More hype than an Origami? Yeah, that’s On10.net
On10.net is on Digg already. Hot diggity.
I’d hype up this sucker, but it’s not gonna need my help. Can you name why? I have at least five reasons.
1) Talent. Onscreen you’ll see some TechTV types. On, no, Molly, that’s no objectification.
2) Formats. Check out the video formats!
3) Standards. View source!
4) Fun. Designed and debugged by a dev team that plays Xbox 360 together.
5) Design. Who approved this sucker at Microsoft? Have the branding police been contacted? ;-)
Congrats to the 10 team. I’m very honored to work with you all.
It’s a new site for technology enthusiasts.
What do you think?
Update: Looks like the site is still being replicated to the servers and they are still doing performance tuning on the site. So, it might be a bit wonky, particularly now that it’s getting hammered by Digg users.
Update 2: There’s a video I did of the Dev team of 10 on Channel 9 (did you see how they hooked Xbox gamertags into this?) where they talk about some of the AJAXy stuff they built (all on .NET 2.0, and all in less than a month — proves you can build a site very quickly with a small team on .NET 2.0). Jeff Sandquist has a post about it up on his blog. Joe Wilcox says “it’s just PR” but then says “Jeff and his team have done a commendable job.” Don’t worry, no one in the PR team was hurt in 10’s development! :-)
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March 13th, 2006 at 2:08 am
What are channels 1 thru 8 ?
March 13th, 2006 at 3:31 am
The design and interface are solid. It was interesting to see that the site polled my blog for recent posts. I appreciated the fact that it didn’t try to feed my Mac an unplayable wmv.
Regarding the branding police, I have no doubt that the instructions were: “Make it look like Microsoft didn’t make it.” Success.
March 13th, 2006 at 5:43 am
“I’d hype up this sucker”
You are aware that by talking about a hyped-up project you’re in fact adding to the hype?
March 13th, 2006 at 5:59 am
I like it, Robert. Wish there was more on the Health Blog. It’s my field and I’m (how can I say this without sounding arrogant?) uniquely qualified to work in the field. Seems like the last update was on February 21st. Any ideas how long updates will take?
Also, that Health Blog really needs some more evangelism. Most of the Healthcare IT guys I know have never heard of this site. We could greatly contribute to it, if we only knew about it!
March 13th, 2006 at 6:50 am
Hey Scoble…did you check out last week’s videos? Last Friday’s has them bouncing around what looks to be the Nine Guy’s head….is our favourite digit alright?
March 13th, 2006 at 7:27 am
[...] Update: Robert Scoble who works on Sandquist’s evangelism team gives 10 a boost. Filed under General Business, Public Relations, Marketing, Microsoft Listen to this article [Permalink] [...]
March 13th, 2006 at 8:41 am
great site…know it will be a success
March 13th, 2006 at 8:52 am
Irrational onscreen exuberance, “camera swirls”, zooms, B&W cuts, nose rings.
That’s a show far outside of my demographic.
March 13th, 2006 at 9:05 am
the way you can select the type of RSS feed is just cool. Channel 9 should be doing that. its very smart. apple will be jealous.
And that I get video onto my ipod from this site instead of audio only is also cool. again. a big hint, hint, hint for what channel 9 should be doing.
I cant wait to watch the eps on my ipod when I’m on the treadmill later on. sweet.
March 13th, 2006 at 9:19 am
Just my unsolicited History Channel styled advice….
1. Talent? Well maybe to the hippy Tech TV insider Bay Area crowd, but I’d go for something Peoria. And should go more narrational documentary over talent reliance. You want it to be about the CONTENT not the talent. Think cameo, still too insider baseball Wired jazzed feeling.
2. AVOID THAT SHAKY CAM FEEL. Steadicam, Dolly, Shoulder Mount (gasp) tripod. Saw the Segaway used as a Dolly (finally a good use). ;)
3. No cheap cameras, get a 24P something. And kill the over white HD overgloss, go warm film tone, Romantic Lips Ultimate S 2 it. (PS - Avoid Magic Bullet, render times are in terms of DAYS). The VASST guys are GODS. Desert Spotted Eagle is where I worship.
4. Can you spell Video Editor? I knew you could. Fire up a Vegas expert, use Ultimate S 2 and go quad cam edit. Broadcast switch style post-productional. FCP and Avid good, but Vegas lets focus on CRAFT and not the technology toolset. Adobe can jump off a cliff for all I care, in terms of Video. After Effects nice, but then I Boris and Particle Illusion it.
5. Script it out. Hire someone that knows Final Draft. Feels too amateur hour, MTV fast-cut low productional style. Invest in a teleprompter.
6. Get the book “Setting Up Your Shots: Great Camera Moves Every Filmmaker Should Know” and memorize it. Also check out Tony’s ‘The Salton Sea’, good moves, film noir gone modern.
