Bambuser partners with Sony to bring live video broadcasting to Xperia™ Z1

Sony Mobile Communications (Sony Mobile) and Bambuser have joined efforts to bring a groundbreaking camera experience to the Xperia™ Z1 with the Xperia camera application, Social live. Social live is a fully integrated camera feature, powered by Bambuser, that lets users instantly broadcast live video to their friends on Facebook from Xperia Z1. During the live broadcast, friends and viewers can interact with the broadcaster as comments and likes are displayed instantly on the screen of the smartphone.

Bambuser CEO Jonas Vig says:

We're very happy and proud to work with Sony to provide the quickest and easiest way to share live video with your friends and followers. We are mutually committed to further develop and enhance the experience and we believe there are great opportunities in combining Bambuser's innovative technology with Sony’s product vision.

The Social live feature is available exclusively to Xperia Z1 users straight out of the box, as part of a suite of Xperia camera applications available at the time of the smartphone's launch. The feature will work over virtually any data connection and the proprietary Bambuser streaming technology will automatically adjust resolution, compression and frame-rate of the live broadcast in order to optimize the live experience over fluctuating networks. An HD version (720p, 30 fps) of the stream will be stored locally on the device, allowing users to get the most out of every moment – both live and ever after. Both free and premium versions will be offered, with the premium upgrade allowing longer videos, higher quality live streams, more extensive cloud storage and ad-free playback.

Jonas Vig adds:

To partner with one of the most respected and well known consumer brands in the world is a fantastic achievement for Bambuser.

Become a Citizen Journalist with Bambuser and get a free Bambuser Premium account

The world has learned that more and more of newsworthy live video content is coming from individuals on the street being at the right place at the right time. We are convinced this will develop even more going forward. At Bambuser we believe that this kind of reporting is important both in terms of breaking news stories but also to complement existing stories.

We also believe that citizen journalist videos shouldn't be filled with commercial advertising. Therefore we support all citizen journalists with free Bambuser Premium accounts.

Bambuser provides mobile applications for devices running on Android, iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod), Symbian, Bada and more to enable anyone to share their point of view with an unlimited global audience for free. 




Below you will find basic information and tips how to get the most out of your videos. Please also take the opportunity to let the world's largest news agency, Associated Press distribute your content. A good example of what it can result in is Bambuser user Homslive whose videos have been rebroadcast by numerous global broadcasters and in total reached more than 100.000.000 people.

Getting Started

Download
Download the Bambuser application on your smartphone by searching for Bambuser in your device's App Store or Marketplace (Download Links: Android and iOS)

Setup your Channel

Simply create a Bambuser account through the application or use the Signup page. Your channel URL will be bambuser.com/channel/yourusername

Build an Audience
Provide a short description of what you are broadcasting and share that with Twitter and Facebook. This will send a link to people, who can watch your broadcast on their computers, mobile phones, tablets, or web connected TV's. Connecting to Facebook means your videos will be posted directly to your Facebook Wall or Facebook Page. You can connect your Bambuser account to services like Foursquare, Tumblr, Blogger and more – all are found on your Bambuser Dashboard

Ready to Broadcast
Press the red broadcast button :-) 















You're Live!! Now what to do?
Provided you are broadcasting something compelling and have connected Bambuser with your social networks, you should quickly get an audience. You can track your viewer count at the bottom of the application.

Get Viewers
Encourage your audience to invite their friends and re-tweet to their followers. Inform your viewers of when you will be live (start/end) in advance. Talk to friends and family, post to your Twitter and Facebook before, after and during your broadcast.

Engage with your audience
Always keep an eye on the chat in your mobile as that’s where your viewers can communicate with you. This is a great way of hearing their opinion, for your viewers to ask questions and for you to ask them about picture and sound quality. It’s always more fun to watch when the broadcaster interacts with the viewing audience.

How to shoot great video
Hold the camera steady and don't make fast moves. Talk loud and clear. To make good videos you need to be able to go where the action is. Always think about your own safety first but don't be afraid to move closer to the action when safe to do so. The closer you are the better overview your viewers will get.

