Streaming video messenger iClips Inc. Tuesday rolled out the carpet for an
upgrade of its browser solution that helps Web users encode and share
streaming video messages without leaving the Web.
Built in your browser, iClips Producer 2.0 lets users grab streaming
video directly from a PC camera, camcorder and/or VCR. Or, if they prefer,
consumers may convert existing video files without any desktop software.
Streaming video messages created with the tool may then be distributed via
e-mail or published to most Web sites.
The new app, along with 20 megabytes of storage space and 56K encoding, is
available free to Web users as a part of iClips’ basic
service. The business also offers a premium service, iClips Pro, for $9.95 a
month that includes 100 MB of storage space, as well as an encoding rate of
256K.
The producer tool is currently available at the firm’s site and will be available through such
distribution partners as NBCi, theglobe.com and Homestead in March.
In an age where a number of forms of messaging are employed to help users
communicate — including unified and instant messaging — streaming message
brings something a little different to the table. Whereas most messaging
apps involve voice or text, iClips technology banks on the value of offering
video-carried messages over the Web to succeed.
“That’s precisely what we’ve accomplished with iClips and continue to
demonstrate with the introduction of iClips Producer 2.0; a simple, three
click process that empowers users to create and share self-created video
messages, for free,” said Michael Diamant, founder and chief executive
officer of iClips.
iClips has curried some interest as is evidenced by its handful of
partnerships, but its real target market could be to those businesses who want to add
streaming advertising to their repertoire.
Just last week, Evian dove into
streaming video advertising with the help of the start-up; the two inked a
deal for Evian’s streaming video ads to run on iClips’ free
user-generated video platform.
