Uvouch Updates and a Wii Contest

Uvouch, one of the Web's most unique video sharing sites is starting a contest today, and launching several unique user features as well. Contestants stand a chance to win a Nintendo Wii Sports console and other cool prizes. Uvouch has also added even more functionality since our last visit with customization and embedding tools not found on even the most advanced video sharing communities. The Wii contest is a welcome incentive to attract even more feedback from users and in rewarding users for valuable participation.  

For those unfamiliar with Uvouch, the video sharing and bookmarking site allows their users perhaps more sharing and gathering capabilities than any similar site on the Web. Users can essentially add video to their Uvouch space on the fly via browser buttons. Uvouch also provides bookmarking links ala Del.icio.us but with added emphasis because of the Uvouch user aggregation aspect and more community features.

Uvouch now boasts over 10,000 users and has a video library of over half a million clips. I interviewed Uvouch CEO Parveen Panwar back in March and found him to be quite brilliant and straightforward in his approach to development. Uvouch is one of a select group of sites that are taking their Beta testing phase seriously with regard to user generated improvements. I am really a little amazed at some of the very specialized user tools that Uvouch seems determined to create.  

New Features

Download Videos - Uvouch supports all the major video sites and now allows users to download their favorite saved videos to their PC's.

Embeddable playlist - This is an innovative and very unique feature that allows users to embed a viewable, searchable playlist onto their pages, spaces or blogs with a simple code. I know of no other site that offers anything like this cool utility. Note: This link is Parveen Panwar's area that shows all the gadgets described and more.

Advanced video scrolls - These custom video scrolls can also be embedded onto virtually any site a user uses and playlists, favorites and other aspects can be tailored to suit the user of the audience.

Add Playlist - Playlists can now be created and added straight from the video view page.

Improved personal search and RSS - Personal user video, link and playlist search has been much improved and users can now utilize RSS feeds more easily.

Tag and link rolls - Once again, widgets to embed rolls for more collected data

The Take

Uvouch entered the video venue at something of a disadvantage. Entry into the market is a crucial aspect for any startup. However, Uvouch is one of those sites developed by people who really want to get it right even at the sacrifice of good timing. My first impression of Panwar and the site was that these folks would essentially design anything necessary to add value for the user. With attitude like this they will surely catch up to less user sensitive sites.

If there is one thing that is lacking at Uvouch it is a better aesthetic look and I have even left feeback on this issue. Panwar and his people are obviously pure developers and programmers and it is reflected in some of the balancing of elements. We all know that genius programmers are notorious for this flaw. User feedback will eventually alter this shortcoming eventually and the fantastic features more than make up for any negative aspect.

Uvouch could easily become home to a vast, usable aggregation of video on Web 2.0. I just like sites that try to get it right and these guys are always effecting some improvement or other. It seems to me that with video scattered all over the Web now, many people really need some place to keep their favorites along with other collections of links and tools. Uvouch simply makes a lot of sense.

Mashup of Uvouch embeddable playlist and advanced scroll