TIP: Most modern smartphones come with a small LED light on the back of the device. In most Bambuser apps you can turn on and off the flash in the menu or under the settings. This works best when you are 3-5 feet from what you are trying to broadcast. If you are far away, keep the LED off.

Remember that you are the eyes, ears, and most times need to be the voice explaining what is happening to your viewers. Compelling video should be supplemented with your verbal explanation of what you are filming and why the viewer should care. Your comments will make it much more compelling, interesting and engaging.

Keep the dialog with your viewers going by providing commentary of what you are filming. Read what your viewers are saying in the Chat and ask them if you are doing a good job or what they would like to see or hear.

Stream Health
On most phones Bambuser supports, you can always check your Stream Health. If the Stream Health is below 60% you should probably switch to a lower video quality/resolution, and if it is mostly 100%, consider switching to higher settings.

Upload unsent data
On Android, iOS and Maemo/Meego devices you can upload data that hasn’t been sent during the broadcast. Very rarely all data will go through while live due to connectivity hiccups, but if you choose to upload the dropped data, Bambuser will patch your video, creating a smoother video to watch on-demand.

Above the basics, below the extras to consider

Mobile Phone and Data Packages
Broadcasting quality live video requires a decent amount of upload speed. Look for and purchase a smartphone device that uses 3G or 4G LTE or WiMax high speed wireless networks and make sure you are in a coverage area that supports the advanced data rates.

Best Picks are:
Apple iPhone 4S
Apple iPhone 4
Apple iPhone 3GS
Apple iPod Touch (4th gen)
Apple iPad 2
Nokia N9
Nokia N900
Samsung Galaxy S III
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE
Samsung Galaxy S II
Google Galaxy Nexus
Google Nexus S
HTC Sensation
HTC Desire HD
Sony-Ericsson Xperia Neo
Sony-Ericsson Xperia Ray
Sony-Ericsson Xperia Mini
Sony-Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro
(Many other Android devices also provide a good experience)

TIP: If you are going to be broadcasting a lot of video it is a good idea to invest in an unlimited data package.

Extra Battery Power
Devices are getting thinner, faster and have bigger screens. This all means battery life is going to be an issue. You can look at purchasing extended batteries for your particular phone model or if you want some real staying power look at an external battery pack that continuously recharges your device while you are broadcasting.

Get out there and show the world YOUR world!

Chat login options, updates and a reminder

There are always things going on in the Bambuser world. In our last newsletter, we had some news and tips that we would like to share with you here, on our blog as well.

Require login for your chat

If you want to allow chat messages and comments only from users who are logged in, you can now enable this on your Dashboard. In the right column, under Settings and Customize your player, you can check Require login.



This can give you more control over who participates in your chat, and makes moderation more powerful.

Updates for Android

We're constantly improving our mobile applications, and our Android app has recently been updated to version 1.5.2 with many small changes. The update brings improved video encoding to several modern phones, adds support for camera LEDs, and includes many model-specific fixes and tweaks. As always, you can get the latest version through the Google Play Store, formerly known as the Android Market.

Uploading unsent complement data

Being truly LIVE is the most important aspect of Bambuser broadcasting, and our mobile applications are therefore designed to adapt to the varying upload speed of mobile networks. If broadcasting using the chosen quality settings produces more data than your connection can send live, parts of the data may be stored temporarily on your phone instead. This allows us to keep latency at an absolute minimum at all times while you are live.

Keep an eye on the stream health indicator in the mobile app to see how your connection currently handles your chosen settings. If some data can not be sent live, it can be stored in your phone, provided that you have the feature enabled. You may upload any stored unsent data at any time after broadcasting live. When you have uploaded the unsent data for a broadcast, our servers will combine the live-data with the uploaded data, put all the data in the right order and create a smoother broadcast that can be viewed on demand.

You can read more about the stream health concept and complement data on our help page.

Let Associated Press contact you about newsworthy content

More and more Bambuser users are utilizing their handheld devices to capture news stories to share on their blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social media. Starting today, any Bambuser user can also reach a global audience through AP's worldwide network of news organizations.

Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the net: www.ap.org

We think the people with a great view of any breaking news event  are citizens being in the right place at the right time or activists and citizens capturing and sharing their own footage and reports from the frontline or on site by using a livestreaming app,  i.e Bambuser.  What we've seen lately is the increasing impact of this kind of user generated content contributing to the major media stories.

"User generated content has become integral to covering breaking news, particularly where access is restricted. As a global newsgathering organization in more than 300 locations worldwide, AP has the expertise to verify it, and to add context via our own reporting."

- Mark Davies, AP Deputy Director of International Video

Bambuser users can let AP distribute their content with full credit (Bambuser username credited on TV, online etc), to all media globally, by agreeing to AP's terms of use through the Settings on the Bambuser Dashboard.

AP can access and use Bambuser content it vets, verifies and considers newsworthy. As part of the arrangement with Bambuser, AP will also explore the use of Bambuser's live video platform as a news-gathering tool for AP journalists.

FAQ

1. How will this co-operation benefit existing and new Bambuser users?
Bambuser users are already broadcasting their newsworthy content on the Bambuser platform, but now they will be able to expand this to global broadcasters.

2. At what kind of events is this going to prove most useful?
Anywhere where someone has a smart phone and connection.

3. Will Bambuser users be credited?
Yes, every Bambuser user sharing their content with AP will get the recognition they deserve. On all AP scripts there will be a mandatory credit for "Bambuser/Username" and for online video there will be a courtesy graphic.

4. Once someone opts in to share content, can it be undone?
Yes. You can opt-out at any time.

5. Why do Bambuser users need to provide contact details?
If a video is newsworthy, AP will often want to get more story details from you. Providing contact details will make it easier for an AP journalist to get in touch if they need to.

Read more on the net at TNW, GIGA OM, Broadcastnow, Jardenberg.se - including a video interview with AP. Find the full press release at AP.

Broadcast LIVE video directly on your favorite social platform(s)

Did you know that more than 40% of Bambuser's most viewed channels are connected to Facebook? Broadcasting tends to be more relevant and fun when you have a live audience interacting with you. By connecting Bambuser to your favourite social platform(s) you can automatically share your broadcasts on the fly, extend your reach and grow your live audience.



Connect to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger and many more services on your Bambuser Dashboard under Settings and Connect.

It is also possible to disable automatic sharing of broadcasts to Facebook and share only the broadcasts you want to. You share individual broadcasts on your mobile phone by choosing any other connected service from the Share menu while you are broadcasting. Find out more about this on our help page.

Syria - a country that can no longer communicate

If you don't have the essentials for communication, will you lose?

A few weeks ago we were told Bambuser was blocked in Syria, but the flow of videos continued on a smaller scale. Brave and skilled people used alternative approaches to reach out with the LIVE material, much needed to let the world know about the terror and violence in Syria.

Unfortunately, for a couple of days it's been getting more difficult for the people in Syria to reach out. Assad's government does its utmost to control not only the people but also the communications with the outside world. A few days ago they began to turn off the electricity for up to 15 hours a day. With no electricity one cannot charge devices or use the Internet. The lack of electricity is not all – when it returns – it starts with high voltage peaks which burn out any devices plugged in.

Activists tell us they're afraid to use generators due to the noise they make. Security forces and the military now make regular checks at homes with generators, and those suspected of being anti-Assad protesters risk being arrested, tortured and even killed.

During the last week we've seen the consequences of this lack of electricity: even fewer videos from Syria. The following broadcast was sent for us tonight to show the situation.



We know the Syrian people want the world to know, but with the little electricity they have, they need to prioritize and use it for saving lives, before it is cut off again.

UPDATE: The day after this text was posted, the broadcaster did an additional broadcast - this time from the top of a roof showing when the lights go out - leaving Daraa City in complete darkness. This happens randomly every day in cities all over Syria.

