The Weekly Online Video News Round Up - July 3-9 2011

If you're like me, then last week was a terribly busy week. But these days, with online video's quickening pace, they all seem that way anymore. Even when you're paying close attention, it can be easy to miss a great video or an important news story. That's why we created this weekly online video news round up, to give you a one-stop shop for all the major stories from the past week in the world of online video.

Online Video News

• Members of The House Of Representatives are now officially allowed to use Skype and other video conferencing services.
• Video and Facebook are the main reasons for recent jump in online advertising spending.
• Facebook proved that companies can make money on live-streaming of concerts.
• Almost 2 million people watched the Casey Anthony trial via the CNN live stream.

Online Video Editorials & Opinions

• Nalts is giving out tips to aspiring young filmmakers on how to make some summer income with video.
• Lifehacker seems to think Google Plus' Hangouts video chat is pretty awesome.
• Here's a great list of tips for getting the most out of your retail videos.
• Here's a fun rundown of 7 things you need to know about what your future TV will look like.

Gadgets, Tools, & Software

•  This will impact your audience, and probably you as well: Verizon is killing off unlimited data plans.
• Toshiba has announced an upcoming 8MP camera sensor that is the smallest size ever created.
• Man tattoos QR code on his chest, calls it the first interactive animated tattoo.

Reel Stories You Might Have Missed

• I begged Google to open up Plus to everyone as soon as possible, because an empty social network is a useless social network.
• Speaking of Google Plus, they're not ready for businesses yet.
• Also, Facebook fired back at their new social rival by releasing Skype-powered video chat.
• Guest posts on mobile video advertising, video seo, and branded video players all got our readers' attention.
• Christophor got us all thinking when he brought up the question: what actually counts as a video view?
• And YouTube scared some, but impressed others, with the release of an experimental new design called Cosmic Panda.

The Lighter Side Of Video News

•  These HP TouchPad ads starring comedian Russell Brand are pretty funny.
• This is a fantastic documentary on how they created the sound effects for Transformers 3.
• A U.S. soldier has used a YouTube video to ask out a movie star.

I Leave You With...

In honor of the final flight of the Space Shuttle program: