Filed under: Internet, Video, Windows, Browsers
Watch web video while getting work done with Double Vision
by Brad Linder Feb 16th 2009 at 3:00PM
Here's how it works: You launch Double Vision and a standalone web browser based on Internet Explorer opens. Find a video you want to watch and then click the "Double Vision" button. Most of the browser's navigation toolbars will disappear and all you'll see is the video, a transparency slider and two buttons. Slide the transparency bar all the way to the right and the video becomes opaque, slide it all the way to the left and you won't see it at all. When it's somehwere in the middle you'll be able to see the spreadsheet or other documents you've been working on under the video.
You can click the X button to return to browser's normal mode, or hit the other button if you want to drag and drop the video window to another location. All other clicks in the browser window will go unregistered. In other words, you won't just be able to see whatever's lying under the video, you'll be able to input data, edit documents or watch two movies at once if that's your cup of tea.
Double Vision is optimized to work with a handful of online video sites including Hulu, YouTube, and Netflix. That means when you load a video using the browser from one of these sites, the video will expand to the size of the browser so you aren't stuck looking at a video surrounded by text.
You can also hit Ctrl + Esc to hide the video quickly, which could come in handy if you're using Double Vision at work and you forgot to tell the boss about your ingenious new discovery.
[via The How To Geek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jason said 3:56PM on 2-16-2009
This seems like a really dumb idea. How could anyone stand to do any work with a movie playing over top of your program? Likewise how could anyone stand to watch a movie with a spreadsheet showing through the background? Either watch the movie or don't, trying to do both at once is silly.
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West said 10:34PM on 2-16-2009
I think this is slightly better than having a tv show or movie playing in the background while you're only hearing the audio. I'm sure this isn't for those exciting shows, just the ones you watch to help pass the time.
Sonic said 7:21AM on 2-17-2009
I agree, it does seem kind of pointless. I'd rather just have the video playing next to whatever I'm working on (since I have a widescreen monitor).
Quattroporte Sport GT S said 10:34PM on 2-16-2009
That wouldn't mind having that to use with my TV tuner.
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Quattroporte said 10:34PM on 2-16-2009
Maybe if they expand on it, you can surf the web, play solitaire, watch YouTube, and watch TV all at once.
supernova_hq said 3:06AM on 2-18-2009
Wow, I've been doing this in linux using compiz's "tranparency" plugin for years. Except I can make ANYTHING change to ANY transparency.
Way to try to catch up windows...
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Muffin_man said 1:16PM on 2-17-2009
Frankly it's a feature that isn't really much use and something Windows can do without.
supernova_hq said 4:20PM on 2-19-2009
Actually, you'd be surprised just how useful it can be. I do a lot of command line stuff, and being able to set the cmd background to 25% transparency and have some code in a browser below is VERY useful.
Cowman said 10:34PM on 2-16-2009
We can already do this with linux and compiz. Alt+Wheel mouse down changes the transperancy of a window, then right the bar you use to move windows and select "always on top" done. These techniques are for Ubuntu 8.04 LTS they can vary from distrobution to distrobution.
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Troy said 4:38PM on 2-17-2009
I do this already, but the opposite way. I use one of the many free programs that make any window transparent. I then open a movie in the background and watch it through the transparent working window in the front.
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hazard said 7:58AM on 2-18-2009
Now that's cool .. still incredibly distracting but cool :)