Qik is a brilliant little piece of software for smart phones (including the Nokia N95), which lets you stream or upload video from your phone directly to the web, your Qik account in fact. From there you can configure your Qik account to stream video to your Twitter, Blogger, YouTube, etc. accounts. Your video is automatically saved to your Qik account, and you can log in and manage all your videos. The service is in Alpha release currently and accounts are by invitation.
I can envisage this service having a number of educational uses. I’ve seen how undergrads are using video to create content, develop and share knowledge, and present this to fellow learners and faculty. This tends to be using miniDV camcorders to film, transferring the files in real time to their laptop, editing the video and then uploading to YouTube. However, I have seem them with camcorders plugged via USB lead to record directly into a PC. Whatever, there seems to be a requirement to cut out many of these steps and Qik sweetly provides this. There could be applications for fieldwork, interviews, and presentations. I’ve seen video of Robert Scoble at (South by South West) SXSW using Qik, he also has some example videos on his scobleizer blog.
I’ve used the functionality of the service via broadband wireless networks and it works a treat. It’s also much cheaper than using your mobile phone contract – if you are streaming video via your contract then you need an appropriate one that allows large data upload or you could be in for a big bill.
Tags: mobilephonewidget, N95, Qik
