NoteSlate is best described as buzzware: a tech concept masquerading as a full-fledged idea because it needs consumer enthusiasm to support its development. Thanks to the marvels of the Internet, it's easy to foist an unfinished idea on the world, creating a crowd-sourced trial balloon that, if it succeeds, might attract capital and talent.

Rolling out buzzware doesn't require programming expertise or piles of money. The ingredients are simple: an idea, some marketing savvy and a domain name.