Qik streams live video from cell to Web

19 Comments

by Mike Butcher on December 17, 2007

Robert Scoble has gone wild for a new video streaming service for cellphones called Qik. It vaguely competes with Kyte, Seesmic and Ustream, but is perhaps closest to Kyte. Qik enables live video casting from a cell phone via any 3G/GPRS/Wi-fi Internet connection. Developed by Visivo Communications in Santa Clara, Qik has been in testing since November. Unlike sites where you have to wait for the video to be uploaded, Qik cleverly streams the video straight into the site with a 5 second delay. To use it you download and install the client software onto a Nokia S60 cell (and you’ll need an unlimited data plan). Click on the icon on the phone and then start streaming video. Once finished, the live stream turns into a recorded video. You can also send “Qiks” to Twitter by entering your Twitter user details on the Qik site. Qik worked fine for Scoble, but I tried it from London and have yet to get the confirmation SMS delivered to me to allow me to use it. But it’s an intriguing service which may well give Justin.TV some competition, as Scoble notes in this Qik video.
[More on a similar UK startup on TechCrunch UK]

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Comments

Mac - December 17th, 2007 at 8:01 am PST

You Techcrunch guys have major apostrophe issues. “Qik’s” does not need an apostrophe to make it plural. Do us a favor and pass this along to Duncan too, because he doesn’t get it either.

Mac - December 17th, 2007 at 8:02 am PST

I will give you partial credit for correct usage of “it’s” though.

Kevin Anders - December 17th, 2007 at 8:28 am PST

I’ll be interested in this when it isn’t just a Nokia phone.

Roy - December 17th, 2007 at 8:43 am PST

Mac, you need to calm down and just sing along with Strongbad:

Iiiiif it’s gunna be possessive, it’s just I-T-S
But if it’s supposed to be a contraction, it’s I-T-APOSTROPHE-S…
Scalliwag!

But it is important to note that most “unlimited” data plans are far from just that. For example, when I had one with Verizon, if you passed an arbitrary threshold in a month, you’d get hit with crazy fees and they’d shut down your service. You couldn’t easily find the limit, or appeal the fees or shutdown.

I doubt any service providers have gotten any less deceitful since then.

Måns - December 17th, 2007 at 10:08 am PST

The swedish company Bambuser has been around for almost half a year, much better quality also. Works on some Motorola and Samsung models as Nokia and Sony Ericsson

bambuser.com…

_Måns

Jamie Ginsberg - December 17th, 2007 at 11:46 am PST

With full disclosure, I work for Comet Technologies, where we have been streaming live from Windows Mobile phones for nearly 2 years. We are completing Beta testing for people rather than our enterprise customers at http://www.cometnow.com. Currently we are streaming live from Windows Mobile phones such as the BlackJack, Motorola Q, Palm 700 & 750, HTC 6800 (Sprint Mogul or Verizon VX 6800).
Our software has 2 features beyond simply streaming that blows me away. First is the text messaging system from the website to the mobile shooter. The messages are instantaneous and really makes the world a lot smaller. Second is that we are a one to many solution. You can open our software on your phone and view other people streaming or broadcast yourself to other phones and the web. Yeah yeah,, we archive your files also and will even auto upload them to You Tube or Myspace….
There is something amazing about seeing video live as it happens. People forget that most TV and Radio they here is on a 2 -10 second delay. We are generally a 1-3 second delay!.
Sorry for the shameless pitch…but if you have a compatible phone, you should give us a try, you will be amazed! Feel free to email me if you have any feedback jamie@cometview.com

dotw - December 17th, 2007 at 12:41 pm PST

Competition for Justin.TV? I didn’t realize their was a business there?

Bhaskar Roy - December 17th, 2007 at 12:47 pm PST

As you can imagine we have received an overwhelming number of requests for invitation to the Alpha release of Qik. Thank you! We are working through these requests and will be in touch soon.

We are also working towards supporting other device platforms. If you’re interested in participating in an early release of Qik for these platforms – send us an email at support@qik.com along with the type of device that you are interested in.

Faisal - December 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm PST

Looks very interesting.

Registered and can’t wait to get conformation and start using it!

Ballmer - December 17th, 2007 at 2:13 pm PST

MS does this better with MSCellWebber 1.01a!

fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

AnonTroll - December 17th, 2007 at 4:27 pm PST

Due to the lack of a dominant OS and compatible app on all cell phones for video, I predict this to be a lackluster idea just like all the other mobile apps. Say what you want about Microsoft Windows, it’s dominance has allowed the proliferation of many apps for users. Forget about cel phones, this is and continues to be the biggest problem with the different Linux distros. Even a software guy like myself can get easily turned off by the complexity of installing something on Linux, let alone your average user.

