Just a day after NY-based KickApps launched their video monetization player, today they have announced support for foreign languages within the white label social networking platform. Any site powered by KickApps can be translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian or Brazilian Portuguese.

Marketing SVP Michael Chin walked me through how the translation works. Basically all "terms" within the KickApps platform are presented to the site owner and can be customized. You can customize the text on a term-by-term basis or download a spreadsheet with all 30,000+ terms, edit them and then upload the document. The edits can be text or HTML. I wish that Drupal, the CMS that powers CN, had a process like what KickApps has for changing terms. Remember that while this is build for languages, you can use this localization functionality to change words across the site.

Today’s announcement will allow KickApps to expand their platform and customer base internationally.

Note: KickApps is a sponsor of our sister site HTMLCenter.

Special Alert: CenterNetworks Conference Coverage:
– DEMO
– Techcrunch50
– Event and Interview Videos

Apple has claimed that the iPhone does not do background processing because supporting it would hurt the performance of the phone. Jobs has said Apple’s concern is that because the processor is limited, loading up the phone with background apps is likely to crash the machine or bring it to its knees.

I have discussed this issue in the past. I have also discussed Apple’s response to the issue, which is an improved way of handling notification of inbound events like instant messages, which would normally be implemented through a background task.

I understand Apple’s concern about background processing, but I personally think its pretty lame. As I have written, there are ways to handle Apple’s concern. But the interesting thing is that the first Android phone, The T-Mobile G1 has been announced and will be out in the wild available on October 22nd. Android has no restrictions at all on background processing, and the first Android handset, the G1 is pretty similar to the iPhone hardware.

The question is, will Android demonstrate that Steve was somehow disingenuous about this whole background processing thing, or will the Android team be shown to be foolhardy about this critical performance issue? Nokia’s Symbian-based phones seem to handle background tasks just fine, but admittedly I don’t think many people are motivated to load up a Nokia smartphone with software in the same way that people are doing with the iPhone. But Android is really a true test. There will be lots of software, an easy to use app exchange, and a sense of openness that will encourage experimentation.

I am personally very curious to see what happens in the Petri dish.

This article was authored by Hank Williams who is a New York-based entrepreneur who explores the tech marketplace from 10,000 feet at Why Does Everything Suck?.

Special Alert: CenterNetworks Conference Coverage:
– DEMO
– Techcrunch50
– Event and Interview Videos

Source:CenterNetworks

NY-based KickApps has announced the launch of a new video player product that allows Web publishers to inject advertising into the video stream. The "KickApps Widget & Video Player Studio" takes your videos from anywhere on the Web, packages them with an ad and generates a widget that can be embedded anywhere. The widgets can be used on sites powered by KickApps or any other hosting provider.

KickApps Marketing SVP Michael Chin took me through a variety of examples yesterday and it’s a very impressive system. Basically you create a design for your video player. Next you select the content for the video player, either a search, premade combination or add in any RSS 2.0 feed. Next you select the type of ads you’d like to display including Google AdSense for Video, ScanScout, adap.tv or 24/7 Real Media. There’s also an option to include your own pre-roll or post-roll ads.

For example, I could take the RSS feed generated by Viddler for CN videos, insert it into the KickApps video player and then ads will be displayed as I select. I’ve been asking Viddler for this type of revenue customization for a long time. The video players that you create can be syndicated to other sites allowing you to generate revenue no matter where the player is viewed.

Chin tells me that KickApps will generate revenue by displaying their own Google AdSense for Video ads randomly. For customers that use the ad buyout option, KickApps won’t display any ads. Last month KickApps partnered with Akamai for video hosting.

Note: KickApps is a sponsor of our sister site HTMLCenter.

KickApps, a company that provides on-demand social media applications that enable web publishers to monetize online audiences announced today that it’s trying to make it easier for website owners to add video advertising to their own videos and websites using the KickApps Widget & Video Player Studio.

Using drag-and-drop, KickApps’ clients can add translucent overlay, interstititial, and pre- and post-roll advertising to any of their videos running on KickApps’ video players. The company also announced that along with its drag-and-drop feature, it now supports integration with Google AdSense for Video, Scanscout, Adap.tv, and 24/7 Real Media. So far, it doesn’t support DoubleClick’s DART, but the company promised that it will be made available over the next few weeks.

Editor’s Note: This news was embargoed for 8am today. Another blog busted the embargo posting 7 hours ago, so per our embargo policy, we will post the news now. 

