An “Extreme” Ecosystem Example

In the development world, there are two critical ingredients you need to have in order to be successful within a potential system/product ecosystem.  First, you need access to hooks (APIs) and second, you need something complex enough where the originators aren’t getting around to everything (yet).  There are, of course, other things like market size to consider, but out of the gate making sure you have an ‘open’ environment sitting on top of a rich opportunity is very important.

The RIM devices do a good job of checking off the those first two boxes.  You can hook into the BlackBerry devices reasonably easy enough and the designers have a continuing list of things they need/should get done for the devices.

Extreme Venture Partners (they have a very complex web site, use care) lead by Amar Varma, spends lots of time doing seed stage start ups.  Armed with a fairly powerful group of developers, they spin out companies with a bunch of interesting applications.

One such is a little application called “Forward with Edit.”  It is designed to fix the annoying problem of not being able to edit a message you wish to forward on your BlackBerry.

The folks at BerryReview did a good review here.  You can find this on the BlackBerry application store.

I point this out for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, there are tons of opportunities out there to add/extend platforms.  The BlackBerry devices, like others, are great platforms with lots of room for developers to play.

The second is another plug for Canada, Toronto in particular, and the deep well of talent we have here.

As I’ve said before: Go code something.

Comments

[Colin Percival]

I think you're missing one or more words in the middle of the following sentence: "[...] and second, you need something complex enough the originators don't get around to everything (yet)."

[Rick Segal]

Hi Colin,
Thanks. Trying to do this on a touch screen device.. oops.

>R<

[Mike Drips]

Rick! Xobni is coming to the Blackberry and I had to read about this on ANOTHER SITE!?

Are you OK? Caught the swine flu?

Hello?

[Rick Segal]

Heh.. Yeah, well, one of those things. I promised the boyz I'd let them do their thing first. I'm on a post later tonight. Longer story..

>R<