Radbox Blog

[Feature] Email a video directly to a list

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:48:19 +0530

This tiny little addition to your Radbox experience makes it easy to add videos to a list directly by including the list name in the mail subject.

It’s easy to email a link to Radbox to add a video to your queue. Let’s say you have a list called TED Talks to which you want to add videos directly, skipping your Home queue. All this takes is adding [TED Talks] anywhere to the mail subject. It’s case insensitive so you can also use [ted talks] for the same results.

Tiny but useful, right? Let us know what you think.

[New Feature]: Save ANY link to Radbox

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:03:33 +0530

Remember the time when a nice video came by, you hit the bookmarklet and got an annoying “No video found!” response? Not any more.

Yesterday we rolled out a feature which saves links as plain bookmarks in case Radbox can’t parse videos from those links. These are saved to a new Bookmarks section, easily accessed from your sidebar (see screenshots).

Check it out! It even works for videos added via email, Google Reader or API. You’ll never miss a video again.

XBMC plugin gets lists, lazy-mode is optional

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:57:00 +0530

A happy Friday to all Radbox + XBMC fans out there! We’re happy to tell you that an update to our XBMC plugin was rolled out this week, with two additions you cared about the most:

Lists: You can browse your Radbox videos through lists, and yes, it works like a charm!
Lazy-mode is optional: A plugin setting allows you to turn off lazy-mode which throws you into an unlimited playback of your Radbox queue. This should make you ~~control freaks~~ power users very happy. ;)

Here’s what XBMC plugin looks like in Eden:

Like it? Be a sport and tweet this. :)

adsahay: Economies are made in bedrooms not markets! Hans...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:03:06 +0530

adsahay:

Economies are made in bedrooms not markets!

Hans Rosling explains world population growth using mugs.

(~via Curiosity Counts)

Sometimes, I’m so cool, that it makes the other kids...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:46:24 +0530

Sometimes, I’m so cool, that it makes the other kids feel bad.

Eric Cartman talks to NPR. Awesome, as expected.

Watch web videos later on your TV using XBMC and Radbox plugin

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:52:00 +0530

Hope the new year’s treating you well. We’re happy to announce an official plugin for all you XBMC users out there. :-)

So far there was an unofficial plugin built by the awesome Popeye with help from Radbox super-user Guy Sie, but now we’ve stepped up to provide and maintain an official version.

Installing the plugin

Download the plugin for Dharma or Eden.
Install via System -> Add-ons -> Install from zip file OR move the plugin.video.radbox directory into your addons directory.
Launch the plugin, and type in your remote-friendly super-compact QuickUrl username.

Note: This will upgrade your existing installation of the Radbox (unofficial) plugin.

Features

Works with YouTube, Vimeo and CollegeHumor for now. Will add support for more sources soon (for example, TED plugin has bugs which will have to be fixed before we can support it).
Plays videos directly from your main queue in a linear fashion. No support for lists yet.

More features to come in subsequent versions.

So sit back and enjoy your Radbox stream on TV via XBMC!

[Fixed] Unable to copy bookmarklet code in iPhone/iPad

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:38:00 +0530

(Big thanks to Salim and Marc for reporting).

Those of you with iPhones, iPod touches and iPads on iOS 5 or later have been unable to Select and Copy the bookmarklet as per our bookmarklet installation guide. The reason is a bug in iOS 5 that prevents read-only text areas to be selectable. As a temporary solution the text-area with the bookmarklet code is now editable, which means you’ll see an unnecessary keyboard when trying to copy the bookmarklet. There’s also a chance that you select and accidentally edit the contents, in which case it is best to reload the page and try again.

Apologies for not catching this sooner. We’ve filed a bug with Apple so hopefully they’ll fix it soon.

[Fixed] Bookmarklet problem on YouTube

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:21:00 +0530

Hi all,

We’ve got reports that the bookmarklet is not working reliably on YouTube for many Chrome users. We’ve got someone looking into the issue, and will update soon.

Fixed

In Chrome build 16 or later, many bookmarklets including Radbox, Evernote and Instapaper may not work on YouTube. The reason is that Chrome automatically installs a YouTube app which results in a bug preventing the browser to reach the bookmarklet source.

