Filtrbox vs. RSS readers/aggregators

One of the questions that I am often asked is how Filtrbox is different from traditional RSS readers and aggregators.  The following are the major differences:

Closed Search Domain vs. Open Search Domain

When using traditional RSS aggregators, the user supplies the list of RSS feeds. This means that the domain of information gathered by a traditional RSS reader/aggregator is limited to the RSS feeds that are known to the user.  I call this a closed search domain. However, in an environment such the one we have today where thousands of new content sources are being created on a daily basis and anyone can potentially become a publisher, it is unrealistic to put the burden on the user to keep up with the thousands of new content sources that are sprouting up each day.  Filtrbox takes this burdensome responsibility away from the user and discovers the new content sources for the user because Filtrbox’s search domain covers all the new content sources. I call this an open search domain. The user can also add RSS feeds to the search domain, thereby guaranteeing that their RSS feeds of interest are searched. This approach leads to the user discovering new content sources.

Publisher centric vs. Content centric

Traditional RSS readers/aggregators present to the user all the content that is published by a specific publisher regardless of whether the user is interested in the content or not. Thus, the traditional RSS readers/aggregators implement a publisher centric information consumption model. On the other hand, Filtrbox implements a content centric information consumption model.  Rather than deliver to the user all the content published by a specific publisher, whether its relevant or not, Filtrbox allows the user to filter for the content that they are interested in from ANY publisher by providing contextual keywords. The content centric model implemented by Filtrbox greatly reduces information overload because each piece of content is examined and filtered for contextual relevance before it is delivered to the user.

No filtering vs. Contextual relevance filtering

As indicated above, traditional RSS aggregators do not filter the content.  All content published by a publisher in the user’s closed search domain is delivered to the user regardless of whether it is relevant or not.  Filtrbox applies algorithms that filter content from an open search domain of publishers for contextual relevance.  Filtrbox uses multiple factors to determine the contextual relevance of content and assigns a score called FiltrRank.  The most important feature of the algorithm is that the contextual relevance algorithm learns from a Filtrbox user’s implicit interests and applies the implicit interest to future contextual relevance filtering. This means that the content delivered to the user is content that that specific user is interested in and not content other people are interested in.  Contextual relevance filtering plays a large part in the reduction of information overload.

Beyond RSS

Unlike traditional RSS readers/aggregators, Filtrbox consumes content delivery formats beyond RSS. Filtrbox is capable of consuming both standard and proprietary content delivery formats.

 

 

 

Filtrbox releases the most granular Olympics content filtering widget yet

One of our favorite past times at Filtrbox is figuring out fun but useful things to do with our technology.  So in an effort to showcase our robust content filtering technology, we decided to put together FREE widgets that can be used to track news on each member of Team USA as well as the individual sports in which Team USA is competing.  

For example, if you only want to follow Lopez Lomong, you can set up your widget to show news about Lopez only or if you care about Women Gymnastics only, you can set up your widget to show you news about Women Gymnastics only.   In addition, you can set up different combinations of athletes and sports.  Most olympic content consist of every bit of news about the Olympics and you have to do the filtering for the news that you are interested in. At Filtrbox, we do the filtering for you.

We have created two types of widgets, a blog widget to embed on your blog and a desktop widget that runs on your desktop.  Both widgets can be found here.

My favorite widget is the desktop widget and because its my favorite, it has an additional special page for itself here.

Download the widgets and enjoy the Olympics.

Filtrbox is hiring

Java + LAMP Developer

Join a dynamic, growing software company in Boulder, Colorado.
Basic requirements are:

* Solid experience with Java and LAMP
* System administration skills (a plus)
* Working knowledge of Information Retrieval and/or NLP (a plus)
* Must be energetic, motivated and creative

Please send your resume to TOM AT FILTRBOX DOT COM

NOTE: Prima Donna, high maintenance Rockstar developers, please do NOT bother sending your resumes!!!!