Around 158 million U.S. Internet users watched more than 21 billion videos last month, both of which are all-time highs for the online video world. Google/YouTube sites got 120,852 unique viewers, with an average of 74.1 videos per viewer, according to ComScore latest numbers.
Talking about numbers, video analytics firm Visible Measures just updated its “100 Million Views Club”, which tracks the top virals of all time.
YouTube Will Better Monetize Viral Videos
YouTube has another idea to better monetize viral videos. Videos that are detected as accumulating a large number of views quickly will be added, with their creator’s permission, to a limited form of the YouTube partner revenue sharing program.
This program was only available to creators with an established body of popular content. This has helped the company avoid lawsuits and sign on media partners.
Animoto.com Adds Video Feature
Animoto.com online service has launched a new feature that allows to include videos in its animated slideshows. Animoto’s competitors is basically turning photos into videos.
That is possible because it does all its processing up in the cloud, rather than within Flash (like Slide does).
Animoto is limiting clips to 10 seconds for paid users and 5 seconds for free users.
Channels.com “Your Web Video DVR”
Channels.com is trying to position itself as “your web video DVR”, and for that, it has launched an app that lets users subscribe video via RSS feeds.
This service organizes feeds that exist in the cloud; it does not record anything.
Channels.com reports that it includes 160+ shows.
For now, this service is focused on building traffic, optimizing the user experience and seeing how the video landscape unfolds. A key part of building its distribution and use is by encouraging video providers to place a Channels.com “chicklet” on their site, so video can be instantly added to user’s playlist.
Nokia Plan Linux-based Phone
Nokia announced this week it will sell in October its first high-end smart phone –the N900, priced at $700- based on open source Linux based software. “I’m sure this will help us in the market situation with the iPhone,” said a Nokia’s VP.
Doing so, Nokia is moving away from Symbian, described by some analysts as “aged”. Nokia is seeking a more “PC-like experience,” allowing users to run dozens of application windows at the same time.
A Five Million Of Infected “Zombie” Army Of Computers Still Alive
A malicious program discovered in November called Conficker is exposing a serious weakness in the world’s Internet infrastructure.
This program used flaws in Windows to co-opt machines and link them and link them into a virtual computer than can be commanded remotely. It creates a ‘zombie’ army, that can be used to generate vast amounts of spam, steal information and passwords, deliver fake anti-virus warnings to persuade users to pay their removal by credit card, or even to monitor or disable an enemy country computers.
Despite anti-virus software, now more than five million so-called zombies –government, business and home computers in more than 200 countries- is under its control.
Network of infected computers, or botnets, have been used to temporarily cripple Tweeter and Facebook.
Conficker exact origin and performance is unknown so far. New, more intricate versions of the program have been distributed.
Anti-virus companies and government agencies are working together trying to find ways to kill Conficker.
