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delivery to mobile phones. If you’re creating longer pieces, you may need a site that doesn’t limit file size or length, like Google Video or Ourmedia.com. Several sites, like Eyespot, Jumpcut, and YouTube, also let you send clips via MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) over high-speed cellular networks such as EvDO and UMTS directly to your account’s page. Sprint and Verizon offer similar—though less flexible—features that let their users upload and share videos. And services such as Abazab.com and Umundo.com let you send phone video via MMS directly to your pages on MySpace and My Yahoo, for example. All are free (for now), with Jumpcut’s simple editing making it the most attractive. Once your video is posted, controlling who sees it is difficult—just ask Hollywood. Or Paris Hilton. If you need some privacy, send clips to a site that supports
ONLINE EXTRAS
Reviews & Tips GO TO find.pcworld.com/54550 for reviews of video-capable devices, plus more tips on creating, editing, burning, and converting your video.
private groups where you specify who can see your video. Know, however, that privacy features can be defeated, so if you’re worried about any dire consequences if your video gets out, don’t post it at all. No site stands far above the rest, but Eyespot’s balance of innovative cellphone features, private groups, downloadable clips, and online editing and mixing raises it just a bit above its peers. However, with many of these services being up-front about their beta status,
and others in denial, the situation may change tomorrow as new features debut and sites try to figure out how to pay for all the technology and bandwidth they’re giving away. Sites like VideoEgg get revenue from licensing their uploading technology to AOL, while Revver and others insert ads into submitted videos (some share revenue with submitters). Video sharing has become so popular, Microsoft is getting into the game. Its YouTube-like project, code-named Warhol, is scheduled to go live by year’s end, though no details are currently available. Regardless of coming changes, one thing will remain constant: On the Net, only a thin line separates professional and amateur content—which means you could be the next Web-video idol. Jim Feeley is a writer and a producer at POV Media, a California production firm.
F E AT U R E S C O M PA R I S O N
EYESPOT TOPS COMPETING VIDEO-SHARING SITES IN AN EVER more crowded field, Eyespot has the edge for now, thanks to its editing tools and mobile delivery options. SHARING SITE
Eyespot www.eyespot.com
Google Video video.google.com
Grouper www.grouper.com
Jumpcut www.jumpcut.com
Revver www.revver.com
VideoEgg www.videoegg.com
YouTube www.youtube.com
File upload limit
Upload from cell phone
Integrated video editing
Make videos private
Download videos
Flash
50MB
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Edit tool supports trimming, transitions, effects, and a separate audio track. Members can mix other members’ clips in their own. Downloads for PC and iPod but no auto-conversions. Phones get videos via MMS. Limits files to 50MB.
Flash for Web viewing, MPEG4 and/or GVI for downloads
Unlimited
No
No
No
Yes 1, 2
Unlimited file uploads, a simple interface, plus high viewership. All users will soon be able to charge for video viewing. Most downloads must be viewed with its player app. Google must approve and post clips, which can take days.
Flash for previews, WMV for downloads
Unlimited
No
Yes
Yes
Yes 2
Lets you post directly from a Webcam. Uses peer-to-peer for download distribution. Up to 3 minutes of a video can be streamed as a preview or downloaded; longer files must be downloaded and viewed in the Grouper app.
Flash
50MB
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Nice editing tools with trimming, transitions, effects, and audio, plus useful search, in a single interface. Encourages members to share and mix clips with other members. No downloads or mobile player support. Small community.
.mov
100MB
Yes
No
No
Yes 2
Short ads attached to the end of each video; submitter gets about half of the ad revenue. Videos are also formatted for iPod and registered on local iTunes application. Site may delete videos not generating enough views.
Flash
5 min
Yes
Yes
No
No
Can post directly to Blogger, eBay, and TypePad. You must install its plug-in to edit (trim start and end points), encode, and upload; the plug-in handles all file conversion. Inserts ads into videos (submitter does not share in the revenue).
Flash
100MB
Yes
No
Yes
No
Can post directly to Blogger, BlogSpot, and LiveJournal. Allows you to create a channel—a mix of your own content and other content you aggregate. Very popular, but videos can get lost in the crowd.
Playback format
Comment
CHART NOTE: Features listed are as of June 2006. FOOTNOTES: 1 Some copyrighted content cannot be downloaded. 2 Supports downloads to iPod and PSP as well as to PC.
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