(re)discovering our notes and thoughts

More stuff on Axle8 in Sydney! We’ve now integrated...

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:55:00 +1100

More stuff on Axle8 in Sydney!

We’ve now integrated our Meetup.com feed so it’s automatic and hands free (thanks to their API )! This means a more comprehensive and up-to-date listing of events from Meetup.com on Axle8.

For those of you that don’t know, Meetup.com is one of the leading websites that helps groups of people with shared interests plan meetings and form offline clubs in local communities around the world.

You’ll find all sorts of meetups happening around you in Sydney. Catch up with the hard working startup crowd at Silicon Beach Drinks on Fridays, mingle with some great photojournalists on Thursdays or if you’re new to Sydney, meet with Welcome to Sydney group on every second Thursday of the month.

So pop open Axle8 and start finding out if there’s a meetup you’d be interested in happening around you now.

"No matter where you go, there you are"

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:12:39 +1000

“No matter where you go, there you are” - Buckaroo Banzai inspired by Confucius

To bring light to some of the things you can discover on Axle8,...

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:04:47 +1000

To bring light to some of the things you can discover on Axle8, we will be casting a spotlight on some of our events - here’s one of them!

Over the next 2 weeks the 2010 Sydney Children’s Festival will be held at Carriageworks at Eveleigh (close by to Sydney Uni). This festival emphasises participation, focusing on the child as the artist. All its events are on Axle8 so if you’re close by, check out what’s on and bring your children to the festivities! You’ll find performances, workshops, exhibitions and more!

75% of the events are free aimed at children up to 12years with plenty of entertainment for adults!

“The focus at Sydney Children’s Festival is on encouraging community participation, and inspiring creativity and imagination in children (and the child in all of us!). The Festival nurtures a love for the arts amongst Australia’s youngest generation of artists, patrons and cultural contributors.” - Sydney Children’s Festival

www.sydneychildrensfestival.com

If you plan on visiting the city over the coming month you may...

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:41:37 +1000

If you plan on visiting the city over the coming month you may find some peculiar curiosities around; from decorated statues to pieces of artwork scattered around the city predominately between York and Elizabeth Sts - this is the result of Art and About 2010. We went around this morning to discover what Art and About 2010 is all about (of which 90%+ of its events are findable on Axle8). Although some fixtures were still underway getting ready for tonight’s launch in Hyde Park at 6pm, we’ve put up some photos of our findings as a sneak peek into what to expect.

“Join the Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP for a fabulous night of free celebrations to launch Art & About Sydney with DJ Kate Monroe, VJ Phil Lamble will be program highlights and local based indie band Dappled Cities bring their unique art-rock sound to the stage. The winner of this year’s Sydney Life exhibition will be announced and there will be free Short Films about public art in Sydney. You can also be among one of the first to check out the stunning images on show in this beautiful setting.” - artandabout.com.au

Find the photos here: www.facebook.com/axle8

PS: To our lovable fashionable loyal fans… if you haven’t heard, there’s an Incu Warehouse Sale on for 4 days only starting … well since 41 minutes ago! Check it out - search for George St Sydney 2000 on the Axle8 app for the location!

Here’s a short video of how Axle8 can help you in Sydney.

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:40:13 +1000

Here’s a short video of how Axle8 can help you in Sydney.

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose."

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:17:00 +1000

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t...

Our adventurous members can now meet up with friendly people at...

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:08:20 +1000

Our adventurous members can now meet up with friendly people at meet-ups from Meetup.com using Axle8 - hooray! (Sydney only)

Sharpen those French speaking skills with like minded people learning French; play volleyball with dedicated people that don’t sleep in; and learn skills that will be useful for the rest of your life! - these are but a few group meet-ups that you’ll find on Axle8. Find one that suits your interests - just look for the pictured green icon!

Be sure to visit the meet-up’s website links using our ‘interact’ feature for full details including any RSVPs, changes and any extra contact details!

To help us make our app better for you, be sure to drop us feedback regarding these meet-ups by the usual means :)
Happy meet-ups!

Hazah! We’ve finally decided to release this new version of...

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:02:34 +1000

Hazah! We’ve finally decided to release this new version of Axle8, our 1.0, upon the planet Earth! Expect some amazing new features including teleportation, mind control and a cure for male hair loss. Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating here – but what we have done is bring some cool improvements for our iOS 4 version to make Axle8 even better.

