Turkish startup BeFunky has closed its first round of venture funding from Golden Horn Ventures in Istanbul. The amount raised was $550,000. Previously, the company raised $250,000 in seed capital in January, 2007.

BeFunky launched at TechCrunch 40 last year. Founded by Tekin Tatar and Kemal Ozisikcilar, BeFunky offers two services: The Cartoonizer and Uvatar. The Cartoonizer lets you upload photos and give them a cartoon effect. Uvatar lets you create a more realistic avatar based on a photo. The startup is releasing a newly designed Website today, and upgrading its Uvatar service to make it more automated.

But what I am most excited about is a product in the works called the Video Cartoonizer. It gives the same A Scanner Darkly effect for videos as the Cartoonizer does for photos. We’ve been using a pre-release version here at TechCrunch for an upcoming video project that we are going to launch soon. Here’s a sneak peak at what the effect looks like (from a video I slipped into this post on Kongregate):

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XRT3D

XTR3D develops software that lets users interact with computers and gaming consoles using 3D human motions. Their real-time software analyzes 3D human motions using only one simple web cam. It will allow users to play games and interact in virtual worlds using natural human motions instead of keyboards, mouses and joysticks. They refer to their technology as a “3D Human Machine Interface”

mouse movements in the air via a web cam…pretty damn cool.

Demo includes moving around Google Earth by hand movements.

As can be used for virtual worlds, games.

Demo includes boxing, works well. Definitely one of the best product/ presentations of the conference.

More at CrunchGear here.

BroadClip

BroadClip’s MediaCatcher for Facebook offers a way to search and listen to DRM-free music that is optimized to deliver music to portable media players such as iPods and cell phones. All users have to do is “clip” streaming music and they can transfer the recording to their portable media player in a legal way similar to other “time-shifting” technologies like TiVo, VCRs and tape recorders.Bizarre Star Wars demo…WTF? one line was this is very bad…he’s right, a shame thoough, I like the idea, even if the copyright side is a big question mark…they claim it’s legal yet the RIAA was demanding that webcasters put stream rip blocking software into place as part of the royalty negotiations…Broadclip is a easy to use stream ripping service.No one on stage…some sort of streamed presentation, not sure if they are even in the building. Sorry to be negative, but it’s not a good effect.

mEgo

mEgo lets users create personalized avatars that carry their online network aggregation profiles and can be integrated into users’ blogs, social networks, websites, and IM clients. The online profiles display user-picked content like profile details, videos, photos, feeds, and widgets.

A couple of giggling chicks…Jason Calacanis notes that it’s great to have someone on the stage presenting.

Tag team with the presentation which works well.

Interactive widget, sample is shown in Facebook.

Lots of features, provides social aggregation including pulling in RSS, Twitter etc.. can be any size as is vector based.

Site will be live as at 4pm

Wixi

Wixi is a media focused social network where users interact with each other by privately watching, posting, and sharing content of all media types, including photos, audio, and video. The site offers a unique interface whereby media can be managed in the same way files are organized on a computer desktop, creating a true “drag and drop” and “click and play” experience.

Looks like a Web OS, smells like a Web OS…but it’s a “media sharing platform”

visit main.wixi.com use code tech40access for free unlimited storage.

Zat waz ok..I think.

BeFunky

BeFunky provides users with online tools for creating digital online representations of themselves for use on their blogs, websites, and social networks like MySpace. Their online tools Uvatar and Cartoonizer enable users to turn themselves into an avatar, cartoon, digital painting or comic.

I hate the name, but political correctness means I can say what I think about it.

It’s a pic to cartoon/ avatar tool. Not bad, demo worked well.

Can also manipulate pics, they demoed it on a picture of Michael Arrington and took “20 pounds off him”

Also does video, demonstrated on a scene from Matrix. Impressive…very impressive.

Avator package creates cartoon like avatars, free at first, $5 a pop later.

Expert panel

MC Hammer likes Mego, BeFunky. Brad Garlinghouse (Yahoo) likes Mego, BeFunky is cool as well. Sarah Lacey likes XTR8. Caterina Fake is sceptical of widget providers.

Loic feels sorry for Broadclip.

Discussion on XTR8: Brad says it reminds him of an old Intel product, s not convinced that there is anything wrong with the mouse or remote

Wixi discussion: also does mashups, syndication

Broadclip talks about their product…about 15 minutes after they were suppose to on stage doing that very thing. Explains that it’s TiVo for internet radio. Can go on to iPod.

Question from audience: copyright issue with Broadclip. A: we are increasing the revenue of record companies, but doesn’t fully answer the question, despite being an IP lawyer. MC Hammer rips on the into the company, money doesn’t work. Can’t touch this one!

Don Dodge in the audience, Broadclip is wrong, they aren’t increasing revenue and it doesn’t matter what they say, they are going to have trouble.

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