Press Release
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EarthCam Announces Annual Blockbuster Movie Executives Among VIP Judges FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, December 13, 2007 -- EarthCam, the world's favorite webcam network and recognized authority on the Internet camera industry, today released its ninth annual list of the world's most interesting webcams. Leading with the only known webcam transmitting street views from Havana, Cuba, this year's 25 Most Interesting Webcams are viewable online at www.EarthCam.com/top25 and honor worldwide Internet camera producers for concept creativity, technology, visual quality and design. EarthCam producers search through more than 5,000 webcams throughout the year to choose 125 semi-finalists that a VIP panel of judges votes on to select the winners. The 2007 list offers some of the most stunning scenic cams to date, including dramatic live deep-sea views, picturesque and exciting travel destinations and an assortment of whimsical and unique entries from 12 countries. Live underwater cams in a giant ocean tank in Boston, MA, a coral reef in Bonaire and a robotic camera in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy bring new dimensions to the mysteries of the deep. Beautiful views of a boat excursion in Interlaken, Switzerland, the chance to watch mechanical saints appear in windows of an historic clock in Prague, the architecture of Vatican City, the bustle of Times Square, New York and rare live glimpses of Havana offer unique travel experiences. The assortment of live cameras also introduces viewers to antics of Seattle, Washington’s "Flapper The Duck", tests their patience watching a mussel grow on Prince Edward Island, Canada and invites visitors inside a Chicago condo where they can operate the camera and send an instant message on an LED sign. Also featured among the winning cameras are 24/7 sights of a wildlife watering hole in Botswana, Africa, as well as animals in the woods of western Pennsylvania, USA. Scenic vistas in Norway, a news studio cam in Milwaukee, WI and an eatery in London called the Tokyo Diner also offer intriguing possibilities. "We are delighted to recognize the talent, hard work and leadership of the winning webcam site creators and managers as they inform, educate and entertain the world. They are among the elite of the Internet," said Brian Cury, CEO and Founder of EarthCam. "We are also grateful for the time and efforts of EarthCam's VIP judging panel this year that included two movie industry giants, Michael Bay and Barry Josephson." Bay, Director of the blockbuster "Transformers", and Josephson, producer of the current number one movie, "Enchanted", joined other prominent judges from entertainment and business including Olympic Silver Medalist Gordy Sheer, Director of Marketing and Sponsorship for USA Luge; Lisa Hungness of the WildCam Program at National Geographic Society; Charnsin Tulyasathien, Sprint Product Management for Consumer Applications and GPS Solutions; Stefanie Luciano, VP of Marketing for Mountain Sports Media; and Ken and Sheryl Borton, producers of Gaylord, Michigan's world famous "Snowman Cam", a winner from last year's 25 Most Interesting Webcams. 25 Most Interesting Webcams (in alphabetical order): Bildersammlung - The beauty of Interlaken, Switzerland unfolds before visitors' eyes with live views from an excursion ferry that moves through scenic channels out onto the lake and into a colorful port. Hitting the play button on the sight unveils a time-lapse movie of the day's journey. Boca Raton, Lake Boca - A high-resolution scenic overview of sun and shadows dancing across Lake Boca in Boca Raton, FL, USA with the option to view the Boca Surf and visit a virtual photo gallery make this weather site a must for anyone yearning for Florida's year-round summer temperatures. Cape Town - Table Mountain - Dramatic by night and day the panoramic view across Cape Town Harbor includes Lion's Head on the right and Devil's Peak on the left. The busy harbor welcomes visitors and commerce to South Africa's third most populous city filled with luxury hotels and premier shops and often described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. CondoCam With LED Sign - Somewhere in the famed windy city of Chicago the friendly couple who own of this condo welcome visitors to check out their living room and leave a message on their LED sign. The days messages are saved on a scrolling window on their website. A fun visit. CubaCam - You can almost hear the music, taste a Mojito and smell Maduros cooking in this unique street level view in Havana. The various camera angles offer visitors a look at historic architecture and an occasional glimpse of an old perfectly preserved 1950's US model car used as a famous Havana Taxi. Deep Sea Underwater Cam - More than 30 meters deep in the Mediterranean Sea, these controllable cameras off the coast of Pantelleria, Italy offer adventurers unusual vantage points of exploration. Ancient artifacts are visible partially buried in the sand beneath the waves. Flapper the Duck - This whimsical wonder in the state of Washington has attained some celebrity status according to his owner. The pet duck, Mr. Flapper, spends his day hanging out in his Seattle back yard, for the entire world to see, waiting to be fed. In case you miss him live his adventures are archived. Fun for the whole family here. Giant Ocean Tank - This four-story high giant tank located at the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA, USA is a full motion live video visit to some of the most exotic wonders in the sea. Sharks, sea turtles, barracudas and hundreds of other species are constantly in motion, especially around feeding time. Hawaiian Tropic Zone - Multiple cameras including live streaming video welcome you with views, both outside and inside, of one of the most