Author Topic: Riffle - "The Pinterest of Book Discovery" (Read 655 times)

taralazar · « **on:** July 01, 2012, 01:37 AM »

Yes, yet another social media site!

PW called RIFFLE "the Pinterest of book discovery"....and you can request an invite here: http://l.aunch.it/l7Dd

You have to fill out an application which asks how many books you read annually, how many you buy annually, and how you wish to use Riffle (as a reader, blogger, bookseller, author, etc.). I just did it so I'm not on it yet and I don't know anything more than what the article describes:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/52628-could-riffle-be-the-pinterest-of-book-discovery-.html

It may be too similar to GoodReads to make inroads or it may take off like Pinterest. Who knows. But it's always good to be in on the early side, and with these sites, the more friends the merrier!

Franzilla · « **Reply #1 on:** July 01, 2012, 06:51 AM »

I requested too. I used to be on Goodreads but the review system annoyed me so I left. I am hoping this will allow me to log books I've read while sharing with others... like pinterest, which I love!

Kell · « **Reply #2 on:** July 01, 2012, 08:26 AM »

I requested a week or two ago and have not gotten invited yet. :sob

taralazar · « **Reply #3 on:** July 01, 2012, 08:40 AM »

Oh no, a few weeks ago and nothing yet? Hmmm, maybe they're not even fully up and running?

taralazar · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2012, 08:43 AM »

Quote from: Franzilla on July 01, 2012, 06:51 AM

I requested too. I used to be on Goodreads but the review system annoyed me so I left.

I have trouble with that, too, but I stay because it's easy for me to track the books I read. I just leave some stars and be done with it. I don't write good novel reviews because I often cannot articulate what I enjoyed about them in a thoughtful way. Maybe it's because I'm not a novelist! LOL. I have no problem reviewing picture books!

Susan · « **Reply #5 on:** July 01, 2012, 09:50 AM »

I'm having trouble find Riffle through my preferred search engine (duckduckgo), the launch site Tara posted has almost no info, and my Google Chrome search put a *questionable site* icon next to what appears to be the Riffle home.

Franzilla · « **Reply #6 on:** July 01, 2012, 01:42 PM »

This is what Odyl say (the company behind it):

The service will be broadly available as soon as we've finished responding to feedback from the first set of users.

Please understand that our intent is to release a high quality user experience by learning from an invite only phase.

We promise that Riffle will be worth it.

Emily G · « **Reply #7 on:** July 01, 2012, 01:53 PM »

taralazar, thanks for sharing this - really interesting.

I'm struggling to visualise what it will be like. If it's very pinterest-y - just sharing cover+blurb+a few words of a review, for instance - I can't imagine wanting to use it, because I love reading long & thoughtful reviews. Thorough reviews also help me decide whether that reviewer has similar tastes to mine, and will I follow them & take their recommendations regularly. I do love pinterest for specific uses (e.g. inspiration image boards for WIPs) but can't STAND the options of browsing everything tagged "art" or "history" or whatever, because half the userbase of pinterest seems to have no idea how to use them... A quick glance just now at the "history" category shows 2 recipes, a kid's costume how-to, a religious quote, a motivational quote, five pictures of vintage clothes, one top-20-beauty-tips, a guide on how to use a flat iron ... The idea of a book website like that depresses me.

And if it's very goodreads-y? - well, as someone else said upthread, why bother switching websites?? I don't think goodreads is perfect, but it's functional, established & has a big userbase. Unless Riffle offers something staggeringly innovative, I don't know to what extent people would migrate.

And if it's a mashup ... it COULD be good. But it also could go really wrong.

All that said, of course I've signed up to request an invite

taralazar · « **Reply #8 on:** July 02, 2012, 02:44 PM »

I contacted one of my smartest digerati friends and asked him what he knew and thought about Riffle.

To give some background on Chris, I've known him since 1993 when I worked for a high-tech market research firm and he was one of my clients at Ameritech. He was always several steps ahead of my company's analysts when it came to the internet. Since that time he's worked on many digital media projects both in and out of the publishing industry.

So I put down everything Chris told me in a blog post:

Riffle: “The Pinterest of Book Discovery” or “GoodReads 2.0″ or Not?
http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/riffle-the-pinterest-of-book-discovery-or-goodreads-2-0-or-not/
or shortlink:
http://wp.me/p7jVE-17A

I'd be curious to see what y'all have to say about this!