7. Channel 9 needs a serious redo on videos. Have you no Video / Filmmaker / Scripter expert in all of Microsoft? If money’s right, you know where to reach me. Just hire anyone that has talent and speaks in Hollywood (or Final Draft) format.
8. Ok, multiple formats is the plus, about time you listened however.
Good idea, now work on the implementation…
March 13th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Chris,
I think the ad-hoc style of the videos is actually interesting. I can only speak personally, but I am not a fan of the more straight-laced shooting style. The hand-held cameras, to me, give the video more of a feel of realism and “being right there”, than some other videos I’ve seen on the web.
I agree with your comment on Content being Paramount (no pun intended). But, I think the content was fine: The first video showed an internet radio station. I got to see the technology behind it, and I learned what goes into the making of it (and how to access it online). I think that’s what the authors were trying to convey, and (unless I”m missing something), I got it.
March 13th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Jason, There are more entries for the Health blog coming over from http://blogs.msdn.com/healthblog/. Once transferred all new entries will be showing up on the 10 site. Thanks for the interest :)
March 13th, 2006 at 10:50 am
Chris is right. There’s no long term money here. It is appealing to a crowd that makes no money. Content is king. And the shakey camera idea is so 90’s. Can we move on from that format? It does have potential
March 13th, 2006 at 11:10 am
Here’s my list.
1) Don’t listen to Coulter. History Channel advice indeed. I think for what this video show is trying to be, you can ignore most of what he said. It’s mostly good advice for OTHER types of shows (sounds even more like movie advice)…like channel 9 ;)
Also, I’d add, this is not TechTV talent. Tina and Laura are from the G4 network. Yes, G4 acquired (and eliminated) TechTV, but it was still just G4 shows and content, despite a temporary name change. Now G4 has gotten rid of almost all their remaining video game and tech coverage (hence why Tina and Laura were available at all). I predicted (http://www.gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=5935) they will fold in the next year.
But that’s a different story. You can’t really judge a show like this in a single episode. I look forward to seeing more.
March 13th, 2006 at 11:33 am
10 looks interesting. Seeing how you’re busy with 9 are we going to be seeing you on 10?
March 13th, 2006 at 11:49 am
Thanks, RS. How do we subscribe to 10’s RSS feed?
March 13th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Robb Hecht, there is a Subscribe button with the RSS icon in the top left, that provides multiple enclosure formats. For example the daily .wmv feed is - http://on10.net/TheShow/feed/daily/wmv/
March 13th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
on10.net
on10.net has launched.
Operated by Microsoft, they say that “10 is a place for people who want to use technology to change the world.”
Via Robert Scoble.
March 13th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
[...] 1. We’ve gotten a few diggs already and Robert has posted a note on his blog as well. 2. We just uploaded a video to channel 9 that walks you through the site and how it was built. [...]
March 13th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Chris: those who complain about Channel 9’s video quality are totally missing the point (and, if let run that would totally f it up). There’s a place for professional video. But to get professional video you need professionals. And, well, if you have professionals you won’t get the conversation. There’s a reason that professional video crews have two or three (or five) people on them. There’s also a reason Channel 9 doesn’t do that. If we did, we’d never have access to people’s offices and we’d never have candid conversations in the style that Channel 9 does.
March 13th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Rob don’t change your style :) but if there are screenshots or something which are not clear in the video, it would be nice to have a link or a clearer one edited in later on …. :)
Or think of a different solution. Isn’t that how innovations happen ?
March 13th, 2006 at 1:26 pm
“And, well, if you have professionals you won’t get the conversation.”
http://the1upshow.1up.com
Give one or two of those episodes a listen if you have time. Each one is about half an hour. I think they once described it as a documentary style video game show and I think you’ll rethink that blanket statement if you give it a watch.
March 13th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
well i don’t know about the others, but i’m surprised of the leap Microsoft done in just a few years. I hardely believed that http://akhater.wordpress.com/2006/03/10/first-microsoft-webpage-ever/ this was the first MS web page ever :) and look at it now
March 13th, 2006 at 3:23 pm
Sorry but I have to say I am disappointed in the MS PR stuff… after such promises that the community would know about this stuff early… Their PR company just aren’t performing! We hear about this stuff from MS insiders before the PR company even hear about it! So why do MS employ them!
March 13th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Mr Scoble
Not sure the pigeon angle has been fully covered.
http://pigeonblog.wordpress.com/2006/03/13/bit-of-techny-stuff/
Your pal
Brian P
March 13th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
No offence but as far as web development goes that site seems fairly basic, it is basically just a blog that has enclosures for video content so why are you touting it as a marvel in modern coding that only took a month to code? What about it is so complex that .NET helped with?
March 13th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
I rather channel9 become 10. This website brings a better user expirence to me than channel9 does, in Firefox!
