Over the past few months, we have followed a couple of exciting new video applications for Popcorn.js, an HTML 5 framework for video.

The world of children’s toys has evolved from wooden blocks to high-end construction sets which stimulate young brains.

Sometime toward the end of the day on Friday, while many of us were firing off last minute emails and powering down our PCs for the weekend, something dramatic and shocking was going down at UC Davis. UC Davis students affiliated with the nationwide "Occupy" protests, engaged in a locked-arm peaceful sit-in protest on the university campus were pepper sprayed, point blank, multiple times by multiple police officers

Video is becoming such an important part of web content that we're seeing individuals and groups of all skill levels jumping into video creation and video marketing. So while Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premier may be dominant video editing software choices for professionals, there are millions and millions of new video producers who don't quite have the skill set for the high end tools. If you're a video creator looking for a great intermediate video editing solution that has a few more bells and whistles than the bare-bones offerings but not the overwhelming options of the professional suites, Camtasia Studio 7 offers a powerful yet simple option

Demonstration of a product or service is still one of the best ways for brands to get the attention of the viewers–they want to see for themselves that what’s being advertised works as well as claimed. And as online video grows and evolves in capability and technology, it’s fun seeing how creative and innovative some brands can be with demonstrating their product.

It’s been a while since I’ve written one of my articles about a great branded video campaign. To be truthful, I have barely had time to watch many branded videos, let alone write about them. But over the weekend, I saw a pretty clever little ad from Qualcomm that perfectly illustrates how to blend a brand’s message and product with an attention-getting concept or setting

Once a week, I take a little time out from the more serious online video pursuits to compile a round up of the week’s best viral videos. Some are from amateurs, some come from brands, and some come from video producers who straddle the line between the two. But in every viral video success there is some lesson or nugget of truth that all video marketers can learn from and apply to their own efforts.

Hurricane Irene absolutely dominated the last week’s news cycle, which means that it also dominated the viral video world.

Through the awesome power of the internet and social media, videos allow us to share ideas, spread information and promote fads and styles. Using just a camera and a computer, ordinary people can make videos that create an extraordinary amount of interest and conversation.

The latest episodes of Film Riot take a look at a dream camera, the RED Epic , a camera that has been used to shoot Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, David Fincher’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, next year’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and Peter Jackson’s future mega-blockbuster The Hobbit.