Neulio: Somewhat better video hosting

Here's a clever little video hosting service that's just now launching: Neulio. It's designed for business and education content. What makes it different from the 10,000 other video hosts now online is the way you can string together "chapters" of content and control the user's flow through them.

For example, if you have a multi-lesson video course, you can put quizzes between the lessons. You can also put in a password as a "gate," as founder Georgo Columbo calls the roadblocks, or you can have a gate that can only be raised by paying for it.

Also different: Chapters in Neulio shows can be different media types--videos, audio files, or PowerPoint presentations.

There's a free version of the service for educational programs. It's reminiscent of Instructables. Colombo says the company will make its money by selling features and control over presentation to businesses. The $49 a month plan gives you control over presentation, for example, but if you want to add the capability to put a "pay gate" in a presentation, it's $149 a month.

Neulio presentations feature chapters (see box at left) that can be segmented by "gates."

I like the concept and the features of Neulio, but I am not sure it's different enough from other video sites to be an ongoing concern. Colombo himself seems to agree. When I asked if this was a defensible business, he said, "In all candor, that's to be determined." Although, of course, he had to add, "We think we have a great value proposition." While I think the prices are high for the service, I do agree there is value in it.

See also: Mzinga.