Ironwulf.net GO! Powered by Smart Sandbox

Go now and point your mobile browsers to http://go.ironwulf.net and you’ll find yourself on the mobile version of Ironwulf.net which I call Ironwulf.net: GO!. It’s basically a Mobsite (Mobile Site) which you can publish feeds from your blog sites whether it’s wordpress or blogger generated, show your more recent uploads on flickr, add a form so people can send you emails through their mobiles and other stuffs. I know most mobile devices now can browse web sites but the benefit I see on this one is that it’s a simple summary of your content, a quick contact page and compatibility to most mobile browsers out there. This is basically one of the things I like on the new Smart Sandbox.

So what basically is a Sandbox? To make it easier, let me quote Jayvee:

Sandbox is an online platform that allows anyone to connect with friends and share blog posts, photos and videos. Apart from this, Sandbox is also an online content store where you can buy music and games. So what sets it apart from other social networks? Sandbox is also locally developed and thus there is a continuous stream of offline fulfillment through giveaways, raffles and prizes.

In other words, Sandbox is in the business of building communities because not only is there interaction between your friends, there is also conversation between the developers and the users. In marketing terms, it isn’t just horizontal exchanges between consumers, but also vertically, where the product talks back and gives value to insights and suggestions from the community — alongside promotions and giveaways!

I’ve been playing around with the Sandbox for a few months before its launch being one of the hundreds of beta testers for the platform. From what I understand, Sandbox is really intended to be a social network on a mobile platform. Aside from its Site Publishing features to create Ironwulf.net GO!, it’s also a mobile blogging platform, a mobile forum, a video and photo gallery and a mobile download site. So it kinda made me scratch my head when Smart launched this half-baked. Currently the mobile version is not up and offered the online version first which I found clunky.

While I like the promise of Sandbox there are still some things to improve on.

1. Make the online site simple and  intuitive. Honestly it’s hard to go around and find what you’re looking for. One thing to turn off new users and close their browsers is to confuse and infuriate them.
2. On the context of Mobile Blogging, it should be a lot easier to mo-blog. Maybe look at the mobile versions of Plurk, Facebook and Twitter. I found their implementation easy and functional but with Sandbox I have to dig-in to write a blog entry.

   

3. I like it that there are clubs, groups and sites but it’s also confusing which is which. Sites are produced via the site publisher which creates your Mob Site, I found that clubs are like sites but doesn’t do much of anything, while groups are like forums with specialized topic. I like the idea of the groups, but a feature I would like added is that we can also attach pictures on topic conversations like the blogs. I created a Mobile Photography Group there too but found out we can only add photos on the group section. I can’t initiate a sub topic there so we can share photos on certain themes.
4. Integration with other social networks would also be a great addition if possible but I think I’m pushing it too far with this one. But hey, anything is possible.

   

For now, Sandbox has a lot of promise and also a lot to improve on as well. I think they should focus  more on mobile usability since  this is the main platform but also not neglect their online version as well. Rest assured the people behind them are listening and are bent on doing improvements on the platform. A sandbox has many possibilities, but like a castle made of sand, if you’re not careful it could easily crumble.

If you’re interested, sign up at www.mysandbox.com and add me ferdzdecena