In 2005, we witnessed a remarkable surge in the popularity of blogging; however, for most users, blogs were still not enough.
Nothing can express the vibrancy and authenticity of moments quite like video clips. The new trend is towards websites that allow users to share videos online.
Event Highlights
For many years, Ms. Jannelle Gunther has been capturing interesting videos of events she encounters, such as an elephant marching down the street or scenes from gatherings with friends. However, these videos simply remained stored on her computer… until last week when she began uploading her clips to Vimeo at http://www.vimeo.com. (According to Yahoo! News)
Vimeo is one of several websites that provide space for users to store and share their personal videos. Upon registering with Vimeo, users are given a maximum storage space of 20 megabytes per week, and of course, this service is free.
These websites differ from those that allow file sharing online as they are specifically designed for sharing video clips. With their specialized design, they make it easier for a wider range of users, and the content tends to be more focused, which is one of the advantages of such platforms.
The founder of Vimeo, Jakob Lodwick, noted that in the past six months, numerous websites similar to Vimeo have emerged.
According to Nielsen/NetRatings, one of the leading websites in this field, http://YouTube.com saw its traffic triple in December, reaching 3 million visits. YouTube Inc. also reported that approximately 20,000 videos are shared on YouTube daily, with view counts soaring to 10 million.
Reasons Behind the Trend
There are several explanations for this new trend. First and foremost is the rapid development in the quantity, affordability, and quality of recording devices. Nowadays, people from all walks of life can shoot videos with a variety of accessible devices, including mobile phones, digital cameras, and even digital music players that have begun to integrate video recording functions. The advancement of digital recording devices is the primary factor driving this new trend.
The second reason is the invention of new digital video formats such as MPEG4, MOV, and WMV, which significantly reduce the file sizes of videos, combined with the explosion of broadband Internet. These two factors mean that users no longer need to record “newsworthy” videos onto storage media to share with friends. The quickest method remains the Internet.
The third factor is the trendiness of portable devices such as mobile phones, music players, and handheld viewing devices.
Have we moved past the era where every major global event is covered in the news? Just as the explosion of blogs has created a new wave in online media, could this new trend also herald a revolution? Anything is possible…
TRẦN HUY
