[December 07, 2005] Grouper Unveils First Complete User-Created Video Sharing Service Tweet MILL VALLEY, Calif., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Grouper Networks, developers of the first complete user-created video sharing service, unveiled today its device-to-device video sharing service that takes videos from a camera to your choice of audience -- friends, family, or the world. Grouper(TM) is the only free service that gives users the platform and the tools to easily import, edit, share and watch user-created videos. The new Grouper video sharing service offers a feature-rich web site for viewing, syndicating and downloading user-created videos and an application to import, edit and share user-created videos. Grouper's user-created video sharing service is the first to offer a hybrid technology approach, which combines a rich web-based video library that can be streamed or downloaded with sophisticated distributed backend technology. This approach also enables Grouper to offer a free streaming and download service with personal media portability to the Apple video iPod, the Sony PSP and other video playback devices. Grouper does not impose any limits or constraints on the quantity, size, or duration of user- created videos being shared. Additionally, the company also announced that it has secured a strategic investment from T-Ventures, T-Online's investment arm and a subsidiary of one of the world's largest ISPs, Deutsche Telekom AG, to bring the Grouper video sharing service to European households. "By offering the core features to capture, edit and share user-created videos in one service, we have made it simple and exciting for anyone to share their lives through video," said Josh Felser, CEO, Grouper Networks. "Not only have we created a great user experience, we've found the secret sauce of the video business model. Our hybrid distribution technology lets visitors view, and share an unlimited number of personal videos on our web site or download them with Grouper's software, using our low cost and scalable peer-to-peer platform." Grouper 2.0 - the first device-to-device video sharing service In the spring of 2005 Grouper saw the proliferation of hybrid digital cameras and the increasing desire for people to share the photos and videos captured on these devices. Grouper user research also indicated that the Grouper application was one of the best personal video sharing solutions. As a result, Grouper outlined the blueprint for the first device-to-device user- created video sharing service. Unveiled today and available at http://www.grouper.com/download at no cost, Grouper is the only service needed to transfer videos and photos from your camera to your PC, share them with your audience of choice and download them to your video iPod or Sony PSP. Several key features include: -- Plug and Share: In one tool, import your videos from your camera and share them with friends, family or the world. Without Grouper, users need up to three different applications to import and share. The Grouper video sharing service streamlines the importing and sharing process. -- Grouper Groovie(TM): Editing a personal video has never been easier. Use the Groovie Creator tool to pick video clips and photos, add sound and effects, and save it as a movie. The Groovie tool compresses and optimizes the file so that you can easily share it with friends or transfer it to your video playback device. -- Grouper TV: Grouper offers thousands of user-created videos. Stream or download the most-popular, most-recent, or all of your favorites. Find Grouper TV in Apple's iTunes podcasting directory. -- Portable media: Download and save your favorite Grouper TV user- created videos or your own Groovies and watch on-the-go with the Apple video iPod, the Sony PSP or other video playback device. Grouper supports three different video file-types so that you can bring your user-created videos with you anywhere. Additionally, you can remix your favorite user-created videos downloaded from Grouper, add sound and effects and re-share your creation on Grouper. -- Filmstrips: Create a dynamic, preview strip slide-show of your Groovies, videos and photos. -- Syndicate: Publish your filmstrips or entire user-created videos and Groovies to the web, your blog, or on social networks like MySpace and Friendster. -- Subscribe: Subscribe to user-created videos being shared on Grouper through media RSS feeds or video podcasts. Users can subscribe to specific Grouper members, key words, popular videos, most viewed videos, recently shared videos and more. How Grouper works According to comScore Media Metrix, fifty-six percent of the domestic Internet population, viewed a streaming video online. Over the three months ending June 2005, the average consumer viewed 73 minutes of streaming video content per month. As more people look to the web to view and share the videos they create, Grouper is building the best model to make this happen. The Grouper user-created video sharing service combines a web application with downloadable software. The web site offers one of the most robust user-created video libraries as well as the ability for users to publish and share user- created videos of three-minutes or less. The application provides the import, Groovie and sharing tools. The underlying Grouper video sharing service technology combines a hosting and a secure distributed computing model. By leveraging a sophisticated computer-to-computer backend, the Grouper user- created video sharing service can efficiently deliver videos quickly to users, without compromising the user-experience. Grouper's unique hybrid approach enables the company to provide a great, free service while eliminating the costs that other traditional video-upload services incur. Funding news Grouper also announced today that it has received a strategic round of funding from T-Ventures, the investment arm of T-Online, wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG, one of the largest broadband ISPs in the world. The investment will be used to further develop Grouper and bring it to European households. Previous investor Duff, Ackerman, Goodrich also participated in the round, bringing the total Series "B" round to USD $1.75 million and Grouper's total funding to $5.25 million. About Grouper Networks Grouper Networks enables people to share the video and photos they've created anyway they want. Launched in the fall of 2004, the company's original downloadable application Grouper(TM) introduced the first private file-sharing network designed from the bottom up for consumer-created media. Grouper Networks is located in Mill Valley, California. For more information visit http://www.grouper.com/ or call 415-877-4800. About T-Online Venture Fund T-Online Venture Fund was established in 2001 and equipped with an investment volume of EUR 100 million in order to assist T-Online International AG with the implementation of its corporate objectives, in particular with the expansion into new business areas and in the use of new technologies. The T-Online Venture Fund is managed by T-Venture, Deutsche Telekom's venture capital unit. The aim is to support T-Online -- as a business unit of the Deutsche Telekom Group for broadband and online products for consumers -- with the realization of its strategies through investments in innovation partner companies. For further information, visit: http://www.t-venture.de/. Grouper Networks Inc. CONTACT: Elizabeth Scheuring of Three-Forty Communications,+1-415-519-1744, or [email protected]; or Candace Locklear of Sparkpr,+1-415-962-8200, or [email protected], both for Grouper Web site: http://www.t-venture.de/ Web site: http://www.grouper.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]