News

A Little GigaOm Love

GigaOm names Ricochet Labs, the folks behind QRANK, one of the "10 Austin startups you need to meet at SXSW 2012." Hey, thanks!

It notes how we're opening up the mobile platform powering QRANK to other publishers and customers. We can't share too many details yet, but we can say there's some pretty cool stuff on its way. Look for more news on that soon. Here's the full article.

Hope to see you at SXSW. Look for the Ricochet folks out and about or connect with us on Twitter @qrank.

Ex-Twitter VP Invests in Qrank

ReadWriteWeb did a bangup job of announcing our seed funding from Jason Goldman, former VP of product at Twitter, among others. We're psyched to have Jason behind us, and the kudos from Marshall Kirkpatrick at RWW aren't too shabby either:

"Qrank is building out a platform that will let any organization with a backlog of content use it to create smart, fast-paced mobile trivia games. The games incorporate social networks, location, chat and other social features. It sounds awesome."

Ahh, we blush! Go on...

"[Qrank] that treats me like an intelligent adult, but also incorporates a fast pace and immediate on-boarding into the experience. The default game's questions are thought provoking, the design is nice, the experience is fast paced and social. It's good."

See the full article here.

Most Addicting Game Ever?!

Mac|Life singles out QRANK as one of the Eight Most Addicting iOS Games Ever. My oh my, that's pretty sweet praise. We aim to hook you on great quiz games. Glad to see our evil plan is working.‘

Here's a peek at why Mac|Life loves QRANK: "The daily quiz game bills itself as "Your Social Trivia Addiction" and that's not hyperbole." Check out the full article here.

Other addicting games on the list include Words with Friends, Ticket to Ride, Diner Dash, Tiny Tower and Tiny Wings. Not bad company for QRANK. Thanks, Mac|Life!

The Angry Birds Effect

Here's a great piece from EContent about how anyone creating digital content should leverage games like QRANK for what the author calls the "Angry Birds effect" – that is, integrating well executed online games with their content in a way that feels organic.  

"Think about it like Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me, only using information from your site instead of the news," the author writers. "Readers can score points, and maybe even win prizes, simply by answering questions correctly based on information they read on your site."

That's exactly what we're doing with the QRANK platform. Our cool mobile and web tech lets anyone with content create addictive social games directly from their content.  

Check out the full article here and contact us if you want to find out how you can apply QRANK to your content.

Ricochet Taps into AngelList

Austin start-ups, including Ricochet Labs, are leveraging social networks like AngelList to raise capital.

The Austin American-Statesman highlights how Ricochet and OwnLocal are finding investors (and, in our case, advisors too) through social media websites that connects startups and investors. Check out the article here.

Wanna Break Into the Game Industry?

Ricochet Labs' co-founder Rodney Gibbs joins other game leaders, including Warren Specter and Richard Garriott, to offer advice to those who dream of a career in game development. Read the Austin American-Statesman article here.

QRANK, the Perfect Distration

The Dallas Observer calls QRANK one of four great apps. We're in good company with Hanging with Friends,  Smack That Gugl, and Buzzhole.

"With [QRANK's] location-based leaderboards, you can claim the biggest brain prize in town, whether you're at home on the couch or throwing a few back at your favorite watering hole."

Hey thanks, Dallas! Glad we could make you feel smart while you're getting loaded. Check out the full article here.

Smartphones Overtaking 3DS

The Austin American-Statesman analyzes the impact of smartphones on the Nintendo 3DS.

The article quotes Ricochet Labs' co-founder Rodney Gibbs, a verteran of both Nintendo and mobile development. "Consumers have been trained to value mobile games at free, 99 cents, or $1.99," Gibbs says. "A DS game, in contrast, costs 40 times that." Check out the full article here.

Burgandy QRANK?

Is your anchorman QRANKing under his desk? If you're in Tampa, he just might be. Meet ABC Action News anchor Brendan McLaughlin. He loves The Princess Bride, singing like Tom Jones, and condiments. When he's not dreaming of dining with Thomas Jefferson and Tom Waits, he's playing QRANK.  We can't make this stuff up.  Read it for yourself here.

Ricochet Co-founder to Advise Austin Mayor

Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell named Ricochet Labs' co-founder Rodney Gibbs to the Mayor's Creative Industry Advisory Group. Rodney joins leaders from Austin's creative industries and companies, including the Alamo Drafthouse, Austin Film Studios, and SXSW. Check out the full article here.

