Catshanghai

I have been playing with a website called IDesktop.tv, which enhances Youtube by allowing viewers to download videos in a variety of formats including mp4 for Ipods and 3GP for cellphones.

Vixy.net offers a similar conversion service, but you need to know the web address of the video before you can download it. Miro is a fantastic piece of software that lets you save Internet videos, but you cannot transfer them to a portable device unless you convert them, which is extra work. IDesktop.tv is so well designed and user friendly that all your Youtube needs will be catered for in this one site, because you can also search for and watch videos. The only thing you can’t do is upload clips.

The fair use argument will say IDesktop is offering a convenient way for people to watch Youtube content when they are travelling on planes or commuting to work, but the media industry will not be happy at all. The are bound to pursue this UK based startup for aiding and abetting piracy. I am not sure how they are going to monetise this service given it is currently free. Perhaps they will display advertisements in the clips.

Anyway, goodluck to IDesktop for letting me watch obscure BBC videos on my ipod without too much technology gymnastics.