6rounds: Video chat done right, and now a mindblowing API

You might remember the last time that we talked about 6rounds.  Regardless, here’s the recap: it’s a video chat service that offers more features and better integration than anything you’ve ever used.  We promise.

It’s no coincidence that 6rounds chose today at Google I/O to announce its latest features; 6rounds is still the only approved extension for video chat within Google Wave.  But with what was announced today, even that seems light in comparison.

The short explanation is that 6rounds has just introduced its developer’s API.  However, in keeping with “better than  you’ve ever used”, this is an API like you’ve not seen before.  6rounds is promising that developers developers “can quickly and easily transform their existing social activities and games into 6rounds video chat experience, or create new inspiring applications, within a mere 15 minutes”.

15 minutes.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Want to see it in action?  We knew you would.  Here’s the video:

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The API and extensions are purposely made to be simple, but highly effective.  According to the developers, “our focus was to create something that will speed up the development process and concentrate on game functionality instead of platform boundaries”.

This is, apparently, just the beginning of what 6rounds plans to offer in the coming months.  Look for Facebook video chat, as well as the ability to combine multi-user chat sessions very soon.

Location may be king of the hill right now, but video chat and conferencing will never die.  With services like what 6rounds are offering, we can be sure that we’ll see highly-entertaining, user-friendly integration across the Internet.

So whether you’re browsing in Facebook, doing a Google Wave project with a friend or even just having a chat, 6rounds is likely to be changing the way that you do it.  Let’s face it, social network sites are popular because they’re social.  So why should you do them all by yourself?