Breaking up is hard to do

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When given a choice of having the good news or bad news first, I always opt for the bad news.  So here goes, as of April 5th, 2011 the TokBox video chat and video conferencing service that you know and love will no longer be available.  We promise it’s not you it’s us.

That’s where the good news comes in.  From now on the TokBox team will be focusing 110% of our energy on our new API, OpenTok, working with our growing number of partners (28 and counting!) OpenTok will bring group video conversations to sites & applications you’re already using.  Video chat while you’re IM’ing your friends on eBuddy, while speed-dating on WinkVid, or playing poker on Pokerview.

I’m sure you have lots of questions about what will happen with your contact lists, scheduled meetings, and the video mails you have sent, below are the answers, but if you still have any, please feel free to send us an email to feedback@tokbox.com We are also working to provide you with recommendations for alternative services to use and will post those on our site when we close down the service.

Can my friends still sign up for TokBox?

  • We will continue to accept registrations for FREE Video Chat accounts so you can continue to chat with your friends right up until April 5th
  • However, as of today, 2/8/11, we will no longer be accepting subscriptions for our premium Video Meeting or Video Conference  services(this includes upgrades to existing accounts)

What if I am already paying for Video Meeting or Video Conference?

  • The good news for you is that you can continue to enjoy these services up until April 5th for FREE.  You will not be charged at the time of your next monthly renewal
  • You will not be able to schedule meetings/conferences on or after April 5, 2011
  • If you’ve already scheduled a meeting/conference call for that date (or later) we recommend you reschedule it for before April 5, 2011

What about the video messages I have sent or received?

  • By mid-March we will notify you (via email and on this blog) of how you can download the  video messages you’d like to save

The TokBox Team

  • Alysse Rasmussen

    What can I do (if anything) to continue meeting w/students in a multiple shared video environment. What are API? Do I have them? Do I purchase them?

    • mickyob

      Alysse

      The OpenTok API is a library of code that enables a web developer to integrate live video chat in to their website. You do need to be a developer/have access to a developer to be able to implement it.

      You could either trying using our embed (you will find in ‘Account’ drop down when you are logged in to tokbox) and adding that to a website that you may have, or we will be recommending alternatives once we close down the service all together on 5th April.

      Micky

      • http://hjltech.com Henry

        Micky,
        So the embed feature of TokBox (http://me.tokbox.com/#embed=call) will continue to work after April 5th?
        Henry

        • http://hjltech.com Henry

          Never mind, found the answer in the comments below.
          The answer is: Yes.

        • mickyob

          Yes. Thanks, Henry

    • Zain Ahsan

      Try tinychat.com

  • Martina

    wait so we can still video chat with our buddies right? just not a big group or… no video chat? im confussed… so we do or dont have video chat anymore?

    • mickyob

      Martina

      There will be no video chat or video conferencing product available to consumers after April 5th.

      We will be focusing on our video chat API that is designed for developers to integrate live video chat in to their websites so consumers like you can use it to video chat with their buddies within an IM client, dating site or other website.

      I hope that makes it clearer
      Micky

      • chadwick

        this sucks…

      • Kate Sakura Chow

        I heard that my principal contacted you after a situation with the students. Is it true that tokbox is leaving because of it? or does this have to do with something else?

        • mickyob

          Kate

          Our decision to shut down is completely unrelated to any inquiries we had from your principal or any other. We are closing this service for strategic reasons.

          Micky

  • D

    That’s so sad. :’-(

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  • http://matweller.com Mat Weller

    Congratulations! You have an interesting technology and I wish you well with this next step.

  • John Harris

    First DIM DIM, now you. Is someone buying up all the video-conferencing companies? Microsoft? Skype? What’s the story?

  • Guang

    Do you have any alternate methods for free video conferencing? My group holds bible studies online so without you, it’ll be different.

    Well, whatever you’re embarking on, g’luck with that. Take care and farewell. Thanks for the good ol’ times.

    • mickyob

      Guang

      When we close down on April 5th we will be promoting alternatives. Until then, you can continue to enjoy TokBox!

      Micky

    • Arricka

      Guang! We use tokbox for the same purpose for a deaf Bible study conducted in American Sign Language. I hope we both find ways to continue!!

      • http://www.yogavision.com Salimah

        Have you found a viable option? I lead online meditation classes and have not been able to find a good alternative. Please advise. Thank you, Salimah

  • Trey

    Will we be able to video chat and conference on facebook or tumblr?

    • mickyob

      Trey

      If someone has a mashup of the OpenTok API and Facebook or Tumblr you will be able to use that. Here’s one we know about that you can video chat with your Facebook friends on Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/sutalks/

      Micky

  • http://www.digitallifesavers.com Kenneth

    This is sad news indeed! I use TokBox video chat about 5 times a week and have been telling a number of friends and family about it. Well, looking forward to what’s on the horizon.

  • sokushij

    Will embed still work after the cutoff date?

    Will using embed be free after the cutoff date?

    If we develop something based on the API will it be free or is there a charge?

    • mickyob

      Yes, Yes and Yes!

      The embed will still work after April 5th and will continue to be free. The OpenTok API is free.

      Hope that helps
      Micky

      • Emily Ann Kypes

        but i dont understand why you have to close down tokbox!!!i know you wanna focus on the building into websites or whatever but still!! http://www.tokbox.com is what made this all possible!!! DOn’t throw it away!! You can start a commitee or organizers or helpers or something to run tokbox (if u even NEED someone to run it).

        I mean no one ever said life was easy. You cant just get by with the easy stuff. Now,I know making a sucessful website isnt THAT easy, but when you compare it to other things, it sure is
        NOw, please consider this.