The solution is to remove the YouTube app. Open a new tab in Chrome, hit “Apps” at bottom, and remove the YouTube app as shown below:

This should allow all bookmarklets to start working perfectly with Chrome. Google Chrome stealthily installing apps in your browser might remind you of bloatware from the past (remember the time when Yahoo! Messenger installed a bunch of toolbars and addons you didn’t care about?), but that’s a debate for another day.

Making it easy to move on

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:30:38 +0530

We tried a little experiment yesterday. Users who had not logged into Radbox for over a month got this mailer from us.

Here’s the final paragraph:

Are there any bugs or use-cases that don’t work for you? Simply reply this email and the founders will respond as soon as they can. If you still don’t find Radbox useful, you can easily delete your account permanently. :-(

Most web services that we’re familiar with (hundreds of them) either don’t offer a way to delete an account or make the link less apparent so that few people end up clicking it. We’re not so smart.

We thought if you don’t intend to use a service, it should be easy for you to say goodbye and move on. This is what some of our ex-users (is that even a term?) did, and a few were even kind enough to leave feedback.

I have a tendency to save things, including videos, aside for later and then not go back to them. For instance, I have two weeks worth of reading in ReadItLater. You’re offering a good service for someone that has self-control :)

New year’s eve is a perfect time to say no to things that we can do without, and yes to things that we ought to do more. It is also a perfect time for a new experiment. :)

The 101 Most Useful Websites of 2011

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:43:34 +0530

The 101 Most Useful Websites of 2011:

Radbox is understandably our darling in the list, but our other personal favorites If This Then That, Urban Dictionary and Wolfram Alpha get a well-deserved mention here.

A few product updates...

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:17:11 +0530

It has been a busy week since the introduction of Radbox 3 and Radbox on iPad, and we’ve been fielding a lot of queries and feedback from users. Here’s a quick summary of what you’ve been sharing with and asking us.

Radbox for iPad

When is the iPhone app coming?

Some time in January. We plan to upgrade the iPad app to a universal app that would work on both the devices, and we’re already working on it.

Fixing the app crashes

The most frustrating thing for a developer is a bug that shows up everywhere but the devices he owns! But we’re on top of the situation, we’ve isolated it and will roll out a fix soon. Apologies!

Video buffering for too long

This has been brought to our notice very recently, and although technically there’s no reason why the buffering should be related to something in our code, we’re investigating this.

Radbox 3

How to go to the original video (from where it was added)?

Click the video title in lazy mode, and it opens the original source.

That’s not all!

Thanks for all the complements and suggestions (real ones this time!). Feel free to reach out for anything. Meanwhile we hack away under our quilts in this Delhi chill. :)

Introducing Radbox 3 (and iPad app)

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:06:24 +0530

This is a rehash of the newsletter that went out to our users yesterday.

Like they say, the third time’s a charm.

We’re proud to unveil Radbox 3 - all the awesomeness of the previous version, plus some more. While the interface has been almost completely redesigned, at its core it still aims to be the best way to watch videos online. The most notable changes are:

Improved lazy mode for a full-browser-screen, autoplay experience.
Ability to log in and import videos from Twitter.
Quick-url - a short, handy link that turns any browser into your personal channel, streaming videos from your Radbox account. Although still a work-in-progress, we hope to make this work on every screen you own, from smartphone to television and everything in between.

Check it out now and let us know what you think.

Radbox is now available on the App Store

After months of development (and rework), Radbox is finally available for all you iPad owners out there.

You will be surprised to learn that it is not entirely based on the application you’re familiar with so far. At the heart of the iPad app is the concept that you can select how long you want your viewing session to last and hit play. This means you can snack on without smudging your screen, or your kid can watch cartoons while you get on with your chores.

Here’s what some people are saying (or not)

“Researching classified videos was never easier!” — Julian Assange, Wikileaks

“Now I can fight crime without distraction! I can just batmark videos at night and watch them during the day.” — Batman/Bruce Wayne

“This changes everything. Again.” — Apple

Check it out on the App Store to learn about all the things you can (and cannot) do with this app, and to download it (yes, it is free).

To get in touch for any feedback, ideas, bugs or hugs, simply send us an email or give us a shout on Twitter or Facebook.