NEW FEATURES

Now Notices you add to your To-Do list can be automatically added to your iPhone’s calendar and remind you when something’s starting and finishing. We’ve set a default 30 minute reminder popup but you can change this to what you need for each Notice.
Looking out for what’s happening somewhere else? We have that covered – you’ll see a new search bar hidden just under the refresh status bar at the top of the Notice Stream page. Just punch in the location and a purple pin will drop at the search location along with search results just as if you were right there. So start discovering what’s happening in a place before you even get there.
And no, we haven’t forgotten searching by time. Included in the search by location is our search by time – it’s pretty straight forward to use and will let you find out what’s happening at another time. And we’ve included a sound effect for when you clear your search too.
Start creating Notices for different locations from where you are by Drag and Drop the pin to different locations. It’s even got a bit of a vibration and subtle sound effects too. Buzzzzzz.
We’ve added sharing Notices via Twitter for you Tweet Geeks. Find it in the Sharing option under the Interact menu.
Some layout and display updates that only trainspotters will notice. Like replaced the boring old text for some of our buttons. The Notice Stream page’s category column has gone on a diet so each Notice can fit more details for your viewing pleasure. And the address bar at the bottom of the Map view has been tidied up. So just a few fixes – aren’t they nice?
Both the main Notice Stream pages are now categorised by Current, Upcoming and Finished. We think it’s easier for people to navigate through Notices that way. Sorting by time and distance still works the same way.
And wow, what about that new Retina display on the iPhone 4. Our sharpest pen has had to come out to bring out the sparkle in our icons and graphics. No worry if you’re using an earlier iPhone or iPod Touch – it’ll still look great.

Bug fixes and minor improvements include:

Some of you have had problems signing up on the iPhone app so we’ve made it slightly easier now. Automatic transition between registration screens after selecting gender should fix most of the problems people have had.
Pins now more accurately point to the Notice’s location.
Bubble when clicking on pins in Notice Stream’s map view now leads to Notice page.
When displaying notices with relative time, displays “< 2 days” when a notice starts from 24 to 48 hours in the future.
Highlighting when a Notice is selected on the Notice Stream has been fixed for non Retina display devices.
Other miscellaneous bug fixes.

So thanks for trying out Axle8 for Sydney. We hope you’ve found it handy for some of those random times we all have in our lives when you’re out and about.

Please send us your feedback – your ideas and suggestions are really important for us to make Axle8 better for you!

From the guys and gals at Axle8.

Sorry, Sydney only for the moment.

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:06:44 +1000

When we saw some of the most recent reviews posted for Axle8 on the Apple App Store, it became very...

Find your nearest polling booth this Saturday

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:01:11 +1000

Find your nearest polling booth this Saturday: It’s Election 2010 time this Saturday in...

Axle8 is proud to announce its partnership with leading Sydney...

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:39:39 +1000

Axle8 is proud to announce its partnership with leading Sydney pubs and bars online guide, Local Sydney.

Thanks to Local Sydney, you’ll now be able to use Axle8 to find out what’s happening at the pubs, bars and clubs around Sydney.

Started in 2007, Local Sydney is the supreme online guide to What’s On at Sydney’s pubs and clubs. Local Sydney helps you find your “happy hour”. Recognising that each person’s happy hour is different, Local Sydney breaks down their stuff into categories:

Beer, Bingo, Bubblies, Cocktails, Comedy, Dancing, Food, Karaoke, Ladies Night, Live Music, Poker, Pool, Random, Spirits, Trivia and Wine.

So start planning out which watering holes to visit with Local Sydney. And use Axle8 to let Local Sydney be your personal guide when you’re on your night out, wherever you are.

Beta Launch, Partner Call-up, Whatdoyathink?

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:27:37 +1000

Last week we decided to push the button and go live with our beta in Sydney - the rest of the world...

Lately we’ve been working on getting Notices on Axle8 so...

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:46:00 +1000

Lately we’ve been working on getting Notices on Axle8 so they can be shared on social networks like Facebook. It’s actually one of the new features included in the latest 0.9.1 release from the other week.

So if you see a Notice that you like, you can add a summary of the Notice to your status update for all your friends to see! Pretty cool huh? We’ve also included sharing via good old fashioned email as well and Twitter is coming soon!

"Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected."

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:15:15 +1000

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is...

A few weeks back, we were invited to record a segment...

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:59:33 +1000

A few weeks back, we were invited to record a segment with Vibewire’s Mary Nguyen on Business21C Weekly, Business21C’s regular business podcast. The segment was called “Young Entrepreneurs Shape the Future” and we talked about how Vibewire’s Enterprise Hub helps creative and social entrepreneurs and the challenges Axle8 (who happens to be a resident at the Enterprise Hub) face as a early stage startup.

Personally, it was my first interview in a radio studio (2SER) and we were interviewed by the presentators of the Business21C podcasts Mike Hanley and Kristen Lees - they as well as their producer Gabriella Lahti were great and i was humbled to discover that they interviewed living legend of architecture, Mr Frank Gehry in this segment only 2 weeks before. Being a podcast, it wasn’t recorded live which was a good thing; there was only one guideline: try not to thump the table in front of us where the mics were mounted during animated discussion (I think i might have sat on my hands for whole time i was there).

