Fancy earning/winning $25,000 for making a video? The X Prize Foundation have announced a new initiative that you may be interested in. They currently offer prizes of $10 million or more for major breakthroughs that have the potential to benefit humanity, such as the Progressive Auto X Prize that is offering $10 million for cars that are super-efficient (100mpg+ or the energy equivalent), clean and attractive. They are going to pay $25,000 for the best green breakthrough that “would be worthy of a $10 million prize”. All you have to do is make a video a video explaining your prize idea and submit it to the X Prize Foundation channel on www.youtube.com/xprize. You have to answer three questions: What is the worldwide problem that you are trying to solve? What is the specific...

There are limits to the quality of the video that you can load onto the blog. As you will have seen from the previous post, with a reasonable length of video you either get good quality and a small picture, or a bigger picture and dodgy quality.What we are trying to do here is see if a shorter video would allow us to have a better quality picture, so the video below just shows the best two tries. Do you think the picture quality is any better?...

I now have six ways to create video content. Each has its advantages Built in iSight on the MacBook Pro for quick webcams and Skype video calls Logitech QuickCam Pro which includes a built in microphone. Excellent for desk work. Casio Excelim camera which gives me 10 minutes of continuous video. Quality is OK but colours tend to be warm. Built in N95 video direct to Qik. Quality is not great but sound is fine. Only really useful in my home country because it is so data intensive. The N95 video also sucks the standard battery life very quickly. Built in N95 for processing via iMovie and later upload. Flip Ultra video which can be directly uploaded via USB connection to YouTube. Film and sound quality are very good, the unit is drop dead easy to use but it takes a lot of processing time to...

Here’s another spy gadget for all the James Bond Types out there, the Calculator Video Camera. The Calculator video camera has a hidden wireless video camera, on the side so that you can secretly record video and audio. It comes with its own digital receiver which has a built in LCD screen so you can view and also record whatever the calculator video camera sees. Here’s the full specs. Camera Specification Image Device Sensor: 1/3 CMOS COLOR Lens: 3.6 mm Resolution 320×240 Minimum Illumination Level: 5.0 lux Angular Field of View: 60 Degrees Synchronization System: Internal Backlight Compensation: Auto White Balance: Auto Transmission Frequency: 2.4GHz S/N ratio: Min.48dB Videocamera Power Source: Internal rechargeable Li-ion battery (Approx 45 minutes operating...

Sometimes (actually, it's really quite often) Free Software enthusiasts are their own worst enemy. Their insistence on using completely free formats for audio and video instead of the proprietary formats that most people use means that their message is often only seen by a tiny minority of people - generally the people who don't need to see their message anyway as they are already converts.Here's an excellent case in point. The GNU project is twenty-five years old this month. And to celebrate the anniversary, Stephen Fry has recorded a video for them introducing the concepts of free software[1] and talking about the project. This would be a fabulous marketing tool for them, But the only people who will be able to watch it are already Free Software users.If you had a video to share with as...

I have no idea how good this is but I do know people who will be very interested in it: This morning Google is launching Google Video for business, a customized video platform aimed at businesses for internal use. Think training vides, HR videos, etc. (anything that isn’t outside facing). The product is included in Google Apps Premier Edition for free, with 3 GB of storage per user account. This is a “Zero billion dollar market today” Director of Product Management Matthew Glotzbach said in a briefing about the product. The reason there’s no market, though, is that it’s a huge pain to build a video infrastructure for internal use. Google Video for business aims to make that trivially easy. http://www.techcrunch.com...

Neuros OSD makes it simple to digitize your movie collect. Just plug the Neuros OSD into your TV, connect your DVD Player or VCR, and hit play. Your movie will be safely and legally transferred into a digital library! With the Neuros OSD, you can store hundreds of hours of video in one location (like an external hard drive), you can even transfer your video content to a portable device (video iPod, PSP, mobile phone, etc.) to watch on the go, or email your home movies to friends and family. Check out the video after the jump. Specifications: Digitally store any video content–DVDs, VHS tapes, home videos, and more Get rid of bulky, disorganized cases and put your video at your fingertips Enjoy at home or transfer to a portable device (laptop, iPod Touch, PSP, iPhone, Smartphones)...

