Finally!

[Press Release] narabe, a new service aiming to be the Wikipedia of comparison charts launches

[Abstract] “Narabe” (http://narabe.com/) is a new service where users can collaboratively collect and compare data such as products, brands, people or places in comparison tables.

19th May 2008

Team Narabe, led by professional blogger Akky AKIMOTO and based on Tokyo Japan, have released their new collaborative web service “narabe.com”.

http://narabe.com/

[Concept]

Narabe (pronounced “nah-rah-bay”) is a service where users can create comparison tables of anything they like. For example, here is an example table comparing Narabe to other services and tools.

| |Table |Comparison|Voting|Sharing|Free |
|Narabe |✔ |✔ |✔ |✔ |✔ |
|Wikipedia |✖ |✖ |✖ |✔ |✔ |
|KittenWar |✖ |✔ |✔ |✔ |✔ |
|Excel |✔ |✔ |✖ |✖ |✖ |
|Google Spreadsheets |✔ |✔ |✖ |✔ |✔ |
|QuickBase |✔ |✔ |✖ |✔ |✖ |

Compared to existing tools, Narabe brings new dynamics such sharing, publishing, voting and collaboration to comparison charts.

Users start by creating a chart listing the items to be compared and the criteria for comparsion. Other users can add to the items to be compared or the criteria. Anyone can then add their ‘yes or no’ vote to each of the items. Votes are totaled periodically, thereby using the wisdom of crowds theory to produce an up-to-date opinion or judgement on an issue.

Narabe can be compared to Wikipedia in the fact that it is made up of user generated content, but Narabe is aiming exclusively at comparison charts.

The charts can be filtered to show only the items and criteria that users are interested in. Generated charts, both filtered and non-filtered, can easily be shared on other web sites, blogs or in in research reports using either HTML or plain text.

Some examples of the comparisons that users may like to create are …

* products - cars, televisions, gadgets, PCs, etc.
* services - movers, phone companies, parcells, etc.
* shops - coffeeshop, restaurant, apparel, haircut, etc.
* company - fortune 100, IT ventures, etc.
* people - celebrities, billionaires, sports players, etc.

More sample comparison charts can be seen at,

Web browser comparison
http://narabe.com/table/1006

Coffeshop comparison
http://narabe.com/table/1012

[What does "narabe" mean?]

“narabe” is a Japanese word which means “to list up”. It is pronounced “nah-rah-bay”.

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[About Team Narabe]

Director: Hiroki ‘Akky’ AKIMOTO

Profile:

A professional technology blogger working for Cybozu Labs, a research subsidiary of Japan’s No.1 groupware vendor Cybozu Inc. His weblog “AKIMOTO@Cybozu Labs Programmer’s Blog”(*1) received an “Alpha Blogger Award”, one of the most prominent blogger awards in Japan.

While working as a professional blogger, Akky started his own two projects, “Asiajin”(*2) and “Narabe”. “Asiajin” is an English group blog on the Japanese Web industry news started Dec. 2007 and rapidly gaining readers.

Akky authored several books in Japanese including “PHP X Web Service API Connections” and “Practical Web2.0 BOOK”. He also writes tech columns on Nikkei IT Pro, CNET Japan and Markezine.

Tech lead: OHNO, Shin

Profile:

Freelance programer, focusing on front-end web technology. He calls himself a backpacker programmer.

He takes his laptop anywhere so he can develop software. He is a big fan of scuba diving, and looks for the places he can dive and develop. He implemented more than half of Narabe.com while traveling Thailand, Malaysia, U.S, Honduras. If you can find an area with a good internet connection and good diving, he’ll be there. Currently he is in Kyoto for the release of Narabe.com, and preparing for his next travel adventure.

(*1) http://labs.cybozu.co.jp/blog/akky/ (in Japanese)
(*2) http://asiajin.com/

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[Contact]

Please contact ‘information aaaat narabe dooott com’ for more information.

Team Narabe
http://narabe.com/

It’s been longer time than we expected before. We have been working a lot on functionalities of narabe.com, and can say the public release date is soon in May.