Skip to Content
Uncategorized

Video Microblogging on the iPhone (Sort of)

A video-sharing startup offers a clever way to sidestep the iPhone’s video recording limitations.
December 18, 2008

One of the more frustrating aspects of the iPhone is its inability to record video. While a hacked, or “jailbroken” iPhone can do it, users are still waiting for Apple to add video as a legitimate feature. But, in the meantime, the developers at 12seconds, which allows people to record and instantly post 12-second-long videos on its site, have found an interesting workaround. (See “Video Microblogging Has Arrived.”)

Today, the San Francisco startup released its iPhone app that lets people choose three photos from their library of images, record 12 seconds of audio, and upload them together a mini slideshow to the 12seconds’ site. The results are surprisingly compelling. See a couple of examples below.

Mean Girls at 2nd Thanksgiving on 12seconds.tv

Cold Cuts - Chinese Food Style on 12seconds.tv

The Ken Burns Effect, in which photos are displayed with a slow pan or zoom, provides the sensation of actual video.

While the slideshow idea is a neat trick, it has no hope of competing with live video uploading services like Qik that work with non-Apple handsets. This announcement seems to just be a placeholder project for the 12-second developers, to get them ready for the day when Apple finally enables video recording on the iPhone.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

This new data poisoning tool lets artists fight back against generative AI

The tool, called Nightshade, messes up training data in ways that could cause serious damage to image-generating AI models. 

Rogue superintelligence and merging with machines: Inside the mind of OpenAI’s chief scientist

An exclusive conversation with Ilya Sutskever on his fears for the future of AI and why they’ve made him change the focus of his life’s work.

Data analytics reveal real business value

Sophisticated analytics tools mine insights from data, optimizing operational processes across the enterprise.

The Biggest Questions: What is death?

New neuroscience is challenging our understanding of the dying process—bringing opportunities for the living.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.