Kyte Extending Support for Popular Android Devices

Posted by: Jenna Quilalang    Under: Product |

Integrated mobile capabilities have been a part of our DNA since the beginning. As such, it's only logical that in addition to extending our platform to the iPhone/iPad, Blackberry, and Nokia mobile devices, we're now introducing both an SDK and App Framework for the increasingly popular Android operating system.

 

Kyte Android SDK

Our Kyte Android SDK gives you the ability to easily incorporate customized Kyte-powered video experiences into existing Android applications, or build highly customized video applications from scratch, without having to worry about media optimization, complex communication protocols or server-side components, freeing you up to focus on creating great user experiences.

 

Kyte Android App Framework

Our Kyte Android Application Framework is a turn-key solution to quickly deliver native Android applications based on a brand-able set of pre-built modules core to the Kyte Platform, including video playback, support for UGC campaigns, location-aware events, Twitter and RSS readers, and location aware events, as well as real-time notifications and more.

Both solutions include our signature interactive features ranging from real-time chat to comments and ratings, as well as the ability to share content, and show off the great flexibility our platform provides to our customers.

We’re looking forward to seeing many more engaging applications appear in the Android App Store, to the delight of the growing community of Android handset owners.

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Kyte and VP8/WebM

Posted by: Gannon Hall    Under: Product | Partners |

As expected, Google today announced the open-sourcing of their VP8 video codec via the WebM Project. The VP8 codec (now branded as "WebM") provides an open, high-quality alternative to H.264 for developers and content producers looking to leverage open standards for video delivery. In addition, VP8/WebM should help ensure that H.264 licensing remains royalty free for the next several years. 

While a competitive, high-quality open video format provides new benefits for developers, it also introduces additional fragmentation and complexity for publishers looking to deliver a consistent video experience across multiple platforms and devices. As part of our commitment to eliminating this complexity, Kyte is pleased to announce seamless support for the VP8/WebM codec, in addition to our continued support for established technologies like Adobe Flash, H.264 and new, emerging standards like HTML5.

 

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Oprah’s “Your OWN Show” Powered By Kyte

Posted by: Jenna Quilalang    Under: Customers |

Oprah Winfrey has been coming to our television sets for the past 25 years bringing “live your best life” television right into your living room. As if she hasn’t already conquered the world of television, Oprah is now going to launch her own TV network in January 2011, dedicated “to self-discovery and connecting you to your best self and to the world”. The Oprah Winfrey Network, OWN, will be a network of people who are all interested in reaching their greatest potential. To play off of the network’s main theme, she’s currently in search of finding the next big TV star.

Using the Kyte Platform and our UGC module, Oprah just launched the contest “Your OWN Show”, encouraging anyone and everyone who’s ever wanted to appear on television to submit a 3-minute video, showcasing their personality, sense of humor, and any other interesting talents that would make them the next big American TV Star. Some suggested topics to submit are a traditional talk show, cooking, interior design or fashion, health & wellbeing, or a wildcard, which is an all-inclusive category.

Fans who watch the videos can post user comments, as well as share their favorite videos to their Facebook or Twitter. In addition, they can also browse the other auditions on the website and get the chance to vote for their favorites, including their own.

Not surprisingly, since the official announcement on Oprah’s show last Friday, May 14th, the response within the past few days has been overwhelming. Within 3 days of launch, the contest has already amassed approximately 210 videos, with close to 1 million votes and views. We’re expecting to see a lot more unique and original auditions until this contest concludes on July 3, 2010, and hopefully, you get the chance to view and vote for your favorites, too.

However, if you’d rather be the star and submit an audition, click here to learn how you can catch your OWN BIG BREAK.

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Opportunities and challenges in online video delivery

Posted by: Gannon Hall    Under: Product | Tips | Company |

In the last decade online video has grown from an esoteric hobbyist activity into a multi-million dollar business built around a thriving ecosystem of content creators, publishing and monetization platforms, and various enabling technologies, services and devices. Like many industries born out of the mass consumer embrace of the Internet, online video continues to evolve rapidly. It was only five years ago that the first video was uploaded and shared on YouTube, yet a scan of industry news today reflects a growing conversation around the myriad devices and endpoints from which audiences consume video.

Advances in broadband, computer technology and consumer electronics have ushered in a new era of Internet connected, video-capable devices (PCs, smart phones, gaming consoles, tablets, set-top boxes, etc.). Digital technology has also greatly reduced the cost and complexity of creating video content, resulting in the emergence of not only user generated video, but a greater output of professional and semi-professional video content from publishers for whom video was once cost prohibitive.

These two trends combined (increased distribution channels and low production costs) have resulted in an explosion of Internet-based video.

Since Kyte’s launch in 2007, one of our hallmarks has been our ability to anticipate the direction consumer demand is headed, and then innovate quickly to help video publishers meet that demand head-on. Most recently this has taken the form of turn-key application frameworks and SDKs for leading social, mobile and connected device platforms including Facebook, iPhone/iPad, Android, Blackberry, Nokia and Boxee.

Our product philosophy reflects our belief that audiences will continue to consume content across a broad variety and combination of Internet-enabled devices and platforms.

