Plaxo
{{Short description|Company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Plaxo
| logo = Plaxologo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| vector_logo =
| type = Subsidiary of Comcast
| genre =
| foundation = {{Start date|2002|11}}
| founder = Sean Parker, Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring
| defunct = 2017-12-31
| location = Sunnyvale, California
| origins =
| key_people = Justin Miller, President & CEO
| area_served =
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| products =
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}}
Plaxo was an online address book that launched in 2002. It was a subsidiary of cable television company Comcast from 2008 to 2017. At one point it offered a social networking service.
History
The company was founded by Sean Parker and two Stanford University engineering students, Todd Masonis and Cameron Ring. Rikk Carey joined Plaxo at its inception and led engineering and products for six years as Executive Vice President. Funded by venture capital including funds from Sequoia Capital,{{cite web|url=http://www.sequoiacap.com/company/plaxo/|title=i: PLAXO| publisher = Sequoia Capital}} the service officially launched on November 12, 2002.{{cite press release|url=http://www.plaxo.com/about/releases/release-11-12-02|title=Plaxo Launches|publisher=Plaxo, Inc.|date= 12 Nov 2002}}
In December 2003, Plaxo was criticized by technology journalist David Coursey, who was upset about receiving a number of requests from Plaxo users to update their contact information (similar to spam email), and who wondered how the company was planning to make money from a free service that collects personal contact and network information.{{cite web|url=http://review.zdnet.com/AnchorDesk/4520-7297_16-5111563.html|first=David |last=Coursey|title=Why my address book is spamming you|work=ZDNet AnchorDesk|date=December 8, 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105030148/http://review.zdnet.com/AnchorDesk/4520-7297_16-5111563.html|archive-date=January 5, 2007}} However, after "changes at Plaxo and discussions with the company's remaining co-founders", Coursey reversed his stance.{{cite web|url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Messaging-and-Collaboration/Plaxo-Reconsidered/|title=Plaxo Reconsidered|work=eWeek|first=David |last=Coursey|date=September 9, 2004|access-date=Oct 7, 2012}} Plaxo also responded to these issues in a section of their website.{{cite web|url=http://blog.plaxo.com/2004/03/your_contact_in/|title=Your Contact Information: Ownership vs. Privacy |first=Redgee |last=Capili|work=Blog|publisher = Plaxo, Inc.}}
On July 7, 2005, Plaxo announced it had struck a deal with America Online to integrate its contact management service with its AOL and AOL Instant Messenger products.{{cite press release|url=http://www.plaxo.com/about/releases/release-20050706|title=America Online Inc. and Plaxo Inc. form agreement to help AOL members and AIM users better manage contact information|date=July 6, 2005|publisher=Plaxo, Inc.}}
On May 7, 2007, Comcast announced that it had partnered with Plaxo in the launch of its universal communications service, SmartZone.{{cite press release|url=http://www.comcast.com/About/PressRelease/PressReleaseDetail.ashx?PRID=661|title=Comcast Announces Plans to Launch Interactive SmartZone(TM) Communications Center|date=May 7, 2007|publisher=Comcast}}
On August 4, 2007 Plaxo announced the public beta of a social networking service called Plaxo Pulse.{{cite web|url=http://blog.plaxo.com/archives/2007/08/oh_geez_not_ano_1.html|title=Oh geez, not ANOTHER social network…|date=August 5, 2007|first= Redgee |last = Capili | publisher=Plaxo, Inc.|work=Blog}} The service enabled sharing of content from multiple different sources across the social web, including blogs, photos, social networking services, rating services, and others. Users can selectively share and view content according to either pre-determined categories (e.g., friends, family, business network) or customized groups. Plaxo Pulse was the first site to feature a working version of an OpenSocial container.{{cite web|first= Peter | last = Ha| url= https://techcrunch.com/2007/11/02/plaxo-implements-opensocial/|title=Plaxo Implements OpenSocial, Ning Goes Live Friday Night|date=November 2, 2007|publisher=TechCrunch|work=Blog}}
In May 2008, Plaxo announced that it had signed an agreement to be acquired by Comcast.{{cite press release |url=http://www.plaxo.com/about/comcast?src=plxhelp_1571|title=Comcast to Acquire Plaxo: Pulse to Become Central to Creating Unified "Social Media" Experience Across the Web, the TV (and more)|date=May 14, 2008|publisher=Plaxo, Inc.}} The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Comcast completed its purchase of Plaxo on July 1, 2008.{{cite web |url=http://blog.plaxo.com/2008/07/now_the_deal_is/ |title=Now the Deal is Closed: Plaxo has Become a Business Unit of Comcast Interactive Media |first=Redgee |last=Capili |work=Blog |date=1 July 2008 |publisher=Plaxo, Inc. |access-date=20 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331154759/http://blog.plaxo.com/2008/07/now_the_deal_is/ |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} That month the website reported 20 million users.{{cite web|url=http://blog.plaxo.com/archives/2008/05/the_plaxo_direc.html|title=PRODUCT UPDATES: The Plaxo Directory Is Now Live|date=May 22, 2008|publisher=Plaxo, Inc.|first=Redgee|last=Capili|work=Blog|access-date=June 3, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126055119/http://blog.plaxo.com/archives/2008/05/the_plaxo_direc.html|archive-date=November 26, 2009|url-status=dead}}
