demos - ReadWriteWeb http://www.readwriteweb.com/feeds/tag/demos en Copyright 2012 Richard MacManus readwriteweb@gmail.com Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.35-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss It's On: Google Launches Demo Slam google_demo_slam_logo.jpgA few days ago, demoslam.com, a mysterious - but clearly Google-related - website appeared, which resulted in a lot of head scratching in the tech blogosphere. Now, Google is officially taking the wraps of the site. Google Demo Slam is a competition for tech demos - not just by startups and other tech companies, but for anybody who wants to create a video that shows others how to use a cool tech product. As a Google representative told us yesterday, the company is asking people to create the most inventive, entertaining tech demos possible.

]]> While some of the early speculation around Demo Slam focused on the site becoming a demo stage for HTML5 demos, the mission of Demo Slam is actually far broader than this. Google wants the site to become "a place where boring tech demos become (hopefully) gotta-show-my-friends awesome--thanks to the creativity of Google users like you."

The Demos Slam preseason starts today and will run for the next few weeks. Viewers will be able to vote for a weekly winner from the featured demos and as the competition continues, these winners will then go head-to-head until the overall champion is crowned. A group of Googlers will choose the videos for each week's competition based on "creativity and entertainment value."

There doesn't seem to be any direct benefit of this for Google, though given that most tech demos tend to be rather boring, this could turn out to be a boon for the tech community as a whole.

]]> Discuss]]> http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/its_on_google_launches_demo_slam.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/its_on_google_launches_demo_slam.php News Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:00:00 -0800 Frederic Lardinois Skype 2.8 for Mac: Your Online Demo Is Calling SkypeHere at ReadWriteWeb, we're not usually in the "report it before you've tried it" camp, but a couple of trusted sources - Dan York and Rafe Needleman - are reporting that the latest version of Skype for Mac - Skype 2.8 - will include the ability to share your screen during a Skype call. And that's a feature that is sure to change the way many of us engage in Web-based demos.

]]> Given that we're big Skype users around here and we see more than our fair share of Web-based demos, we're excited to see Skype finally offering the the ability to combine the two. No more setting up WebEx or LiveMeeting. Just share your screen via Skype during your next briefing call.

In addition to screen sharing, Skype 2.8 promises to offer a number of other features including improved chat and per-minute calling access via wifi hotspots like Boingo.

Granted, screen sharing has been available through Skype add-ons, but having the features core to the client - and easily accessible - will only help increase the use of Skype for these kinds of online conversations.

Perhaps more importantly for Skype, it's something which is sure to attract new users. At five years old, Skype is among the old guard of this generation of Web apps. This long-awaited screen sharing feature could help revitalize the product, encouraging a whole new crop of business users to add Skype to their cadre of online tools.

And when you couple these new features with Skype's latest hire, it leads one to wonder if 2009 could be a comeback year for the company.

The latest version isn't available for download yet, but it is slated to be released on Tuesday, January 6.

[Update] The download is now available.

]]> Discuss]]> http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/skype_28_mac_online_demo.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/skype_28_mac_online_demo.php Video Services Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:27:36 -0800 Rick Turoczy