didn’t do anything convenient like use a QRCode that would have just let us go immediately to the Android Market entry.

  • Hauser

    For those who didn’t know, this is news because Arrington is an investor in Seesmic, and because everyone in SV kisses up to Loic so they can get hookups at Le Web.

    Oh and in your next ‘sit-down’ with Loic can you ask him why a startup needs $6 million to create Twitter clients, each of which can be developed by a lone developer (like Atebits) in a garage?

  • HauserIsRight

    Made my day. thanks!

  • http://www.seesmic.com Mathieu

    We are in the process of putting the QR Code on our site, we needed to wait to publish the app before. In the mean time, you can find it here: http://twitpic.com/q9nnq

  • Ange

    There is no future here.

  • http://diamondtearz.org/seesmic-blackberry-android-announced-loic/ Sweet Spongebob Squarepants! Loic Just Announced Seesmic for Blackberry and Android!

    [...] I’ll have to come back and write more about this later. Like after I download and play for an hour! Loic Lemur just announced Seesmic for Blackberry and Android at TechCrunch Live in Real Time! Here’s a more detailed article from Techcrunch about Seesmic’s powerful new Android App. [...]

  • peter

    and this makes money how?

    zzzzzzzzzzzz…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas_Hunsaker/569062149 Thomas Hunsaker

    Agreed, I love twidroid, but its refreshing to see another real competitor in the space. Hoping lists support is added soon.

  • tim

    @peter

    “and this makes money how?”

    LeWeb! (the whole idea for promoting seesmic)

  • thomas

    because you need a volume of 0.5 mill. annual trade for an E-2 visa whereas i think that it doesn’t matter if that’s sub- or above zero as long as it looks like a huge pile of money. the rest pays for eating out with scoble and creating rounded corners.

  • last bb user on earth

    BB Curve 8310 still under Warranty, OS v4.5.0.81 (ok, nabbed early from Australia so I could run video in US) can NOT run SEESMIC Twitter client for BB. Needs some obscure file or later OS (not avail for 8310).

    Developing Apps that exclude devices and OS versions that are FAIRLY RECENT is what?

    C’est tres lazeeee?

    Back to Twitterberry which works. May not be pretty, but, it works.

    BTW — free video, free apps, no advertising, I guess we shouldn’t complain that SEESMIC doesn’t provide working product? Sorry. At least I didn’t invest in them.

  • http://www.vodafone-update.de Widgetlabs

    We are missing Vodafone Update for Android, Blackberry and iPhone ;-)

    http://www.vodafone-update.de

    Cheers

  • Shane

    Twidroid already has list support. If we could only get fb supported…and maybe a prominent place for lists. Good app though, man.

  • Foo

    Clearly, they’re conquering all psychic mediums.

  • Teenage Werewolf

    I switched over from Seesmic to Brizzly today. Why? Because I could. The switching costs are effectively zero, there’s little differentiation (mostly on the edges) and the Twitter clients have no leverage over users. Bottom line: this is a commodity market. Unless Seesmic can increase switching costs by creating sustainable competitive advantage and leverage, Loic’s investors will see there $6 million investment turn into a pile of croissant crumbs.

  • Relativität

    @Leena Rao —–> Typo, Android section: Le meir =\ Le meur

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Wayne_Schulz/531173044 Wayne Schulz

    I think one of the first questions that I’d ask of Seesmic is: “How are you going to make money in this space?”

    Possibly the game plan is to attract a huge follower base and then introduce paid versions of the applications?

    I like these applications. Free is a good price. I just cannot shake the feeling that within a few years many of these applications are going to the graveyward where all “couldn’t make any money off it” apps go to die.

    Anyone remember the legions of Palm apps that (in their day) sprouted, blossomed and then gradually withered?

  • http://nokiaphones.ws/ Administrator

    Nokia phone not only offers a communication media intended for family, associates plus equals, but moreover a stand for information as well as amusement for the customer.

  • http://www.technama.com/2009/seesmic-mobile-app-for-android-and-blackberry/ Seesmic Mobile App for Android and Blackberry | TechNama

    [...] The guys at TechCrunch had an opportunity to test the Seesmic app for Blackberry and Android and here is what they have to say about each! [...]

  • http://twitter.com/zbowling Zac Bowling

    forgot the full discloser that Arriginton is an investor in seesmic

  • http://recolector.de/jesus/2009/11/23/seesmic-disponible-para-android-y-blackberry/ Sobre Tecnologia » Blog Archive » Seesmic disponible para Android y BlackBerry

    [...] | Android and Me | TechCrunch. Seesmic | Android | [...]