Let Bambuser do the work for you

One of our missions is to provide the best live video app for mobile phones, and we are confident that we are already doing so. We are not only supporting over 360 different models and providing the lowest latency on the market, we also have another feature that is unique: Uploading unsent complement data after a broadcast in done.

When letting this technology do its job, you're improving all future on-demand viewing of your broadcast, making your memories and documentations as clear and crisp as possible. If you're notified that you have unsent complement data in your app, please upload it and let Bambuser do the work for you, it's definitely worth it!

If you are new to uploading unsent complement data, let us explain: If your connection to the internet is weak when you broadcast live, pieces of the broadcast which can't be sent immediately are stored on your phone, keeping your latency low. When uploading this data afterwards, our servers get to business and merge all the pieces to complete your archived broadcast, giving on-demand viewers a smoother experience regardless of how slow your connection was during the live broadcast.

You can also read more about stream health and unsent complement data at our help page.

Let the world know

Bambuser is to some extent about citizen journalism, free speech and democracy. It all started over a year ago with the uprising in Egypt, followed by the Arab spring movement through the Middle East to Russia, and the Occupy movement in the US and Europe. During the last year people have utilized Bambuser to broadcast real-time information from these events to the world. What takes place in Syria now is no exception.

Footage by http://bambuser.com/channel/baba-omer © 2012 BABA AMR REV EYE

As with all protests in the world where people are using Bambuser, we're trying to non-profit support as much as we can. We're often asked to help observers distribute their content to media and as many people as possible.

We have daily contact with Syrian observers who try to document the terrible things that are going on in the country. They have in an impressive way set up cells that teach broadcasting and organize live footage coming from Syria. We've been in contact with them for more than 8 months to support them with our knowledge. Massive amounts of broadcasts have been produced since the protests started but few have been paid much attention.

Over the past couple of weeks our work with Syria has intensified as the Assad forces have stepped up the attacks against the protesters. The number of videos coming out is increasing and what is good is that media and people in general have begun to understand the brutality. Our close relation with the Syrian observers has resulted in both Associated Press and Thomson Reuters distributing Bambuser live videos from Syria to media companies all over the world on a daily basis. The material has been seen on major news channels like BBC, AlJazeera, Sky News etc. We have no idea how many people that have been watching, but it is a substantial number.

http://bambuser.com/v/2344816 © http://bambuser.com/channel/smartlive1

The feedback we get from our friends in Syria is fantastic. Not only have we helped them get their message out, but they also say it means much in terms of morale for everyone in this situation. They know the world is watching, sharing and it gives them hope.

No matter where in the world it happens we will always do our best to support and help. We're a small company with very limited resources but we see this as the foundation on which the rest of Bambuser is and will be built.

For updates on LIVE news please follow Bambuser_Alert on Twitter - Share the world.

Egypt celebrating their 1st anniversary of the 2011 uprising

Today marked the 1st anniversary of Egypt's 2011 uprising. It's been a very eventful year to say the least. A year filled with happiness and hope of a democratic future for the people, but also a year filled with tragic events. We've seen a lot of moments being shared live on Bambuser and it's fantastic to be one of the channels used by the people to broadcast video and distribute information




Although we know and understand that the Egypt uprising and revolution actually has little to do with social media and online tools, we're honored to be a service appreciated and used by so many to show the world from their perspective, somewhat democratizing news reporting.

We continue to follow and observe the events and we do our best to create a service that can be used for broadcasting everything from children's birthdays to revolutions.

Show the world

Bambuser+Blogger = more fun, more LIVE

Blogger is one of the world's largest tools for blogging. That's why we're extra happy to launch the Bambuser integration to Blogger.



The integration basically means that you in real-time can Share your broadcasts to your Blogger blog as a new post. It's super easy to get started. Simply go to your Dashboard, click on Connect in the right column, click on Blogger and follow the steps to connect.

When connecting, you can choose whether to Share new broadcasts automatically or to Share only selected broadcasts. Whenever you use your mobile phone or your web cam for LIVE broadcasting, you can then choose to share the broadcast instantly on your blogger blog and let all your followers get to know what you're up to. Life is real-time - show your world.