Mixx 1271366 223481747 2008-07-04T07:19:40Z JHP 972352 External links go at end. {{otheruses}} [[Image:MixxLogo.png|right]] '''Mixx''' is a user-driven [[social media]] web site that serves to help users submit or find content by peers based on interest and location. It combines [[social networking]] and [[bookmarking]] with [[web syndication]], [[blogging]] and [[personalization|personalization tools]]. ==Details== Users of Mixx can control a personalized blend of [[web content]] that includes text-based [[article]]s, [[image]]s and [[video]]s. Mixx users can search and discover media relevant to their interests, and interact with friends and other Mixx users who share their common interests. The content on Mixx comes from various online sources, such as [[news websites|news services]] and online [[publisher]]s of media such as video, images, and various other content. Mixx users can submit items from any online source, including their own websites. Mixx has received partnerships with a growing list of online publishing outlets including [[CNN|CNN.com]], [[USA Today]], [[Reuters]], [[Los Angeles Times|The Los Angeles Times]] and [[The Weather Channel]]. ==Functionality== Mixx lets users generate their own unique mix of [[New media|web-based media]] by creating their own [[personalized]] [[start page]]. By submitting, commenting on and voting for or against stories, photos and videos that they like or don’t like using a [[democratic]] voting method, Mixx users can influence the flow of incoming media and recommend relevant media to other users within specific categories like business, sports and health using either free-form or pre-determined [[meta tags]] to define items by subject matter or geography. Mixx users can also follow other users with whom they share common interests, as well as create, join and invite other Mixx users to private groups to further share and discuss relevant items among peers. Mixx functionality is primarily divided into three categories: '''1. Personalization capabilities''' * ''Start Page.'' Mixx allows you to specify the categories and topics that interest you. These categories and topics are added to ''Your Mixx'' page. Here, all of the items that match your categories or tags are displayed. * ''Personal Profile.'' Mixx users can create their own user ''Profile'', including the ability to choose or upload a photo or image to use as their personal ''Avatar''. * ''Customization.'' While navigating through Mixx, users can customize their Mixx experience by adding a category or topic to their ''Your Mixx'' start page. '''2. Search and discover capabilities''' * ''Search.'' The “What are you interested in?” feature lets users enter keywords that they choose to quickly search all of the text or news articles, videos and images on Mixx. * ''Navigation.'' Mixx users navigate through Mixx by category or type of content. Within a category, they can shift focus between ''Stories'', ''Photos'' and ''Videos''. * ''Popularity.'' The ''Popular'' tab in Mixx displays the items that are most popular among all Mixx users and across all categories for a specific day and time. * ''Localization.'' The ''Local'' tab displays content associated with the zip code specified by the user during the registration process. Utilizing the ''Local Search'' feature lets users find content for other locations as well. '''3. Sharing and networking capabilities''' * ''Submitting content.'' Users can ''Submit a Link'' by entering the URL and content type of the item they want to share with the entire Mixx community or with a ''Private Group''. * ''Voting.'' Mixx allows users to democratically ''Vote'' for content that they like or against the content they do not like. Votes are applied within specific categories, meta tags and geographic locations to ensure that no single niche group overruns another. * ''Commenting.'' Mixx users can join the discussion within the Mixx community or within ''Private Groups'' by adding a ''Comment'' to any item on Mixx. * ''Private Groups.'' Users can share and discuss stories, photos and videos among a designated group of friends or colleagues by creating or joining ''Private Groups''. Groups can be made publicly discoverable or remain hidden at the discretion of the ''Group Administrator''. * ''Mixx Friends.'' Users can add ''Mixx Friends'' to make it easy to ''Share'', ''Invite'', and ''View'' another person’s ''User Activity'' on Mixx. Mixx users can also exclude a specific user from viewing their own activity. ==History== Mixx was started in 2007 by Recommended Reading, Inc. of McLean, Virginia. The private beta version of the site was launched on September 21, 2007,<ref>http://news.corporate.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20070921/21sep20070615.html</ref><ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/13/mixx-to-take-a-new-look-at-social-news/ Mixx To Take A New Look At Social News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the public beta of Mixx was introduced on October 10, 2007.<ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/20/stealthy-startup-mixx-launches-into-private-beta/ Stealthy Startup Mixx Launches Into Private Beta<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/10-10-2007/0004679055&EDATE= Mixx Unleashes 'Your Blend of the Web'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On October 8, 2007 Mixx announced the creation of content partnerships with USA Today, Reuters, The Weather Channel, [http://www.kaboose.com Kaboose] and [http://www.uclick.com uclick Comics].<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-08-2007/0004677383&EDATE= Mixx Teams Up With USA TODAY, Reuters.com, Weather Channel and Leading Online Publishers to Deliver Personalized News, Images and Video<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On December 12, 2007 Mixx and The Los Angeles Times announced the creation of a content partnership in which the daily newspaper took a minor stake in Mixx.<ref>[http://venturebeat.com/2007/12/04/la-times-invests-in-mixx-integrates-social-news-site/ VentureBeat » LA Times invests in Mixx, integrates social news site<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On May 7, 2008 Mixx and CNN.com announced an alliance that added a "Mixx it" icon to the bottom of each CNN.com hosted story.<ref>[http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,1738100,00.html CNN.com, Mixx Enter Alliance to Bolster Online News Community]</ref><ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/05/cnncom-adds-mixx-to-its-mix-of-bookmarking-buttons/ CNN.com Adds Mixx To Its Mix Of Bookmarking Buttons]</ref> While readers can still share a story to other online social news sites like [[Digg]] or [[Facebook]], those options are hidden under the "Share" option, making Mixx a prominent option. Created and developed by a team of industry veterans with deep Internet, news publishing and online content expertise including several former executives from leading companies including [[Yahoo!]], [[USA Today]] and [[AOL]], the company is led by CEO and founder Chris McGill.<ref>[http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/20/stealthy-startup-mixx-launches-into-private-beta/ Stealthy Startup Mixx Launches Into Private Beta<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The former head of strategy at USA TODAY, McGill previously served as the general manager of [[Yahoo! News]] where he oversaw the transformation of that site into the world’s largest online news outlet. McGill realized that people were becoming increasingly frustrated with surfing a myriad of web sites everyday to find the content that mattered to them. He determined in early 2007 that the time was ripe, and the tools available, to create a site that would make it easier for people with similar interests to discover the best the web has to offer—text, videos and photos. Thus, Mixx was born. McGill quickly recruited top talent to form an executive team at Mixx that includes Kerry Pearce-Parkins, vice president of products and marketing, and formerly vice president of content at AOL; and Joe Dzikiewicz, Ph.D., Mixx's CTO, who most recently served as a lead engineer and product innovator at AOL where he spent ten years building cutting edge web applications and technologies. The board of directors and advisors includes Burl Osborne, publisher emeritus of [[Dallas Morning News|The Dallas Morning News]], and former chairman at [[Associated Press|The Associated Press]]; and David Mandelbrot, well-known Internet entrepreneur and the former vice president of Yahoo!'s [[Yahoo!#Content|Content Acquisition Program]] as well as vice president of Yahoo!’s media and entertainment group where he managed Yahoo!'s [[Yahoo Movies|Movies]], [[Yahoo games|Games]], Finance, News, [[Yahoo Sports|Sports]], TV, Health and [[Yahooligans|Yahooligans!]] properties. In June of 2007, Mixx received initial funding from [[List of venture capital firms|Intersouth Partners]] of Durham, North Carolina.<ref>[http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-social-news-site-mixx-launches-gets-funding-from-intersouth-partners/ Social News Site Mixx Gets Funding From Intersouth Partners | paidContent.org<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2007/10/09/social-news-service-mixx-lands-funding-signs-publisher-partners Social News Service Mixx Lands Funding, Signs Publisher Partners | Digital Media Wire<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.massivepress.com/2007/09/17/mixxcom-not-just-another-digg-clone/ Mixx.com, Not Just Another Digg Clone<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==See also== *[[Social bookmarking]] *[[Social networking]] *[[Web syndication]] *[[Blog]] *[[Web 2.0]] *[[Social media]] *[[Personalization]] *[[Creative Commons]] *[[Digg]] *[[Reddit]] *[[Propeller.com|Propeller]] ==References and notes== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== *[http://www.mixx.com Official site] *[http://blog.mixx.com Official blog] *[http://www.crunchbase.com/company/mixx CrunchBase Company Profile for Mixx] *[http://www.mixxingbowl.com UnOfficial Mixx Forums] [[Category:Online social networking]]