LiveSide - News blog : Video

Windows Live Video Messages site is live for now (it says Sept 9th)

Kip Kniskern — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:26:51 GMT

Thanks for the comments in the last post, it appears that Windows Live Video Messages is up and running, at http://videomessages.live.com/Portal/default.aspx?lc=1033. Sign in with a Live ID, and give it a try (you may have to back out of the screen saying it will be up on 09/09.

lc=1033 is the location code for US, so of course the usual non US issues may apply. A very quick first glance shows a simple but interesting new service, if you’re into webcams and video messages. I’ll let the webcam pros give a more detailed review, but for now you can try it out.

Windows Live Video Messages – new tech preview coming soon (sidebar gadget available for download now)

Chris — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 01:48:21 GMT

You kill one service, and another one springs up to take its place. The Windows Live Support and Feedback sites helpfully spilled the beans on Windows Live Video Messages, a new beta service that ties in with the LifeCam range of webcams.

As we mentioned in our recent post on the new upcoming LifeCams, the VX5500 and the LifeCam Show, the new devices are compatible with a a Windows Vista sidebar gadget. Turns out this gadget is part of the new Video Messages service, along with a to-be-released web portal.

The Video Messages service allows all webcam users to send video messages to friends and family, even if they are offline. The bonus is that if you are using a LifeCam, you can do this direct from your desktop using the sidebar gadget.

Thought the website says the tech preview is coming to the public on 9th September, if you say you’re a member of the press you get presented with the gadget download link immediately. Groovy. No 64-bit version we could find though I’m afraid. Warning, we tested this without LifeCams installed and the entire sidebar disappeared. Let us know if you have any luck though.

So, 1.5 years after the launch of Windows Vista, we finally have our first official Windows Live sidebar gadget, not counting the Live Search (Maps) ones of course. Looks like things are on the up!

Totally off-topic, we heard whisperings of a contractor developed Messenger sidebar gadget about a year ago. I wonder what rabbit-hole that disappeared down…

Via PP2

New LifeCam models on the way – VX5500 and LifeCam Show

Chris — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:49:00 GMT

It looks like Microsoft will soon be shipping new versions of its webcam hardware line, the LifeCam. Some electronics retailers are already showing the VX-5500 and the LifeCam Show in their product listings, for $60 and $80 respectively.

As always the Germans are on the game, and the VX-5500 is up on the Microsoft Germany website (factsheet too). With a choice of 3 colours for the front bezel, the information site also shows a nice Vista sidebar gadget allowing for direct video calling. Sweet! The specifications don't appear to be much changed from previous LifeCam versions, with 0.3mp video and 1.3mp photo

According to one retailer the ETA for the VX-5500is 1 week, but looking at the specification sheet shows a release date of 24 September 2008, which is still 6 weeks off.

Not much is known about the LifeCam Show, but first indications are that it will a renamed VX-8000 model. Microsoft has also applied for a trademark on this brand, so it'll be interesting to see what the features are like. As always, please tip us if you spot anything.

PS: Can anybody translate the Windows Live Call section of the factsheet for us? Remember that this service expired for Europeans on July 31, and for the USA its the end of this month, we're interested to see what Microsoft is saying about it now...

Microsoft Videos – Official news, demos, how-to’s and more

Chris — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:44:00 GMT

In case you can’t get enough of Microsoft videos, there’s now a dedicated site for them in testing: http://preview.microsoft.com/video/. Built using Silverlight, the new Microsoft Video website looks to be a great central point for finding and viewing official Microsoft videos, and includes content from other Microsoft sites such as Channels 8, 9 & 10.

Performance is great, though quality is sometimes patchy when in full-screen mode. I especially love the on-screen controls, and in particular the mouse-over transition effects. Very cool. Full marks goes for including RSS feeds for searches, for example this feed for Windows Live.

While content is US only at the moment, the About page explains that they hope to add more content from other Microsoft offices around the world. Lets just hope they stick to the informative videos and less of the viral marketing!

NASA Meets Photosynth

Obligatory sappy marketing digital lifestyle post

Kip Kniskern — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:35:00 GMT

Video: Your Digital Lifestyle

I kind of like the tune, though

Microsoft, Yahoo!, the merger and Google - Online Video

Sunshine — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:48:00 GMT

First let's take a look at some comScore statistics on this one:

Google Video Sites:
Google Video
YouTube

Yahoo! Video Sites:
Yahoo! Video
Yahoo! Live

Microsoft Video Site(s):
MSN Video (includes Soapbox)

Note: YouTube.com accounted for more than 97 percent of all videos
viewed at Google property.

So what does the above tell us? First it tells us that Google dominates in this area, both in number of videos viewed and unique video viewers. Biggest share in it is taken by YouTube. I have cut out other sites in the above stats (to watch the full table in the source article, click on the table), but a combination of Yahoo! and Microsoft sites would pass the current number 2, Fox Interactive Media (U.S. share: videos watched 3.5%, unique video viewers 23.9%). Fox Interactive Media (MySpace, Photobucket Image Hosting) is owned by News Corporation. News Corporation you say? Isn't Yahoo! in negotiations with them? Yes, they are. More about what's happening in the negotiations area can be found on our Microsoft - Yahoo! Page.