  • http://john.do John Saddington

    such high hopes. too bad…!

    • mickyob

      Sorry about that, John. You should integrate OpenTok in to ChurchCrunch/your blog and video chat directly from there :)

      Micky

  • Lauren

    will all the saved videos on our accounts be deleted as well as the service ending. Because I have some memory videos of a deceased person on there.

    • Lauren

      As we mentioned briefly in the post, we will be providing a download option for those video messages that you’d like to save once the service is closed. We will post more details when they become available in mid-March.

  • Todd

    what if we are using the API on a website…is that still going to work normally?

    • mickyob

      Yes our API will continue to work as normal. In fact, we are making a number of improvements to our API as we focus on that. You should check out OpenTok!

      Micky

      • Amandy

        Wait, why?? Just like someone up there said, is some company buying up all these video chatting sites??
        D:

      • Merie Hollis

        what is an API code? please explain to me in a way in which a 4th grader would understand

        • mickyob

          Merie

          API stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a means by which a website developer, with computer programming knowledge, is able to access code/data etc that has been build by another software developer. In this case it gives developers access to the code and infrastructure that enables developers to integrate video chat in to their site.

          I hope this helps
          Micky

        • Ricky Jameson

          I can’t help but notice that she seemed to ignore the 4th grader answer request you made… and the fact that her comment seems to be almost copied and then pasted. There really are a lot of people who are being affected by this haphazard decision to shut down your chat site. The least you could do is maybe care about their comments and questions and answer them in a way they can actually understand, maybe? Just a thought and an opinion. Also, not everybody in the world knows how to create websites and integrate codes for video chat into websites. Most people use it as a place where they can chat, not have to learn computer programming to use affectively. If you ask me, this decision to discontinue the video chat is a big disappointment. I already know what you’re going to say, you’re going to advertise your new OpenTok API. Guess what, I don’t know how to use it, nor will I care to learn how to use it. Stick with the elementary stuff for the average day person, please.

          • mickyob

            Ricky

            I can assure you that I reply to every one of these comments personally. As a non-technical person myself, I do try and make my answers straightforward, however it is tough given the product I am talking about is inherently technical.

            I understand your disappointment (and others) and as we said “Breaking up is hard to do”, but unfortunately we needed to make this tough business decision.

            Micky

  • heyitsyou

    I really prefer this old video conference more than the API. It’s more simple and not too much of a hassle. /=
    I’m pretty disappointed, I might as well just use some other simple webchatting sites, like this old tokbox, than the new one.

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  • http://www.sacredground.us Stephen Marcus

    It looks like moving to OpenTok will be the thing to do – and please clarify after April 5th:

    1) will the current embed continue to work with up to 20 people?

    2) will the current moderated embed continue to work with up to 20 people?

    3) will the current Broadcast Embed continue to work with up to 200 people?

    4) will you provide sample code to facilitate migration of each of these to OpenTok?

    Thanks

    • mickyob

      Stephen

      Thanks for your questions. In response…

      1) will the current embed continue to work with up to 20 people? Yes!

      2) will the current moderated embed continue to work with up to 20 people? Yes!

      3) will the current Broadcast Embed continue to work with up to 200 people? Yes!

      4) will you provide sample code to facilitate migration of each of these to OpenTok? OpenTok is actually a completely different code stack and so it is not really a case of “migrating”, you would have to build an integration from stack. It should be simple to do and the level of flexibility is much higher, so you may find it to be a win all round

      Micky

      Thanks

      • Eric Brace

        Mandy, how do you add moderated capabilities or broadcast capabilities to the embed code? I have read that this is possible, but I cannot seem to be able to find the code options.

        I am glad that there will be the option to continue embedding the player.

        BTW, will there be a way to use the Etherpad option with the embed … in addition to the other tools?

        • mickyob

          Eric

          As with your other question, I copied it to our developer group. The link is here and have copied the response below for your convenience.

          Thanks for interest in TokBox and our embed product. Our embed web-
          interface doesn’t support generating moderated calls. To create them,
          you’ll need to install the Call Widget API and generate them
          locally.

          We have a PHP tutorial which demonstrates how to do this:

          http://code.google.com/p/tokboxapi/wiki/PHPTutorialV1

          Additionally, the embed does not support integrating Etherpad. I’ll
          pass on this request to our product manager.

          Thomas

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  • John Beebe

    My computer doesn’t run fast enough to use SKYPE. What will I use after April 5? Any suggestions? Why don’t you continue to provide this service. We ahve family overseas we need to keep in touch with and as long as my computer works I am NOT upgrading it. Thanks…John

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  • http://www.kennyjahng.com Kenny

    Wow. Thing will change workflow around here.

    Can you clarify — if I have currently tokbox embeds within my own site, will those still be operational post-April? Or do I need to grab new OpenTok code to make this happen?

    • mickyob

      Kenny

      The TokBox embed and call widget will continue to work on your site. That said, feel free to experiment with OpenTok – it’s free!

      Micky

      • http://www.NoLiveWebPageYet.com Mike

        I’m just a patriot that recently signed up with Tokbox. I was hoping to use the video conferencing in order to help educate the people in my county about certain very serious dangers to our freedom. I’m not a developer or programmer. I’m just wanting to embed to conference thing into a future web-page and use it to hold meetings.

        So, now that I’ve just signed up today, am I wasting my time? Will this embedded video conferencing ability be available after April 5th, or not? There seem to be mixed/confusing responses to this. To clarify, the use I intend is not for commercial purposes or to develop, it is simply to be used to communicate and educate, my neighbors who are desperate for information.

