At last week’s Web 2.0 Expo we caught up with ooVoo, a company that enables people to connect, collaborate and communicate in real-time through online video. Bubblicious Reporter Jolie O’Dell spoke with Tom Herman, VP of product marketing at ooVoo, about their core products and their new open API that allows developers to build customized applications and widgets for use within the ooVoo platform.
ooVoo enables people to have video chats with up to six people on camera and another six people by audio, as well as screen-sharing capabilities. ooVoo competes against more established players such as Logitech’s SightSpeed, and is an alternative for businesses who cannot afford the higher end solutions such as Cisco’s TelePresence.
Developers interested in building a video app on the ooVoo platform should participate in ooVoo’s developer contest where he or she can win $2,500 by building a creative video widget and embedding it on their personal or company site. Video is a powerful medium and it’s one more way to communicate with readers, viewers, customers, partners, colleagues, etc. Check out our interview with ooVoo:
In addition to ooVoo, the Bubblicious team talked with a few other companies offering social computing applications and services. If you missed yesterday’s video, watch our highlight reel and stay tuned all week for the full interviews with each company. Tomorrow’s video interview is with MindTouch.
Last week I wrote about how TokBox launched their new video chat for Facebook. This week they’ve brought video chat to your desktop.
Using the recently popular and cross-platform Adobe AIR, TokBox has created an easy to use application that might remind you of IM software or Skype.
From the desktop client, you can access TokBox’s standard features of video calling, IM, and video email. Similar to an IM client, the desktop app also lets you set your status and alerts you whenever someone initiates a chat. Similar to the online version, the application provides a link to send to others so that they may video chat with you, even without the software.
If you enjoy adding video to your calls and email, this is a handy way to access TokBox without having to open the browser. –
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I’m a little too self-conscious to want to use video chat. That’s an impending part of the Jetsons future that just makes me nervous. I work at home in my pajamas for half the day, after all.
However, I’m apparently in the minority, as video cameras built into computers and new ways to video chat are popping up everyday. TokBox, which currently utilizes its web site for free and easy video calling, announced a new application for Facebook Chat last week. (I think the news sort of got lost in the holiday weekend.) Tokbox has enabled video chat for Facebook as a Firefox add-on.
“We’re incredibly excited by the early feedback on the TokBox Firefox add-on,” said Nick Triantos, TokBox CEO. “This add-on will enable Facebook users to participate in live video calls with their Facebook friends, right from within the Facebook chat user interface.”
The TokBox video calling functionality for Facebook is currently available via a Firefox add-on only. Support for Internet Explorer and Safari will be available in the near future.