March 13th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
And, well, if you have professionals you won’t get the conversation.
That Tablet PC Team video had horrid mumbled audio quality, can’t even hardly hear it, or am I missing the point there too? There’s a place for “professional” audio. But to get “professional audio” you need professionals. Darn, and I was thinking that I’d like to hear them speak in those supposed “conversations”. Silly silly me. Amateurism is NOT a virtue. And you can do professional on the cheap, just Robert Rodriguez it all up (heck you could hire someone like me, Microsoft salaries are on the cheap anyways).
The conversation is the content, a better presentation, makes for a better and bigger audience. If podcasts approach broadcast quality, and are well developed, they might get picked up and might get a development deal. If Indie productions have a good script and have the warm film look and good acting, they might get distribution. Claiming incompetence as a “conversational badge of honor” is a cop-out. You should strive to always be better, DV quality and modern nonlinear editors and sfx toolsets let you do that. Why isn’t THAT the meme?
Anyways, just my advice, take or leave, wasn’t trying to start a “meme war”.
There’s a reason that professional video crews have two or three (or five) people on them.
Yeah, I can best 10 men. Just give me 4 cameras, and Vegas, and in no time, zing. Add in days if FCP and Avid. Vegas 7 at NAB, I hear, my life is complete. :) Speaking of NAB, anyone going to NAB, near Chicago and road tripping?
March 13th, 2006 at 6:30 pm
PS - Quick Whip Zoom Cuts make my teeth hurt, actually I hate Zooms period. But I guess on10 is good for the ‘techie gee-whiz duh-dimwitty Valley Girl MTV headache dizzy’ style. :)
Ok ok ok…Zoom Cut In and Zoom Cut Outs can work, only sfxy tho. Zoom is unnatural, imho.
March 13th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
The hand-held cameras, to me, give the video more of a feel of realism and “being right there”
That’s certainly one school of thought. Everywhere I go in reality, though, I don’t spin and run up to stuff and see things in black and white. Maybe it’s all the Red Bull the kids are drinking today.
I still like the one camera sit and talk thing though, IMHO.
Another good book on the subject is Aim for the Heart by Al Tompkins. Disclosure, I work with the guy and think the world of him so I might be biased.
March 13th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Hello. The comments are “teh b0rken” in Safari, they don’t pop down like they do in Camino. I haven’t watched the video yet, but judging from the comments, I’m afraid I’m not going to like the shakiness. I am on the tail end (the long tail end? ;) ) of the MTV Generation, but I loathe their video production style.
Andrew
March 13th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
I like Channel10. I also enjoyed the Channel9 interview. Robert, I’m wondering, could you produce an interview with the people who choose and produce the content on 10? It seems that there is a dual value in 10, the first being the community side of it, and the second being a potential content consumer community (presumably they will overlap). It would be interesting to learn more about who drives the content creation + production at 10.
March 13th, 2006 at 9:01 pm
@19. That’s not true at all, Scoble. Long before you were ever at MS, they were making professional qualtiy videos and having “conversations”, and did manage to do it by showing up at people’s offices. You’re excuse is lame.
CSPAN seems to manage to have pretty good conversations while using professional quality videos
Charlie Rose manages to have pretty good converations while using professional quality videos.
Hell, public access TV produces better qualtity
Yes, I do know they are ultimately edited., but you are missing the point. It’s quality of the interviewer (that’s not you, btw) that makes the content. Low quality producttion does not always equal better credibility.
March 14th, 2006 at 12:03 am
[...] There hasn’t been very much to talk about today. Microsoft opened up their own tech enthusiast site to a massive volley of hype care of Digg. The French are trying to get iTunes available for use with any mp3 player by way of letting anyone convert the songs into whatever format they feel like. And finally, everyone who is anyone in Web 2.0 is buzzing about Crazy Egg, the site statistics application that allows you to closely monitor exactly what people are doing while they are viewing your site. Oh yeah, regarding McDonalds being in the Technorati 100, apparent that was some sort of mistake, and now it has been rectified according to a comment by Kevin Marks in my previous post. [...]
March 14th, 2006 at 2:35 am
It’s worth poking around on10 to find the easter egg ;-)
March 14th, 2006 at 3:08 am
Seriously, anybody who recommends Vegas over any other product on the market is a Sony shill and should not be trusted. Vegas is the biggest steaming pile of crap in the history of NLE. It’s like recommending FrontPage.
March 14th, 2006 at 5:07 am
Just watched the current video and… wow. It’s a 4 minute MTV-ish commercial for Microsoft.
I like watching the channel 9 stuff because there’s no pretense and no marketing BS (for the most part).
But ‘on10′ is just sad. Fast talking people with fast cuts pushing Microsoft products.