This is a belief supported by the reality of today’s media landscape:

The shift to digital continues

Media companies and marketers evaluating their video strategy need only to look to the news media to witness an industry that failed to innovate fast enough to meet consumer demand for digital content. As new online news and information delivery models (HuffingtonPost, CNN.com, ESPN.com, Craigslist.org) emerged, the ad dollar pool for local and regional print news outlets shrunk to a fraction of its previous size. Many smaller outlets have gone entirely out of business, and even larger news organizations (Gannett, AP, etc. ) have begun to feel the pain. Publishers that fail to innovate and embrace online, mobile and social delivery mechanisms will surely experience the same fate.

Digital has evolved beyond the PC

Delivery of video to the PC was just the beginning. Online audiences are spending increasing amounts of time consuming media from multiple platforms. The introduction of the iPhone and now the iPad have established entirely new markets for the delivery and sharing of live and on-demand video content. According to Nielsen, mobile is now the fastest growing segment of video consumption. And connected devices like Boxee and Roku are meeting pent-up demand from consumers frustrated by the lack of freedom and control over how and when they consume professional broadcast and internet programming.

Digital is social

The days of centralized, one-way broadcasting are over. In today’s world of social media and transparency, video publishers need to create an authentic experience supported by the social dynamic of friends and like-minded individuals. Facebook and Twitter have become integral to today’s media consumption habits, with Facebook poised to revolutionize online advertising (in much the same way Google did with search) through “earned impressions” based on intricate social connections and behavioral history. To be relevant today and engage audiences, publishers need to create video experiences that integrate the social graph and provide a rich interactive experience.

These trends are amplified when video content is separated from static digital content. Video is commanding a much higher CPM than traditional display advertising, and advertisers are finding TV less effective as they shift dollars online. Combined with an avalanche of statistics that show more and more people are watching video programming online or on their mobile devices, media companies and marketers are faced with several compelling reasons to quickly determine how they are going to reach and engage with these audiences.

While consumer choice and emerging platforms have created new opportunities for publishers, and in some cases entirely new industries, these trends are also the key contributors to growing audience fragmentation, resulting in increased technical challenges for publishers looking to deliver rich video experiences to multi-platform audiences.

Adding to this, competing technologies and devices (and the companies who back them) are creating additional technical hurdles for publishers (the Flash vs. HTML5 war being the prime example).

In summary, for any organization evaluating how to best publish, monetize and scale video in what is becoming an increasingly complex landscape, it’s important to consider the particular goals of your organization and the many options that are available to you. Here are some decision criteria to help you get started:

1. Evaluate your video strategy through the lens of your broader marketing objectives. Are you already reaching core audiences across social platforms? How about mobile? How can you converge these efforts under a single point of control?
2. If you’re considering working with an online video platform (OVP) provider, examine how different vendors provide mobile, social and connected device capabilities. Can they provide these services natively, or do they work with third parties to provide this functionality? How deep are their roots in mobile and social technology?
3. How quickly do you need to move? Do you need a partner with built-in native functionality across multiple consumption platforms, or can you handle longer development cycles?
4. What are your content creation needs? Do you plan to leverage live and on-demand video? How about UGC? Do you have a means of easily moderating this content?

To discuss your own particular requirements and challenges in producing, managing and delivering multi-platform social video experiences, feel free to contact us.

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LEVEL uses Kyte to bring the “Monster Army” Alive Online

Posted by: Jenna Quilalang    Under: Customers | Independent digital agency, LEVEL Studios joined forces with us last December, building a strategic partnership to optimize the online, social and mobile Web presence of Level’s corporate enterprise and brand customers through interactive, multi-platform video experiences.

One of the first projects has been to help Monster Energy, a leading energy drink producer and lifestyle brand, to more deeply connect their fans with their company’s athletes and bands. Monster has made itself a name with a completely different kind of promotional activities, backing athletes, promoting concert tours, and celebrating with their fans.

Curt Van Inwegen from LEVEL discussed details of how Kyte helps power the new interactive online presence for their client.

LEVEL set out to match Monster's cool company profile by creating a dynamic, visually powerful online destination for their loyal fans. Using our SDK, LEVEL was able to integrate video experiences in a way that matches Monster’s lifestyle and appeal across their website and social web presence. This has allowed them to build a vibrant online community around Athletes, Monster Girls, Events, Bands & Music and Promotions.

Members now get to view all the rich media of their favorite Monster bands athletes and even more importantly, leave feedback and comments. Visitors who used to be just casually browsing the website have been converting to enthusiasts of the brand, growing the ranks of the “Monster Army”.

In addition to incorporating engagement features online, LEVEL has also been able to use our platform to build up a comprehensive video inventory for Monster, which includes professional, authentic, as well as user-generated content uploaded by the Kyte producer module.

This has given Level the ability to supplement high production cost video with low cost, but equally engaging authentic and UGC video, greatly expanding their video production output for Monster without increasing costs.

This fantastic collaboration with LEVEL/Monster shows off the incredible flexibility of our 360° platform. We’re excited about the success of this campaign, and we’re looking forward to collaborating on many more original and fun projects, like this one, in the future.

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