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12 Seconds Of Microvideoblogging Is All You Get

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Dave_HH Posted: Mon, Aug 11 2008 1:16 PM
Is microvideoblogging the next big thing? "Micro-what?" you say. Picture Twitter, but with video posts instead of text. That's microvideoblogging. Now limit each video post to only 12 seconds long, and that's the idea behind 12seconds.tv. Like Twitter, you can post pretty much anything you want, as long as it doesn't violate the site's terms of service (TOS).

"12seconds.tv allows friends and family to record and share short video updates about what they are doing or where they are. You can use a webcam or a cellphone. It's a FREE, easy, and fun way to stay in touch."

The site is currently in "public alpha," and membership is available by invitation only. You can request a membership login on the site and might get invited to join as the site continues to ramp up. Apparently, the ubiquitous vlogger, Veronica Belmont, is already a member and has posted a few videos to the site.



The site has a relatively irreverent attitude: "Why only 12 seconds? Because anything longer is boring." Its creators, Sol Lipman and David Beach, appear not to take themselves too seriously:

"12seconds was conceived and developed by a small team of nerds mostly from Santa Cruz, CA. 12seconds is a side project and is funded by burritos."

As the site is still in the "alpha" phase, there are plenty of active improvements taking place. For instance, the developers recently added friend and video search. Other improvements that they say are in the pipeline are video replies, shorter URLs, more third-party site support, and improved tagging, among other features. The developers are requesting that members send in bug reports and are open to suggestions for additional features. They are even making their API available to other sites.


12 Seconds is not the first microvideoblogging site to pop up; Seesmic takes a similar approach, but it does not limit the length of the video posts to 12 seconds, and its takes a more conversational approach to its posts--encouraging users to comments on each other's posts, creating an ongoing dialogue. Also, Seesmic's TOS states that the site is for those 18 and older, while 12seconds's TOS indicates that it is for those 13 and older.

It will be interesting to see if the concept and the site take off. Considering the ever-growing popularity of social networking, online video, vlogging, and ever-increasing short attention spans, the site has all the right ingredients to be a winner. Perhaps a 6seconds site will be the 12seconds killer? If 12seconds makes it to the big time, remember that you heard about it here first! Do you think these guys are on to something, or will this be yet another flash in the pan? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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bob_on_the_cob replied on Mon, Aug 11 2008 3:36 PM
12 secs seems a little short. I don't see this taking off like twitter.
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3vi1 replied on Mon, Aug 11 2008 3:51 PM
Yeah, I don't think that anyone would use this as their "main" vlog site. You can post 12 second (or shorter) clips on other sites if you want, but you can't post longer ones on this site - so it's nothing but a limitation.

People read the stupidest things.  Like this sig, for instance.

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warlord replied on Mon, Aug 11 2008 7:16 PM
Yeah 12 seconds it probably took me longer to type this stupid post.

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FSeven replied on Wed, Aug 13 2008 11:12 AM

I predict that I'll care even less about seeing 12 seconds of some random person's mundane life than I do about getting constantly update on their life via Twitter.

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