popular restaurant and lounges in Times Square. You can watch the Times Square, New York crowds and enjoy nightly beauty pageants at this site. Mussel Cam - At first glance the live look at this mollusk on Prince Edward Island in Canada may elicit a yawn. At second glance it doesn't seem to be doing anything and that is true of yet another look. But its keepers assure visitors it is in fact alive and growing and ask that you return to see the progress again and again. What they don't tell you is that it is destined to debut cooked along side home cut potato fries. MyFox Milwaukee Studio Cam 2 - Fox 6 TV News in Milwaukee offers viewers the option to sneak a peak at their studio 24/7 and watch the news broadcast from behind the scenes. An interesting insight into how news shows are produced - a welcome and interesting view from the other side of the broadcast media. Panda Cam - The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC is home to Tian Tian and MEI Xiang, and her cub Tai Shan. When not viewing the live webcast visitors can enjoy archived tender moments when the Giant Panda mother cuddled her newborn moments after birth. This site is addictive. Peggy's Cove Lighthouse - An extraordinarily beautiful live seascape in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada worth a virtual visit any time of day. High-resolution views of the lighthouse, built in 1868, are especially romantic at dusk. Penguin Cam - Chattanooga, TN may not be the natural habitat of Penguins but the city is home to a thriving penguin community. The Tennessee Aquarium's Penguin's Rock filled with gentoo and macaroni penguins in live streaming video are fun to watch and the place on the Internet to learn about the fun and fascinating creatures. PixController Wildlife Webcam - Whitetail Deer, raccoons, wild turkeys and gray foxes wander through the western Pennsylvania woods in Murrysville and two wireless cameras, including one turned on by nearby motion, capture their activities all day. The site is an excellent example of a place where technology meets the environment. Porec Cam - Nestled in a safe harbor, Porec was designated a city during the reign of Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus. Today multiple webcams share images of the 2,000-year-old city's streets and harbor with an eye-catching panoramic view, time-lapse movies and high-resolution glimpses of daily activity. Prague Cam - The oldest, most famous clock in Prague is located on the side wall of the Old Town Hall in the historic old town square in Prague, Czech Republic. An astounding 15th century mechanical achievement comes to life when bells toll each hour. Windows on the clock tower fling open and mechanical apostles led by Jesus Christ parade past the openings for crowds in the square to view. ringFM Cam - DJ's in Tartu, Estonia take center stage in this streaming video studio cam. Viewers listen to the music and watch them spin the latest tracks. It's an international rendezvous with Hip-Hop Estonian Style. Timberline Lodge - The view of Mt Hood from Timberline Lodge in Oregon dominates the multiple angles of the lodge and three exciting slopes. With an average snowfall of more than 400 inches annually, Timberline has the longest ski season in North America ready for a virtual visit from anywhere Times Square Cam Streaming - With more than 16 Times Square Cameras to choose from, none capture the excitement and the rush of Times Square, New York better. Both the sounds and the sights of the "International Crossroads of the World" are transmitted live worldwide 24/7. The Times Square Cam is one of the most visited webcam sites on the Internet. Tokyo Diner Cam - It's nowhere near Tokyo, but the food is authentic Japanese and the website is written in Japanese. There is always something going on at the Tokyo Diner and viewers see and hear it here - mostly in English, the local language of the Heart of London. Underwater Webcam Bonaire - Visitors enjoy a spectacular megapixel view of an undersea drop off and coral reef off the coast of Bonaire in the Netherlands, Antilles. The camera is located in the Bonaire National Marine Park and is one of the first undersea cameras installed. Varden.no - Norway Cams - Multiple cameras Skien, Norway, a city with a 1,000-year history, introduce Internet visitors to samples of the country's mountain slopes, neatly laid-out city scenes, and even close-ups of a soccer stadium. Vatican City Webcam - Stunning interactive views from the terrace of a hotel offering live views of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, as well as other familiar views of the "Eternal City". WildCam Africa - Live 24/7 from the Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana, Africa, watch tigers, elephants and zebras among other exotic creatures drink their fill. The sounds of the area, especially at night, make visitors feel as if they are hiding in the bush unnoticed by "the local residents". The best viewing times are 4-8pm (night) and 12-4am (dawn) ET. EarthCam.com is the leading network of live webcams and offers the most comprehensive search engine of webcams from around the world with more than 200,000 unique visitors daily. EarthCam provides complete infrastructure services to manage, host and maintain live streaming video camera systems for its corporate clients. Clients include Panasonic, Ford, NASA, Pfizer, This Old House, Sprint, Toyota, Yahoo!, Disney, Coca-Cola, Discover Card, Turner Construction, Bechtel Corp, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, numerous state and federal government agencies, and the Department of Homeland Security. EarthCam has webcast premier events such as international concerts, Emmy and Grammy Awards, Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageants, Mardi Gras, and New Year's Eve in Times Square. Visit EarthCam at www.earthcam.com. ### |
