All this moaning and groaning of how bad, vile, deceptive, awful, broken the internet has become. Yeah parts are, but not all. Not all. Let me shed some alternative light your way.
More than 10 years ago when I was building my collection of 50+ Web Ways to Tell Story (Wikispaces killed the site, but I have reclaimed it, Pfffft, alpaca poop on you, Wikispaces) I came across what I thought was a most ridiculous site, Blabberize.
The web site let you upload an image of a person or animal, trace the shape of a mouth, then associate it with an audio file, and it created an animated speaking image, where the mouth moved in sync to the volume of sound.
Among the most ridiculous of all was the demo, where an alpaca raved about the tool in an east Indian accent. Guess what, it’s still online (you do need Flash, sigh)!
But it counted for my 50 ways criteria- a free, web-based tool that allowed you to create something from more than one kind of media, so it’s still one of the living tools in my collection — see http://50ways.cogdogblog.com/Blabberize.html. And just to prove my wrongness, I eventually came across some non silly ways people thought to use it.
Well guess what?
The alpaca is back, and talked directly to me today on twitter:
@cogdog you’ve been there since the beginning- and now we’re about to do something all new. pic.twitter.com/9s470nAEvV
— Blabberize (@Blabberize) August 17, 2018
I’m excited to hear not only have they restored their web site (meaning Dominoe’s story is still there), but there is a brand new iOS app out soon
The Alpaca is a bit hyperbolic. Blabberize is coming back! Also here’s the official announcement for that Blabberize iOS app! Coming very soon – coming soon after the site is back up. Making pictures talk is going to get even more fun. pic.twitter.com/8Fh9A9XFBh
— Blabberize (@Blabberize) July 30, 2018
And just for your information, Mr Talking Alpaca, I am not solely about dogs! On our daily walks, my wife, Felix, and I regularly talk to out neighboring llamas.
I Wonder What You Are? flickr photo by cogdogblog shared into the public domain using Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication (CC0)
Blabberize is back! Take that internet doom-mongerers.
Featured Image: Screenshot from a tweet I got from the Blabberize Alpaca. I am sure he goes for a CC-NO-POOP license.
