GabMail™ / GabJam™ FAQ
PLEASE NOTE:
1) Unless otherwise stated, answers apply equally to GabMail™ and GabJam™
2) If you’re having difficulty using GabMail, please click the ‘Troubleshooting’ link
What’s GabMail™?
GabMail™ is a free, easy-to-use video email service that enables anyone with a webcam or video camera to send, reply to and forward messages to anyone with an email address.
Do I have to download software to use GabMail™?
No. GabMail™ uses Adobe Flash, a program already installed on 98% of computers. It’s always best to use the latest version of Flash Player though, so you might want to click here to get it.
How do I sign up for GabMail™?
One of the best features of GabMail™ is that you don’t have to sign up to use it. There’s no registration or log-in. It just works!
Will GabMail™ work with any webcam?
Yes! However, if your webcam or computer doesn’t have a built-in microphone, you’ll need to plug one in. Inexpensive mic’s can be purchased at any electronics or computer store. By the way, you only need a webcam to send a GabMail™. Anyone can receive a GabMail™.
Will GabMail™ work with any video camera?
GabMail™ works with any video camera that can connect via firewire to your computer. However, very few video cameras have audio components that you’re your computer will recognize – at least not yet. Most likely you’ll need to plug in an external mic for the audio portion of your GabMail™ recordings.
How many video emails can I record and send for free?
A zillion. After that you get a zillion more.
How long can each recording be?
Each recording can be up to 5 minutes long. You’ll see a 10 second countdown before your 5 minutes are up so you won’t have to time yourself.
Can I send GabMail™ video emails with any email program?
Yes! We developed GabMail™ so that it’s compatible with your preferred email client or webmail service. Outlook, Thunderbird, Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail - any email client or webmail program will work.
Can I put a GabMail™ video on my web page?
Yes! To request code for embedding, do the following: After recording your GabMail™ (but before clicking ‘Send’) click the link at the lower right hand corner of the screen that says, ‘Add this video to your web site?’. You’ll get html to embed in your page as well as options to choose a color scheme and/or add a title.
What’s the difference between GabMail™ and GabJam™?
The difference between GabMail and GabJam lies in the concept of threading. A thread is a group of messages that are linked together and make up a virtual conversation. A thread can be a short exchange of two or more GabMails or it can be a limitless GabJam “conversation” between thousands of people.
OK, so what’s the difference between GabMail and GabJam?
GabMail and GabJam each operate the same way traditional text email does. You can send them to any number of people who can reply to and/or forward the video messages and the ongoing conversations are threaded. GabJam, though, takes things to another level. Once you start a GabJam, anyone who receives the email or the link will be able to see every video in the thread and every one that’s ever added to it. Save a GabJam link as a favorite or bookmark, click that link tomorrow, and you may see five or ten more videos that people have added to the GabJam. Click it a week after that and there could be hundreds, even thousands of new videos added to the thread. And since GabJam messages are meant to be viral and collaborative, you can forward that link to your friends who can forward it to their friends and so on. Anyone who receives the link can add to the Jam along the way by clicking Reply and recording a new video. One friendly bit of advice: since GabJams are often very public, it wouldn’t be a good place to talk about your friend’s surprise party.
Anytime someone begins a new thread, we politely ask if they’d like to ‘Jam it’. Say yes if you want your video email to take on a life of its own.
How do I watch the videos in a thread?
The video messages in a GabMail or GabJam thread appear as thumbnail images. We add a thumbnail to the page every time a new video is added to the thread. The thumbnail at the top is always the first video in that thread and each successive reply is added at the bottom. You can scroll through the thumbnails and click anyone of them to instantly play it. It’s a fun and powerful feature that we’ve made really simple to use.
How can I report inappropriate videos?
Easy! Simply right-click the video or its thumbnail and click ‘Cite this Video’. We instantly make that video invisible on your computer. In the meantime, we consider your comments and take appropriate action.