What's new in Radbox 3

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:37:23 +0530

Here’s a rundown on things that have changed in Radbox 3:

Completely redesigned interface, including the lazy mode.
Integration with Twitter and Facebook for login as well as automagical import of videos.
Easier sharing of lists.
Introducing the quick-url: a short, easy link that converts any browser into an autoplaying stream of your Radbox videos.
All new Radbox app for iPad.

Radbox tips, tricks and tools: a roundup

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:08:00 +0530

This is a roundup of various ways to interact with your Radbox account. Trust us, there are enough to warrant a roundup!

Adding videos to Radbox

You can add videos to Radbox in various ways, on some of your favorite apps.

The “Add to Radbox” bookmarklet. Works on all browsers. You can also get it for your mobile devices here.
Email: Send a link or a tweet from any app to your secret email address.
Connecting your account to Facebook or Twitter allows you to set up automatic imports of the day’s popular videos.
“Add to Radbox” - the (unofficial) Chrome extension.
“Send to Radbox” button for Google Reader.
Reader Plus - a Chrome extension to enhance your Google Reader experience.
NetNewsWire for Mac (Thanks @guysie)
Userscript for Firefox (may work in Chrome and Safari). Thanks to @jasonkarns.
The Radbox widget for blogs and websites. Bet you didn’t know about this one!

Watching videos from Radbox

Ok, so you’ve added videos, but you’ve got to watch them too, right? Here’s how to watch them outside of Radbox.

The Radbox app for iPad. Available in the App Store.
Via RSS feed. Your private RSS link works in most RSS Readers, including Boxee.
The (unofficial) Radbox add-on for XBMC.

Almost half the stuff above has come from amazing contributors and power users using our API. If you wish to create a tool or add it to this list, give us a shout on @radboxme.

Internships at Radbox

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:42:00 +0530

We’ve got a couple of openings for interns, details follow:

Location: Noida, India
2 months <= duration <= 6 months
When: Starting this winter (December/January)
INR 4000 <= monthly stipend <= INR 10000

Overview of skills needed

Good programming skills, preferably in Python.
Familiarity with web development concepts, as well as tools (linux tools, git etc)
Strong mathematics abilities (projects involve data analytics and pattern recognition)

Other qualities

High amounts of enthusiasm and common sense; independent and fast learner.

Think you fit the bill? Reach out and make your case!

We’ve all been there - you’re watching a video...

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:20:14 +0530

We’ve all been there - you’re watching a video online, only to have it pause every now and then and start “buffering”. This infographic by Conviva is an interesting depiction of the obvious: we hate online video buffering.

Flash on mobile - dead on arrival

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:35:48 +0530

Adobe announced recently that it has decided to discontinue developing Flash for mobile browsers, and switch focus to HTML5 instead. About 18 months ago, Apple had decided to give up on Flash for iOS devices, citing reliability, security and performance issues. Since then, many devices (like Blackberry Playbook, Android tabs etc.) used the availability of Flash as a differentiator to promote their products, which is good material for many jokes in the Apple fanboy community.

When we decided on the roadmap for Radbox on mobile devices, we assumed that Flash was going to go away, and however painful it might be, media publishers and video hosting services will start migrating to HTML5 based technology. Briefly there was a market (and a lot feature requests) to transcode Flash videos to HTML5 for viewing them on Apple devices, but we decided against implementing that ourselves and let the industry solve the problem itself. Every publisher wants to reach out to as big an audience as possible, and although it has taken some time, we think everyone will eventually move to HTML5 (those who haven’t done it yet, get on it already!).

This has been one technology transition that has been hard on everyone - video publishers, mobile companies, end users, and application developers. Hopefully this marks the beginning of the end of this one.

A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:33:20 +0530

A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design:

That’s the fundamental gesture in this technology. Sliding a finger along a flat surface.

There is almost nothing in the natural world that we manipulate in this way.

A great post on untapped potential of human hands in visions of the future of interaction design.

Steve Jobs in a video from last summer explaining the real...

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:10:05 +0530

Steve Jobs in a video from last summer explaining the real problem in innovation in the American television market.

Proving him right, Logitech admits that going with Google TV was a big mistake, and the Revue box will not be replaced.

(via @brij).

Thought of the day!

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:48 +0530

Thought of the day!