GazoPa Bloom

Shut Down Notice from GazoPa

2011-06-04T00:15:00.000-07:00

Dear GazoPa User,
Thank you for using GazoPa services. GazoPa.com started at TechCrunch50 in September 2008 and has grown to more than 90,000 unique users per month. However, we have decided to put our time and efforts to BtoB business and will discontinue our BtoC services on June8, 2011. We have received lots of inquiries from all over the world and decided to focus on BtoB market
especially in China where e-commerce grows dramatically.

When we started our service in 2008, some people were skeptical about our activity. But Since then, the number of images and videos on the internet are increasing and the demand to a navigation tool is growing as well. Considering inquiries that reach to us, we believe similar image search engine would be becoming must-have tool in various kinds of fields.

Due to our limited resources, we have had to make the hard decision to shut down our BtoC
sites and decided to focus on BtoB market.

We'll be launching a new image search site mainly for research purpose in near future
as an alternative tool for our current users.

If you have any questions, please email contact@gazopa.com.

One again, thank you all for your support over the years.

Sincerely,

The GazoPa team

http://www.gazopa.com

New Map Feature

2010-05-08T15:03:00.000-07:00

We released new map feature during Web2.0 Expo in San Francisco. It enables users to map flower photos and see where these flowers can be seen.

When we see beautiful flower photos, what we'd like to know at first is what flower it is and where flower can be seen. This map feature shows location of flower and it's wonderful to know where flower blooms even though there's little chance to visit the place.

These map feature is full of possibility. If these can be filtered by time, this enables users to see when these flowers bloom. If you know place and time of bloom, it helps you arrange your travel itinerary.

Here's the way to use this map feature.
If your photo has location information, your photo will be mapped automatically when you register it. If your photo has no location information, open your flower page. Click edit at 'This bloom lives here' and move a red marker to the place where your flower blooms. If you can map the marker correctly, click set and your bloom is marked on the map.

Flower Event

2010-04-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

USA
Lilac Festival Rochester, NY May14-23, 2010
Galveston Oleander Gardening Festival Galveston, Texas May15-16, 2010
Portland Rose Festival May28-June13, 2010
43rd South Carolina Festival of Flowers Greenwood, S.C June, 2010
58th Annual Lompoc Valley Flower Festival June 23 - 27, 2010

Canada
6th ANNUAL PEONY FESTIVAL Oshawa, ON June12-13, 2010

UK
RHS Chelsea Flower Show May25-29, 2010
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey July6-11, 2010
Southport Flower Show
Victora Park, Southport Aug19-22, 2010
Harrogate Flower Show (the 2010 Autumn flower show )
Harrogate, North Yorkshire Sep17-19, 2010

Australia
Floriade Sep11-Oct10, 2010

Netherlands
Keukenhof Holland Mar18-May16, 2010

Singapore
Singapore Garden Festival July15-22, 2010

Accuracy of Bloom's Image Search

2010-04-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

We got a feedback that stated our image search at Bloom is not as accurate as that at GazoPa.com. You can try our image search by upload your flower image or just click any images on Bloom, so it's easy to see how it works. I have to admit that "Yes, you are right. Our image search at Bloom seems not as accurate as that of GazoPa.com".

In fact, our image search engine at Bloom is same with that at GazoPa.com. Why is there difference between these results? It's due to quantity of data. GazoPa.com has more than 60 million image data and not a few flower photos are included in it. On the other hand, GazoPa Bloom has a couple of thousand flower photos that come from flickr and our users. Bloom's size of database is less than one percent of GazoPa.com's, although all of GazoPa.com's data are not flower photos.

Accuracy of image search relies on size of database, so we can say 'The more data we have, the better results we can return.' The growth of Bloom's database relies on users' photo registration, so it could be said the more photos users register, the better results Bloom can return.

I wish our users be patient. I hope our users help our image search at Bloom work better.

Tips for Classification

2010-04-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

One of unique characteristics of GazoPa Bloom is a system of classification. Our classification relies on the wisdom of crowds.

If users are owner of pictures, they can set classification of these pictures by themselves. When users are not owners of pictures, they can guess what classifications are. But only one guess is not enough for determining classification of these unclassified flowers. When three guesses are accumulated, this will be set as classification of these flowers finally.

This system decreases possibility for flowers of having been misclassified. It mat be a sluggish process for flower specialists. But since we regard our service as a flower photo community, we design our site to utilize the wisdom of crowds.

So, even though your guess of classification would not be set as classification immediately, please do not think that we don't respect your guess. Please ask other users to join guess work together with you for completing set of classification.

Media Coverage

2010-04-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Image search engine GazoPa is Blooming!
The NEXTWEB.com Mar29, 2010
GazoPa Gets In Bloom
ResearchBuzz Mar24, 2010

Two weeks has passed since our launch

2010-04-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Two weeks have passed since our launch of GazoPa Bloom in private beta. Around 4,000 requests came for joining our beta testing. Unfortunately, we found some of invitations we sent are filtered in spam box. So, if you have not received our invitations, please check your spam box.

Some feedback stated that photos on classification do not meet its label. Yes, we should admit that some photos are classified wrongly. If you find these photos, please let us know.

Some feedback said that some of our search results may not identify flowers precisely. Yes, you're right. We don't think our image search technology can identify flowers perfectly. That's why we ask other users to help identify flowers. We believe more photos we index, the better results we can return.

We're very glad to know that not a few users have uploaded beautiful flowers to our site. Flower photos have a power to make us feel at peace and to lighten our spirit. Our site is a community site and it relies on user's participation. We appreciate your continuous support.

We'll add new features such as associating photos with map etc. If you have any suggestions, please send it to us by form or to contact at gazopa.