Farewell to 2007

It has been a while. There is nothing like the end of the year to start the wheels spinning!

Here is my best attempt at a brief recap.

The Web continues to grow and reinvent (ok, sometimes just duplicate!) and the biggest buzz of the year has clearly been Facebook. My fav (and office host), twitter, had a nice run after SxSW. Both companies have big challenges ahead. Twitter must get past niche status among tech folks. It may ultimately be restricted by the very limitations (140 characters) that helped it stand out. Facebook may fall well short of the amazing expectations it has conjured. Unfortunately, communication/community apps now have a long history online and they generally fall 1-3 orders of magnitude behind the cash cow that is search.

30 Boxes continued to quietly grow though we generally restrict it from getting too big (counter intuitive?). We were proud to stand out among a select few as nominees for both a Webby and SxSW.

This summer we got sidetracked with the Facebook hype and created a second company around a product called fbExchange — an ad and link trade network for Facebook. That business is making money!

We are also flattered to have seen many companies copy and improve upon concepts that were first presented within (and outside of) 30 Boxes like our Buddy Updates (e.g. Plaxo Pulse, FriendFeed, et. al.)

What else? iPhone is the first step toward the next 10 years of computing. Keep buying Apple stock, it will go up 5-fold or more. They are the only company with a clear vision and a commitment to products that make sense for a digital lifestyle.

I completed some adventure races and some ultramarathons. On a sad note, my teacher in life and spirituality, passed on in his 77th year. As a humanitarian, peace advocate, and creative spirit, Sri Chinmoy will be sorely missed by many and in many countries.

2008 seems to me full of promise despite the gloomsayers. I hope that you have the courage and determination to attain your goals. I will be searching for that balance that sparks ideas and innovation but affords an appreciation of all the good stuff and people I am fortunate to interact with on a daily basis.