Franzilla · « **Reply #9 on:** July 02, 2012, 04:28 PM »

Interesting! For me, the thing about Pinterest was/is that I don't have to go through a load of guff to get to fabulous ideas/art/photos/etc - because they did it by invite-only at the start and because I've selected whose boards I see, whenever I log on, I'm presented by a glorious selection of beautiful stuff. That's what I'd like to experience with books. I imagine logging on and viewing reviews by all the people whose opinions I might respect for one reason or another, with various different categories (PB, MG, non-fiction, adult, humorous, travel writing, whatever) and being able to dip into what's written about a book to get a feel for it.

That's my hope. My dream! But of course this dream, should it become a reality, will cost me dearly... in yet MORE money to be shelled out for MORE books!

taralazar · « **Reply #10 on:** July 02, 2012, 05:12 PM »

I like Pinterest because it's highly visual and not a huge time suck. I see something I like, I click my pinmarklet in my browser, and it's kept safe and handy-dandy. Then, when I want a little eye candy, I go visit the main Pinterest page and see what my friends have posted. It's so quick and easy and it's something I wanted a long time ago!

Susan · « **Reply #11 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:57 AM »

Quote from: taralazar on July 02, 2012, 02:44 PM

So I put down everything Chris told me in a blog post:

Riffle: “The Pinterest of Book Discovery” or “GoodReads 2.0″ or Not?
http://taralazar.wordpress.com/2012/07/02/riffle-the-pinterest-of-book-discovery-or-goodreads-2-0-or-not/
or shortlink:
http://wp.me/p7jVE-17A

I'd be curious to see what y'all have to say about this!

Well, Tara--your blog actually made me more interested in Riffle. I hadn't caught the idea that one would be *pinning* pre-curated/digested info.

I assumed that one would be pinning a cluster of random opinions, each pinner perhaps adding his/her own random opinion, so that the info about a book would become ungainlier in direct proportion to its popularity among ordinary readers. Now it sounds more like amount of info attached to a book will be in proportion to the amount of *expert* buzz? (Whatever *expert* means. . . .) But in any event, infinite numbers of reviews/comments would not be attached to most books? Am I getting that right?

But--as your blog leads me to wonder--who selects the curators? And where will their (selectors' and curators') attention focus? On the same books currently stacked face out or on the end displays in B&N? How deftly will this system keep up with the kind of book that rises slowly from the bottom of the list because of word-of-mouth?

taralazar · « **Reply #12 on:** July 04, 2012, 02:28 AM »

Susan, those are all terrific questions and all things we don't know as of yet. If the curators are going to play such an important role, just who are these curators?

I think one thing that's going to happen is that GoodReads and LibraryThing are going to have to step it up. Neither is known for an attractive interface or a visual experience. If Riffle is more visual like Pinterest, it might have a slight edge. But GR's installed based is already so big and I think people are invested in their existing shelves. We'll see what happens...

Meanwhile, I wish I'd get my invite accepted already! It's only been about 5 days but I am impatient to see what this thing does!

Susan · « **Reply #13 on:** July 04, 2012, 08:36 AM »

We'll be waiting for your report, Tara! Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

PJV · « **Reply #14 on:** February 04, 2013, 10:27 PM »

Anyone trying this? I'm on but have no idea how to use it!

Bobi Martin · « **Reply #15 on:** February 04, 2013, 10:39 PM »

Interesting. Like PJV, I'm on. I think. The site indicated I was accepted when I finished the questions. I was able to post a link to my FB page inviting others to join. But I couldn't get any of the buttons (on the site) to let me read anything, so I'm not sure the site is functioning yet.

PJV · « **Reply #16 on:** February 04, 2013, 10:49 PM »

That was my problem, too, Bobi. I figured it was me, now you've made me feel better.

Bobi Martin · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2013, 10:53 PM »

Glad I could help, lol. I am looking forward to seeing how this site will work and what kind of reviews it will generate.

Bobi Martin · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2013, 10:45 PM »

So, yesterday I had the distinct impression that I was already "on" Riffle. But today I received an email telling me I should get an "invite" soon. Hmmm. I think the site is not actually ready to be up and running but that the admins want to be sure there are lots of folks at the ready when they do start up. Guess we'll all stay tuned, lol.

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Author Topic: Riffle - "The Pinterest of Book Discovery" (Read 655 times)