Webware

If Bambuser's mobile live broadcasting app sounds familiar, it's because it's trying to unseat Qik.

As one of the companies presenting at Wednesday's Under the Radar conference in Mountain View, CA, Bambuser is trying to convince investors and future partners to propel their business forward. Like Qik, Bambuser broadcasts the contents of your view finder from your mobile phone, which viewers can watch live online. Also like Qik, Bambuser viewers can chat with the filmmaker when the video is live. However, Bambuser throws in recording and geotagging from the Webcam in addition to the phone.

As an extra touch, you can set it to update Twitter, Pownce, and Jaiku when you begin a new broadcast. That makes Bambuser more feature-rich, but it has an uphill battle to unseat the rival favored by tech blogger elite Robert Scoble.

Bambuser is in public alpha mode for Symbian and Windows Mobile phones, where Qik is strongest. You can look for your model here and get started with your broadcasts.

BlackBerry users feeling left out can start video streams from Qik.

More or less VuClip's looks on a mobile phone.

(Credit: CNET)

VuClip, a start-up presenting at Wednesday's Under the Radar Conference, has a simple concept, but a good one: start with any Internet-ready phone. Search for a video by keyword, then select the video from the list of returned results. VuClip transcodes the video on-the-fly for your specific phone--screen size, video format, bit rate, and so on.

Right now, two things set VuClip apart from competitors: the fact that it's designed to search for any video hosted on the Web, and that it focuses more on mass market Java phones than it does on high-end smartphones, unlike most of the content companies presenting this morning. To this end, VuClip has a native app for Java phones in addition to a mobile-optimized site you can navigate to from any phone with Internet.

In addition to searching with VuClip, you'll be able to browse by a few categories or narrow the search to a specific site by keying in the site's name before typing the search term.

I tried a quick search, and about three videos show up per page, which makes sense with screen size allowances, but which also makes navigating a bit time consuming. It's better to be specific and hope your keywords match up with your target video.

Part two of VuClip's plan is to sign up partners on the API; that will let any carrier or content provider use VuClip's service.

VuClip has harnessed about 17 million video views since launching in January 2008.

Today, Israel-based video blogging service BlogTV is releasing a new version of its service for mobile users. We checked out the desktop version back in June and came away impressed. Today's release brings mobile viewing to the equation, letting anyone with a compatible phone watch shows live using their phone's Web browser.

Users who visit m.blogtv.com on their phones get a small array of thumbnails for live shows, along with matching text links and descriptions. Opening the links launches the phone's media player and gets the show streaming. Also included in the stream are user and host comments, that match similar mobile entertainment offerings from Kyte and Qik.

The coolest new feature to come along with this (and what I think sets BlogTV apart) is its alerts system. The system lets users subscribe to shows, and receive SMS alerts when a show is coming on. This lets users avoid having to check online, or worry about missing a show away from their computer. I'm not sure how many people are going to take part in this, but it could definitely be handy in certain circumstances.

To see the service in action, here's a video of BlogTV's Senior VP Product and Content, Nir Ofir, giving it a spin on a pretty standard (read: not a smartphone) handset:

I'll be a bit honest here. If I see another live video broadcasting tool for Nokia phones my head is going to explode. These things are all over the place, but admittedly far from useless. There's always a need to record something, and if you can do it from your phone without having to carry around a bunch of memory cards, you're coming out a winner.

Flixwagon, which quietly launched its private alpha site this morning, has been kicking around a small community of developers and testers for the past few months. Like Kyte, Qik, and Comvu, the aim is to broadcast live video from your phone, and interact with the people who are watching your stream. No computer required.

The tiny (and we mean tiny) broadcasting application can be downloaded to most recent model Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones, and broadcasts over either a Wi-Fi connection, or a speedy 3G signal from your carrier. In testing over AT&T's 3G network, I found the quality to be about in line with the stuff you would find on YouTube, which is a serious compliment considering it was streaming live from a pocket sized device and didn't need to go through any processing on my end. Admittedly our test device was a Nokia N95 which retails in excess of $500, and has the best built-in camera of most other Nokia models (or any cell phone for that matter). Your mileage may vary.

I personally prefer Qik's phone software just a smidgen (it lets you pick what camera you want to use, and pause the video), but the performance was a little better on Flixwagon. The killer application for any of these services is involvement, both for a live audience, and for users watching other user streams right on their phone. It's that second step that I think Kyte has taken the lead, and others like Qik and Flixwagon need to catch up with.

Flixwagon is in private alpha. If you're interested in giving the service a try, you can sign up here. I've embedded an Israeli, swingset version of Burning Man after the break. You can also check out my perilous journey to get coffee earlier this morning (my apologies in advance for the shoddy camera work).

View videos people have created live, or later as they're archived. Don't try this after a big lunch.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

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A new video streaming service called Qik has been getting some buzz lately. If you're familiar with UStream.tv, Veodia, and Comvu, the idea for Qik is similar: take a mobile phone with a video camera on a fast mobile connection, and stream video live for other people to watch. The service borrows a page from Kyte.tv and UStream in integrating live chat that allows broadcasters to interact with the users--although Qik steps it up a notch by letting the broadcaster simply reply using the phone's integrated microphone instead of having to type out text on the phone's keypad.

To compensate for network lag, the application will calculate the delay and show it in the corner of the screen. In testing over a 3G connection I got the delay up to about a minute, although if you're using the service over Wi-Fi, it's extremely nimble. You can also record videos for uploading later, when away from a data stream of Wi-Fi hot spot. The next time you connect, it'll automatically upload your video--which is a nice touch.