March 14th, 2006 at 6:13 am
Talent? They look like DJs from MTV in the 80s! Even the topic was boring. Yeah, that’s the revolution in Radio! Imagine that people in Saudi Arabia listen to the same music as in the US… great… Also, if they can’t make a site that works well, then why would I visit again? even Tiki bar is more entertaining…
March 14th, 2006 at 7:59 am
Robert, did you see there’s an Office Live blog now? http://spaces.msn.com/officeliveblog
March 14th, 2006 at 9:17 am
Alfredo, we are having issues with safari. If you don’t mind, what browser and OS are you havin problems with?
March 14th, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Vegas is the biggest steaming pile of crap in the history of NLE.
I beg to differ (Ulead takes that spot). And knowing tons of pros and studio guys that aren’t Sony shrills, that are biggie Vegas fans…well. But I use all. No wars, the focus is on the CRAFT, not the toolset, the days of ’shop talk wars’ are long over. What you use? Canopus? Just curious, I am not going to start a ‘Mac vs Windows-like’ war, always interested in what others think, and the reasoning behind.
But you really didn’t expect me to reco Avid Xpress Pro HD or Pinnacle Liquid to a blogger podcaster gishy-gushy whatnot now didyah? :)
Avid - Broadcast arrogant big dog, but modular $.
Adobe Premiere - Nice, but too trapped in the Photoshop zone.
FCP - Loveable and a joy, but has it’s annonying quirks.
Vegas - too generic consumerish, but most flexible and quick (imho). Needs interface and HDV work, and the trimmer is quirky as heck.
March 15th, 2006 at 2:37 am
BTW, since this “Origami” frob is just a windows PC, it will run iTunes, won’t it?
Food for thought.
March 15th, 2006 at 11:19 am
[...] Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger » More hype than an Origami? Yeah, that’s On10.net 1) Talent. Onscreen you’ll see some TechTV types. On, no, Molly, that’s no objectification. 2) Formats. Check out the video formats! 3) Standards. View source! 4) Fun. Designed and debugged by a dev team that plays Xbox 360 together. 5) Design. Who approved this sucker at Microsoft? Have the branding police been contacted? [...]
March 18th, 2006 at 11:40 am
[...] Scobleizer - Microsoft Geek Blogger » More hype than an Origami? Yeah, that’s On10.net 1) Talent. Onscreen you’ll see some TechTV types. On, no, Molly, that’s no objectification. 2) Formats. Check out the video formats! 3) Standards. View source! 4) Fun. Designed and debugged by a dev team that plays Xbox 360 together. 5) Design. Who approved this sucker at Microsoft? Have the branding police been contacted? [...]
March 19th, 2006 at 1:18 pm
On10.net
Today I visited 10, the wannabe on-line tech tv show, with two cute-lookin hostesses that seem to be always screaming to the camera and microphone. And run by Microsoft.The idea is that every weekday at 10:00 am (PST) the site is updated with a new vid…
March 31st, 2006 at 10:53 pm
[...] Marketing to the Beautiful People Saves Money With little fanfare and apparently, purposefully limited exposure even inside Microsoft, http://on10.net appeared on the Internet a couple of weeks ago. It has only appeared in 5 blog posts on blogs.msdn.com to date, this being the 6th. This qualifies it as a very lightly covered release in the pantheon of MS product launches. Indeed, it has been noted by some well-read bloggers, like my buddies Dan Fernandez and Alex Barnett. On10 team members, Robert Scoble and Jeff Sandquist also wrote posts. I could be mistaken but I think that’s the extent of their marketing campaign. Spill the beans to a few well-connected folks (I think Scoble qualifies;-) and let it roll. Zero budget marketing campaigns are curious. I’ll be interested to see if this one succeeds. As a product manager of websites like on10, I can think of a number of reasons why a team would launch a product so discretely and…surreptitiously. In this case, I speculate that the On10 team could be conducting a “private preview” on the assumption that if they attract the beautiful people, everyone else will follow. I could ask them what their strategy is but sometimes, its more fun to just speculate. If you’re a beautiful person (all of my readers are;-), I encourage you to check out this killer new website: http://on10.net. Filed Under: Social Computing, Announcements, Community, Life at Microsoft [...]
May 10th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
i hate you
from your girlfriend
July 6th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
[...] Microsoft has been doing some very interesting things in the community space, especially considering it’s, well, Microsoft. Channel 9, a Microsoft community site with regular, unscripted video interviews with various teams across Microsoft has been out there for a while - but a new entrant, Channel 10, looks to be providing something even more out-of-step for Microsoft. Among other things, they are using Quicktime for video. Check out the Channel 9 interview with the development team done by Robert Scoble, Microsoft’s best-known blogger. And Tony - check out Tuesday’s show - I think you’ll appreciate it. [...]
July 21st, 2006 at 1:25 am
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