October 1, 2009

No more Public Posts

If you’re reading this, you are probably wondering one of three things:

  1. Why can’t I find Public Posts?
  2. Why can’t I make a Public Post or comment on an existing one?
  3. What’s going to happen to all the Public Posts I have made in the past?

So I am going to attempt all three of those questions here.

After a lot of discussion and healthy debate, we decided to remove the Public Posts feature from TokBox. I know there has been a lot of discussion amongst the community about whether we were going to do this, as well as lots of great suggestions about what we could do to control the sometimes ‘inappropriate’ posts and comments. We considered all of those ideas, but at the end of the day we decided to focus our energy on what we’re really good at – multi-party chat.

So, as from today, you won’t be able to make any new posts or add any comments.

But, if you created a Public Post in the past (or a video comment), don’t worry there is a way to keep it. Here’s how.

Simply go to your profile, decide which of your posts you want to keep and click on “Forward”. You can then send the post as a video message to yourself, to keep forever. (If there is a particularly special video comment you want to keep, you’ll need to watch the comment and at the end there will be the option to “Forward” the post). You’ll need to do this in the next 30 days, as after that the posts will no longer be visible.

And, remember, if you do want to record a video message and send it to a group of people, you can do the same thing our with video message feature.

I look forward to chatting to you on TokBox soon.

Micky
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Micky O'Brien

September 29, 2009

No more Public Posts

If you’re reading this, you are probably wondering one of three things:

  1. Why can’t I find Public Posts?
  2. Why can’t I make a Public Post or comment on an existing one?
  3. What’s going to happen to all the Public Posts I have made in the past?

So I am going to attempt all three of those questions here.

After a lot of discussion and healthy debate, we decided to remove the Public Posts feature from TokBox.  I know there has been a lot of discussion amongst the community about whether we were going to do this, as well as lots of great suggestions about what we could do to control the sometimes ‘inappropriate’ posts and comments.  We considered all of those ideas, but at the end of the day we decided to focus our energy on what we’re really good at – multi-party chat.

So, as from today, you won’t be able to make any new posts or add any comments.

But, if you created a Public Post in the past (or a video comment), don’t worry there is a way to keep it.  Here’s how.

Simply go to your profile, decide which of your posts you want to keep and click on “Forward”. You can then send the post as a video message to yourself, to keep forever.  (If there is a particularly special video comment you want to keep, you’ll need to watch the comment and at the end there will be the option to “Forward” the post).  You’ll need to do this in the next 30 days, as after that the posts will no longer be visible.

And, remember, if you do want to record a video message and send it to a group of people, you can do the same thing our with video message feature.

I look forward to chatting to you on TokBox soon.

Micky
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Micky O'Brien

September 10, 2009

TokBox for Ning Networks Launched Today

A lot has been going on at TokBox Towers the last couple of weeks.  We’ve said goodbye to the Ultimate Intern, Andrew; we have welcomed a couple of new members to the TokBox Team, John and Jon (makes it easy to remember their names), we’ve made some improvements and additions to the site, not least of which was the addition of Etherpad, a real-time document collaboration tool, and today’s exciting news is the launch of the TokBox Application for Ning Networks.

Now, Ning Network Creators can add TokBox video chat to their network and enable their members to video chat live via TokBox. Seems the team at Ning thinks it’s pretty cool, they chose us as one of their ‘Staff Picks’.

One network (Teens for Christ, Hawaii) started using it even before the official launch today (early adopters!), so if you’re interested you can look there for inspiration. Otherwise, if you have a Ning Network, it’s super simple to get started by simply going to the ‘Manage’ tab in your account.  If you’re a member of a Network, not the Creator, it’s just as simple –  start campaigning the Network Creator to get TokBox Video Chat added!

There’s more to come in the next few weeks, so you’ll be hearing from me again soon.

Micky
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Micky O'Brien

August 26, 2009

Collaboration Moves to the Next Level!

Hey Tokbox Fans!

I am very happy to announce that today Tokbox has partnered with EtherPad, the really real-time collaboration tool. Now, all Tokbox users can simultaneously collaborate on one text document or “pad” while chatting in a video call. These pads can easily be added into any call by dropping in an EtherPad URL, just as if you wanted to watch a YouTube video. When multiple people edit the same document simultaneously, all changes are instantly reflected on everyone’s screen. The result is a new and productive way to collaborate on text documents, useful for meeting notes, drafting sessions, education, team programming, and more (EtherPad). EtherPad is already being used by Fortune 500 companies and Top 100 global universities. Pretty cool, huh!