In March 2010, it was announced that CEO Ben Golub would be replaced by the company’s general manager, Justin Miller.{{Cite web | url = http://www.plaxo.com/about/management_team?src=footer | title = Management Team | publisher = Plaxo, Inc. | access-date = 16 November 2012}}{{cite web|url= https://techcrunch.com/2010/03/25/plaxo-ceo-bob-golub-steps-down-to-be-replaced-by-justin-miller/|title= Plaxo CEO Ben Golub Steps Down, To Be Replaced By Justin Miller |date=March 25, 2010|first=Jason |last=Kincaid|publisher=TechCrunch}}
In March 2011 Plaxo's head of product management, Preston Smalley, was named general manager; at the same time, Plaxo announced that it was exiting social networking, ending the Plaxo Pulse social networking service, and introducing a new address book updating service.{{cite web | url = https://techcrunch.com/2011/03/16/plaxo-goes-back-to-being-a-smart-address-book-launches-virtual-assistant/ | title = Plaxo Goes Back To Being A Smart Address Book, Launches Virtual Assistant | first = Rip | last = Empson | date = 16 March 2011 | publisher = TechCrunch}}
On October 1, 2017, Plaxo notified its users that it would be shutting down the Plaxo service at the end of the day on December 31, 2017.{{cite web|title=What happens to my data after Plaxo shuts down?|url=https://help.plaxo.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/148/0/what-happens-to-my-data-after-plaxo-shuts-down|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209205127/https://help.plaxo.com/index.php?%2FKnowledgebase%2FArticle%2FView%2F148%2F0%2Fwhat-happens-to-my-data-after-plaxo-shuts-down|archive-date=2017-12-09}}
Functionality
Plaxo provided automatic updating of contact information. Users and their contacts stored their information in the cloud on Plaxo's servers. When this information was edited by the user, the changes appeared in the address books of all those who listed the account changer in their own books. Once contacts were stored in the central location, it was possible to list connections between contacts and access the address book from anywhere.
A Plaxo plug-in supported major address books including Outlook/Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, and macOS's Contacts, iOS and BlackBerry, and others could be supported through an application programming interface. Additionally, Plaxo could be maintained online.
=Plaxo 3.0=
On June 24, 2007 Plaxo announced the public beta of a major new version of its service, called Plaxo 3.0. The service emphasizes "automated, multi-way sync."{{cite web|url=http://blog.plaxo.com/archives/2007/06/introducing_an.html|title=Introducing an All-New Plaxo|date=June 24, 2007|publisher=Plaxo, Inc.|work=Blog}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2425982920070625|title=Plaxo turns address books into Web social networks|date=June 25, 2007|author=Eric Auchard|work=Reuters}}
=Charging for Outlook synchronization service=
On July 30, 2009, the previously-free synchronization services for Outlook moved to Plaxo's premium (paid) service. According to Plaxo, "this change will allow us to continue to invest in the development and support of this valuable (but high-cost) feature." Existing users of the free service were offered a 20% lifetime discount on Plaxo premium. This paid service was called Platinum Sync.{{cite web | url = http://www.plaxo.com/products/PlaxoPlatinumSync?src=footer | title = Plaxo Platinum Sync | publisher = Plaxo, Inc. | access-date = 16 November 2012}}
=Personal Assistant=
On March 16, 2011, Plaxo announced its Personal Assistant{{cite web | url = http://www.plaxo.com/products/PlaxoPersonalAssistant | title = Plaxo Personal Assistant | publisher = Plaxo, Inc. | access-date = 16 November 2012}} which updates{{cite web | url = http://blog.plaxo.com/2011/03/an-important-milestone-and-its-only-the-beginning/ | date = March 20, 2011 | work = INSIDE PLAXO | title = An important milestone – and it's only the beginning! | first = Preston | last = Smalley | publisher = Plaxo, Inc. | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110926163702/http://blog.plaxo.com/2011/03/an-important-milestone-and-its-only-the-beginning/ | archive-date = September 26, 2011 }} users' address books with suggestions from publicly available information.
=Mobile applications=
On July 19, 2011, Plaxo announced an improved iPhone app; a new BlackBerry app; a Windows Mobile app; and syncing for Android phones with an app coming out by the end of September.{{cite press release | url = http://www.plaxo.com/mobiletrends | title = Plaxo Mobile Trends Study [INFOGRAPHIC] | date = July 19, 2011| publisher = Plaxo, Inc.}}