Glide, a cloud-based video streaming technology, combines the benefits of text messages and video calling – without its respective limitations. Video calling (e.g., Skype or FaceTime) is limited by the fact that all participants must be present and engaged simultaneously in the conversation, so, while text and email allow for communication between people who are not able or immediately available via phone or video call, both methods limit creative expression and require tedious typing.
Unlike Snapchat’s self-destructing 10-seconds-long video messages, Glide’s message limit is five minutes, and users can re-watch the videos as often as desired. Glide messages begin streaming in less than one second, allowing video messages up to 5 minutes long to be viewed and replied to by the recipient either immediately (even while the user is being recorded) or later, even when only connected to 3G networks. These video messages use less than half the data of video calls, and, since the messages are all saved to Glide’s secure private cloud, users can send and store a large quantity of videos on Glide without eating memory on their devices. [1]
Though no known arts organizations have publicly shared if and how they’ve used Glide, the app has unlimited potential. Arts Managers can send personalized thank-you messages to donors, showcase how their support is being put to use, invite selected groups to backstage tours, and even host informal meet-and-greets with the artists. Artists can use Glide to share pictures (stored on the devices photo gallery), easily share video messages with users who don’t yet have Glide via Facebook and Twitter, and, worst case scenario, un-send and permanently delete messages from all sides of the conversation at any time.
The Glide app is available on iOS and Android products, and is 100% free. For more information, follow Glide on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.
[1] Glide Fact Sheet
Technology in the Arts 