During today’s Yahoo event at CES 2014, they announced that they had acquired popular up-and-coming Android launcher Aviate. Aviate has set a blazing trail, due primarily to its smart, context aware layouts, and of course, a clean design aesthetic. Just as Google Now provides context and location aware information, so does Aviate, right on your homescreen.
Aviate achieves this witchcraft by tracking usage patterns, and automatically categorises applications on your Android device based on context (including WiFi, GPS, time of day and accelerometer). By doing so, Aviate is able to give you a home-screen that fits a layout required for lounging around at home, commuting to and from work, surviving the office and getting around on the weekends to restaurants and nightspots. In short, the more you use it, the better it becomes.
We don’t know what changes lie around the corner for Aviate, but one thing we do know is this — the fairly limited beta program has been extended, and the first 25,000 people who use the sign-up code YAHOO can try Aviate right now.
Considering the damage YaHell has wrought on their own, and previously acquired, services over the past 2 years, I now hold grave fears for the medium and long term future of Aviate.
Jeni Really!!!! have you not yet had enough of constant negative comments. Seems you are the expert on everything. Why don’t you take over every IT company you are so brilliant.
Jeni u r da biggest troll on dis site
They took over Tumblr, and haven’t touched it and also announced that they will never drastically change it. They’re not the worst company in the world…
Brad, I’ve found a reference to your point about the Yahoo purchase of tumblr.
USA Today, Money section, 23 May 2013
Yahoo pledges ‘not to screw up’ Tumblr deal
First paragraph in the article.
[Citation Needed]
The number of links involved would likely cause issues with getting the post approved, kjmci, but I can, at least give the dates and products involved where I have first hand knowledge of the damage. Yahoo Homepage Turned into a tabloid ‘news’ page in 2009 Tabloid content layout updated in 2011 and 2013 each time to reduce the ability to block ad and/or other unwanted content, and increase the amount of tabloid content and reduce the real news content. Yahoo Profiles Forced blogification rolled out over all users in Q3 2008 The old, optional user blog, Yahoo 360°, terminated on… Read more »
I could make the same laundry list of gripes about particular actions by Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and just about every other company out there. The lists would be equally long.
Ultimately, it doesn’t prove that Yahoo consistently screws up the startups that it acquires, or that it will continue to do so in the future — especially given that it’s under new management with a different strategic vision.