5 ms·

Show HN: Watchlater it's Instapaper for Videos

62 points by 9elements 15y ago

We're happy to finally announce the release of watchlater! Watchlater is an iPad app that does for video what Instapaper does for text. You can save videos from over 20 popular video platforms for later watching, powered by an innovative caching and transcoding technology and a smart bookmarklet for your browser. Videos are stripped down to a clean and optimized view. Watchlater also has full AirPlay support. The app is available on the App Store now: http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 Here are some promotional codes: 7ATERNYPEEXT PKMERH37ERYK 4MJJE7M36RLH FM6R47H6EWKY HM7M9L3WRNRA We've written a post about the process of creating watchlater and some more background infos. Check out the post here. http://9elements.com/io/?p=580 You can even use the app without an iPad to organize your videos: http://watchlaterapp.com/welcome We hope that we have created something useful for you, and you'll use the app as much as we do. We're looking forward to your feedback and comments!

janmonschke 15y ago
Looks very nice. What platforms are currently supported?
- 9elements 15y ago
  Currently just the iPad and via HTML5 the web. But we're working on an iPhone and Android app too.
  - snnd 15y ago
    Good job, although I really would like to see this for Android!
- janmonschke 15y ago
  I meant video platforms, but good to know about the Android plans!
Jun8 15y ago
Sounds like an awesome idea! Parts of your web page are in German, though.
- s04p 15y ago
  really? where?
  - kroger 15y ago
    Actually, the itunes link is pointing to the German store: http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=... Here's a clickable link to the English store: http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=...
evilhackerdude 15y ago
This is going to revolutionize the /\w{4}/ industry!
- ignifero 15y ago
  book? dogs? cats?
invisiblefunnel 15y ago
Devise is authenticating /welcome fyi. Well done project.
drx 15y ago
Clickables: http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=... http://9elements.com/io/?p=580 http://9elements.com/io/?p=580 http://watchlaterapp.com/welcome http://watchlaterapp.com/welcome
kroger 15y ago
Looks good and I just signed up. Is there a list of the 20+video platforms available somewhere? Also, is there a chance you'll support mixergy (both free and paid accounts) in the future?
sfgfdhgfdshdhhd 15y ago
sweet - thanks for the link!
pchristensen 15y ago
Just bought it, can't wait. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I love the IAP option to cache videos for offline viewing. You get X minutes to start, then you can buy more. It will transcode video so you can watch stuff that your iPad wouldn't normally play, and it downloads them for offline viewing. Plus, you're making money off of it so I know you'll be around. My hat is off to you and I look forward to being your customer.
voidfiles 15y ago
If you are caching youtube videos, which looks like something http://www.filsh.net/ http://www.filsh.net/ does be prepared to be pulled from the app store. Apps have tried and have been pulled before.
Dornkirk 15y ago
How does bookmarking items save them for me? The copy on your website says watch videos anywhere, anytime - so if I go to a youtube video that's a half hour long and bookmark it, then go to watch the video later on when I'm on the subway (with no internet connection), I can view the video? (so it is cached on my iPad and if so how? I'm not an iOS developer but aren't there any storage limitations placed upon developers? (allowing apps to store tens of large videos seem like it would take up a lot of space)) If it is saved onto my iPad, I assume the video needs to be downloaded to the device - so I can't go to a lengthy vimeo video, bookmark it, then turn the device off or go offline?
app 15y ago
Strange that you feature a Vimeo video in your description, which has it's own "Watch Later" feature.
- voidfiles 15y ago
  That watch later works only on vimeo. YouTube has one too. Videos are everywhere though, and users watch videos from many places. Personally, that makes the one service watch later features in useable.
gordonc 15y ago
Seems like this is gonna be fun competitive space. I've seen http://vhx.tv http://vhx.tv, http://shelby.tv http://shelby.tv, and now WatchLater. Am I missing anything?
- aerotrain 15y ago
  http://radbox.me http://radbox.me
- lardissone 15y ago
  http://squrl.com http://squrl.com It's iPad app is also free.
luckfamousa 15y ago
Awesome app! Waited for it since the iPad launch last year.
knes 15y ago
damn... I thugh it would download the video on my iPad so I can watch them "later" like readitlater does... :(
beerfarmer 15y ago
This looks really good! Just released something similar for music :)

62 points by 9elements 15y ago

janmonschke 15y ago

Looks very nice. What platforms are currently supported?

9elements 15y ago
Currently just the iPad and via HTML5 the web. But we're working on an iPhone and Android app too.
- snnd 15y ago
  Good job, although I really would like to see this for Android!
janmonschke 15y ago
I meant video platforms, but good to know about the Android plans!

Jun8 15y ago

Sounds like an awesome idea! Parts of your web page are in German, though.

s04p 15y ago
really? where?
- kroger 15y ago
  Actually, the itunes link is pointing to the German store: http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=... Here's a clickable link to the English store: http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/en/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=...

evilhackerdude 15y ago

This is going to revolutionize the /\w{4}/ industry!

ignifero 15y ago
book? dogs? cats?

invisiblefunnel 15y ago

Devise is authenticating /welcome fyi. Well done project.

drx 15y ago

Clickables: http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/watchlaterapp/id423572879?mt=... http://9elements.com/io/?p=580 http://9elements.com/io/?p=580 http://watchlaterapp.com/welcome http://watchlaterapp.com/welcome

kroger 15y ago

Looks good and I just signed up. Is there a list of the 20+video platforms available somewhere? Also, is there a chance you'll support mixergy (both free and paid accounts) in the future?

sfgfdhgfdshdhhd 15y ago

sweet - thanks for the link!

pchristensen 15y ago

Just bought it, can't wait. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time. I love the IAP option to cache videos for offline viewing. You get X minutes to start, then you can buy more. It will transcode video so you can watch stuff that your iPad wouldn't normally play, and it downloads them for offline viewing. Plus, you're making money off of it so I know you'll be around. My hat is off to you and I look forward to being your customer.

voidfiles 15y ago

If you are caching youtube videos, which looks like something http://www.filsh.net/ http://www.filsh.net/ does be prepared to be pulled from the app store. Apps have tried and have been pulled before.

Dornkirk 15y ago

How does bookmarking items save them for me? The copy on your website says watch videos anywhere, anytime - so if I go to a youtube video that's a half hour long and bookmark it, then go to watch the video later on when I'm on the subway (with no internet connection), I can view the video? (so it is cached on my iPad and if so how? I'm not an iOS developer but aren't there any storage limitations placed upon developers? (allowing apps to store tens of large videos seem like it would take up a lot of space)) If it is saved onto my iPad, I assume the video needs to be downloaded to the device - so I can't go to a lengthy vimeo video, bookmark it, then turn the device off or go offline?

app 15y ago

Strange that you feature a Vimeo video in your description, which has it's own "Watch Later" feature.

voidfiles 15y ago
That watch later works only on vimeo. YouTube has one too. Videos are everywhere though, and users watch videos from many places. Personally, that makes the one service watch later features in useable.

gordonc 15y ago

Seems like this is gonna be fun competitive space. I've seen http://vhx.tv http://vhx.tv, http://shelby.tv http://shelby.tv, and now WatchLater. Am I missing anything?

aerotrain 15y ago
http://radbox.me http://radbox.me
lardissone 15y ago
http://squrl.com http://squrl.com It's iPad app is also free.

luckfamousa 15y ago

Awesome app! Waited for it since the iPad launch last year.

knes 15y ago

damn... I thugh it would download the video on my iPad so I can watch them "later" like readitlater does... :(

beerfarmer 15y ago

This looks really good! Just released something similar for music :)