Hey there Goob! Cool contest. Really looking forward to what the next couple of months bring from HIF. Here's a link to my blog that I posted about your contest. http://googlebot.tumblr.com/post/73779829/hey-i...
I'm glad to see you're putting a positive spin on this situation. Since this is relatively big competitor, they probably have a huge (over paid) marketing department that is utilizing brainstorming sessions, whiteboard meetings, etc. that you can benefit from just by staying in tune with. I'd keep a close eye on them to see in sudden shift in trends or features they add/delete. Let them be the research, you be the project. Eyes on the prize. Good luck!
Man this is good. As an SEO, I spend a ton of time researching who is linking back to my client sites, and now, the information comes streaming in to me. Guess I'll go enjoy a beer. Thanks John!