Announcing JabAbout

Update: JabAbout has been discontinued due to Facebook API changed that have cause it to fail. If you have an interest in taking over the project, please let us know.

JabAbout, our first released product is out! JabAbout is a Facebook application that lets you send short messages, images, and videos to your friends. What is different about it is that your messages – Jabs – do not stop with your friends but continue to their friends and their friends’ friends.

JabAbout tries to use the entire social graph, not just your list of friends, to build useful utilities, something I have been complaining about the lack of. I like comparing JabABout to the Facebook poke utility, but with ability to add a message, and to extend the reach beyond just the one friend being poked.

The JabAbout idea is a byproduct of developing the Nouncer platform. Originally planned as a standalone application, we decided to launch it as a Facebook application instead. We contracted FBFactory.com to build the Facebook application and they did an outstanding job. They were very patient with our requests and had a pretty quick turnaround.

JabAbout is still rough around the edges. Please let us know if you have any problems or ideas. One thing that we know is going to change is the current point allocation algorithm. In JabAbout, you use points to make your Jab reach more people, and earn points by reading Jabs from friends. You start with 50 points and can also set the distance between you and your friends to have better control over who gets which Jab – you cannot send Jabs to specific individuals.