If you are looking for a video/audio converter which is fast, user friendly and compact in features, you may want to try Blaze Media Pro. Though it’s not a freeware, it is a powerful multi media programme which features conversion, editing, recording, burning, and ripping functions. Other features include DVD audio to MP3 conversion, WAV, WMA and OGG, video capture, joiner, compressor, media management audio and video playback. It also supports many files like MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG etc… Here’s a quick screenshot… The MOV converter is pretty easy to use with lots of optional features perfect for advanced users, you can easily convert a batch of MOV files to MPG. AVI and WMV formats with very little effort. Blaze Media Pro also includes a video encoder which features...

iPhone Video Recorder (for 2G and 3G iPhone) is a powerful iPhone oriented video recorder produced by DreamCatcher. iPhone Video Recorder records audio and video to the compressed mpeg4 format, so the recording is space saving, an-hour-high-quality recording will be a file as small as 60MB. iPhone Video Recorder boasts a frame rate up to 15fps which guarantees better recording performance . With iPhone Video Recorder, recording is easy and enjoyable, you may play back the video, download it to a computer, upload to Youtube, or send it out by email as you wish. Visit HereThis video is made with...

While I was working on the review of a lovely book sent to me called ACME Climate Action, in an email the publishers (HaperCollins if you’re interested) also included this video which features the book and has a bit of information on why the book exists. I almost didn’t bother with the rest of the review as this does the job quite nicely and saves me doing a video of it. It’s quite a remarkable book and the video is cool too. It certainly makes a change from traditional environmentalism. ACME Climate Action video All information is © Life Goggles 2008 ACME Climate Action Video - Helping You Be Green...

It’s Merseyside madness! Here is the absolutely wonderful ‘Shorley Wall’ by Ooberman who of the video said- “Our most widely loved song was cheapened by a video so lacking in sensitivity, it’s shocking. Some nice underwater camera work though.” And they’re right, gorgeous song, dull video. And hey… And in a super double special two for the price of one video offer via BoRev dangerous lefties Chavez and Lugo murder…a song. Enjoy!...

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a special effects technique that marries digital stills with video footage in order to overcome bad exposure and missing detail in the video image. Called Space/Time Fusion, the technique works by taking video footage that’s blurry or overexposed and substituting the digital information with that of a properly exposed and focused still shots of the same subject. The technique can also remove unwanted subjects or objects like they were never there. And all done automatically thanks to an algorithm in the Space Time Fusion software which analyzes both video and digital imagery and then marries them together at similar points. The results are more natural lighting conditions, sharper backgrounds, and bolder colors that were...

Video - Android SDK v0.9 in action Google has released the latest version of the Android SDK, V0.9. Here is a video of it in action. As you can see from the video, the latest version looks very impressive and it looks like it is almost ready for release. via Engadget...

Engadget have details (and a video) showing how photographs can be inserted into (low quality) video to increase resolution (by 4x), increase dynamic range (making HDR video), enhance exposure, remove objects from video, or alter content in video in other ways - even change a pic of you baby for a picture of Dave Mustaine rocking big time with...

Useful Gadgets - The Car Camera The Car Camera allows you to capture video whilst driving. It could be used to record video for legal or insurance purposes, or just to record your driving skills to show to your friends. The Car Camera can easily be mounted on the dashboard and it can record all outside and inside events. It records the video to an SD Memory card from 128MB up to 2GB, and you can either download the video to your PC or play it direct to your TV with the included AV cable. Here’s the specs. Capture video for legal or insurance purpose Red laser points to the area being recorded Adjust camera angle easily Powered by 12V DC power cord or 3pcs AAA batteries Working LED indicator Low power LED indicator Video size: 320*240 File format: AVI Support SD memory card...

Video I’m still trying to work out the best way to show video — embed or link. Whilst I wrestle with that, take a look at this: Despite having been put together by a fan of whoever this is, the mournful music renders it somewhat hilarious, like an Armando Ianucci spoof. She’s not dead. Though according to a commenter at You Tube she is pregnant....

I am always very skeptical, and remain unconvinced, but...Video 1...Video 2...Video 3...Video...

Video 1...Video 2...Video 3...Video 4...Video 5...Video...

While it’s not possible to play mkv files directly on the xbox360, you only need to do a few things to remux the video and audio streams into the mp4 format. This means that no re-encoding is done with the video, therefore there is no loss in video quality. At the time of writing, the xbox360 doesn’t support anything other than 2 channel AAC audio for mp4 streams, so you’ll have to put up with that. It does work well though. 1. Gather video information mkvinfo movie.mkv Look for things like the following: |+ Segment tracks | + A track | + Track number: 1 | + Track UID: 1 | + Track type: video - snip - | + Default duration: 41.708ms (23.976 fps for a video track) This shows us track 1 is the video stream. Remember that, it’ll come in handy later. Also, make a...

So says Kathy Sharpe when talking about Google’s efforts to make video advertising work. Seems the guys over at Google are having some teething problems selling ads on YouTube. The success of Google undoubtly was and is its ability to deliver both relvant search results for its users and also target text ads for its advertisers. So, what’s the big differnce between selling text ads for its search engine and its search network and selling video ads on Youtube? Apparently some big advertisers are worried that there ads will appear next to ameteur videos and copyright ligitation has also hampered the sales push. The bottom line in selling ads is advertisers want to see a return for their buck. I don’t see the bigger companies being too interested in the quality of websites...

