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Don’t call it a web site

May 31st, 2006 by mhjones

Now, the first thing you need to know about the AFR’s new website, is that it isn’t a website. As per the ads that announced the venture in today’s AFR, AFR Access is "the serious investor’s toolkit".

I’ve actually participated in an internal trial, and it operates something akin to a sophisticated AJAX application - except that it’s built using Macromedia. Afr_access_logo_sm So what, exactly, is AFR Access? Well, you can subscribe to different content packages that include the AFR and different news and information sources from around the world. It also has a bunch of financial tools, as per the tag line. And it costs money.

What do I think? It does what it was designed to do, which is not be a free news website. I’m not aware of many other online apps from a big media outlet out there like this, so it seems to me we’re unchartered waters. There’s a free trial and an online demo at the site, so I’d be interested to know your reaction. Don’t be shy now.

Tagged: Aussie media
Comments:

5 Responses to “Don’t call it a web site”

  1. Trevor Cook Says:
    May 31st, 2006 at 2:52 pm

    How many ’serious’ investors don’t have access to something similar. I’m not one so I don’t care but it seems to me a lot of this stuff can be done on Yahoo, Google, ASX site etc. Plus, correct if me if I’m wrong but you can’t trade through the site so its not really a one stop shop type operqation and a ‘toolkit’ that doesn’t let you trade seems a little deficient.
    In addition, and I don’t want to labour this point, but I think this is a return to the daytrading boom of the dotcom bubble. Personally, I think reading the news and buying and selling on the basis of the day’s activities is a game for mugs and insiders.

  2. pascoe Says:
    May 31st, 2006 at 3:41 pm

    Trevor, the AFR lasses ran us through the product last week - I thought it was going to be a bit wanky too, but its pretty indepth.

    It does allow trading in the app itself (through CommSec currently, but they’re going to open it up over time), but from what I saw (and also not being a big investor) one of the coolest features was the in-depth stuff like the property tool - you can overlay trends with maps with auctions. (I’m sure real estate agents have this, but maybe thats a benefit - making a high end specialist app/info available to the high end generalist?)

  3. Trevor Cook Says:
    June 1st, 2006 at 3:37 pm

    Thanks Andrew that sounds more impressive

  4. Crazy Jim Smith Says:
    June 3rd, 2006 at 1:39 pm

    I was invited to subscribe for a free trial offer, but I didn’t.

    Like the first poster I like to get my information for free, and can make decisions based on old information that others would consider worthless.

  5. scientaestubique Says:
    June 24th, 2006 at 8:01 pm

    Your demo is in Windows Media Player format? Disappointing, I will not be signing up for a trial.

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