        Can you tell me whether I should continue to set this thing up? I don’t want to wast time with it if it is going to stop working after April 5th. Is there anyway that this basic conferencing ability can be used as a stand-alone without having to connect to tocbox.com? If it wasn’t too expensive for a disabled freedom fighter to afford, I would even be interested in that. And do participants have to register with Toxbox in order to join a conference and have their name/nick name listed? I’m hoping to simply be able to start a conference and have local residents just choose a nickname and join in. Is this possible?..or do they need to register with tocbox?

        Thanks.
        Mike

        Any help you have in helping me to communicate regularly with my fellow local citizens would be appreciated. This thing of yours seems to be ideal

  • Eduardo

    I have to say it’s a pitty that tokbox is not available anymore. I hold weekly meetings with a group of teenagers and kids for my kids ministry and this was very convenient and safe. Parents were happy that the kids need not open an account in a main stream social network.
    What are the chances that I can find this same service embedded into another website that is not a main stream social network?

    • mickyob

      Eduardo

      We are holding a competition for developers and hope someone will create a TokBox-like service using OpenTok that we will be able to promote to all our users on April 5th.

      Tell any developers you know!

      Micky

  • Dan

    I want to develop a web-based video chat application, would it be possible for you to mention my website as an alternative in the future?
    We can talk about it, email me.
    Thanks

  • SandixHigh

    so im confused, will our contact list be moved automatic???

    • mickyob

      The site will no longer be available after April 5th, including your contact list.

      Micky

  • Kc

    How come TokBox is no longer going to be available until April 5th?

  • Poop Man

    COME ON!!! I feel like a part of me just died! Can’t you keep it! Please!

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  • Matthew Chai

    Wait…. So are you saying TokBox will be closing down forever?!
    awwwwww :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/videocalling Video Calling

    Another alternative to do group video chat on Facebook is the new video calling application – http://www.facebook.com/videocalling. It is free and allow video calling with multiple people.

  • Emma

    So as of April 5th, we can not video chat with our friends for free?

  • Denis

    …c’est triste,mais heureusement en attendant il y a d’autres moyens de conferences videos!

  • http://joechat.us joe

    can i create a chat just like the current tokbox with the api? because peopel love the chat the way it is our numbers grow daily we are a small company no real money to pay people to program yet but we have good word of mouth people like the structure we created we tried testing alternatives they only like how we have our tokbox set up now so yes im asking is it poosible to build a video conference like tokbox with the api

  • JeanJean

    I don’t think it’s a bad news!! open means good news
    Look for Android,it’s open source and now number ONE in smartphone os in less than 3 years ! look for lightworks, hollywood profesionnal video editor, it now open source too ! and I sure in 2-3 years it’ll be the number one too (largely superior too final cut pro ! )
    why open-tok can’t be number one in video-conf api ? huhh…, I’m sure it will be the best, embed video-conf is a must….

    so let’s see and wait …

    JeanJean-France

  • http://www.themindfulmoment.com Dean Crabb

    Hi,

    I literally just yesterday started engaging a developer to build my site to interface with your API. I was very excited about your product until I read this email. This doesn’t make me feel very secure that my money invested in developing in your technology is going to be well spent or what direction you are taking with it in the longer term. I don’t feel comfortable going further and spending more on the developer without knowing whether my investment in your technology now is worth it?

    Essentially you are saying, we want you to support us completely in our change in direction but you’ll be complete in the dark about what that is, but please keep believing in us and investing in us? Sorry, not feeling very comfortable here. While I know for you this is obviously a big and important change for the company without knowing your direction how am I to feel safe spending $1000′s in costs?

    Regards,
    Dean

    • mickyob

      Dean

      Our announcement yesterday was about our consumer facing service, not our developer facing API. Our API is not going anywhere. In fact, OpenTok (our API) is becoming our sole focus and with $12m raised in Venture Capital funding to grow and develop the platform you should have every confidence in developing against this platform.

      Please feel free to ask any questions on our developer group http://groups.google.com/group/opentok-developers?lnk=srg&hl=en and if you have further questions, please do not hesitate to email me.

      Kind regards
      Micky

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  • Rami

    This is great news!!! It opens up so many options…

    Two questions:
    1. What if I need to meet with more than 20 participants, Will there be a paid option for that? If so when will it be available?
    2. Can I use this API to create multiple video chat rooms with up to 20 participants? If so, what is the limit?
    Thanks!

    • mickyob

      Rami

      Thanks for your questions.

      1. You can have up to 20 participants “on-screen”, publishing simultaneously, but you can also add people in the “audience”, as subscribers who can hear and see what is being said. That is available now, for free, with OpenTok

      2. There is no limit to the number of concurrent sessions, or video chat rooms you can have

      I hope this helps

      Micky

      • Rami

        Thanks for the answer.
        It didn’t really answer my first question. I know the limit of 20 participants “on-screen”. What if my organization has a need for more than 20?

        10x

        • mickyob

          Rami

          If you needed 200 people to participate, 180 of them would need to be off-screen, watching and listening. It is not possible to have that many people participating on screen and would require impossible amounts of bandwidth for each individual user to both publish (upload) and subscribe (download) to that many video streams.

          I hope that helps
          Micky

          • Rami

            You have a paid solution for that right now with the video conferencing.
            Do you have intentions to supply a paid solution with the API? This is one of our organization’s requirements. Also you wrote that you can scale. What does it mean?
            I don’t see a bandwidth problem if everyone will broadcast their stream and everyone will receive a multiplexed combined stream which will show on screen maximum 20 cameras, but the developer will have an api to choose who will be shown out of the 200 broadcasters.
            Another option is to switch to the next 20 automatically like you have with the current multiplexing solution.

