Qik was on the short list of apps I immediately loaded on every new iDevice I got.
Not only could I make audio or video calls to anyone I wanted, but whenever I saw something I wanted to capture on video, all I did with Qik was open the app and shoot away. I could choose anywhere from 320 to 720 resolution, shoot from either my front or back cameras, and as soon as I was done, I could edit the video right there.
As soon as I was done with the video, it would appear on my own Qik page (private or public), I could send that video to anyone in my contact list, or I could send it direct and private to any other Qik user. Straight from my i-device.
But the best part? The best best best part? Live video.
I could choose whether the videos would be for private or live viewing. I could shoot live video that I would immediately stream to a set of trusted contacts to let them know what’s up right then and there, stream live video my YouTube channel, and even send live video streams straight to this website!
Qik was a true “breaking news” app that was horrifically under-appreciated, so it was inevitable that one of the big 500 pound gorilla tech companies was going to notice it.
Unfortunately for Qik, and for all of us consumers, it was Microsoft that bought them out.
Pushing back all the fantastic design and technical progress Qik had made, Microsoft announced Qik was just going to be shut down, and only their own rusted and busted Skype offering would remain.
If you can’t Innovate, Stifle-ate.
Qik was so much more than a call-another-user or send-a-text-message app. Did Microsoft bring any of these brilliant live-video abilities into Skype? BWA HA HA!! Please.
Now I’m going to have to get four or five other apps to do the job that Qik did perfectly all the time.
I’m gonna miss you Qik. Big time.