To start collaborating on text documents today, just follow these 4 simple steps. Don’t forget to let us know how you like it. (Just send me a VMail at http://www.tokbox.com/dudum or an email at andrew@tokbox.com)

Step 1. Start a video call

pic1

Step 2. Invite up to 20 friends or coworkers

invite friends

Step 3. Drop in an existing URL pad

new baby

pad in

Step 4. Start collaborating in person, in real-time!

etherpad cool

*If after dropping in an EtherPad URL, the pad is unable to connect and continuous to display the “Reconnect Now” message, please go into your preferences and make sure EtherPad.com is “allowed” to use cookies on your computer.

cookies

August 25, 2009

Tales from the Ultimate Intern – Last Day

Dear Tokbox Fans,

I am sad to inform everyone that this will be my last day at Tokbox. Despite Yang’s relentless attempts at getting me to drop out of school, which have resulted in a serious loss of sleep the past few weeks (both for me as well as my mom), I have decided to head back to Philly and finish up my last few semesters at Penn. I’m not sure I can put into words the amount of appreciation and respect that I have for Tokbox as a company, and for the many individuals that give their very best every single day to see a product they believe in succeed. I will truly miss every person in this company and the unique blend of personalities that hold everyone together.

In the past 6 weeks, I have learned an unfathomable amount. From brainstorming product strategy and negotiating business partnerships to 10k runs on the pier followed by cases of beer, this experience has truly been ultimate on all levels. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work at Tokbox, and even more appreciative to have been able to do so much whilst I was here. In my opinion, Tokbox is the seed that has survived the winter. A company branded for success.  One that has been tried, tested, and has built up its guard in preparation for growth. Tokbox remains focused on its core strategy, but not blinded like so many companies before. And ultimately Tokbox has survived, which more often than we’d all like to think, can be a start-up’s greatest strategy. While I am sad to leave this company at such a pivotal moment in their history and even more torn leaving a team that has welcomed me with such enthusiasm, I am equally as excited to watch the leaps and bounds that I am so confident will be made in the coming months. I look forward to this coming May, when I will rejoin a stronger Tokbox and once again experience what has easily become the greatest summer of my life.

Everyone have an excellent last few weeks of summer!

The Ultimate Intern,

Andrew Dudum

http://www.tokbox.com/dudum

http://www.twitter.com/andrewdudum

August 10, 2009

Tales from the Ultimate Intern – “Proactive Appreciation”

Hey all,

When it comes to work place dynamics, specifically the dynamics between your investors, top management and employees, I will admit forthright that I’ve had little experience.  For this reason, I have done my best to keep my mouth shut and keep my eyes and ears open. After working at Tokbox almost a month now, I thought I’d share with you all one of most important things I’ve learned thus far.

In essence, I now believe one of the most meaningful tasks of any top executive or “leader” is to show proactive appreciation for the work of their fellow employees. While this seems intuitive and down-right kindergarten common sense, I’ve learned that it is not. Let me try to explain.

Instinctively, all people will show basic appreciation when someone completes a task on their behalf or helps them out in someway. This is a reactionary response that everyone has come to expect. A coworker helps me out and so I say thank you. If I hadn’t said thank you, he probably would have felt somewhat crossed. However, it is now my opinion that a reactive response may no longer be good enough to show your appreciation, and I have only come to believe this after witnessing the gratefulness and comfort produced by a proactive response.

A proactive response is more thoughtful, spur of the moment, and somewhat less mechanical. For example, on Thursday morning our CEO Ian brought in doughnuts. Or last Friday, Sequoia’s Roelof Botha took an hour and had pizza and played ice-breakers after our investor’s meeting. While these gestures seem on the surface simply kind and thoughtful, I’ve found that they mean a tremendous amount more in the mix of the average work day.

Proactive appreciation is the glue that keeps a talented office a happy office, and in the start-up environment where human capital and the right blend of talented individuals breeds collective intelligence, a happy office often becomes a successful office. Here at Tokbox, I have seen a tremendous amount of proactive appreciation. From our VP of Engineering’s clock-work thank you emails to our CEO’s continued stocking of the company fridge, proactive appreciation has become the norm. And everyone can agree, that when you truly feel appreciated for your work, your work takes on a whole new level of importance.

As my friend* Joe Kraus says, “Nothing burns people like the equal treatment of unequals. Treat your best people differently. Do amazing things for them. They make your company.”

Have a fun and safe week!

Andrew

* I just follow him on Twitter

July 31, 2009

Tales from the Ultimate Intern – 3 week highlights

Dear Tokbox Fans!

Today marks the half way point for the Ultimate Internship. That’s right, I’m only allowed to call myself ultimate for three more weeks. The six week journey is now half way done and sadly it has gone by far too quickly. I thought for today’s blog post I would try and recap a few of the memorable moments from the past three weeks. I’ll try and get more pics for the second half of this list to come.

Day 3: Completely embarrassed by Yang as he swiftly passed me like a gazelle on our run to Pier 39. Note: Yang is easily 10 years older than me…cool.

Day 6: Ian notices my delicate handwriting, coining the Ultimate Intern a “15 year old girl”

Day 6: Tokbox Lauren officially becomes jealous of my delicate handwriting. http://yfrog.com/0krj4j

Day 7: Took down the cubical walls and introduced the new open office. http://yfrog.com/7h9ohj

Day 7: A delicate sneeze reinvigorates Ian’s joke from Day 6.