I have one video on the loose and two more on the workbench. I have a pile of raw footage to look through today and a shedload of writing to do besides, but here's a quick something for those who missed the memo about the final decision on this: I'm going for The Scum. Or, rather, *we* are going for The Scum. Check in on the QT if you'd like to be part of it. What I have in mind will require more than one writer/artist/blogger. Oh, and don't forget... You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are complete, you will awake feeling alert and refreshed. You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are...

Video taken on the day of the iPhone launch in Tokyo. Footage of just the queues alone would have been boring so I thought I'd spice the video up a bit by attempting to "dance." Thanks to Hector for filming and to Akihabara News for the loan of their video camera. Music is "Young Folks" by the most most awesome Peter, Bjorn & John. And as always, you can join the empire at Starwars.com. If you would like to share this video, feel free to send folks directly to http://youtube.com/watch?v=l2p5ih-_5E4 instead of this article. I've done a few dance videos and think that the ones at night look much better than the daytime ones - probably because the neon lights and reflections captures the atmosphere of Tokyo? And for folks who cant be bothered to watch the video, some screencaps...

AFTER this. The Associated Press admits they were bamboozled by some bogus tornado video. The Associated Press and video services operated by CBS and NBC have pulled video allegedly taken of a tornado in Nebraska last weekend after questions were raised about its authenticity. A tornado chaser has claimed that the video was a doctored version of pictures he had taken of a twister that touched down four years ago in Rock, Kan. The AP paid another storm chaser, Andy Fabel, $295 for footage of a tornado that briefly touched down Saturday afternoon near Valentine, Neb. The video was sent Sunday to nearly 2,000 Web sites that subscribe to the AP’s Online Video Network, and more than 60 large digital customers that buy AP’s online content individually. Yet on Tuesday, a person who...

You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are complete, you will awake feeling alert and refreshed. You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are complete, you will awake feeling alert and refreshed. You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are complete, you will awake feeling alert and refreshed. You will watch my new video. You will link to my new video. You will express your love and admiration for my new video. Once these tasks are complete, you will awake feeling alert and refreshed. You...

I spent an enjoyable day in Manchester recently talking to students and staff at Manchester Central School of English recording the day on video. And the finished result is here (click on the darkness to activate!). During the course of the day there were quite a lot of references to football teams, and the video includes just two of them. If you have any difficulties viewing the video here, the YouTube edition (which has lower definition but is perfectly watchable) may be seen here....

Ok, so it's not actually the Total Perspective Vortex, but this amazing video set to some pretty nifty ambient electronic really gets the philosophical questions flowing. I mean seriously, after seeing the vastness of only a fraction of space in comparison with our tiny selves, how can anyone think that there *isn't* more life out there somewhere?The video is actually called Powers of Ten and was pieced together in 1977 (obviously not with the soundtrack you hear on this version) by Charles Eames and his wife Ray Eames. It is based on the concept of showing the relative scale of the universe in factors of ten, or "adding another zero", starting with a man in a park and zooming gradually further and further out. It's around 9m long, but worth every second!The video has a wikipedia entry...

Although we in the UK this weekend are having a great weekend with exceptional weather, wherever you may be, hope this video will brighten up your day with a great big laugh! Some dudes decided to put together their own little video with their MacBook and of course our favourite piece of stationary: the manila envelope… If you needed some reminding of what the manila envelope means to us geeks, here’s the video you should watch…...

WeShow, the human-powered guide to the online video universe, announced last month that it has launched My WeShow.com in five additional languages. A powerful video-focused social network that enhances Internet users’ online video experience, My WeShow combines the best of video entertainment with social interaction on the web, enabling users to find video, create personalized video communities, and share opinions and content. Users also have the potential to make money with their videos on the site. “We are very excited to open these new language portals on My WeShow.com,” said Marcos Wettreich, CEO and founder of WeShow. “Our online community, and therefore the richness of the My WeShow content, will grow by leaps and bounds as the video and social contributions become more...

Making video where ever you on doesn’t get any easier than the new Flip portable video device launching here in the UK this month (June). We’ve been carrying video recorders in our pockets around for a fair few years now, at least I have. Mobile phones often allow you to record video - but the quality [...]...

In this video, Doug Engelbart, the creator of the mouse amongst other things, demonstrates his inventions including the first public use of a mouse, examples of cutting, copying, pasting, teleconferencing, video conferencing, email, and a simplified version of hypertext. Btw, this was recorded in 1968!......