            It is very important for us to pass the 20 broadcasters barrier.
            10x

  • http://www.MattKellerOnline.com Matt Keller

    From a recent blog post at http://www.MattKellerOnline.com

    I found out late yesterday that Tokbox.com is shutting down as of April 5th, 2011. As many of you know, we have developed an entire Video Coaching Ministry built on the back of Tokbox. And as you can imagine, I have been hearing from a ton of you in the last several hours offering your condolences, wondering what we’re going to do now, & saying things like, “Wow, that really sucks to be you!”

    So, here are my most current thoughts:

    1. For 3 years, we’ve been driven by a question:

    “What One Idea, if we could figure it out, could completely revolutionize our industry?”

    I continue to be 100% convinced that Virtual Video Coaching is that “One Idea” that could completely change the lives of thousands of Pastors & Church Planters who effect and lead millions of people.

    First, I believe it is completely unrealistic to think that pastors can get the adequate coaching and help they need to lead their churches to the Next Level by having to pay thousands of dollars to fly to Big Conferences that are heavy on Motivation & Inspiration, but don’t have the ability, nor are they designed to, adequately walk pastors through a monthly processing of applying the practical information that can change their lives and ministries. Video Coaching does that.

    Second, Nor do I believe it’s possible for 90% of the churches in America to pay hundreds of dollars each month to participate in an “In-Person” Coaching Community where they are required to fly to a single location, pay for meals, car, hotel, etc. only to be face-to-face with a group of pastors for a few hours and then everyone has to fly home. Only to have to do it all again the next month. I pastor a large church, & I don’t have the ability to pay the several thousand dollars it would require to do that. Video Caoching doesn’t require a Big Budget!

    2. The following paragraph is what drives everything I do with Next Level Coaching…

    85% of churches in America have less than 100 people.

    * What if we could get each of those churches the tools they need to double in the next year?
    * And what if we could do it in a monthly, cost effective, instant, commute-less format like Virtual Video Coaching?
    * (Which judging from our results over the last 3 years, is extremely possible)

    I am firmly convinced we could effect millions of people in small or medium sized churches across the country (& around the world, BTW, we had a pastor from Germany in our last Group who has seen significant growth in the last few months…)

    3. Telecoaching (or Conference Call Coaching) just isn’t the same.

    I know a number of my peers are using telecoaching to coach pastors, but I’m just telling you. I’ve done it and compared to video coaching, there’s no comparison. It’s the equivalent of listening to the Super Bowl on the radio, or watching it on TV. Hands down, 100 times out of 100, we’d all choose to watch it on TV.

    We’d never ask a small group in our church to “phone in” to their group. We’d all admit that real relationships and connection won’t happen the same. It’s too one-sided on a conference call. Conference Calls have their place, but there’s no comparison to face-to-face for real relational coaching.

    When we use Video Coaching, we’re creating a small group for pastors to built relationships face-to-face and grow together. Video Coaching is the equivalent of a Small Group for Pastors. There’s nothing else like it anywhere.

    And I am firmly convinced that if we can figure this out, we can change the face of the “Church” across the country!

    4. “Necessity is the Mother of Innovation.”

    With the dissolving of Tokbox.com, I am obviously aware that this effects what we do in a HUGE way! And as far as I’ve seen up til now, I’ve not found any other Video Technology like it. (Not that doesn’t require the budget of the Federal Government to afford.)

    However, I’m committed to finding it or creating it. We live in a world where I can buy a car on ebay from my iPhone, for crying out loud, somebody somewhere has to be able to figure this out!

    I am working on getting an appointment to talk to Ian Small, the CEO of Tokbox, Inc. as soon as possible. If you know him, tell him to call me. Seriously.

    Also, I’d love to talk to anybody else that knows a Software or App Developer.

    I believe we can change the world if we can figure this out… It won’t take much, just a little bit of effort. Imagine what’s possible if we can dial this in?!? Imagine the leaders we can train, the pastors we can help, the people we can effect?

    If you know someone, or want to be apart of the solution,

    * E-mail me at PastorMatt@NextLevelChurch.com
    * Call my office at 239-274-3755
    * DM me on Twitter at @MatthewKeller
    * E-mail me on Facebook Facebook.com/matthewwkeller

    5. For 9+ years now, I’ve had a phrase that I jokingly say will end up on my tombstone, (if I have one, cremation is big in Florida).

    That phrase is:

    “We’re Church Planters, we don’t take no for an answer. We figure it out, that’s what we do!”

    9 years ago, we moved across the stinkin’ country with a baby & $9,000 to start a church, & today there are over 1,000 people who attend weekly. With God, All things are Possible!

    Here’s another Phrase, in closing, that I love to say…

    “Don’t tell me it can’t be done, tell me how it can be done!”

    So to all of you who are wondering my most current thoughts on, “What we’re Going to do…” there you go. Stay tuned, it’s going to be an amazing ride.

    We’re going to figure this out, because there are too many pastors who need what we’re trying to create through Virtual Video Coaching.

    Thanks for helping me figure this out,

    Matt Keller

    BTW, if you haven’t seen our coaching site, go to http://wwwMyNextLevel.me

  • rz

    Sad news indeed. I would like to thank you for the TokBox program. It brought my family closer last month. My grandmother passed & we used your service to allow my family to say goodbye. Especially my mother, she couldn’t travel and TokBox was that last time that she spent with her.

    Thanks.