Day 7: Tokbox hits record minutes both on-site and off-site

Day 11: Ian announces to the entire company that I am officially a 15 year old girl

Day 13: Skeletons fall out of the closet as mullets from the past are uncovered. — CC: Chris Fox — http://img357.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=6iv.jpg&via=yfrog

Day 13: Debut performance as the guest host on the 2C. http://www.tokbox.com/post/ihqmieg5m5pp

Day 13: Partially fired by Tim during live recording of the 2C…can he do that?

Day 15: Introduced to Sequoia’s Roelof Botha as “the Ultimate Intern”

Day 15: Officially embarrassed as King of VC laughs at my brightly colored shoes and sweater. http://yfrog.com/aliqdj

Everyone have a safe and healthy weekend! Go Giants!

The Ultimate Intern,

Andrew

July 24, 2009

Tales from the Ultimate Intern – “Be like a Duck”

Hey Tokbox Fans!

Today marks the 2nd week of the Ultimate Internship, and I’m quite proud to say that this week was indeed ultimate. On Tuesday, Tokbox saw it’s strongest numbers in weeks, showing strong growth both on-site and through off-site partners like Meebo. These numbers came as no surprise to Senior SQA Engineer, Jim Kellas, who oddly sent an email early Tuesday morning claiming he could just feel it was going to be a great day. I guess instinct means a lot at Tokbox.

Wednesday marked a pretty ultimate day as well, as I was introduced to my first brown bag brainstorm. While there were no actual brown bags involved, which in my opinion was quite confusing, the entire team got together to discuss some potential new additions to the system. One thing I can say with confidence, is that the Tokbox team is dedicated to architecting the perfect multi-chat experience, and that means these guys are always thinking….literally. What I find most interesting about Tokbox, is that while evolutionary progress is made on the day to day, revolutionary thinking and brainstorming never takes a back seat. Even after rounds of funding, support and continued growth, the Tokbox team always wants to push further into their creative libraries. In many ways, Tokbox reminds me of Michael Cain’s duck, “calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” In my opinion that’s how a company should always act, whether they are a recently funded start-up or 30 year market leader. Innovation, adaptation and the down-right urge to revolutionize the evolutionary progression, gives me confidence in where Tokbox is heading. You’re gonna want to stay tuned.

Everyone have a safe and healthy weekend!

The Ultimate Intern,

Andrew

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July 17, 2009

Tales from the Ultimate Intern – Week 1

Hey Tokbox fans!

This is my first post here on the Tokbox blog so i’ll start with a little intro. My name’s Andrew and I am The Ultimate Intern. For those of you that are just joining us, Tokbox searched the country a few months back recruiting 14 Brand Ambassadors and one lone Intern for the summer. And that is how I’ve come to find myself in the beautiful San Francisco office.

While future posts will explain more of the day to day work insights, I thought I’d take this first opportunity to speak on a more personal level.

Although this was only my first full week working here, the team has really taken me in with open arms.  For example, on Tuesday I was invited by Yang our VP of Engineering on what felt like a 25 mile run down to Pier 39. While Yang insisted I take the lead and “stop being so humble” I didn’t have the heart to tell him the Ultimate Intern felt like his legs were going to burn off. Or like this morning, when the office tech-star Kevin Hartz remembered I was the new Intern and I believe said hi to me.

When it really comes down to it, what I’ve come to learn and love in this first week is that Tokbox is a happy and enjoyable place to work. While battles rage relentlessly within the office between the Window Workers and the infamous Engineering Pitt Posse, which often remind me of the unrestrained dance scenes in the 2001 cult-classic, ‘Save the Last Dance’ with Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas, everyone seems to come together at the end of the day to break bread (or more specifically steal a Diet Sunkist from our CEO Ian’s fridge.) And while stress is rarely an issue in creating the simplest flash-based-no-payment-needed-downloads-are-for-Skype-users-only video chat, when tensions do rise, for example over Addison Kowalski’s decision to steal Mariah Carey’s jean capris for the afternoon, everyone is calmed by the sweet smells of Tokbox Lauren’s banana bread (She’s sitting right next to me….and yes…I know).

Tokbox has truly taken me in as one of their own, and I can already tell this is going to be an amazing 6 weeks.

Stay tuned for next Friday’s Ultimate blog post where we will be releasing 300 confidential documents we’ve recently acquired on Series D investment opportunities for the new and growing 2C Web Show. *

Have a great weekend!

Andrew

* For more information on The 2C and/or potential business partnerships visit http://www.tokbox.com/post/rge0qp88w388

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July 7, 2009

Pitch an Investor via TokBox

If you’ve got a business idea that needs a (financial) helping hand to get off the ground, this could be your chance to find one.

This Friday, 10th July, as part of TechCrunch CrunchUp and August Capital Meet Up, we will be offering entrepeneurs attending the event the opportunity to pitch their business idea to one of these three top-tier investors: Bryan Schreier of Sequioa Capital, Saar Gur from Charles River Ventures and Kevin Hartz from Youniversity Ventures.

So, if you’re coming to the event and you’re interested, swing by the TokBox booth and sign up for your 10 minutes in front of the investors.  If you’ve not yet bought a ticket to the event, but would like to, just click here.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday and who knows, maybe you’ll get that injection of cash you need to get your business to really take off.

Micky
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Micky O'Brien