  • http://benmetcalfe.com/blog/2009/11/announcing-my-new-startup-platos-forms-funding-yay/ Announcing my new startup: Plato’s Forms (+ funding, yay!) | :Ben Metcalfe Blog

    [...] and focus moving forward, although for now I will continue to work with Seesmic on a small scale (my BlackBerry app shipped last week) and maintain my advisory board responsibilities with my [...]

  • http://www.scoopernews.com/sidebar-delivers-personalized-mobile-apps-and-content-to-android/ Sidebar Delivers Personalized Mobile Apps And Content To Android | ScooperNews.com

    [...] Sidebar are coming to the Android before hopping on the iPhone train. We’ve seen Sobees and Seesmic take a similar approach. Because the iPhone market is so saturated, it could make sense for [...]

  • http://www.stoth.com/2009/11/26/sidebar-delivers-personalized-mobile-apps-and-content-to-android/ Sidebar Delivers Personalized Mobile Apps And Content To Android | Stoth

    [...] Sidebar are coming to the Android before hopping on the iPhone train. We’ve seen Sobees and Seesmic take a similar approach. Because the iPhone market is so saturated, it could make sense for [...]

  • http://www.brunotrani.info/blog/2009/11/27/sidebar-delivers-personalized-mobile-apps-and-content-to-android/ Sidebar Delivers Personalized Mobile Apps And Content To Android – bruno trani dot info

    [...] Sidebar are coming to the Android before hopping on the iPhone train. We’ve seen Sobees and Seesmic take a similar approach. Because the iPhone market is so saturated, it could make sense for [...]

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Simon_Cousins/1667414006 Simon Cousins

    “Agghhh… there are no mediums in this store. I can never find anything that fits me.”

  • http://n/a Bruce

    With all the developers developing apps for free, you are bound to have fragmentation. Hence, the market attempts to aggregate, trump, the market to gain control. That’s OK so long as you can make money. Kids will abandon social networking as it will soon be cool not to have an account–they simply do not have the attention span to keep up with posting on multiple accounts and the idea they can post once; post every where will further delude the market.. .in other words… the outernet will become cool. It’s almost hilarious people are teletyping; not pushing audio files around or talking on the phone.. Bell did invent phone in the 1870′s to end morse code. Remember the party line?

  • http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/19/seesmic-look/ It Looks Like Loic Is Getting Ready To Launch Seesmic Look

    [...] Twitter clients across the desktop, the Web, a native client for Windows7, and mobile platforms (Android and Blackberry).  But all of these clients so far are aimed at Twitter power users.  Seesmic Look sounds more [...]

  • http://shegeeks.net/verizon-android-and-seesmic-a-recipe-for-a-great-twitter-android-app/ Verizon, Android, And Seesmic: A Recipe For A Great Twitter Android App

    [...] apart of Seesmic’s first venture into the mobile apps, Seesmic for Android packed a punch right out of the box. Uploading Youtube video’s via the app [...]

  • http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2010/02/11/rims-twitter-for-blackberry-app-is-average-at-best/ RIM’s Twitter For BlackBerry App Is Average At Best

    [...] to Seesmic or UberTwitter’s BlackBerry apps, RIM’s app features a timeline of your Tweets, and [...]

  • http://www.brunotrani.info/blog/2010/02/26/seesmic%e2%80%99s-blackberry-app-now-sweeter-than-all-the-others/ Seesmic’s BlackBerry App Now Sweeter Than All The Others | bruno trani dot info

    [...] heyos_color_link = "046380"; heyos_color_text = "666666"; heyos_color_url = "0033FF"; When Seesmic debuted its Twitter clients for Android and BlackBerry devices back in November, we wrote that the two apps [...]

  • http://www.ceptema.org nokia tema

    Waiting for their symbian or java apps :)

  • http://www.ceptema.org blackberry tema

    yes waiting :)

  • http://propakistani.pk/2010/04/10/twitter-usage-may-hike-with-official-blackberry-app/ Twitter Usage May Hike with Official Blackberry App – ProPakistani

    [...] Twitter has finally launched its Blackberry client. Its not that Blackberry users had no option for using Twitter on their Blackberry devices, but this application comes directly from twitter, hence, has its significance. Earlier, Blackberry Other BlackBerry Twitter apps included UberTwitter and Seesmic. [...]

  • http://blog.darkangel.net/archives/343 DarkAngel Blog » Client Twitter ufficiale per BlackBerry

    [...] Attualmente, le alternative per usare twitter sul BB includono UberTwitter e Seesmic [...]

  • http://www.urduhome.net/2010/04/20/twitter-usage-may-hike-with-official-blackberry-app/ UrduHome » Twitter Usage May Hike with Official Blackberry App

    [...] Earlier, Other Twitter apps for Blackberry handsets included UberTwitter and Seesmic. [...]

  • http://www.k3mo.info k3mo

    still waitin'?

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