AfterDawn: News

Microsoft's Soapbox in public beta

Microsoft's Soapbox video sharing service is now in public beta after being in private beta mode since last year. Soapbox is Microsoft's hope to damage rivals such as YouTube and MySpace. The service uses Window Media Player to display content to users with Internet Explorer and Flash for other users.

One advantage over YouTube lies in the interface, which allows users to simultaneously browse for videos on the left while watching a video on the right. You can also upload videos while watching another (with multiple simultaneous uploads supported). The service has a 100MB upload limit per video, but has no limit for the length of the video content.



It currently supports 13 file types. Videos can be watched by any users, but only users with a Windows Live ID can upload videos, or post comments on others.

Source:
Tech2

Written by: James Delahunty @ 17 Feb 2007 16:02

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• 8 comments

• Moomoo2

  Why does Microsoft try to overcome every corner of the computing industry? It seems that it will come to the table with the same product with a different name if they were not the first one to come up with it. I mean come on. Zune? Ugh.
  
  I wish they'd just buy stuff like they used to.

  17.2.2007 18:03 #1

• Scorned

  Microsoft always wants to have its hands in everything.

  17.2.2007 19:05 #2

• Andrew691

  bloody hell microsoft, they can even make a decent OS, and yet they try to take down the ipod with their crap Zune. Now they try to beat youtube(and myspace) which are probably amongst the most popular sites on the net. They seriously need to sort out their prioritys, rather than releasing as many (half-arsed) products(or services) as possible they should focus on doing one good product thats actually worth its price tag(vista anyone?)
  
  Although this does sound like a good improvement on youtube, I cant see people changing over to it. Kinda like changing from DVD to one of the new HD formats, only difference is flashy new features etc. still does essentially the same thing('cept of course HD formats have a huge price tag, this is a free service...)

  17.2.2007 21:12 #3

• borhan9

  Microsoft always need pieces of everyone else pies. Stick to what you guys do best in creating operating systems. Or come up with an original idea.

  18.2.2007 00:39 #4

• hughjars

  How come competition is such a bad idea?
  
  Microsoft are far from perfect but what's with the idea of thinking people should just be sticking to 'their own' little fiefdoms?
  
  Since when was that 'better'?

  18.2.2007 10:21 #5

• Riotard

  Ok, so what if microsoft have to venture into every computing development, they often have the resources and money to make it better. So what about the zune! Apple saw Creative Zen, thought lets steal, and have gotten away with it, ok, bloody hell one think microsoft have treid to fight apple over and failed terribally, everyone laughs their heads off and always uses it! Ok microsoft often going into a market, will always make it better, because either microsoft will win, with a better product, or the competitors will make their product better to beat microsofts, personally i don't see the down side in microsoft entering new markets! XD
  
  w00t

  18.2.2007 12:34 #6

• solarf

  the more products that are available for the consumer the better. It gives us a choice and thats a good thing.

  19.2.2007 07:06 #7

• Andrew691

  I by no means am saying competition is bad, but its when they try to get into a new market with an inferior product to what is already available and widely used, thats when its stupid. For something to be even considered a threat it needs more than just a better UI like Vista (or even this new youtube).

  19.2.2007 16:52 #8