Technically Speaking

Lunch Across America (LAA), is starting to take on more of a meaning these days. As pointed out in this NY Times article today, it seems that people have finally figured out what I already knew. It’s nice seeing the mainstream getting on the same wavelength as the hardest working person in the web 2.0 business.

Now I do need to set the record straight about this article where I was referred as such. I appreciate the props by the one and only @marshallk, who is the most sought after blogger and overall online media guru. I did do some minor regional touring and was an active musician in many bands over the years.

As far as LAA goes, if people took this long to get on the same page, that is quite a statement. I’m glad to see people are now strategically timing the releases of their videos and other items to coincide with LAA. The thing is you have the time zones to accommodate which is a challenge in itself.

For awhile, I did try as the Director of Social Media Content for Lending Club to hit that LAA time. It’s quite a challenge when you throw in the multiple time zones. The above article is a validation of the facts I already knew.

In some offices, workers coordinate their midday Web-watching schedules, the better to shout out punch lines to one another across rows of desks. Some people gravitate to sites where they can reliably find Webcasts of a certain length — say, a three-minute political wrap-up — to minimize both their mouse clicks and the sandwich crumbs that wind up in the keyboard.

“Go take a walk around your office” at lunchtime, said Alan Wurtzel, head of research for NBC. “Out of 20 people, I’m going to guarantee that 5 are going to be on some sort of site that is not work-related.”

Along with LAA, you have the evening reading rush, which is a bit harder to time. Those that are not benefits of lack office policies can only surf at home. That time line is usually 7pm-10pm - again dependent on the time zone you live in. For that it’s almost best to release something right about dinner time (Dinner Across America - DAA). DAA is a much harder target to reach.

Now for the bloggers, you have that last one to reach - Anytime Across America (AAA). AAA means you are the cream of the crop and that my friends is how you end up the hardest working person in the biz. You end up getting very little sleep because the AAA time is never early, or it’s actually very early or very late.

Technically Speaking, that was quite a ramble. LAA - reaching the video masses, DAA - another time line to reach, and AAA - for the bloggers who want to take it to the next level. Learn them. Use them, and happy blogging to all. baby furniture - baby cribs

Magnify.net is taking Video Blogging to the masses with its new, free video publishing and hosting service. The new platform is much more than just another Webcam service as Magnify.net lets people build a dedicated online video channel featuring not just their own videos, but also content-specific video - regardless of where it is hosted.

Unlike other social networks and warehouses that host random videos, they let its users create and tailor their own programming based on their interests and that of their target community. The site owner and their viewers record, discover, upload, and add new videos to feature on their channel based on the unique flavor of each channel.

Fresh out of private beta, the new video blogger-in-a-box kit features an intuitive, plug-and-play Webcam capture tool that allows creators to build a Vlog (video blog) page and decorate their channel with their own graphics and design elements. With just a webcam, their Vlog can go live within minutes. Magnify.net also offers stylish and slick templates to make the graphic design process drag-and-drop simple.

Podcamp co-founder and online media guru Chris Brogan is currently hosting a daily video blog called Attention Upgrade, where he shares the most interesting things in tech and news media marketing that have his attention for the day. Jeff Hibbard has launched a new mobile weblog that follows him on his daily adventures around town.

Technically Speaking, if you do a search on this blog, you can find all my past coverage of Magnify.net. colon cleanse

This morning I have found, as well as well e-mailed, twitter’d, and found on my own some great posts on Open Social. One of the first ones I read this morning was the one that provides concrete data on why Facebook shouldn’t worry. This has been Facebook’s forte from the get go. When you have a different audience, you are going for different demographics so it’s a moot point.

Another one is from the place down under, well not really as it’s really the data bytes created out of Portland, OR. There are concerns and valid ones that Marshall raises in his Open Social, not so “ga-ga” post.

Another one came in via e-mail that points you in the right direction if you want to get started with Open Social. This should be one that is looked at if you are a developer wondering how to get in on the supposed hottest event of the week.

Now is that the complete Open Social round up? Of course not! If you want the lowdown on the ins and outs of Open Social this morning, you need to probably read one of these articles. There is even Facebook’s claim of not being let in on the Open Social movement.

You also have another good source posted early this morning that also includes the Open Social FAQ. Tired of Open Social coverage yet? Ok - keep reading!

Is this the end all? Nope. As I was stating yesterday in my unrelated to Open Social post, Google is marching onwards to biggest company status. That is a good thing, as it’s the only thing keeping our economy afloat in these dark times of consistent bad employment data on the mainstream news sites.

Now if you are looking for a job, here is a great source. That along with a post about video startups to get away from all this Open Social and Google talk today!

