Twitter has been an incredible boon to online live streaming. With a single tweet, a broadcaster can inform thousands or even millions of followers that he or she is on live video and draw those potential viewers in. We think it's only natural that someone would eventually develop a live streaming website specifically for Twitter.
Livestream (formerly Mogulus) has just launched its own Twitter broadcasting system called TwitCam, a dead simple tool that lets you live stream immediately using your Twitter credentials. Here, check out my live TwitCam stream to see it in action.
The TwitCam Experience
Twitcam is essentially a simplified version of Livestream built on Twitter. You login with your Twitter username and password (TwitCam doesn't have OAuth yet, which disappoints us) and then click "broadcast." Once you click it, Livestream's new tool will send out a tweet with a link to the chat. Users can then sign into a Twitter chat and tweet out their own messages (not unlike the Ustream social chat or TinyChat's Twitter chat feature in the Mashable Lounge.
The concept is simple but solid. You can quickly get streaming and go viral, provided you have enough reach or enough luck. We do want to note though that Twitter chat features are already available on Ustream, Livestream, and Justin.tv. Also, TwitCam chatrooms don't have vanity URLs or customization features yet. One last request: please install an easy option to mute the stream from the broadcaster's end.
The Live Streaming Twitter War
Livestream's launch preempts the anticipated public launch of CamTweet a similar concept from rival Justin.tv that is currently invite-only. Meanwhile, both compete with Ustream, which has its own social stream features and a huge following on Twitter (@ustream).