iZync - Discover New and Local Activities
02nd Oct 2007
(Review)
iZync.com is making “local search” personal. Launched in August, 2007, Zync aims to do for local activity planning what Netflix has done for movie recommendations and Amazon has done for retail product suggestions.
Namely, the site uses predictive algorithms to help busy people discover new and relevant local activities to fill their free time.
With over 50,000 activities (dining, arts, music, theatre, bars, sports, etc.) and 10,000 ratings in the system, Zync has already assembled an exhaustive database of activities and social opinion for the Boston area. But the real benefit for users comes in the science behind the recommendations – the ability for Zync to weed through the thousands of choices to find those on-target activities that are right for each user individually.
The Zync system aspires to not only be your “trusted advisor” for things to do locally, but also the tool you rely on to organize your group, buy tickets or reserve seats, and go out.
On the Zync blog, CEO and co-founder Brad Rosen says "there’s a real need to personalize the way information is presented on the web, especially local information. We’ve seen a movement towards "personalization" with Netflix and Amazon, and I believe this same approach can be applied in other markets, such as travel and "local," to make it easier for people to find the right information."
How does it work? Users train Zync by answering some simple questions, rating activities, browsing the site, and connecting to trusted friends – all of which help Zync form a dynamic model for each user that is used to find like-minded people in the community, and the activities they enjoy.
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