At the end of the interview I were asked what my advice was for young entrepreneurs. Here’s a summary of my thoughts:

Talk to people about your idea. Get feedback. Don’t work in stealth - that’s the worst thing you can do as you won’t get balance and perspective. And you know what, if an idea’s good, there’s probably a good chance some other smart cookie has thought of it too.
Ask for advice and help. Just because you’re young or inexperienced doesn’t mean you can’t tap into the knowledge base of the budding entrepreneurial network that’s around you. But what it does need is discipline and tenacity, a urgency to “figure it out” and to “get it done”.
Execution is key. This goes back to the first point and is what i think probably has the highest correlation to success. Ideas can be copied but with execution, well, it’s different. It’s harder, it takes more steps, it has more unknowns, it’s never just on a single piece of paper. It’s what will make you win but it’s also what will keep you up at night. But most of all, it’s probably what will protect you best against copycats.

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:40:46 +1000

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” - Albert Einstein

Zero Point Nine: Beginning of a new era Our first update to date...

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:55:00 +1000

Zero Point Nine: Beginning of a new era

Our first update to date was submitted to Apple last Friday and today we just got notification that it’s “In Review”! This much anticipated new release will feature more improvements and enhancements that you can count on one hand which has resulted from many solid (and grueling) hours of coding.

Firstly, we have vamped up the interface making your Axle8 experience better in every way! Our images have been given a much needed makeover and some new ones have been added in to the fold. We’ve also added sharing onto Facebook and via email so you can let your friends know all about your adventures and shenanigans.

Next up is our support of iOS 4 so you can be sure that even better features will be on their way shortly! We haven’t even scratched the surface yet.

Finally, the completion of this new version marks the beginning of a critical stage in our development. Not only is our iPhone app developed, we’ve completed our minimal viable product (MVP in Eric Ries’ Lean Startup philosophy lingo) of our web app which will allow marketing partners create and manage the Notices they post on the Axle8 network. Soft launch and beta release here we come!

We’ll be reaching out to event and festival organisers as well as campus and college student societies, clubs and groups soon so you’ll be finding all the information about the coolest stuff that’s happening around you! If you have any organisation you think would be interested in being a partner, we’d love to speak to them!

So, keep an eye out for the update on the Apple App Store and let us know what you think. :)

PS: We may still yet win that World Cup sweepstakes… Go Oranje!

An Argentinian, a German and an Aussie walk into a...

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:13:46 +1000

An Argentinian, a German and an Aussie walk into a bar…

Here at Axle8 we’re cheering on the Socceroos by littering the area with green and gold! Check out our collection of swag that’s growing daily!

Despite our absolutely crushing defeat against Germany (of which the score is never to be mentioned again), hopes are still high here and around the nation for the Socceroos to make it to the next round. A win against Ghana and Serbia is mandatory!

Our new German recruit rightfully proudly bares her colours, whilst our Argentinian veteran celebrates daily by kicking a soccer ball through the front door daily screaming “Goooooooooal!” (if only!). As it stands both heavy weight countries have a decent shot at taking out the World Cup and we have our second highest hopes for them… right up there… just under the Socceroos :)

On a different note, we’ve all been pulled into a World Cup sweepstakes organised in our office in hope of riches and glory. What did the Axle8 team pick out of the box of 32 countries?

Switzerland
Paraguay
Netherlands
Denmark
New Zealand
and the one and only… Australia!

Our best chance as a team to win the grand prize lies with the Dutch. Having said that, there’s no prize for almost winning so things are looking somewhat gloomy… but then again Switzerland won against Spain and NZ drew against Slovakia so who knows? Amongst ourselves it’s a wager of who drew the team that gets knocked out 1st!

There’s no doubt all eyes around here will be focused on the Australia vs Ghana match starting tomorrow night at midnight. C’mon Australia!

"If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done."

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:28:35 +1000

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.” -...

There’s a little secret we’ve been keeping here at...

Wed, 26 May 2010 18:42:10 +1000

There’s a little secret we’ve been keeping here at Axle8 for a little over a month. You might notice that first App icon on the top of the list on the photo above. The orange one. Yes, that’s our little baby. Well, it’s not the full version that we have installed for y’all but version 0.80 and it’s available now on all international iTunes App Stores!

We’d decided not to make too much noise about our initial release and to be honest, the approval of the app surprised us, taking only 2 weeks rather than the 4 weeks we had anticipated for with only one minor fix requested by Apple. One of the limitations to this early release of the iPhone app is that our web site (well, really it’s really our web app) isn’t quite ready yet. This makes it “difficult” for inputting content onto our system so our marketing partner friends will have to wait for a little bit longer before they can give Axle8 a proper whirl.

A big yee-hah needs to go out to our intrepid iPhone developer, Tristan for doing such a great job in building version 0.80. He’s blown the socks off us all here with his super programming prowess (and to stay vegan)! The next version he’s currently working on will add some nifty social elements - we’ll keep you posted on when that will be released. Not too far off we expect.

In the meantime, feel free to try out our App and we’d welcome your feedback regarding its user interface and design. Adiós for now!