Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders

Simple, Reliable, Internet Video “Phone Calling”

Podcast Video | Posted by Phil Leigh on June 21, 2008

Ever since the release of 2001: A Space Odyssey I’ve waited for the time when reliable video phone calls would be routinely available to the public. Well, that day has arrived because at TokBox.com you can access the service at no charge through your web browser.

Our guest today is Nick Triantos who is the CEO of TokBox. His company provides a reliable two-way video communications service over the Internet that is as easy to use as YouTube. There is no software to download so users don’t have to worry about potentially fouling-up applications already loaded on their computers. Neither do they need to bother with keeping the TokBox service up-to-date since it is provided as Software-as-a-Service. Just as at YouTube, TokBox users need only register at the company’s website and attach a webcam to their computer. That’s all it takes to start having two-way real-time video conversations with anyone on the Net who is sitting at a computer with a webcam of their own. If they don’t have a webcam, you can send them a video of yourself via email.

TokBox is funded by Sequoia Capital who has provided venture funds for such companies as Apple, Electronic Arts, Google, LSI Logic, PayPal, and YouTube, among others.

Phil’s Take. TokBox is significant for three reasons. First, it is easy to use. Second, it is generally reliable. Third, the company is greatly encouraging the spread of the platform by enabling others to embed the application on their own websites. For example, they provide the prebuilt code needed to place a TokBox button on WordPress blogs, FaceBook profiles, and MySpace pages, among other websites. For example, since Inside Digital Media is constructed on WordPress, I could add a button that would enable anyone to make a video “phone call” to me.