Tag Archives: blog.tv

Choosing the Best Video Chat Tool or Software: FaceBook, Stickam, Skype, Google Chat, AIM, BlogTv

It’s a race for live video chat. Which one is right for you? First the history, then some recommendations based on what you plan to do (one-to-one or one-to-many).

  • First it was Stickam, where community people would run group video sessions.
  • Then came Blogtv.com, which provided advertising dollars to popular online-video talent to run live shows (the most-subscribed blogtv creators are, not coincidentally, all most-subscribed on YouTube).
  • Stickam and Blogtv, according to Alexa, are currently fairly close in terms of visitors and time spent on site (as much as 13 minutes).
  • Skype also extended its audio chat to video. And of course there’s always AIM video for people either far behind or far ahead of the time.
  • Then Google/Gmail Video Chat made it easy, and integrated with Google mail.

Now Facebook is getting into the game. Given the proliferation of Facebook, I’d guess we’ll see significant use of its video chat — perhaps more than Gmail or AIM since it’s a common platform regardless of e-mail or hosting provider.

It’s unfair to compare these, because they have different purposes. Here are three, with my recommendations:

  1. Want a video-conference call that includes several people, and potentially observers with view/comment access only? Try Stickam.
  2. Want to do a “show” for a large audience? Blogtv is probably best, unless you want to interact with interviewees or callers… then it gets limited.
  3. Going one-to-one? AIM, Google Video Chat, Skype, and FaceBook seem like reasonable bets. Given that FaceBook likely has your network established, I’m betting on it surpassing the others.

nalty merck

BlogTV Allows YouTube “Stars” to “Go Live.” Will YouTube Buy It, Build It, or Leave It Alone?

blogtv

Blogtv.com announced a new “best of” section (see blogtv’s blog) and has created a forum for popular “weblebrities” to broadcast live to their “fans.” Seems the most popular blog.tv channels are, not coincidentally, popular YouTubers.

PhillyD? Sxephil? HappySlip? WhatTheBuck? DaveDays?

While YouTube is the defacto site for sharing videos, there’s no way to “go live” via video, and YouTube was careful with the media to represent YouTube Live as a one-time promotion (perhaps in fears of appearing as a network competitor).

Meanwhile, Blog.tv gives these people a tool to connect with audiences real-time, and make money (stars are reportedly paid as much as a dime per viewer). So it appears to be a profitable tool for video creators, and as a result they’re promoting their live sessions via YouTube.

How long before YouTube decides to provide this tool to its “partners” and audiences? If the average viewer stays for 5-10 minutes (that’s a guess), that’s plenty of time to serve ads.

And mama YouTube don’t like to be left out of ad revenue, dat’s fo sho.

What do you think? Should YouTube leave this area alone, or buy blogtv and capitalize on it? Blogtv, while getting some press at launch, is mostly “off the grid” from a media perspective, unlike Twitter (all the rage lately). So maybe Google instead decides to build its own live-chat “one to many” forum (Google chat is a step in that direction, although mostly for one-to-one video communication). Or will a live broadcast format appear like an arrow over the bow of the networks? And is it even consistent with the Google mission to organize the world’s information?

Postscript: I had every intention of doing my own Nalts blogtv channel, but there are three problems. First, I’m not very good about punctuality.  Second, the kids would be screaming in the background. Third, I’m not sure I’ve got the “thang” for live broadcasts. I find them rather dull (unless carefully formatted), and if I can’t keep myself interested how can I keep an audience?

popular blogtv peeps

Coolest Interview JibJab Creators Have Ever Done

jibjab logo“People like to look at themselves,” JibJab co-creator Gregg Spiridellis told fans last night to explain the appeal of JibJab Sendables — one of just a few cash-makers for the company that spawned several of the most viral video animations ever. Gregg and his brother Evan said it the live show with fans was the “coolest interview” they’ve done (see 10-minute clip below).

Alan Lastufka, know on YouTube as fallofautumndistro, invited the NJ natives to interact with JibJab Junkies via live video on Blog.tv. (a website helping some YouTube Cewebrities connect with fans and earn some additional cash through ads).

The Spiridellis brothers talked from the heart — not the marketing script — and dropped words like “nipple” and “banana hammock” as if we’re with them in their Freshman dorm. If you’ve ever marvelled at the JibJab cartoon musical satires, then you may find this unscripted format intriguing. The fourth wall is gone, and the brothers relax with the lack of lights, big cameras and nervous action from journalists, producers and production assistants.

On a continuum between meeting someone live and watching them on a late-night TV interview, the Blog.tv experience was an experience far closer to the former. The duo took random questions in a relaxed, bemused style unlike an edited TV package or even live television. We watch the awkward pauses between their sound bites, how they transition between each other, and the way they handle quirky questions with improvisational wit.

There’s a moment where they chuckle about their paultry earnings, and we get a peak into a playtful motive of their collaborations. And the event punctuates with them walking off camera and out the room, but not before inviting their “marketing guy” to speak to the audience (he doesn’t, but in fairness he does look like he’s younger than my Charlie).

The Spiridellis are now my second favorite brother duo. Above the Cohen brothers, but second, of course, to Nalts and his brother Chris [who I love even when I don’t return his calls… and from whom I stole the college nickname “Nalts”].

Gregg and Evan’s live appearance makes it hard to hide the fact that they are far more interested in the fun and humor of their satire than in capitalizing on it. They seem to work like crazy and love it, and you may not watch another JibJab without thinking back to this fascinating peak at the Spiridellis. While there are moments that drag and a few gratuitous plugs for JibJab, we experience insights into the spirit lurking behind the whimsical JibJab moments.

Do I sound like a fan gone rabid? Yeah, I am.