group video chat without software download

[update 12/17] As this chart shows, tokbox spiked as a trend on twitter just 2 days ago, when Tony Steward and crew gathered 50+ people for a group video chat, and locked up browsers everywhere. Watch this one — it could well be the beginning of a viral movement, and not an anomaly. Would be sweet to see another video from Lauren*. + catching on I tell ya, there’s a tokbox multi-user video chat at churchstaffbreakroom.com now. [/update]
[update 12/17 5pm PT] Tokbox is temporarily down. Another sign of viral movement, eh?

Remember the Twitter whale? Sometimes a website being down means the website is getting more popular and the server can’t handle all the people who want in. Or, a website being down means hardware or software failure. [/update]

I had signed up for a tokbox account months ago, but didn’t have people to try it out with. So my account signup sat buried in the inbox.

Now webcams are going more mainstream. I noticed (almost?) every laptop at the retail store (starting with the letter B) had a built-in webcam, even the tiny 8″ netbook. And then to hear 2 of my non-tech colleagues get webcams and using Skype for the first time in their lives. (!)

Now that webcams are mainstream (and having broadband internet becoming common helps the cause), I googled for a free web-based multi-user video chat web app. I don’t want to mess with software downloads and installation. I don’t think non-techies want to mess with software either. So, to find tokbox again was a treat. Too bad it locks up when all the CPU cycles are eaten up.

aside: yes, Tokbox handed out tacos outside of Yahoo last week to spread info about their job openings, and spread the good cheer