Aardvark (search engine) explained

Aardvark
Commercial:Yes
Language:English
Owner:Google
Launch Date:Early 2008
Current Status:Abandoned, shut down by Google

Aardvark was a social search service that connected users live with friends or friends-of-friends who were able to answer their questions, also known as a knowledge market. Users submitted questions via the Aardvark website, email or instant messenger and Aardvark identified and facilitated a live chat or email conversation with one or more topic experts in the 'askers' extended social network. Aardvark was used for asking subjective questions for which human judgment or recommendation was desired. It was also used extensively for technical support questions. Users could also review question and answer history and other settings on the Aardvark website. Google acquired Aardvark for $50 million on February 11, 2010.[1] [2] In September 2011, Google announced it would discontinue a number of its products, including Aardvark.[3]

History

Aardvark was originally developed by The Mechanical Zoo, a San Francisco-based startup founded in 2007 by Max Ventilla, Nathan Stoll (both former Google employees), Damon Horowitz and Rob Spiro.[4] A prototype version of Aardvark was launched in early 2008.[5] Aardvark was released to the public in March 2009,[6] although initially new users had to be invited by existing users.[7] The company did not release usage statistics.

The name Mechanical Zoo was chosen in homage to the machine-like aspect of its applications, including Aardvark and other animal-named products that were intended for future release.[8]

Interaction model

When a user joined Aardvark, aardvark was added to the user's IM buddylist. Users submitted questions by email or IM.[9] Aardvark guided the user through the question process by providing messages that confirmed receipt of the question and explained any actions required of the user. IM users were able to use a variety of "IM commands"—one word messages that could be used to fine-tune the question parameters, invite new users, or get help.[10]

There were two main interaction flows available in Aardvark for answering a question. The primary flow involved Aardvark sending a message to the user (via IM, email, etc.) asking if the user would like to answer a question. Periodically, Aardvark contacted users via email or IM when it believed they were well-suited to answer another user's question. Aardvark searched through one's friends and friends' friends also. Instead of sending the question to every friend it found, it searched a person's profile to see if there were information related to the question.[11]

When Aardvark sent a question to the user, if the user responded affirmatively, Aardvark relayed the question as well as the name of the questioner. The user could then simply type an answer to the question, a friend's name or email address to refer to someone who may know the answer or simply type in "pass" to pass on the request. Aardvark sent such requests for answers less than once a day to a given user (and users could easily change contact settings, specify preferred frequency and time of the day for such requests).

Aardvark supported Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger.[12]

A secondary flow of answering questions was more similar to traditional bulletin-board style interactions: a user sent a message to Aardvark or visited the "Answering" tab of the website, Aardvark showed the user a recent question from the user's network which had not yet been answered and which was related to the user's profile topics. This mode involved the user initiating the exchange when the user was in the mood to try to answer a question; as such, it had the benefit of tapping into users who acted as eager potential 'answerers'.

In all of the interfaces, wrappers around messages from another user included information about the user to facilitate trust: the user's real name, age, gender, the social connection between the two users, a section of topics the user had expertise in, and summary statistics of the user's activity on Aardvark.