CNN Calls QRANK Digital Temptress

Well, not exactly.  But CNN did say QRANK — along with Facebook and Words with Friends — is one of those irresistible iPhone apps that may cause you to sneak a peak at your phone even when you're trying relax on vacation:   

"Maybe you can't resist peeking at your phone to see what your co-workers are up to on Facebook. Or, you know, to get in a quick round of Words With Friends, or a game of QRANK during that long sunset stroll on the beach."

Thanks, CNN.  This gives us an idea — QRANK: the Margaritaville Edition!  Jimmy Buffet, are you listening?  Read the full story on CNN. 

The Kirkus QRANK

The New Yorker breaks the news about our latest QRANK channel with Kirkus Reviews.  Kirkus is an amazing book review site, and its reviewers are penning their own QRANK questions to test your knowledge of literature.  From classics to best-sellers, kids' books to non-fiction, Kirkus covers it all.  Match wits with other book lovers on the Kirkus QRANK.  And check out the New Yorker article while you're at it.

QRANK wins Texas Social Media Award

We're psyched to learn that QRANK is a winner of the 2011 Statesman Texas Social Media Awards.  Past winners include Gowalla, so we're in mighty fine company.  Of our little trivia game that could, the Austin American-Statesman writes:

In less than a year, the mobile trivia app developed by Austin-based Ricochet Labs has gone from iPhones to coffee shops, with live Qrank games popping up all over town. "Social media threads Qrank players together and allows them to match wits and kid one another, whether they're living in the same house or on opposite sides of the world," says co-founder Rodney Gibbs.

The overall winner will be announced on March 10 in Austin on the eve of SXSW, where we'll celebrate by hosting a special live game of QRANK.  Hope to see you there!

QRANK Tops Watson!

It's quite a day when your iPhone trivia app tops IBM's five-years-in-the-making show horse.  We were thrilled to read this New Yorker piece that says Watson zaps the social hooks and fun from quizzes, whereas QRANK shows how technology should work.

Technology is not necessarily the enemy of fun. Video-game designers seek a sweet spot where players feel challenge but not despair... Qrank brings me back to how I felt watching “Jeopardy!” in the family room.

Read the full story here.

New Year, New QRANK: Unveiling “Quest for the Keys”

Wish you could play more QRANK everyday? Wish no more! We're proud to announce that QRANK powers Buick's "Quest for the Keys" contest.  Score well and you might just go home with a new car!

"Quest for the Keys" kicked off this week during the North American International Auto Show to promote Buick's lineup, including the Regal, Enclave, LaCrosse, and the all new Verano.

Play this QRANK-fueled trivia game on Buick's facebook page for your chance to win cash or a new Buick!

This is the first of many versions of QRANK we're rolling out in 2011.  Keep your eyes out for more QRANK flavors later this month.

Top 5 of 2010

G4's "Attack of the Show" names QRANK one of its favorite five games of 2010.  Normally we'd be flattered, but look at the slackers and ne'er-do-wells surrounding us on this list: God of War 3, Halo: Reach, Rock Band 3.  Geesh.  (We kid.)  Thanks, G4!

QRANK on the Cover!

QRANK has "rocketed from an Austinite to an American obsession."  That's the kind of press we love to see, particularly when it's part of a cover story.  Our little social quiz app landed on the cover of the Austin Chronicle, joining the ranks of many of our idols.  Also, check out the catchy video the Chron folks made for the cover.  We love it! 

Read the full story here.

QRANK Chat

Rodney Gibbs, Ricochet Labs's CEO, chatted with RCR Wireless about the future of QRANK and trends he sees in the mobile industry.  And, yes, the fire was hot. 

If the embeded video gives you trouble, watch it here.

What Marketers Can Learn From QRANK

And you thought QRANK was all about having fun matching wits with your friends.  Little did we know that it's also an instructional tool for marketers.  Check out this great piece from Bailey Gardiner, a San Diego marketing firm, that holds QRANK up as an example of great marketing tenets. 

"So how do we achieve the level of devotion in the social space that so many apps and games are getting? To answer this question, I thought it’d be a good practice to dissect one of my own guilty pleasures and discuss exactly which components can make for techie addiction. Here’s what I’ve learned from my slight obsession with the iPhone trivia game, QRANK."

 

Read the full piece here.

The Austin American Statesman Hosts QRANK Live

The Austin American Statesman hosted an evening of QRANK on Tuesday, November 16, at Cedar Door in downtown Austin, Tx. The questions were developed by Statesman and Austin360 writers and included current news, entertainment info, events and Austin-centric trivia.

Austin players came out to match wits and mingle with their favorite writers and staff. Cedar Door offered both drink and appetizer specials for all attendees and the Statesman handed out prizes for the 1st and 2nd place winner of each of the 6 rounds as well as a grand prize to the player with the highest cumulative score.