Lots of buzz around online video lately, in particular about live streaming. Yahoo! has recently launched Yahoo! Live. This is an experimental release and got announced on their blog, Y! Live Blog, in Y! Live – The world is watching:

Y! Live was dreamed up as a way to make it possible for anyone to create their own live video experience. Broadcast the concert you’re at. Webcast your own live DJ set. Lifecast....

For viewers: How is Y! Live different from other online video sites? That’s simple: it’s live. What you’re watching, right now, is what other people are watching, right now. We wanted to create an experience that takes us back to live television, where things are happening now, in real time.

For broadcasters: You’ve been posting your stuff to MySpace and YouTube. Now, connect with your fans in real time on Y! Live. There is something intangible about a live performance – an excitement that you can’t replicate in pre-recorded format. Broadcast a performance, interact with your fans with video and chat, embed your broadcast anywhere - it’s all possible on Y! Live.

For developers: Check out our developer preview of our API and embeddable components, and well as a sample app and tutorial we threw together.....

Michael Arrington over at TechCrunch writes about Yahoo! Live:

Given all the chaos this week surrounding Microsoft’s bid to take over Yahoo, it’s not surprising that a new Yahoo product launch wouldn’t have an abundance of exuberance attached to it....

It is very similar to existing live streaming services like Stickam, Justin.tv and Ustream and Blogtv. Users create a channel, authorize their webcam and start broadcasting to the public. Other people can drop by and watch, or choose to participate via video, sound or text chat.

We’re still testing it, but for now the service is very unstable and keeps going down. It’s also clearly got a ways to go with features - videos are not archived for playback, for example, meaning once it’s broadcast live, that’s it.....

I've found an interesting article about one of the live streaming services Michael mentions: Microsoft Looking To Purchase Ustream? Now if this is going to happen it would most certainly boost Microsoft's share in Online Video Land. Yahoo! has only just started experimenting with live streaming and Ustream has established itself as the leading platform for live, interactive microbroadcasting already. Even though Ustream focuses more on broadcasts of events (fits in perfectly fine on MSN Video), rather than streaming individuals, I can see this technique being used for Soapbox (user videos) too. If incorporated fast they may even beat Google to bringing live streaming, as there are rumors Google may offer live streaming from YouTube later this year.

Another factor that will greatly improve MSN Video/Soapbox is the use of Microsoft Silverlight (benefits, such as offering - up to HD quality video on the Web for Mac and Windows today, and Linux later on), which is planned already (probably before this summer according to Nathan Weinberg in the Ustream purchase article).

Can a Microsoft/Yahoo combination compete with Google? I believe so, certainly if Microsoft buys Ustream. What do you think?

Partnerships for MSN Video with MTV Networks and Sony BMG

Sunshine — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:41:00 GMT

Yesterday two partnership announcements appeared concerning MSN Video, one with MTV Networks and one with Sony BMG. They are European deals, but who says it won't expanded in the future? MSN Video is currently available in over 23 countries. On February 2nd it got expanded to the following countries and languages: Russia, India, Belgium (Dutch), Belgium (French), Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines.

MTV Networks: The European deal covers MTVN video content for the UK, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden, with Belgium, Denmark and Norway to follow. MTV and Microsoft will also be looking to extend the agreement to other European markets.

Sony BMG: The European deal covers Sony BMG video content for the UK, France, and Germany with the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Russia and Poland to follow.

MSN Video is currently viewed by more than 6 million European unique users per month. The MSN Video audience grew by 60% in five months from July to November 2007 in established markets (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands) and nearly 70% taking into account the addition of MSN Video in Sweden and Denmark.

So now you can go and watch your favourite shows on MSN Video such as Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher (known from "That 70's Show"), Pimp my Ride, Cribs and South Park! Music fans will be able to choose from a wide selection of videos and exclusive videos as well as backstage footage, interviews, artist biographies, tour information and photos from some of the biggest superstars, representing virtually every genre of music.

...(read more)

MSN Video share surges - Soapbox and Live Search doing well?

Chris — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:40:00 GMT

In the latest Compete traffic rankings for video services released today, MSN Video shows a marked improvement in October compared to September. Visits were up 25.3% to 35m, giving it almost 9% of the video market in 2nd place. In comparison YouTube/Google has almost 54%, with Yahoo coming 3rd, 0.5% behind MSN.

So what has caused this dramatic increase? Aside from it potentially being a random blip (MSN had a 7.5% decrease for the September/August numbers) it seems that there are two possible reasons for the change.

The first is that at the end of September MSN Soapbox was migrated from a stand-alone site to part of the new MSN Video portal. This addition of user generated content to the premium content traditionally hosted by MSN Video has given a slight rise in videos per user, from 1.60 in September to 1.65 using the October numbers. It looks like MSN Video managed to succeed in attracting new users to the site, so the November numbers should show whether MSN has managed to retain them for a 2nd month.

Additionally the Live Search update was released at the end of September also, and part of this includes the new video search engine. Whereas the old Live Search had this feature tucked away as "in beta" and powered by a 3rd party, the new Live Search is promoted much more prominently. Featuring as an option on the main search homepage, switching to video search is now also available direct from regular web or image search results. The new mouseover video previews are also particularly cool, and help to engage the user with the content before they click through to view the full clip.

It'll be interesting to see if this growth can be sustained through to the end of the year - I'm not sure it will but hopefully I'll be proved wrong.