Photo and video sharing Pickle.com just gave word about a major upgrade to their “Pickle Player”, which they are now are calling the Pickle Channel Player (disclaimer: Pickle is a client of Viget Labs, although I have had very limited involvement in the engagement).
The Channel Player is very innovative on a number of levels: 1) It leverages the widget concept. 2) It facilitates “in the moment” photo AND video sharing. 3) It provides a granular level of control over the photos and videos that get displayed.
That last point is where the channel comes into play. Think of a channel as an album that can also do videos and be updated on the fly. Once you create a channel, you, your friends, family members, etc. can send photos or videos to it from mobile phones or via the web (and they can be moderated, if desired). The embedded Pickle Channel Player then will show photos and videos from that channel only on a social network profile, blog, or website.
One of the concepts Pickle is floating that I really like is called the “PickleTRON”, which is a very fun idea that can be used at parties. Here’s how they are describing it:
3. Create a “PickleTRON” for Your Party
Create a channel before the bash. Play the channel in full screen on a big monitor or projector amidst the action. With the party in full swing, have your friends ‘send to the screen’ by sending from their cameraphones to your channel. Not only will guests have a blast doing this at the party, but friends unable to make it can tune in to the party online. Afterward, everyone can relive the fun by viewing and contributing to the channel online.
Head over to Pickle and give the Channel Player a spin…it’s sure to be popular in the MySpace crowd.
