Lately, the buzz word on most blogs (and even front page of some nationals) has been WolframAlpha. And before you ask, no, it’s not some crazed scientist from Switzerland working at CERN!
Wolfram|Alpha is actually a new type of search engine. The so called ‘Google Killer’ will be able to answer specific questions and queries that the user types in.
For example, the user can ask a question like ‘how many people are called Keith in the UK?’ and Wolfram|Alpha will come back with results for the amount of people in the UK called Keith plus the average ages and much more.
This, I think, is the fundamental difference between Wolfram and Google. The fact you can actually ask specific questions and get specific answers back.
As amazing as the technology is, this is not the main point of this post…
The main point of this post is the amount of hype that has built around this one name; Wolfram|Alpha. The amount of press that has been gathering around this name and even the word of mouth coverage it has been gaining. Even friends that have nothing to do with search or marketing or the internet as an industry have been discussing this new technology with me.
How can a company, that I nor any of my friends or colleagues have ever heard of, suddenly be about to take over the world of search?
I believe the main way they have accomplished this great coverage and hype is by making huge sensationalist claims, mainly aimed at one of the largest companies in the world, Google. For all I, or any journalist know, this could all be some kind of hoax, or a complete over hype of a mediocre product.
I think another important factor behind its success is belief. Belief that this new way of searching is the next big phase in the internet and also the belief from its founder, Stephen Wolfram. To truly believe in your product or service is one certain way to build trust and belief from others in what you have to offer.
Wolfram|Alpha goes live this month (May 2009) and millions of internet users, along with myself, will almost certainly be checking it out all on the basis of this hype.
I’m actually quite excited about it…
