KakikoTV is the name of a relatively new service which has so far been exclusively marketed in Japan. I listened to the interesting presentation of the maker during the Web 2.0 Expo in Tokyo recently (my short article about the expo is here).
Essentially KakikoTV enables users to modify videos and photos online by integrating a range of visual and sound effects, comments or subtitles.
This is the official KakikoTV demo video (direct link).
There is no information in English about KakikoTV anywhere on the Internet so I decided it is time for a write-up from my side ;). Learn how to use and register for KakikoTV as a non-Japanese speaker in a separate post. Please notice I focus on modifying videos in this review (not pictures).
I will review KakikoTV in the following order:
I) General Info
II) Starting Page
III) Functions and Features
IV) Business Modell
V) Opinion
I) General Info
The site is a product of Eviry Inc. (this and most of the following links are in Japanese only) which was founded October 2006. The company is located in Tokyo.
KakikoTV is Eviry’s main service and was introduced in March this year. The presentation at the Web 2.0 expo Tokyo promoted Intra Kakiko however, the company’s new product which was released just last month. While KakikoTV is B2C, Intra Kakiko is aimed at the B2B market only. In this review, I focus on KakikoTV since this is more of interest to most of the readers of this blog.
II) Starting Page
Please click on the JPEG below in which I translated the main contents of the starting page into English.
The starting page is very clear and almost self-explanatory. The page’s third row features a box in which users can type in a Youtube URL to get the video they want to modify. Alternatively, a search term can be entered. KakikoTV then accesses Youtube’s data base and presents related videos in grid format (on their own site).
III) Functions and Features
This is the page where you can work on the video you chose:
Mainly, users can integrate sounds, pictures, icons, text and animations into videos. You can use the effects given by the site but also add your own!
Effects can be changed in size, appearance (i.e. angle) and color. Users are free to integrate these elements at any given time into any given Youtube video.
More on this in my tutorial on KakikoTV.
IV) Business Modell
There are no advertisements on the site. Also, there are no premium memberships. The company makes money solely with sales of its B2B solution Intra Kakiko.
Youtube could use a service like this and let users pay for it. I am sure that this would be an idea worth trying out.
V) Opinion
A comparison with Youtube’s own editing feature “Remixer” (made by Adobe Premiere Expresss) is impossible since at the time of writing I couldn’t get it to work on my PC. It is still in Youtube’s “Test Tube” section anyway meaning it’s not an official service yet.
Pros:
1)
The whole site is very clear in layout and style
2)
The service is easy to use
3)
No need to download and install software of any kind
4)
Clear focus on a selected service (modification and amplification of online videos and pictures)
5)
As a whole, KakikoTV “makes sense”, is fun and a useful tool
Cons:
1)
An English version would be good
2)
More functions/effects are always welcome
I think two things about the Internet are true: Firstly, the game for videos is big already and will grow in the future. Secondly, uploading and viewing videos and pictures online for fun or professional purposes is here to stay. This means potential for services as KakikoTV or IntraKakiko is huge.
What I like best about KakikoTV is its usability. Japanese people love the Kantan-principle (kantan (簡単) means easy). And KakikoTV delivers in this respect. Everything is thought through from the users’ point of view.
Make sure to read my 2nd posting about KakikoTV in which I analyze the functions and explain how to register (in English).
Overall: Well done!