Live video on Qik is a little on the grainy side, but what do you expect--it is almost live from your pocket.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The beauty of Qik is that it's wonderfully simple to use and participate in. People viewing your video either via Qik.com or on a video embed can chat if it's live, and the second it goes offline, the player acts just like any other Web video, and turns the live chat into a comment thread. While the quality of the video leaves something to be desired when compared with Web video hosting services like YouTube, Viddler and Vimeo, it's limited to the mobile network connection and the often lackluster lenses found on camera phones. Qik's creators tell me there are plans to add a higher quality stream to the Nokia N95 and other high-end handsets in the near future.

The service is currently in private alpha, and limited to a range of Nokia phones on the S60 platform. The application itself is only a little over 300k, and downloads in seconds. We didn't get a chance to give it a spin over a slower connection like EDGE, but based on the 3G performance, you likely wouldn't want to. In the pipeline for future updates are mobile-to-mobile streaming (sending and receiving video), integration with social networking sites like Facebook, and additional handset support.

I've embedded an example of Qik after the break. You can also check out whoever's live streaming at the moment on the service's live page.

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There comes a time at least once or twice a week where I've got to show a friend or colleague a video clip while away from a computer. To that end, a speedy mobile video search tool can help me get to the clip I need without having to jump through a whole lot of hoops.

This past weekend I spent some time with Avot mV--a relatively new mobile video search service that's reminiscent of Veveo's vtap (coverage 1,2). Both are setup to pull in video from a variety of sources, and both have a search engine that shows results as you type. While Avot mV has a Web portal, users with smart phones are able to install a local app that can load the videos without jettisoning you off your browser. To add to that, the Web version has been optimized for iPhone users, who will find the interface similar to the built-in YouTube application, with top level navigation, and tools to bookmark and share content with others.

The Web interface for Avot is simple to use and fast, as long as you've got a good mobile connection.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

The real draw to Avot mV is its presentation. The service employs a small array of video thumbnails to give you a brief overview of content, and clicking on any of them will give you information like source, runtime, and user ratings to help you decide whether or not you want to play it. There's also a great categories section with thumbnails, that's especially good for comedy clips, and footage from various political debates from earlier this year.

Unlike vtap, most of the content from Avot mV seems to be prefetched, as it loads up almost right away without any kind of re-encoding. The result is high speed and quality, as long as you're using your phone's Wi-Fi, or have a 3G data connection. EDGE users will have to tolerate a noticeably less speedy experience, although both the Web and local versions have a pretty decent cache setup that will remember the last few screens you were on enough not to have to reload the thumbnails.

So considering the two services are so similar, which one takes the cake for search? Unfortunately for Avot, vtap came out on top with some head-to-head testing. While Avot was able to find some really popular viral videos I plugged in, more obscure Web startup names and video titles didn't seem to be in Avot's index--which is something you could blame on the amount of sources it's working from. Regardless, I think Avot mV is worth bookmarking or installing on your phone if you're the type of person who's looking for a quick fix, as Avot's speed is truly impressive. If you're interested in giving the service a spin, there's a live embedded demo over at Avot's main page.

YouTube's mobile site has been live and available as of a few days ago. The service offers a hand-picked selection of videos users can watch on their mobile devices. Users have access to just the bare essentials, such as running time, rating, and a link to a video's page with more details. There is, however, no community aspect--no user comments, ratings, or video responses--the kind of things that make YouTube so interesting. Also missing is a dedicated video uploader, as mobile users are still required to submit their mobile videos via MMS messaging.

Instead of running in Flash, like regular YouTube videos, the clips have been downscaled and converted to the 3GP format for streaming. Despite this, I've had a heck of a time trying to get them to run on two of our test phones. It seems that instead of playing right in your browser, the service will simply piggy back on to your phone's built-in media player.

YouTube mobile was previously relegated to Verizon V Cast subscribers in the United States under the guise of an exclusivity deal between the two companies. Considering there are no ads in the mobile version (yet), any kind of money being made is likely on the carrier side from cellular subscribers who are paying for premium data plans.

You can give it a spin in your browser at m.Youtube.com, although the videos won't play.

Anyone can now access the mobile version of YouTube, although you might stumble into a few problems along the way.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Vringo bills itself as a video ringtone service, but don't let that fool you. My theory is that the company uses the term to convince traditional media types--like those at AlwaysOn's conference this week, where I heard about Vringo--that it's a viable business model for mobile marketing. "Ringtone," after all, is an easily-recognized buzzword, and it's pretty well-known that tech-savvy kids are willing to shell out money to pay for ringtones of the hottest Top 40 tracks. (I might not be a kid, but I admit that I did pay for a vintage Super Mario Bros. ringtone.)

In reality, Vringo is a video-sharing platform for cell phones. We've all heard that now that video has conquered the PC and the iPod, it's going to move on to the mobile handset, and Vringo is aiming to capitalize on that. Here's how it works: you, and any friends with whom you want to share clips, download the free Vringo app. Then, you surf Vringo via the Web (on a PC or mobile device) and choose what video clips you'd like to use as the ringtones when you call particular friends. Founder Jonathan Medved suggested it as a potential goldmine for movie and music marketers, demonstrating a Vringo call that used a clip from the movie Wedding Crashers. But you also can upload your own video content and use that, too. Yes, it costs money if the content's licensed--so it'll be free for you to share a Vringo clip of your cat, but not one of Nelly Furtado's latest video. It looks like licensed content will have a one-time download charge, and don't forget the fact that anything like this potentially will incur charges from carriers' data plans as well.

It's not perfect. I think that some Vringo users are going to wish they could quickly share video without actually making a call--it just seems a little bit constrictive. But hey, mobile video sharing is still pretty new. This could really be where things are going.