EdgeCrafting - giving you an Edge !

Wow ! - Animoto is a winner, one of the best video webservices I've tried so far;

Animoto produces videos that are totally custom made to the music and photos you choose, your photo's and chosen music are analysed and the result is a unique video.

Three easy steps to produce a video

1. Choose photo from webaccounts like Flickr or upload from PC
   
2. Choose music from (limited) Animoto or upload your own
   
3. Initiate video production, you get an mail 7-15 min later when your video is ready
   

The final video looks very good - see my sample below;



30-second video are free, one full video $3 and a years full access with unlimited video $30.
For a low-budget promotion video Animoto could be the answer, I will for sure use this service in one my current projects.

Review highlights


• very user friendly, simple and intuitive interface


• 3 easy steps to produce a video


• Limited music available, the help section points to a couple places with free music I think they should list alternative places more prominently


• In the help section you have to click every FAQ to see the answer, would suggest a show all option giving the option to scan the answers instead of reading it click by click. Tip, do read the help section - some good tips there
  


• Direct publishing option to Youtube, blogger, facebook ...


• Pricing seems fair


• Resulting video match the music, transitional effects and photos very well

Some users might want higher degree of control with effects and timing.
Currently only option to influence result is the ability to choose which photo to spotlight and musicstyle - but it work amazingly well

Animoto Review verdict: 4 out 5

Animoto is currently running a facebook campaign where you get a free full length Animoto video when signing up via their facebook app - not on facebook ?!, try this link instead

Just finished watching a MIT lecture with Thomas L. Friedman, author of "the world is flat", entertaining, enjoyable and thought provoking video, loved the closing remark "export hope - not fear" as response to how to keep an open flat world society secure.

It is a flat world !, looking at my own life;

A friend of mine need some drawings for a book, I suggested posting the gig at Elance - turns out the the estimated cost will be around 30% compared to getting the work done here in Denmark.

My company have started outsourcing software maintenance to India.

Bought myself a meizu mp3-player at Ebay (none available at amazon at that time), delivered from Hong Kong ! - the sound rocks, much better than the iPod nano.

Ordered some hard to obtain books recently via Abebooks, delivered from india.

I'm currently working on launching a website, it's based on a open source framework - baseprice zero.
I might need some add-ons and some additional tools, but will be able to go live for less than 700 Euro.
Royaltyfree photo bought at iStockphoto, icons either bought or obtained free at IconBuffet

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well, at least I hope

After seeing this TED talk by Hans Rosling on "Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen" - I would love to get access to this kind of visualisation tool.

Gapminder's Trendalyzer software and team got acquired by google in march 2007 - I think they made a very wise investment there.

Update march 2008: Gapminder Trendanalyzer availabe in limited form in Google docs (spreadsheets) and as a gadget - check this updated post about Gapminder's Trendanalyzer in Google clothing.