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New video-sharing service could be very useful for global expats

Internet Cafe Vang Vieng
Now that every phone, tablet, and computer you buy has a camera built into it, video messaging is becoming more popular every day, but for those of us who live halfway around the world from many friends and loved ones, it can be complicated. This is evidently one of the motivators behind a new service, which is mostly free, that allows people to upload videos and have them delivered at any time in the future (or at least the next 30 years).

The service is KeepTree, and it appears to be simple and potentially handy for expats among other people. One of the most obvious uses for it would be to record a short birthday greeting video for a loved one at any time that is convenient, and the service will deliver it to that person (via a Facebook message) at the exact moment you choose.

Very handy for people without great internet connections

If you are lucky enough to be living in an area where you have a solid and fast internet connection then the benefits of this service might not be so obvious, but if you are one of the large number of expats who live in places where you have either a slow connection at home or no connection at all, this is even nicer.

You can record videos when you have the best connection and then have them delivered at the exact moment it’s most appropriate. The free version seems to have most of the main features available, which allows storage and delivery of videos up to a year later. You can send videos to one person or your entire family or list of friends at the same time.

Videos from beyond the grave – Creepy or thoughtful?

The feature of KeepTree that seems the most controversial at first might be one that some people consider macabre, but it could be fantastic for some people. With a Premium account you can schedule delivery of videos “any time in the future” and they mention that might be 30 years off. The site actually boasts about “the opportunity to share memories and advice with loved ones even after they are no longer alive.”

For someone who might be terminally ill or getting on in years this is an interesting way of sending birthday greetings to people regardless if the sender has passed on or not. Personally, I’m not sure how I’d feel about such a thing if I got one after a loved one had died, but for the right sorts of people this could be the most important new internet service ever.

Comments

One thought on “New video-sharing service could be very useful for global expats

  1. What a brilliant idea! Except for Skype, I hadn’t really thought of it before, but will definitely look into it now. Thanks.

    I recently got a smart phone and downloaded an app for mapping my bike routes. While it’s mostly for using on my blog, my family and friends are loving the 3-D route-following videos that use Google Earth. The only problem is that the satellite views are about 5 years out of date. Still, they give everyone an idea of the terrain. I have a Samsung Galaxy, but I’m sure it’s available for iphones, too. It’s called MapMyRide. Just stick a dot-com on the end to visit the website.

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