Another Timeline Tool: Dipity TimeTube

Submitted by Raj Dash on May 11, 2008 - 12:18am in
Tools

Last month, I wrote about various timeline tools and how they're a great way to present temporally-based information. I've been using SIMILE Timeline and MyTimeline for a number of projects. (MyTimeline is built on SIMILE Timeline.) Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to embed videos into the timeline events in SIMILE Timeline.

Now there's TimeTube from Dipity [via NewTeeVee], which is all about presenting videos on a timeline. Enter in keywords, click the Build TubeLine button, and you'll get back an interactive timeline, aka a TubeLine, of YouTube videos tagged with your keywords.

TimeTube TubeLines have a very interesting presentation, which you can embed on a page, but there's no refined control over it. For example, here's a TubeLine for Saturday Night Live videos on YouTube:

You can actually link to specific events in the timeline - something you can't do with SIMILE Timeline. However, what I'm really looking to do is to present a timeline of all the SNL cast members since 1975, with a select video - if available - of each member. So for getting finer control, I'm sticking with SIMILE Timeline. I just wish I could figure out how to embed videos in its events.

Raj Dash's blog

Finer Control

Submitted by Zack Steinkamp (not verified) on May 11, 2008 - 3:25am.

Hi Raj! Thanks for the nice words about Dipity.

TimeTube is intended as a YouTube mashup/viewer. If you want to create a timeline about _anything_ else, then visit Dipity.com, register for an account (30 seconds), and click "Create Timeline". You can build a timeline with any information you want, including YouTube videos.

Thanks again!
-zs

Zack: Thanks for the tips.

Submitted by Raj Dash on May 11, 2008 - 8:25am.

Zack: Thanks for the tips. That clears up a lot. Looking forwards to playing with TimeTube more.

Rough around the edges but good

Submitted by Markus Merz on May 11, 2008 - 10:13pm.

I played around with dipity.com and created two timelines as a test. The comments on the one timeline I am using to note 'Dipity live' bug reports and feature requests (until I find to commit to the support system). Check it out; I am combining a Hamburg blog feed and my related del.icio.us Hamburg tags.

Resume: Usable but not really finished

Tipp: It looks like TimeTube is adding user generated timelines automatically to the Dipity database as user 'Time T.'. So if you have content to promote go ahead.

Dislike: Check the license part for intellectual property. For some people Dipity might take a little bit too much.

Markus: It looks very

Submitted by Raj Dash on May 12, 2008 - 9:33pm.

Markus: It looks very interesting on your site. In fact, it suddenly made me realize that you could set up a Twitter alternative if you're generating a stream of event information. The timeline could display rich media into each 'message'.

F-Up article: Added a nice product timeline for Gorillapod...

Submitted by Markus Merz on May 14, 2008 - 11:15am.

Follow-Up: Inspiration: Dynamic (Company) website content with live UGC or CGC timeline

I'll show you a great live example for a product timeline

Out of fun (because I am a fan) I have added a nice product timeline for Gorillapod mini-tripods using a mashup of UGC and CGC. As I have not the rights to post script code I can only recommend to follow the link at the bottom of this article. Search performancing.com for Gorillapod to see about which product I am talking about.

Check the live example and you can see how you can add great dynamic content for your content niche or to (company) websites (More...)