We see Bout going beyond the categories that we have now to an app where no matter what you’re passionate about, you can create a community around it.
“I love this app,” writes iTunes app reviewer Poppypufferfish. “Get this app, and you will not regret it!” Considering how much I regret most of the apps I download, I consider this the ringingest of all endorsements.
The app to which Poppypufferfish offers his/her praises is Bout. Doug Rollins, co-founder of Bout, describes it as “an app that lets users compare and explore the hottest trends in fashion, food, design and travel.”
Bout presents users with two images. The user chooses the image they prefer. The more images a user selects, the more the app learns about the user, and the questions become more interesting to the user. Each image contains a link so users can learn more about the fashion, food, destination, etc. highlighted.
“We’re trying to build a community of people who are really passionate about something,” Rollins says. Rollin knows a thing or two about passion. After running a high end toy company, Rollins was brought in to run the venture division of OSI. Last year he and other members of the division were bouncing around ideas. “We had about 225 different ideas,” Rollins says. “Bout rose to the top as a really fun way to give input on things that are going on in society.”
Bout recently launched and the number of users grows every week. Feedback from users is overwhelmingly positive (just as Poppypufferfish). “The users that we’ve talked to say it’s really fun. Some say it’s addicting,” Rollins says.
Rollins plans to expand the reach of Bout to anyone with a passion, regardless of what that passion may be. “We see Bout going beyond the categories that we have now to an app where no matter what you’re passionate about, you can create a community around it,” Rollins says.