    Ray

  • Ken

    Will your new embed work with apple’s iweb 09 embed feature? Can I embed it on my iweb sites?

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  • Geoff.fitch@gmail.com

    It would be very helpful if you did not wait until April to suggest alternatives. You should do that immediately.

  • chris

    i feel very sad right now about this. how am i going to do video chat now with my girlfriend?

    • Sumirsmurf

      download skype

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  • Matt

    If I am understanding this correctly, then I will no longer be able to use tokbox for free to video chat with others? From April 5th 2011 and onward, I will need to have a payment plan to use tokbox’s services??? If this is true what are my alternatives to having the same services elsewhere for free??

    I really hope this is not the case, for I really enjoy tokbox and all it’s services. It is truly an ingenious application.

    • mickyob

      Matt

      From April 5th you will no longer be able to use tokbox.com, either free or paid. We will be focussing on our API which means you will only be able to experience TokBox via our partner/developer sites.

      Micky

      • http://www.NoLiveWebPageYet.com Mike

        This is what I’m not understanding. First you say that the embed conferencing WILL be available after April 5th, then here, you say it won’t be. I’m obviously missing something here.

        Will the simple embedded video conferencing ability continue after April 5th, or not? Please, a simple, clear response for us non-developers.

  • Prashant

    Hope this OpenTok API takes video confrencing to next level. For me tokbox will always remain special. Being a softwate developer myself, I can easily understand the urge to improve a product. I am eagerly waiting to experience with this API. :)

  • http://lagagogo.com kimia

    will i be able to swith to opentok without haveing to make another user

    • mickyob

      Kimia

      OpenTok is an API. This means that it is for developers who build websites and want to integrate video chat. It is up to that site whether you have to register with them or not, or if you could use your Facebook account etc. You will not be able to use your tokbox user name.

      Micky

  • http://gmail.com Banana

    Can we do the free regular video chatting after April 5th? Or will even those stop on April 5th? And I mean just chatting with two friends not Video confrensing.

    • mickyob

      All our consumer facing video chat and video conferencing services will cease on April 5th.

      Micky

      • http://www.NoLiveWebPageYet.com Mike

        Ok….earlier, you said:

        Kenny

        The TokBox embed and call widget will continue to work on your site. That said, feel free to experiment with OpenTok – it’s free!

        Micky

        Now, you are saying: All our consumer facing video chat and video conferencing services will cease on April 5th.

        Micky

        I really need to know whether to bother trying to set this thing up and tell the citizens of my county about meetings. Seriously, will it, or will it NOT, be available after April? Thanks.

  • mallory

    Wait, so we wouldn’t be able to use this anymore?

    • mickyob

      Mallory

      That is correct.

      Micky

  • Karah

    Why would you want to take Tokbox off? It is so much fun. Even if you make a new better and upgraded one. It won’t be as good as it is now because all are memories are on here.

  • Anicia Cruz

    what are the problems in tokbox??

  • http://tokbox alexis

    i hate u tokbox person this was the only way to talk to my friend who moved away >:……(

  • sura

    would the voice still work?

    • mickyob

      Sura

      No services will be available via me.tokbox.com, including voice

      Micky

  • Nate Dame

    Sad news indeed!

    Glad the embed will still work. What about creating new embed code? I.e. adding embed to new pages or sites etc.? Will there still be a creation tool on the Tokbox site?

    Thanks!!

    • mickyob

      Nate

      Yes. The embed is currently still accessible via me.tokbox.com once you are logged in. Once me.tokbox.com is no longer available (April 5th) there will be a page dedicated to it on our website.

      Micky

      • http://www.NoLiveWebPageYet.com Mike

        Whew! OK, so if I go ahead and set up an embedded video conference now, mid-March, and announce it to about 150-200 people here in my county for the purpose of motivating the people to stand up against Tyranny, we WILL be able to use it to continue conferencing? Right?

        • mickyob

          Mike

          As long as you are using our platform (either OpenTok, Embed, Call Widget) on your site and not using me.tokbox.com to organize the call you will be fine. It is the consumer facing service at me.tokbox.com that we are closing on April 5th.

          Micky

          • http://www.NoLiveWebPageYet.com Mike

            Thanks, Micky. So even though the embedded conference connects now to me.tokbox.com, that won’t matter, even after April 5th. I need to see if I can learn how to use that Call Widget. Mainly what we need is to be able to meet and discuss things. My one concern is that whenever I or anyone else opens the page with the embedded conference, they are automatically connected to the conference and I/they are assigned a Guest User number. Is there anyway at all for participants to use their real names or nicknames when they connect to the embedded conference? Also, in terms of moderation, I believe you said this can be done with the Call Widget?

            Are there any detailed instructions regarding how to install/use the Call Widget in combination with the embedded conference?

            I guess I’m a little confused as to the difference between OpenTalk and the embedded conference. Are they the same thing? Either way, I think the way your system works is nice and clean and simple.

            Is there any way for whatever files are accessed on me.tokbox.com when the embedded conference is used, to be placed on our own web server?

            Am I understanding correctly that even after April 5th, the embedded conference will still continue to connect to me.tokbox.com?…or some other part of tokbox.com?

            I’m very new to tokbox so thanks for being patient with me. But I was wondering if it would be feasible to package the embed-able conference so that consumers could just buy the package, install whatever software now used on me.tokbox.com on their web server that hosts the page with the embedded conference, and have all of the options like moderating and people signing into the conference with a self-selected username.

            Seems like it would save people from having to connect to your servers every time they want to hold a conference. Not sure if that’s even an issue other than giving the consumer/purchaser more control and responsibility for their own server.

