• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, February 14, 2008

The last thing the Web needs is another video host site, according to Michael Hoydich, co-founder of tech startup Unknown Vector.

A better platform and interfaces, however, are another story.

So, with his partner, Mark Grey, Hoydich has launched a new platform for social networkers to view, store and share streaming video. Dubbed uvLayer, the full-screen media download allows users and their friends to interact with each other's videos across multiple social networks.

"The way people interact with and share videos today is limited and awkward," said Hoydich, who once served as a vice president of sales for Viewpoint Corporation. With Gray, Hoydich later went on to found another tech services firm named IndustryNext, and an interactive marketing agency by the name of Incognito Digital.

Unlike many video viewing experiences, uvLayer sources video content from multiple sources so users can centralize their videos and play lists without visiting multiple sites.

Also, uvLayer users can manipulate collected videos into thumbnail-sized "stacks" atop their personalized media canvas for better viewing and sharing.

Despite the abundance of tech applications, players, and sites being offered to video viewers, today, at least one industry analyst is betting on Unknown Vector to leave a lasting impact on the industry.

"UvLayer could change the way people collect and view their favorite digital media," said Bobby Tulsiani, Jupiter Research media and Internet video analyst. "The unique, intuitive user interface, especially the video playback window that sits atop other desktop applications, truly differentiates uvLayer within the current online video marketplace."

Also with uvLayer, users no longer require an open Web browser to view videos, as the option exists to view a single video or an entire playlist in a small window anchored on top of a viewer's desktop. Users can also publish media collections directly to Facebook, with no coding and no typing.

UvLayer was developed using Adobe AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime), a new technology that allows developers to create rich internet applications developed in Flash, HTML, and AJAX.