Magnify Goes to the Blogs
Magnify.net, known for their ability to collect and curate video content into groups on their own site, have brought some really intriguing features to Movable Type and WordPress in their new Magnify Publisher application.
It’s all in the little orange button in this pic (click to see bigger):
I’ve tried it live. You click the button, throw a search term into the box, and pow, out comes video options from multiple platforms, including YouTube, Blip, etc, etc. Tons. Want a photo? They’re integrated with Flickr. ( Not sure how it handles Creative Commons issues, now that I think about it, but that’s fixable, if not already on board). I think more photo integrations come next.
So, imagine this: you’re writing your blog post, decide you want a recent video of Obama talking about economic issues. Search, select, click embed, and pow. All done inline. I think it’s cool. Oh, and if you want to record video on the fly, there’s an inline tool that lets you do that, too. No jumping off the page. Just works right there, on site.
I saw this quote from Anil Dash from SixApart in the Press Release:
“Bloggers in our Movable Type community have consistently told us that their readers respond to posts with relevant videos and photos, so we’re always looking for ways to make rich media easier to find and share” said Six Apart’s Anil Dash. “Magnify Publisher makes that process extremely easy, providing an integrated application that lets bloggers discover, share or even create multimedia content right from within the familiar Movable Type interface.”
Friends of mine, like Justin and Eric from GimpTV really swear by Movable Type as a publishing platform, and because they’re video guys, maybe this works out even better for them. Me? I’m a WordPress user, and Steve Rosenbaum told me they’re pretty much ready to go with the same tool for WordPress, so I’m looking forward to getting that up and running on my site.
Nothing specific is up on the site yet, or I missed it, but hey, swing by Magnify.net and look for yourself. Say hi to Steve for me.
Shel Israel Goes Global on TV
Shel Israel is launched on FastCompany.tv. I don’t want to say much more than I really love the editing and the storytelling and the quality of the production without it feeling too pro. Just watch this episode and tell me what YOU think:
Jeff Pulver Launches PrimeTimeRewind
Serial entrepreneur, visionary, friend, and previous boss of mine, Jeff Pulver formally launched his new venture, PrimeTimeRewind.tv, from the floor of VON.x, his IP communications conference. The goal of the new site is to make it easier to find the Internet equivalent of the major TV shows right on the web. There’s already a pretty decent bunch of content up on the site, and I find spinning that cube (pictured above) to be a very interesting interface.
Jeff and I worked in and around the Internet TV space over the later part of 2006 and all through 2007, and I’m really excited that this project has launched. It’s in Alpha, but I think it has the potential to appeal to people seeking mainstream TV content. It will be interesting to see where the site goes next, but I’m excited to see it launched and off the ground. Amit Shafrir, former president of premium services from AOL, is serving as CEO. I wish the whole team well.
PrimeTimeRewind.tv <- go spin the cube yourself.
OoVoo- Video Chatting for 2008
OoVoo is a desktop software application that allows people to chat with up to five others (six total) using video, text, and I believe audio (though I didn’t try an audio only connection). Yesterday, I took part in My OoVoo Day with a bunch of other bloggers and media makers. It was basically a bunch of scheduled chats with people using the technology.
My first thought was that it was like Stickam and/or maybe like PalTalk, only with a slightly different mindset. It’s shiny. There are lots of buttons to push. There’s a fairly simple (fairly) social communication tool.
It worked okay for a six way chat early on. The errors people experienced were mostly bandwidth related, it seemed. I think Mac users get a slightly less robust experience (grumble, grumble), but otherwise, it worked-ish. Jeff Glasson from PerkettPR (on a Mac) had a rough time, but I think that’s him. : )
What I Don’t Like
- Client-side app made it one more communications box open (like Skype, AIM, etc). But hey: video *ON* the net is tricky stuff. That’s why there’s a conference about it in May. (plug plug for Jeff).
- I didn’t like that PCs can record and Macs can’t. Parity, folks. Especially in the hungry blogger crowd. We’re all (okay, mostly) using Macs.
- I don’t know why I’ll use it. I mean, I get it, but I’m not sure how often I’ll use it. (But that’s me.)
What It Will/Can Do
Videobloggers can use it as a way to hold video interview panels easily. People can do ad hoc face-to-face moments. It’s much less expensive than pro conference services.
My vote? It’s okay. Not sure I’m an adopter, but that’s not saying it’s bad. I just need to find the right use case for when I need a group video platform.
What did you think?
(Oh, and props to Scott Monty of Crayon for really rocking the campaign and getting lots of people into the experience. THAT was a raging success).
