TechCrunch’s startups’ web sites suck too

OK, I just visited the companies Web sites of the finalists for TC50. They mostly suck too. But this time I’m going to put the blame on the conference holders. Why do they suck? Because lots of them are like this one, which just has a form up because they can’t reveal anything about themselves before they get on stage.

First TC50 Suckage: Wifi at conference?

@matteofabiano writes “TC50 wifi overloaded. Way too slow.”
It’s not the only note I’ve seen already about the Wifi sucking and the show hasn’t even started yet.

72 Nice Things about Demo’s Startups’ Websites

OK, OK, I’ve had my weekend fun when I said, on Saturday, that most of the sites for the companies being shown at the Demo Conference suck. That conference starts later today. I got half the industry to hate me. I have people wondering if I’m a paid shill for Arrington or TC50. Hate mail continues flowing in. Etc. Etc.

My “alignment” with TC50

Alec Saunders, in a comment over on his blog where he said I came off very poorly in my rant about the startups at Demo’s websites questions my “alignment” with TC50. I think that’s worth pointing out here.
I have not shared a meal in the past few months with Mike Arrington. Last time I remember seeing him was at his TC party a couple months ago.

Useful travel web sites

The future of the Web is Marc Canter’s back fence

The “gold standard” of recent startups

Well, I’ve taken potshots at the new breed of startups. But let’s go back and look at recent startups that have gotten our attention and use this list as a “gold standard” through which to judge companies that come out this week at one of the two conferences.

How to be a stealth site

Let’s say you want to introduce your product on a certain date. Say on Monday because you are demonstrating your product at Demo or TC50. Well, you aren’t allowed to show off the product, right? So, what do you do?
Well, look at Causecast’s site.
This is done pretty darn well.
What did they do?

The Superbowl of Startups

When I attended Demo I remember being in awe of what I thought of as the Superbowl of Startups.
Here were these companies that prepared months to spend six minutes on stage.
Later I talked with “DemoGods Coaches” like Shel Israel or Nathan Gold. They told me just how much hard work went in behind the scenes. Some teams spent literally months preparing their demos and getting their companies ready for the big day. This year the big day is on Monday.

Scoble Sucks

Whoa, the hate mail has been flowing fast and furious tonight.
Pat Phelan, founder of MaxRoam, says that today my shine came off.