            Either way, I just hope we can use the conference to connect with fellow patriots in my area. Being able to self-select a username for the embed conference would be fantastic just so everyone knows who’s talking or speaking.

            Thanks again for your patience and responses.

            Mike

          • mickyob

            Mike

            Let me try and clarify. We have 4 products today:
            1. me.tokbox.com – full consumer facing service with features such as upload documents, collaboration tools etc.
            2. basic embed (built on me.tokbox.com technology)
            3. call widget (built on me.tokbox.com technology) – has features such as moderation
            4. OpenTok API (built on new, OpenTok technology) that enables developers to create a more sophisticated and integral experience with video chat.

            #1 will be going away in its entirety #2 and #3 will continue to work with some minor modifications to the user experience e.g. guests will connect on a landing page that won’t be the full app. Unfortunately, at this time, we are not fixing the guest user issue right now although we are aware that it is an issue.

            You can find out more about the call widget here http://code.google.com/p/tokboxapi/.

            If you have more technical questions, please feel free to email support@tokbox.com

            Kind regards
            Micky

  • Pingback: TokBox Gives Up 2 Million Users to Focus on its API

  • Jem Lemmings

    Can you stop ignoring people’s questions as to the reason why you are closing down the site and provide an honest answer?

    • mickyob

      Jem

      I assure you we are not ignoring the question. The honest reason is stated in our blog as well as the emails we sent everyone. We believe our new API business (OpenTok) is a greater business opportunity and so, with limited resources, we are focussing all our energies on that and not on operating the consumer facing video chat and video conferencing site.

      I hope that answers your question.

      Micky

  • http://none Jeremy Goheen

    why do you have to close down I like you stuff here don’t close down… pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

  • Pingback: TokBox Gives Up 2 Million Users to Focus on its API | Another Newyork Times

  • jordon

    wait so we cant have any free video chattin? this stinks

  • Eric

    I run a website through Squarespace and a wiki through PBworks. I embed Tokbox in both. Will I be able to develop a suitable OpenTok app if I don’t have suitable control over the “server side” installation of the OpenTok API?

  • Sofea

    I don’t understand. Why?

    • mickyob

      Sofea
      As mentioned in our blog post, we are focusing our efforts on our developer facing product, OpenTok

      Thanks
      Micky

  • http://jforcegames.com Jeremy

    So we embedded tokbox on our site, but it was really laggy/choppy today, not usable. Though the actual tokbox site was laggy today too, but that seemed to sort itself out after awhile, but the embedded tokbox was still laggy. The other night our embed worked fine, not today though.

    Any insight here?

    • mickyob

      Jeremy

      We aren’t aware of any issues over the weekend. If you continue to have problems with the embed, can I suggest you post your question/issue to our Google Developers Group where you will get the fastest response to this kind of question.

      http://groups.google.com/group/opentok-developers/

      Thanks
      Micky

  • Luke

    wait, so your saying when april 5th comes, i cant do free video chat, like i cant talk to anyone on here, or is it just the conference and video meetings, and can if we still have vid chat, do i still get to click “invite friends”????

  • sally jones

    i am so sad why is this happening is it because of too many users or what?!?Looks like i’m movin to skype the overpriced new video chat

  • maria

    im so sad this is how i communicate with family out of this country
    they finally got to see my daughter even if was not in person
    i hope you guys can get things back up so i cansee my family again
    thanks for giving me the chance to see them =D

  • Lorraine

    to make everything clear, we can’t video chat with any one? not even one person? or do you mean we cant video chat with 2 or more people at one time?

  • Alain

    Does it cost money to have use of the api? If I have a developer build this into my site, is there a monthly fee associated with it? You have many people using your service, yet you are talking “geek talk” to them. In plain language, please explain are you hoping someone else will take over the “free” and paid services to the general public that you used to offer or what?

    • mickyob

      Alain

      Use of our API as it exists today is free for all developers to integrate in to their website.

      We will be closing down our consumer service, me.tokbox.com as of April 5th and we are not expecting anyone to take over this business i.e. it is not for sale.

      That said, we have launched a competition whereby if a developer wants to create a video chat service, using our API, we will promote this service to our users when we close down the consumer service on April 5th. (http://www.tokbox.com/developersblog/contests/win-an-audience-with-2million-users/)

      I hope that makes things clearer.

      Micky

  • Jennifer Brennan

    I am so disappointed to read that we can only use TokBox until April 5th. My husband and I kept a long distance relationship going becaue of TokBox. I got my family to join. I never wanted to join Skype because I felt it would be too crowded (Oprah always used it). I have always had so much fun sharing it with people who did not know about it. I will really miss it. Thank you for handling the close-down so gracefully (allowing us to download our recorded files and giving us such a long lead time). Well, I guess all I can say now is, “It has been sweet, Sugar!!! Thank you!”

  • Lance

    so will the website work up until April 5th? I’m trying to have a group vid chat on April 2nd…

    • mickyob

      Lance

      The site will continue to work in its entirety until April 5th so there should be no issues with your April 2nd video chat.

      Micky

  • http://interjonas@gmail.com Jonas Khan

    I have recently embed Tokbox onto my website, will it dysfunction after April 5th?

    • mickyob

      Jonas

      The embed will continue to work after April 5th.

      Micky

  • http://www.RelationshipCapital.Co Paul Aaron Travis

    Micky, good job on answering everyone’s questions.