CAR - December 17th, 2007 at 7:49 pm PST

cool idea, hopefully executed right. Mac- you need to chill. we’re not all english professors.

David Novakovic - December 17th, 2007 at 9:49 pm PST

@11 . AnonTroll : Yeah because “apt-get install firefox” is hard than having to browse to a website download an installer and click through a bunch of dialogs.

Ashtam - December 19th, 2007 at 9:14 pm PST

Oh, My GOD!! I experienced This qik thing and believe me its fantastic experience!! Guys, expand it quickly now.

Mac - December 17th, 2007 at 8:01 am PST

You Techcrunch guys have major apostrophe issues. “Qik’s” does not need an apostrophe to make it plural. Do us a favor and pass this along to Duncan too, because he doesn’t get it either.

Mac - December 17th, 2007 at 8:02 am PST

I will give you partial credit for correct usage of “it’s” though.

Kevin Anders - December 17th, 2007 at 8:28 am PST

I’ll be interested in this when it isn’t just a Nokia phone.

Roy - December 17th, 2007 at 8:43 am PST

Mac, you need to calm down and just sing along with Strongbad:

Iiiiif it’s gunna be possessive, it’s just I-T-S
But if it’s supposed to be a contraction, it’s I-T-APOSTROPHE-S…
Scalliwag!

But it is important to note that most “unlimited” data plans are far from just that. For example, when I had one with Verizon, if you passed an arbitrary threshold in a month, you’d get hit with crazy fees and they’d shut down your service. You couldn’t easily find the limit, or appeal the fees or shutdown.

I doubt any service providers have gotten any less deceitful since then.

Måns - December 17th, 2007 at 10:08 am PST

The swedish company Bambuser has been around for almost half a year, much better quality also. Works on some Motorola and Samsung models as Nokia and Sony Ericsson

bambuser.com…

_Måns

Jamie Ginsberg - December 17th, 2007 at 11:46 am PST

With full disclosure, I work for Comet Technologies, where we have been streaming live from Windows Mobile phones for nearly 2 years. We are completing Beta testing for people rather than our enterprise customers at http://www.cometnow.com. Currently we are streaming live from Windows Mobile phones such as the BlackJack, Motorola Q, Palm 700 & 750, HTC 6800 (Sprint Mogul or Verizon VX 6800).
Our software has 2 features beyond simply streaming that blows me away. First is the text messaging system from the website to the mobile shooter. The messages are instantaneous and really makes the world a lot smaller. Second is that we are a one to many solution. You can open our software on your phone and view other people streaming or broadcast yourself to other phones and the web. Yeah yeah,, we archive your files also and will even auto upload them to You Tube or Myspace….
There is something amazing about seeing video live as it happens. People forget that most TV and Radio they here is on a 2 -10 second delay. We are generally a 1-3 second delay!.
Sorry for the shameless pitch…but if you have a compatible phone, you should give us a try, you will be amazed! Feel free to email me if you have any feedback jamie@cometview.com

dotw - December 17th, 2007 at 12:41 pm PST

Competition for Justin.TV? I didn’t realize their was a business there?

Bhaskar Roy - December 17th, 2007 at 12:47 pm PST

As you can imagine we have received an overwhelming number of requests for invitation to the Alpha release of Qik. Thank you! We are working through these requests and will be in touch soon.

We are also working towards supporting other device platforms. If you’re interested in participating in an early release of Qik for these platforms – send us an email at support@qik.com along with the type of device that you are interested in.

Faisal - December 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm PST

Looks very interesting.

Registered and can’t wait to get conformation and start using it!

Ballmer - December 17th, 2007 at 2:13 pm PST

MS does this better with MSCellWebber 1.01a!

fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

AnonTroll - December 17th, 2007 at 4:27 pm PST

Due to the lack of a dominant OS and compatible app on all cell phones for video, I predict this to be a lackluster idea just like all the other mobile apps. Say what you want about Microsoft Windows, it’s dominance has allowed the proliferation of many apps for users. Forget about cel phones, this is and continues to be the biggest problem with the different Linux distros. Even a software guy like myself can get easily turned off by the complexity of installing something on Linux, let alone your average user.

CAR - December 17th, 2007 at 7:49 pm PST

cool idea, hopefully executed right. Mac- you need to chill. we’re not all english professors.

David Novakovic - December 17th, 2007 at 9:49 pm PST

@11 . AnonTroll : Yeah because “apt-get install firefox” is hard than having to browse to a website download an installer and click through a bunch of dialogs.

Ashtam - December 19th, 2007 at 9:14 pm PST

Oh, My GOD!! I experienced This qik thing and believe me its fantastic experience!! Guys, expand it quickly now.

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