Funding and economic strategies

The Mechanical Zoo was privately held, prior to acquisition by Google. Initial funding was in early 2008, with $750,000 in convertible debt from angel investors.[13] This was followed by a series A funding round of $6 million, led by August Capital, in October 2008.[14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: February 12, 2010 . Google Acquires Aardvark For $50 million (Confirmed) . TechCrunch . February 11, 2010 . techcrunch.com . We can now confirm that Google has signed a deal to acquire us but have no further comment.. https://web.archive.org/web/20100213173719/http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/11/google-acquires-aardvark-for-50-million/. February 13, 2010 . live.
  2. Web site: February 12, 2010 . Google Acquires Aardvark . Official Google Blog . we're excited to announce that we've acquired Aardvark, a unique technology company.. https://web.archive.org/web/20100214102200/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/google-acquires-aardvark.html. February 14, 2010 . live.
  3. Web site: A fall spring-clean . Alan Eustace . September 2, 2011 . September 2, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110907013015/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/fall-spring-clean.html . September 7, 2011 . live .
  4. Web site: March 11, 2009 . Mechanical Zoo Gets $6 Million To Build Aardvark Social Search Product . TechCrunch . October 29, 2008 . techcrunch.com . startup founded by Max Ventilla (Google corp dev), Nathan Stoll (Google News) and Damon Horowitz (Perspecta). https://web.archive.org/web/20090314120238/http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/29/mechanical-zoo-gets-6-million-to-build-aardvark-social-search-product/. March 14, 2009 . live.
  5. Web site: April 13, 2012 . Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search . news.cnet.comt . cnet.com . The site, called Mechanical Zoo, is poised to launch in beta next month. The San Francisco company . . .is about 9 months old . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617080426/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9924964-7.html . June 17, 2011 . live .
  6. Web site: April 13, 2012 . What to expect at SXSW . cnet . cnet.com . Given the dismal economy, there won't be a whole lot of new companies launching at SXSWi this year. There are a few: Social search company Aardvark. https://web.archive.org/web/20090314180730/http://news.cnet.com//8301-13577_3-10194175-36.html. March 14, 2009 . live.
  7. Web site: March 13, 2009 . Aardvark "Help Engine" Opens to Wider User . searchengineland.com . March 13, 2009 . When you sign-up through an invitation . . . . https://web.archive.org/web/20090315174435/http://searchengineland.com/aardvark-help-engine-opens-16919. March 15, 2009 . live.
  8. Web site: April 13, 2012 . Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search . news.cnet.comt . cnet.com . Mechanical Zoo is an homage to the mechanical workings of its application, as well as several animal-named products that the company plans to introduce over time. . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617080426/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9924964-7.html . June 17, 2011 . live .
  9. Web site: March 11, 2009 . ChaCha And Aardvark: Putting Humans To Work To Get You The Answers You Need . techcrunch . November 3, 2008 . techcrunch.com . You can ask questions via an instant message buddy or email.. https://web.archive.org/web/20090323220047/http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/03/chacha-and-aardvark-putting-humans-to-work-to-get-you-the-answers-you-need/. March 23, 2009 . live.
  10. Web site: March 11, 2009 . Aardvark, a better social qa than twitter . i-penny.com . Aardvark features a number of simple commands that allow you to interact with the service and that are always explained in your conversations with Aardvark. . https://archive.today/20100903183009/http://i-penny.com/aardvark-a-better-social-qa-than-twitter/ . September 3, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
  11. Web site: March 11, 2009 . Aardvark, a better social q&a than twitter . readwriteweb.com . In return, Aardvark will also send you a few questions every day that fit your profile. . https://web.archive.org/web/20090312044322/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/aardvark_25_invites.php . March 12, 2009 . dead . mdy-all .
  12. Web site: March 11, 2009 . Aardvark, a better social qa than twitter . i-penny.com . Aardvark supports Google Talk, AIM, and Microsoft's Live Messenger. . https://archive.today/20100903183009/http://i-penny.com/aardvark-a-better-social-qa-than-twitter/ . September 3, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
  13. Web site: April 13, 2012 . Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search . news.cnet.comt . cnet.com . The privately funded Mechanical Zoo has raised about $750,000 in convertible debt from angel investors, including ex-colleagues and friends . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617080426/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9924964-7.html . June 17, 2011 . live .
  14. Web site: March 11, 2009 . Mechanical Zoo Gets $6 Million To Build Aardvark Social Search Product . TechCrunch . October 29, 2008 . techcrunch.com . The fifteen person company has raised $7.5 million (including an earlier angel round) in a highly anticipated venture capital financing led by August Capital. Additional investors include Baseline Ventures and a number of angels.. https://web.archive.org/web/20090314120238/http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/29/mechanical-zoo-gets-6-million-to-build-aardvark-social-search-product/. March 14, 2009 . live.

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