    Folks, making the numbers work in a startup business is difficult — ESPECIALLY when you give away the service for free! Kudos to the team for figuring out the best way to stay afloat — I myself plan to start using the API’s :)

  • Ab

    I wonder Micky.. how are you planning to make money out of your API.. It is good to know that I can takbox is becoming an Open Platform.. So, that means that we are going to have many more takbox websites.. (I always knew from the very beginning that takbox wouldn’t make it–that you had to come up with different interactive features in order to make money having skype, ustream and other free web services as competitors)..
    As a developer I am looking forward to your knew vision.. Good luck! Al

    • mickyob

      Ab

      We are investigating a number of different business models currently and will make sure to provide more details and seek input as we get closer to any launches.

      Thanks
      Micky

  • Pingback: Startup Pivot Stories #1: How TokBox Changed Its Business Model | Business Blogs

  • asdf1234

    Hi I am thinking of embeding TokBox in my website. But is there anyway to make it function more like me.tokbox.com. Like having users login to their tokbox account and have private gorup chats. By private…I mean other people that visit the website won’t automatically join in the group chat there.

    • Melih Onvural

      This is unfortunately not possible unless you are willing to work with the OpenTok API to do some programming in your website. The embed is really for the base case of having it on a web site and having whoever lands on that website join.

      Having said that, if you had lots of different pages within your web site, then each of them could have their own embed, and this might solve what you’re trying to do.

  • sasori

    okay ha ha ha ha it was nice joke and you got us all :D , now please tell me its April fools day and you are not for real !!!! :/ , seriously i am shocked i don’t know what to say , i hope you will change your mind and stay , pleasee? pretty pleasee ?:’(

    • mickyob

      Unfortunately it is not an April Fool’s joke and the service will be closed from April 5th.

      Micky

      • sasori

        sorry hear that and so sorry to ask that but isnt there any website like tokbox (though its like no other ) but i meant closer to your service :/

  • steven

    hi there

    im no web page deveolper or computer tech head as such, but i get from the gist of what your saying after the sugar coated panter is that tokbox wil be finished after april 5th for normal everyday people?

    Steve

  • Simon

    Now I know why all these folks use TokBox.
    They seem incapable of reading!

  • brigitte

    why are you ending video chat??

    • mickyob

      Brigitte

      As detailed in our blog post, it is because we are going to be focussing on our developer/core technology product.

      Micky

  • http://www.lifeaftermormonism.net/ Mikeutah

    Will the Ning Labs (Ning.com) app for TokBox still work? We used this on a weekly basis. Please say ‘yes’! :-D

    • mickyob

      The answer is…yes!!!

  • Ball Bag

    If your so keen on being open why moderate comments

    • mickyob

      Hi

      We moderate comments because we get a lot of “spam” content unrelated to TokBox/our blog and we want to ensure that there is a quality of dialogue that our whole community will find useful.

      Micky

    • remember me?

      Seriously my comment that took 30 minutes to write is gone just because you can’t face the fact that I was right! Pushovers. Take away free chat and the people bight back.

  • http://www.themindfulmoment.com Dean Crabb

    Hi,

    Thanks for answering my earlier question. I’m keen to use your product although if you have all this venture capital going into developing the Open Source API it has me wondering how you intend to make money from it because currently it’s free to build on?

    Obviously at some point it seems you are going to charge for it?

    So, I want to go ahead with my own development project with your product but I’m hesitant because I have no idea or guarantee you won’t start charging for the service in the future. The natural upside to making it free now is that people like me have a huge invested interest to have to pay if we’ve build our business upon your service. I’d be in a no win situation and would be forced to pay for a previously free service. Can you please comment and clarify this if you intend to charge in the future?

    Thanks again for your time. I’m hoping you intend to keep it free so I can move ahead with my project and your product.

    Regards,
    Dean

    • mickyob

      Dean

      Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

      The current API will remain free. We intend to introduce new premium features and services that we will charge for in the future, but to maintain the service that we have today free. As a result you should not worry about developing now on the current API.

      Kind regards
      Micky

  • Sumirsmurf

    why are you closing down????????????????????? :’(

    • mickyob

      Thanks for your comment. As we have said, it is because we are focussing our resources on OpenTok, our API business.

      Thanks
      Micky

  • Samantha Riccota

    wait so can we still video chat or no?

    • mickyob

      Samantha

      After April 5th, consumers will no longer be able to video chat using the Tokbox video chat/conferencing application.

      I hope that makes things a little clearer.
      Micky

  • Roman DeVoison

    Hi,
    I read something earlier about being able to download the contents on my video inbox before you disable TokBox…can I ask you how to do this?

  • angelica

    if a different site you’re using uses tokbox to vid chat (like meebo) will it still work on there?

    • mickyob

      Angelica

      Yes, that will still work.

      Kind regards
      Micky

  • Alain

    Is there a limit to the number of people that can use the embed chat? In other words, at present you have a limit of 20 people for the free part of video chatting. Is this also the limit for how many can chat simultaneously?

    Thank you

  • briceorbryce

    All right! It’s getting close to mid-March, so are we going to get an email prompting us and showing us how to download our messages?
    If we embed tokbox into our websites, and go to the page with the embed code we won’t be able to log in to our tokbox accounts right? That means 5 people in the chat are going to be 5 guests right?
    Also, the only way I know how to get the embed code is by logging onto tokbox. Is the embed code going to be posted anywhere (in the forums perhaps)?
    thanks =)

    • mickyob

      We will be sending an email to our users on easy steps to follow to download your video messages at the beginning of next week.

      Kind regards

      Micky

  • Jusup Lowry

    Are you still sending instructions on how to download and save video messages sent to me in the past? It’s mid-March, and I really want to preserve them all…

    Thanks in advance.