NY-based white label social networking provider KickApps has announced a new partnership today with Akamai. The partnership will bring Akamai’s Stream OS video management system into the KickApps video player. The Stream OS provides KickApps customers with high-end video management and the Akamai media player will allow for ad integration inside the KickApps video player. KickApps notes that the combined offering provides web publishers with drag-and-drop video player creation, a comprehensive media management system, social media enhancements, HD video players, and new video revenue opportunities.

As this new video rollout is part of the KickApps social network solution, all of the normal KA social features are available including commenting, rating and sharing of the media. The new partnership also allows for on-demand deployment of High Definition (HD) video. The key for KickApps is to listen to their customer’s needs and meet them - this video partnership helps to keep their customers in-house for video distribution.

Pricing for this new video content delivery system will be based on usage and SVP Michael Chin tells me it will be "extremely low". Chin also notes that, "we believe we’re able to match Brightcove & Maven for the higher end market".

It’s important to consider whether hosting video content yourself (like the new solution above) or on a video hosting solution is best. There are pros and cons to both solutions - we took a look at some of the issues last month. The strategy and the goals must be considered.

KickApps recently partnered with Userplane on IM/chat and with Clearspring on widgets.

More CN Coverage:
– Docstoc
– Scribd
– Twitter

Userplane has been on a roll with their distribution deals recently. Userplane has created widgets for a variety of content management systems and most recently partnered with ConVerdge on chat and IM integration.

Today NY-based KickApps and AOL-subsidiary Userplane are announcing a partnership which will bring live chat, IM and presence functionality into the KickApps social networking platform. Both the Userplane Webchat and Userplane Webmessenger tools will carry advertising and publishers can also use a buyout option to remove or control the ads within the widgets.

Check out our exclusive interviews with Userplane CEO Michael Jones and KickApps CEO Alex Blum.

On a side note, KickApps is now referring to their service as the, "World’s First Social Graph Engine". I wonder if they paid a marketing firm to come up with that tagline!

Partner Links
– Free Online Budgeting Software

NY-based KickApps is announcing a new distribution partnership with widget network Clearspring today. Clearspring will begin to promote the KickApps Widget Studio and KickApps will push its members to use the suite of widget tools that Clearspring provides.

KickApps reports over 24,000 publishers on their network using widgets and comScore reports 47.5 million unique widget viewers in April 2008 on the Clearspring network. This deal benefits KickApps by extending distribution to the large member base on the Clearspring network.

Widgets are finally starting to take shape as a real online marketing vehicle. Over half of the sessions at Graphing Social Patterns this week are focused around widgets. Check out KickApps CEO Alex Blum’s article on the value of widgets.

Partner Links
– Manage your finances online with Geezeo
– Web Jobs
– CenterNetworks LinkedIn Business Group
– CenterNetworks Facebook Fan Page
– Check out SmugMug for a free trial

NY-based KickApps is announcing a new partnership today with Newsweek’s Budget Travel Web site. The new part of Budget Travel will enable readers to maintain a travel profile and share tips, photos, video, and Travel Journals with other site visitors. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

This deal provides Budget Travel with tons of new, search-engine friendly content for basically free. They will be able to get their readers to write content which will appear on the site without paying the readers who contribute. I guess the payment is the ability to read other’s travel stories. Oh yea, and don’t forget that Budget Travel can also monetize the heck out of the new content!

KickApps recently partnered with WorldNow and also launched the 3.0 version of their social media platform.

Compete shows Budget Travel having approximately 200,000-300,000 U.S. visitors per month.

Partner Links
– Web Jobs
– NY Tech Directory
– CenterNetworks LinkedIn Business Group
– CenterNetworks Facebook Fan Page
– Purchase an Apple iPhone

NY-based white label social networking provider (wlsnp) KickApps is announcing a new partnership today with WorldNow. WorldNow is also a NY company that offers a variety of social media and video tools. WorldNow has 320 customers includinc: ABC, Cox, Dispatch, Fisher, and Gray. WorldNow works mostly with local community news stations and today’s announcement will bring more social networking tools to the WorldNow customer. Financial terms were not provided.

Todd Randak, EVP Business Development at WorldNow said, "Our customers now have the ability to use KickApps’ innovative applications and WorldNow’s consulting services to create niche online communities and consequently, new revenue opportunities."

The key is to get TV viewers to get off the couch, go to the local channel Web site and interact. This is an important relationship that the local media needs with it’s consumers.

Check out KickApps on nextNYers and my behind the scenes interview at their NY headquarters.

Partner Links
– Web Jobs
– NY Tech Directory
– CenterNetworks LinkedIn Business Group
– CenterNetworks Facebook Fan Page
– Purchase an Apple iPhone