@ismaelc Our authentication process is fairly simple in the fact when you sign up for an account you are given a auth_key and auth_secret which then gives you access to make a call request. Very similar to other API's. Our API was built by developers for developers to be very easy to implement and use for a wide range of products.
We need to really promote the free demos. Currently if you send us a message through our contact form and use the word demo anywhere in the message you will get a free demo. But, if you would like a Demo osxrand just send your email to mac(at)given.to and I'll send you a great song.
At the moment we only offer items from the US Apple App store but will add new countries based on demand.
@spenvo I think you went to the wrong site. It's http://app.given.to not given.to . On there there are 4 screenshots showing the entire end user experience. But yes anyone who wants an example please let me know and I can send you an app or song in a email,txt, or twitter dm
Exactly. They click the link sent to them and the app store opens up on their computer or mobile device ready to just redeem the code for whatever item they were sent
Well NoBadGift.com did pretty much this same thing. While NoBadGift.com allowed for group gifting a user could just buy a gift out right and have it shipped. Full disclosure I am the CEO of NoBadGift.com which will be shutting down sometime this month. Our new site is http://Given.to which will be launching very soon. We are taking the idea of social gifting/commerce to the next level.
Honestly nothing. As a co-founder of a start up there is nothing any big company could do to attract me other then maybe acquiring my start up lol. I'm pretty sure this is the same for any other developer who has an entrepreneur mind set.
With that aside if I wasn't doing a start up a company would have to follow the Facebook model where they take care of all of a employee's needs for free. Make it so there is so much freedom that I'd feel like I'm work on my own terms so I'm always motivated to work as hard as I could on my task how I want to.
cpt1138 we do not do an affiliation with Amazon. List on our site are made using a Google product search but you can put items from Amazon to a wishlist.
As a Black developer, from an under privileged urban area, without a degree (but went to college for CS) I can can say that I agree with Arrington. The reason there aren't more minorities heading to the valley is because they aren't exposed to the possibilities. I know out of all the black developers I know I'm one of the few with aspersions of doing my own thing (NoBadGift.com) let alone know that that's an option.
This is not to say that I haven't experienced racism in my career in technology. Shoot I have people turn me away because I went to college at an HBCU (Historically Black College & University). Yet, I don't think that was because I in this industry just those individuals bias and I know if there were more minorities exposed to the idea of being entrepreneurs then there would be far more in the valley.
Don't worry though I hope to be one of those that help with this problem
SN: for anyone who has never experience racism consider yourself lucky. True story: (mind you I am a well established ,for my age, government contractor.) After exceeding all of a clients expectations on a project I later had a co-worker come and tell me how shocked that a black person could code let alone do it well and that he thought I was only on the team as a ploy by the company to diversify. Then expected me to take that as a compliment lol. Now that's only one of many stories i can tell. Just my 2 cent
As someone who quit college at 20 for a high paying job I understand your feeling. I'll say this though, the only reason I quit college was because of my financial situation. Here it is 6 years later and I am ahead of my peers in terms of salary but know I had to work just a bit harder then everyone around me to prove myself because I've worked for companies where I was the only person in the whole building without a degree. Now as I progress through my career at such an accelerated rate I recognized this is not the norm by any starch and I am vastly approaching that glass ceiling (granted I can hack the system to break right through that too). With all that said it is a much smoother route if you get your degree first and since your only 19 instead of joining some company start your own thing in your spare time in school. You will be far better served working for yourself while gaining more knowledge in college. If i could go back and do it all again that's exactly what I would have done as I am on the path to trying to get my start up off the ground. NoBadGift.com
For me it the ability to work on what I'm passionate about on my own terms. As I have worked for some big name companies and organization that effected world change, yet it was still never things I was passionate about or on my terms. Plus as I have for the last year and half been working on my own startup I have come to realize just how rewarding the process is. I mean the struggles and sacrifices and risks you go through to see your own idea and passion come to life is like none other. To be your own boss and see a dream realized in the process. What's better then that?
Should we put this video and other reviews like this one on our site? Can videos like this be damaging to a site as some users tend to put their own spin on what they feel a site is good for which may be different from it was actually intended to do?
Mike thank you for the advice. we really appreciate it. I guess as a developers these are things we just didn't have the "eyes" for. You have been a huge help
Could you tell us what you think about the concept behind NoBadGift.com (kickstarter for gifts and events) and flaws you can see in our approach. Also any suggestions for our home page to draw in users. Thanks a lot
Custom built desktop - 27" apple led screen, I7 860 processor over clocked to 3.53GH (water cooled), 16GB ram which dual boots Ubuntu 11.4, Windows 7, OS X Snow Leopard (was originally just a hack-n-tosh)