    • mickyob

      We will be implementing this functionality at the beginning of next week and will be blogging/sending emails to our users on easy steps to follow to download your video messages.

      Micky

  • http://bioron.ru valnick

    GREATE! “The current API will remain free. We intend to introduce new premium features and services that we will charge for in the future, but to maintain the service that we have today free. As a result you should not worry about developing now on the current API.”

    Thanks to Tokbox team ))

  • frankzappa

    sent by post, it appears that 99% of users do not know how to use the new video chat API, it is possible the release of the steps by steps, listing everything you need to transfer on its domain, empty, only what you need for a Chat as a former TokBox?

    • mickyob

      Frank

      I am not sure you understand your question. Could you send it in more detail to help@tokbox.com?

      Thanks
      Micky

  • Scott Webster

    Hi. I am a leader of an online life group (bible study) through Liquid Church. We use Tokbox to meet. The church has an account with Tokbox where tokbox is part of a page on their web site. Does that qualify as an “embed” and will thus continue to work past April 5th? The pastor of the online campus has asked me to look into alternative technologies for us to employ to continue our online life groups. I see talk of embeds here, but am unsure of how that is defined.

    • mickyob

      Scott

      This is indeed the embed and will continue to work after April 5th. If you have any problems, please email help@tokbox.com

      Kind regards
      Micky

  • http://www.heart.org Debra McKnight

    We embedded the tokbox api in our Sharepoint site and it is working great!

  • http://na FMP

    this is such a big loss….

  • http://na FMP

    so we have to be developers to understand the complexity of embedding videos.
    One question, can i embed MULTIPLE audio/video in a page? let’s say 50objects (conferencing)?

    • mickyob

      With one embed, 20 people can be in a video chat simultaneously. Even if you place multiple instances of the embed in to the same page, people will all end up in one video chat, so the limit is twenty per “page”

      I hope this helps
      Micky

  • http://na fmp

    was the company or the platform bought by google?

    • mickyob

      No. We are still privately held.

      Micky

  • jaelle

    i just started you website please dont go its amazing

  • Julie

    will one-on-one chat still be available?
    after april 5th, will tokbox be considered useless?

  • Palak

    Hi,

    We are using API for call widget for video calling functionality. We would like to know that is video calling functionality will going to stop in API as well? Or it will be continue for API.
    Kindly let us know.

    Thanks

    • mickyob

      Palak

      This service will continue.

      Kind regards
      Micky

  • http://tokbox.com CAthY

    Why can’t yuh just leave the tokbox and also make the open tok?

  • Mike

    you never posted recommendations for alternative services to use. its bad enough your kicking us out, now your just kicking us out in the cold

    • mickyob

      Mike

      I hope you saw our recommendations for alternatives including our HTML embed and MyMeetingHub

      Micky

  • http://yahoo J&JGurlz

    Why is tokbox closin my friends have recently made and now that lots of people have one ur gunna close it???? Lots of memories have happened here.We really luv this site and now ur closin it????? Were not tryin to be offencive but we really luv this site and it is usually the only way to talk to a lot of people from school. Bcuz some people only like to talk in privacy with us here.

  • Kimmie

    where the hell can i find a website that i can talk PRIVATELY with ONLY PEOPLE I KNOWWW?I dont want to connect with facebook cuz then my annoying cousins and aunts will want to video chat with me and Im not having that. I dont want it to connect with ANY of my stuff and tinychat sucks cuz they want access to my myspace, twitter and I dont want them to.

  • Naomi

    Hi,

    I am very concerned because I had been downloading videos from my inbox and then sent folder. I did not finish all… when I went back to finish downloading what remained in my sent folder- all is gone. Today is April 2nd on the mainland (I’m traveling now in Oceania so it’s April 3rd) NOT April 5th. Did you erase all? Please advise.

  • http://pldleague.com/ crisboot

    This is so sad.. I’ll miss you… tooooookkkkbox!!! :’(

  • Pingback: Goodbye old friend » TokBox blog

  • Tokbox User

    My embedded tokbox no longer works!!! :(
    I thought you said it would continue to work after April 5th?

    • mickyob

      Sorry you were having trouble. Things should be working fine, but please email support@tokbox.com if you are still having trouble.

      Kind regards
      Micky

  • http://www.awakeness.com Sperry Andrews

    Hola Mickyob,

    I’m hoping You can point me in the right direction to locate a developer that can help me continue doing what I was able to do on Tokbox before April 5th, namely hold video conferences for up to twenty people. I have a domain and ftp information, but no experience with Java Script and not much cash working on sebbatical in Mexico. Plus, I’m a right-brained guy who specializes in offering experiential explorations into collective consciousness online. I have been holding these groups – in person – internationally for over twenty years for free if possible and have been attempting to get this going – so it can spread in cyberspace. I know we can all share a commonly-sensed intelligence. With a little practice and passionate desire, this could help change the divisive mind-set humanity is currently suffering from.

    Any help, guidance or referral you can make will be truly appreciated,

    Ever So Gratefully,

    Sperry Andrews, co-director
    Human Connection Institute
    http://www.connectioninstitute.org

    • mickyob

      Sperry,

      Just responded to this on the other blog thread :)

      Thanks
      Micky

  • Dave

    “By mid-March we will notify you (via email and on this blog) of how you can download the video messages you’d like to save”

    I did not recieve and notification! PLEASE tell me hwo I can download my video messages! I have priceless videos in there of my son!

  • Pingback: TokBox Closes Consumer-Facing Product | Church Mag

  • mysstery

    please bring ToxBok back. If you are looking for another service go to skype its the same thing.