Burning Money at Both Ends - At a time when many adults are struggling with their own personal finances, they may be faced with expenses from the generation before them as well as the one after. … read more posted 11/2/2007 - 7:03am PDT

Want to start a business? Start saving your money. - Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business and being your own boss with your own hours? It may seem like a dream, but it’s not impossible to attain—a majority of first-generation millionaires got there just by starting their own businesses. These aren’t just tech businesses though—these are electricians, plumbers, and other local small businesses. These are companies that anyone can start—even you. … read more posted 11/2/2007 - 10:53am PDT

Technically Speaking, there are enough articles there for reading and digesting this morning. Being that it’s Friday, you have been briefed on all you need to know for the moment. 2000 Mustang

A really quick round up. I just did Episode 26, but the news on Tuesday is non-stop:

Europe Hot Entrepreneur’s - yup, Europe has it going on.

Om Agrees - Europe (France in his article) is smokin’.

Zlio, the 10-month-old “social e-commerce” startup founded by serial entrepreneur Jeremie Berrebi just raised $4 million in from Luxembourg-based Mangrove Capital Partners. This is the same VC firm that funded Skype.

Xbox head resigns - Engadget has better coverage.

In a management shuffle in the top ranks of two of the videogame industry’s most powerful companies, the head of Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox efforts, Peter Moore, will resign to oversee sports games at Electronic Arts Inc., the world’s largest games publisher.

Don Mattrick, a former top executive at EA who has been advising Microsoft on games strategy, will replace Mr. Moore at Microsoft.

The move comes at a critical time for Microsoft, which is betting that a wave of new games coming out in time for the holidays for the Xbox 360 will help it finally turn a profit from …

3 out of 4 Internet Users stream - That is stream videos! I guess that means a few of you watch my quick little web cam videos?

RESTON, VA, July 17, 2007 – comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its comScore Video Metrix report for May 2007, revealing that nearly 75 percent of U.S. Internet users watched an average of 158 minutes of online video per user during the month. Google Sites topped the monthly rankings with both the most unique video streamers and most videos streamed.

Technically Speaking, rolling out for now. Check the Link Blog; as if you needed reminded.

Yes, it’s true. Lending Club has kicked off a Video contest. You will need to be logged into Facebook to see that link. Below are the details for the non-Facebook users/readers:

Lending Club is a person to person lending application available exclusively to Facebook users. Hundreds of Facebook lenders have already extended more than $300,000 in loans to Facebook borrowers since May 24. Users borrow and lend money among each other, bypass the banks and get better rates.

There are no obligation to join Lending Club to participate (although membership is free and you’re welcome to check out our application at http://apps.facebook.com/lending-club)!

Disclosure Statement: (if you didn’t already know) - Rex Dixon works for Lending Club as - Director of Social Media Content.

40 Gbps - Wow! That is scorching fast broadband. The kind I would like, but I guess I need a son that is an internet guru.

A 75-year-old woman from Karlstad in central Sweden has been given a scorching 40 Gbps internet connection — the fastest residential connection anywhere in the world. Sigbritt Löthberg is the mother of Swedish internet guru Peter Löthberg, who is using his mother to prove that fiber networks can deliver a cost-effective, ultra-fast connection.

Follow that money trail - At least now I know that Break.com made $21 Million from an earlier report I saw.

It’s our sole focus to cover online video, and we still don’t get to every funding release that shoots over the wires. There’s just a lot of money changing hands in this space. Here’s some notable transactions from the last week.

Social Network - I keep saying it over and over, so don’t complain to me if you don’t have a slice of the money trail. Start a social network - like - Cozi who just picked up $8.3 Million.

Cozi, the online social network for families, has raised $4 million in funding from angel investors, bringing the total amount of funding to $8.3 million, all in angel funding from the Seattle area, including former Seattle Seahawks co-owner Herman Sarkowsky.

Or as above the Cozi bit, start a video startup. The money trail will follow you in. Simple. Speaking of videos, the latest Quick Nine video is now online. Or it was, I think he is back in the editing room for the time being.

Technically Speaking, lot’s of millions out there - Video startups, Facebook apps, Social Networks - all a sure thing if you do it right. Need some help in gaining positive traction like Lending Club? Planet Social Media Services.

That is all the time I have this morning. I will be back shortly; obviously as I have social media person duties to attend. For now though, it’s like the old days - Link Blog is Locked ‘N Loaded, and you have some stuff to read below!

7 Arrested - In a MySpace sting operation it appears. How does this not surprise me?

Sicko - Just don’t make money on it! ie.. don’t sell it or try to profit off of it. You follow the rules, and Mike’s ok with sharing!

Driver - Please take me to …. Gotta love technology! I have been waiting for this to hurry up and get here. Driving would be less stressful if all cars were required to be computer driven and operated!

