Company: 
FilmLoop is a winner. You can quote me on that. There are obvious similarities with Slide, but FilmLoop is different.
As noted by Dave Winer this morning (he told me yesterday something cool was launching today), FilmLoop took another step clser to launching, replacing a nondescript “sign up here” page with a full description and demo of their soon to be released product.
Full details can be seen in their brochure here.
Introducing FilmLoop, a visual communications network that uses client-server architecture to provide direct, real-time, and bi-directional updates to the user’s PC desktop. Strings of images called “loops” move across the desktop screen to tell stories, showcase products, communicate ideas, and build brands. For businesses, FilmLoop is a direct real-time connection to consumers’ desktops. For individuals, it’s a new way to instantly express oneself and share images with friends, family, and colleagues, as well as continually monitor activities such as online auctions and dating postings.
Creating and viewing loops requires a client download. Creation looks to be simple – drag and drop pictures and images into your “loop” (I’m assuming they’ll have an API for this as well). You can send your loop to people (I’m thinking it’s an excellent way to share photos among family members). Public loops can also be searched for and subscribed to from the site.
And multiple people can add pictures to a loop. And “With a simple click, frames can open to a zoom view, link to video, audio, flash, or directly to “click to buy” or “bid” page on any website. Open to a zoom view, link to video, audio, flash, or directly to “click to buy” or “bid” page on any website.” Obviously there is a business angle here as well.
FilmLoop will launch for windows only, with a mac version to be released this year.
Founders
Kyle Mashima
Prescott Lee
Guy Kawasaki is involved too.
How is this different from Slide?
It seems very similar to slide:
http://www.slide.com/main
Sorry for my English, and congratulations for your blog, is great.
In slide you can also share videos, and add feeds of photos.
I have not profoled slide yet…can you have multiple authors on a slide channel? The sharing (two way) and community aspects seem to be great features on Filmloop, although since it hasn’t launched yet it’s difficult to tell.
Michael,
FilmLoop looks great, but since it requires a download, is it really web 2.0? Maybe I’m being a bit strict in my definition here, but I figured that Web 2.0 focused on web apps and apis – does it still count if you have to download something?
Anyway, great profile.
Yeah, that looks like slide. And the same big issue remains — distribution. If people don’t need an app on their desktop, they won’t download it
Pete, you may be correct. MacManus (readwriteweb.com) is the web 2.0 definition guru, not me. Maybe he’ll weigh in.
I replied earlier, but a server ate my comment.
So here goes again: if FilmLoop has no web aspects to it (eg website, api) then I don’t think it can be termed Web 2.0, because it’s not using the Web as a platform. Having said that, I don’t know a lot about FilmLoop and what its background/inner workings is.
The Father of Web 2.0 has spoken. I’m also calling myself the Vint Cerf of Web 2.0 these days…
Hmm, that’s funny. The new server ate my comment too! Must be a hungry one. Feed the beast Mike
I apologize. We moved our server from our living room to dreamhost yesterday and we lost a few comments.
I am a developer on Slide. Keeping a close eye on FilmLoop of course
. It doesnt seem like Web 2.0 is or should be strictly browser based. Slide uses the browser for display and web formats like RSS for feeds. Its a nice bridge between web and desktop making the experience more seamless. As for differences in the apps, well, hard to say until they release, right, but looks similar. Slide can include any file type into a Channel, even a web link which becomes a site thumbnail (just drag the link from the browser typein area to the ticker). Let the race begin!
Michael, Thank you for commenting. Does slide allow multiple authors to a “channel”? That is the only significant difference at this point that I can see (given, like you said, that FilmLoop is not available for testing yet).
one more note – i just made a Slide channel out of techcrunch – a great way to get my daily does – http://powerpop...nnel/techcrunch
I can’t comment too much on future features but I can say that the version on the site today does not have sharable channels. I can also say that we are on a fast paced release cycle and there are a host of new features on the way. Also, one feature I do not see in FilmLoop that is in Slide is the ability to send individual items to friends in the app and via email – Slide has that now – we call it “blipping”.
Michael Powers said: “It doesnt seem like Web 2.0 is or should be strictly browser based. Slide uses the browser for display and web formats like RSS for feeds. Its a nice bridge between web and desktop making the experience more seamless.”
Rich replies: absolutely, Web 2.0 doesn’t necessarily need to be browser-based. It can also be using Web formats and/or standards. The key of course is it must be Web-related in some way.
I’m not sure if FilmLoop fits that description?
Thanks for the great article, Michael! I’m one of the tech folks here at FilmLoop, and wanted to stop by for a sec and say howdy!
Rich, to answer your Q: We’re definitely remixing elements of Web 2.0 in new ways – ways that let everyone freely communicate visually.
Have to get back, looking forward to opening the doors to the Chocolate Factory soon.
Techcrunch nows has its own channel and profile on Slide – http://techcrunch.slide.com – so i am removing the temporary one i listed in my earlier post – congrats Techcrunch!
Not knowing about Slide.com and it’s TechCrunch channel before, I started a “Web 2.0″ loop in filmloop, just for fun – comprised on screenshots I made from different sites.
Apparently I can’t get a URL to post here, but here’s a ticker:
GYsL2tKb0mlOeNj0jl6bsLWPOgGJQ1bS
It should be featured in the “public” directory on filmloop network.
Feel free to join
Whenever I consider downloading software, I am concerned about the risk that it may have a malicious side. I check the posted contract and/or privacy policy statement. In the case of Filmloop.com the privacy policy looks non-threatening: “Privacy Policy for all websites owned or controlled by FilmLoop (except as otherwise provided on such site), including http://www.filmloop.com, and for the Service and Materials provided by FilmLoop (except as otherwise indicated in such Service or Materials). This policy applies only to information gathered through the Service, including the download and use of Materials through the Service…”, but I don’t see that “Materials” is defined, so it is unclear to me whether any downloaded executable file or script is covered by this policy.
Does anyone know of a site that reports on whether particular downloads exhibit threatening behaviour (such as email or tcp connections when not initiated by the user)?
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http://loopl.com is a portal for loops.
It’s attractive, innovative, and displays both loops that when clicked on link to video (Click n’View) and music (Click n’Listen).
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