Hiogi launches Q&A app for iPhone

By Dan Butcher

December 17, 2008

Ask a question

Mobile Q&A service hiogi has launched a new application for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Consumers can enter http://iphone.hiogi.com into their Safari browser and click on the plus icon to add hiogi as a bookmark to their home screen. Consumers can ask free questions, get insider tips and advice and browse through hiogi's open archive with thousands of questions and answers.

"The strategy of hiogi is to be a technological market leader in providing free and accurate answers to mobile phone users," said Bjoern Behrendt, CEO of hiogi, Berlin. "Hiogi wants to become a convenient and much more personal source for information than search engines.

"Any technology on mobile phones is supported, for example hiogi for Skype mobile, the mobile Web, text messaging, Twitter, email from PDAs or widgets and now this iPhone app…with more to come," he said. "The iPhone app is already live and we decided to keep it advertising-free for the launch.

"However, we will soon integrate contextual advertisements, such as Google AdSense or AdMob video ads."

Get an answer

New functions include the instant feedback functionality, a watch-list feature, detailed profile and ranking pages, plus the leave-a-comment option in order to discuss the topics of interest.

The favorite topics of hiogi members include the best restaurants in town and romantic places; directions or public transportation schedules; concerts or parties on the weekend; opening hours, addresses or telephone numbers of local stores; sports results and ticket prices of consumers' favorite teams; product reviews or price comparisons; and Wikipedia summaries.

The accuracy of answers from the hiogi community is ensured by a six-eye-principle, meaning that at least three people confirm that the response is correct.

My hiogi

Consumers can download the hiogi app in the App Store or go to http://www.hiogi.com and register for free.

Hiogi claims to be the world's first open web 2.0 knowledge community that provides individual answers.

Questions can be sent via Skype, Twitter, SMS, mobile browser, iPhone, iPod touch or email/PDA.

Every answer is researched and written manually by a hiogi member who is willing to help. Anybody can participate and contribute.

Hiogi is an open community like Wikipedia, with a REST API and online archive.

"Anybody can join for free in order to ask questions or to participate in a fun answer battle," Mr. Behrendt said. "Hiogi works on a trust basis and people help each other without being paid.

"Hiogi already offers more technological solutions to ask questions from mobile phones while people travel than any other competitor," he said.

Hiogi does not have a relevant marketing budget and will work together with media partners to promote the services.

"And hopefully users will like hiogi and spread the word," Mr. Behrendt said.

Hiogi is planning to deliver targeted text ads and mobile ads in the future for any advertiser that wants to market around a focused target group and selected keywords.

"The service will work similar to Google AdWords and will be optimized for the various mobile channels," Mr. Behrendt said. "In addition, the archive of hiogi includes Google AdSense.

"Furthermore, hiogi provides white-labeled modules of its functionalities and B2B intranet solutions," he said.