State Of The Video ID - I still don’t understand how Google and YouTube just are not one video delivery platform. Didn’t Google pay $1.65 billion for YouTube? Are they not sharing information between the two companies? Isn’t this the reason we all were screwed on 9-11? Departments within an organization not sharing information with each other (ie.. CIA-FBI-NSA, etc.. )????

Technically Speaking, have to roll out for a bit this morning, but this reminds me of the old days of blogging early and beating the rush!

YouTube has more big companies lining up to stomp them into the ground. NBC Universal is the latest to take the side of the companies, Viacom specifically, that want to stop any traction that YouTube developed using illegal video.

Now YouTube, in their defense has done a great job of making sure all content is legal, and not in violation of the DMCA, a 1998 law. I think though, it may be “too little, too late“.

There are those that say that YouTube will be here in 2008 and beyond. That may be the case, at least in someone’s mind that hasn’t watched the internet from the beginning. There are literally thousands of companies that have come and gone since YouTube hit the scene.

Agreed that most have not reached the summit that YouTube did, but most also were not under lawsuit duress like they are. YouTube has some lawsuits to sort out, people to reach agreements with, and lot’s of daddy Google’s money to dish out. After that is done, and the copyrighted videos are all gone, what is left? Not much.

When you consider places such as Joost doing things legally, with tons of beta testing, as well as other start up companies that learned from YouTube’s mistake; the outlook is quite bleak. The one time dominant force in online video will either be scaled back or eliminated from competition entirely.

Places like Brightcove provide a superior video watching experience. Even though they are catered more towards the business aspect of video online, I can see them gaining some of YouTube’s other customers in a hurry. People that want to be the next online video star that is signed may want to consider using a better service.

YouTube’s video presentation at best is called, “low quality”. At worst it’s called “crap”. Still, the bandwidth bills for YouTube have to be astronomical each and every month. At the end of the day, someone needs to justify cost vs return. ROI for those in the know.

Technically Speaking, eventually the accountants at Google will report that YouTube is losing more money per month then what it’s worth. Is this the forecast that YouTube goes under in 2008? Maybe.

I’m thinking more like scaling back, way back. I can see YouTube having to go to a “pay service” to help some of the revenue shortfalls vs bandwidth consumption. No one at Google will be able to justify YouTube’s gobbling of the bandwidth and offering it to people for free.

I mean, why would you want to host some chicken on fire video that receives a ton of views? Revenue sharing? Doubtful. Unless you are spinning up and serving videos in the Lisa Nova category, forget it. There is really no ROI there. None.

Until that time when YouTube ceases to exist, enjoy it. It still is one of the biggest online video sites, but soon it may be “just another video site“. I know the competitors are quite happy to hear that.

Google will be trying out the pre-roll and post-roll ads. These will be tried on their YouTube brand. It is already going on behind the mirrors according to BusinessWeek.

Will the YouToober’s still continue to watch? I mean, this writer is correct, when you want to watch a clip; you just want to watch that clip! Seriously, is there need for an ad on say “social networking startups”. I’m picturing one of those best of CD’s performed by artists other then artists ads right now. I digress.

I think we all knew that once the mainstream realized the gold mine, the days of free video were coming to a close. You have to admit, it has been a fun ride while it lasted. The way I see the pre-roll and the post-roll is a way for them to keep paying their employees and the light bill so to speak.

I have watched a few videos with ads, and to be honest, it doesn’t really bother me a bunch. I do however like the suggestion that was placed on the article. It is a good idea, but if the Google bunch runs with it; fine, if not, that is fine also.

Technically Speaking, the sooner that the users realize that someone must pay the light bill (aka bandwidth) and someone must also pay the gas (aka copyright, performance rights, etc.. ), the sooner we can just kick back and enjoy the wonder of video delivered your way, when you want.

SheStory.tv - yes, another dot tv. This one is by the incredible up and coming film director/producer Melissa Ulto. I just watched one of the latest ones on this site, and it was well done. Victoria Kereszi is another filmmaker that is profiled on the one I just linked for you.

If you haven’t seen her previous work, you are missing some great short films. I also watched her previous film she worked on for “the lot” contest that went on. It was what a short story should be. Well shot, professionally edited, and filled with the artistic touches that make a great short. I personally thought she should have moved on to the next round.

I’m pulling for her on this project, as she has been the unfortunate victim of what is referred to as “being around morons“. Yes, it might be a bit strong to say that, but I totally relate to her pain. Anytime you are as talented as Melissa is, it is quite hard to find the right group of people to help you reach your goals. After a few false starts, I am certain she has discovered that doing things on her own this time will be the ticket to her success.

Technically Speaking, go give SheStory.tv a look; I believe you will discover a bright, energetic filmmaker on the rise. I know that I did!