UberNoggin

Mark Pepper says:

Have you ever found yourself looking at a Hentai Tentacle Porn Webpage and thought to yourself, “Wow, I sure would like to know who else is looking at and enjoying this webpage full of creepy cephalopod erotica . . . we could be BFFs!”

Well, then thank god for Weblin, a Web 2.0 app that lets you see who else is simultaneously visiting a webpage while you’re on it and opens up the roads of communication between like-minded surfers. Not by bringing up a list of their names or something as pedestrian and old web as that. No (and you’re gonna love this Sarah), instead you pick an avatar that apparently pops up and wanders around the screen of other people on the same page. So expect to watch that Paris Hilton being released from prison video on Youtube at least twice, because some lil avatar is gonna wander across the screen at the precise moment you’re watching for (which is, of course, the moment where the subtle F-you smile comes across Paris’ face). Luckily Weblin users appear to have a full EIGHT avatars to choose from (no apparent customization); and good news, they’re all skinny, dressed straight from the Gap, and predominantly lily white.

It looks like you have some level of control over what your avatar does on other people’s screens. You can make them wave, jump, or do a little dance. One wanders if you were eating while web surfing and started choking, could you have your avatar give the universal sign for “I need the Heimlich manuever?” Chat pops up in lil cartoon bubbles, which is going to clutter up your browsing screen even more so (but just think of the comments you’ll get when you’re surfing for info on your excessive flatulence problem . . . you just go ahead and fill in your own joke here).

This development makes technical sense. Although a number of social sites offer destination points for meeting and friending; to the best of my knowledge, the actual act of browsing has remained a fairly lonely and solitary one. Does it have to be? Should it be? The folks at Weblin obviously say no. There are folks who will probably think this is nifty, but I prefer to think of browsing as the driving portions of a long trip. I’m much happier alone in my car, blasting some Joy Division, and not having to talk or “be on” while trying to get somewhere. We’ll hang out when I get there, thank you very much. Is Weblin a good way to meet people with similar interests? Perhaps, but how often do you find yourself on webpages that are of only passing interest or are just eliciting momentary, horrified curiosity? Thumbs down.