Update: This event has grown! We have decided to host the site with it’s own domain: http://www.IslamInTheWest.org/ We have posted updates on the new site, including news about a poetry section with Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore. Please purchase your tickets and invite your friends (you can invite them here: http://islaminthewest.eventbrite.com/ lower right side of the page).

IslamCrunch is honored to have been selected to host the website for the Islam In The West Arts Fest event. Please visit the site to find out more about this event that features Islamic scholars (Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Imam Zaid Shakir and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf), entertainers (Native Deen, Noor, Kareem Salaama), film premieres (Michael Wolfe and Zahir Ahmed) and our dear friend and teacher, Haji Noor Deen.

This event has also been posted Facebook here:

For Zvents users:

For Eventful users: http://eventful.com/events/E0-001-003705535-1

Technorati tags: arts, fest, islamcrunch, zvents, eventful, facebook, hamza yusuf, zaid shakir, siraj wahhaj, native deen, kareem salama, michael wolfe, haji noor deen, islamic, eventbrite, poetry

Our friend, Mujahideen Ryder, has just announced a new project he has been working on: UmmahWatch.

“UmmahWatch is a digital media democracy. As a user, you participate in determining all site content by discovering, selecting, sharing, and discussing the articles and videos that appeal to you”.

As pointed out by Mujahideen Ryder, UmmahWatch is the Muslim version of Digg.com, Del.icio.us, reddit.com and other similar social browsing/bookmarking sites. As regular visitors to these sites, we have to focus in on news articles or links to sites relating to Islam. We are quite certain, this was one aspect that initiated the UmmahWatch project. Now with UmmahWatch, the scanning is done in a free-form manner.

After a quick registration, we wondered if there was a bookmarklet for easy submission. And yes, a bookmarklet is readily available on your profile page. We tested the bookmarklet with ease. We are looking forward to the expansion of UmmahWatch (since UW is in beta following the Web 2.0 formalities).

Digg the UmmahWatch here. Subscribe to our RSS feed of published links here:

Technorati tags: ummahwatch, digg, delicious, reddit, bookmarking, bookmarklet, mujahideen ryder, rss, web 2.0

We first met Parama Danoesubroto at the 42nd Annual ISNA Convention in 2005. He approached us and asked about our CRM system. Just as he expected, we informed him that we did not have an actual customer relationship management system. Our response was one of the reasons, why Parama and his partner Nathaniel Bennett designed and developed FunClient as a senior project at Purdue University Calumet. We waited patiently for Parama to contact us regarding the launch of his web-based CRM system. In February 2007, FunClient was unleashed to the world.

We were given a sneak preview and we tested the features. Then, we compared FunClient’s features to other web-based CRM systems available. BigContacts and Oprius Foundations have a calendar feature that can be useful. However, their interface can be overwhelming. HighriseHQ is a new contender in the market that was built by 37Signals, well known for their project management tool, BaseCamp and information organizer, BackPack. HighriseHQ has the advantage of a large community providing feedback, which allowed 37Signals to finetune their CRM system. Well, a brother is a brother. Parama has a large community that needs to be tapped. We hope the ummah will support FunClient.

Their target audience are small business owners. If you do not have a CRM system in place or know someone who could benefit from FunClient, contact them and tell them IslamCrunch recommended FunClient.

“Funclient.com would help small business’ manage and organize their customer relationship quickly and easily so that they can have more time in having fun in what they do,” said Danoesubroto.

IslamCrunch interviews FunClient here.

Technorati tags: funclient, crm, interview, web 2.0

IslamCrunch: What is your web application/service about?

Funclient: Funclient.com is a web based application that allows small businesses organize their customer information as well as keep track of their meetings, phonecalls, and also store files and documents online. Its also great for collaborating with others.

IslamCrunch: Why did you start this project?

Funclient: I started this project because of my previous failure in implementing a CRM(Customer Relationship Management) application in my previous business. I believe that the current CRM softwares out there are too complicated for small businesses to use.

Read the rest of this entry »

After posting some information about IslamCrunch on one of our Linkedin profiles, there has been a lot of speculation about IslamCrunch. Well, the time has come to unveil this project.

IslamCrunch was developed to showcase businesses, organizations and projects that involved Muslims. All of us here at IslamCrunch have been involved with a variety of projects in the Muslim community and have amassed a large network. Through this network, we receive a continuous flow of information about new projects. IslamCrunch plans to to deliver the information and content in a centralized location, insha’Allah.

Creativity plays a big role in our daily lives, so we decided we would not exclude any information that we share. We look forward to discussing new technologies, media stories, cultural events and more. If we feel it should be ‘crunched’, we will post it.

Why IslamCrunch? Simple. The name sounds cool. Crunch into something, you get a flavorful sensation. Crunch some numbers, you get some data. Crunch an object, you show how resilient it is.

However, IslamCrunch is more than that. Explore with us.

Technorati Tags: islamcrunch, islam, crunch, muslim, media, technology, cultural, crunch, community, centralized