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August 30, 2012

Ensemba – Locate Accurate Information

The Internet is overrun with poor sources of information, and it can be difficult for the average person researching a topic to know where to turn for information that’s both accurate and relevant. Ensemba is a web-application that recommends sources of information to users based on the Internet searches that other people have found helpful in the past.

Although Ensemba was originally created to give parents of children with autism an easier way to search for relevant information online, the scope of the web-application has since been broadened to encompass all types of online searches and queries. Create a new account by entering your email address or connecting through Facebook or Twitter, and then tell Ensemba which topics you’re most interested in following. Ensemba will come up with a streaming feed of online content based on the interests you’ve entered, and you can click on any headline in the feed to read the article or informational piece in full. When you discover content that’s especially useful or intriguing, rate the piece with a thumbs up. Doing so will signify to Ensemba that this is an article other users might find worthwhile, and the piece is more likely to display when those users search the same topic in the future.

Ensemba also offers a social networking component that people can use to gain insight from their peers and share important articles with friends or family members online. Ensemba users earn points for voting on topics, and users with the most points show up on the Ensemba leader board. The application also rewards badges and points to active users, and encourages everyone to share their activities with friends on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Practical Uses:

  • Find out more about a rare disease
  • Research the new area you’re moving to
  • Gain a deeper understanding about the field of photography
  • Get a broad overview of what’s going on in the financial markets

Insider Tips:

  • Users can submit websites to Ensemba using the bookmarklet tool
  • Top point scorers show up on the Ensemba leader board
  • Votes help determine which content appears at the topic of user’s Ensemba feed
  • Ensemba offers a “View my Ensemba!” button that people can embed on their own websites

What we liked:

  • Ensemba lets real people decide which information is most useful
  • Users can research as many, or as few, topics as they like
  • Ensemba helps connect people with similar interests
  • Any interest or topic can be marked public or private

What we didn’t like:

  • The commenting feature was not working on the day we signed up for the site

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: November 2011 (Beta)
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
  • Founded by: Brett Strauss
  • Web site: http://beta.ensemba.com

Costs:

  • Free

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