What the Tech? 2022 App of the Year: Beem

(ABC 6 News) – First, it was Zoom live video conferences that literally changed the way companies and businesses could meet and work together. Now, new technology in the form of an app aims to beam a holographic-type image using just a smartphone.

Beem is a smartphone app for both Android and iOS devices that allows the sender to “beem” themselves in a message where they appear in the home or workplace of the person receiving the message. Remember when Princess Leia from Star Wars sent a hologram of herself through R2D2? Beem isn’t a holograph so to speak, but it’s pretty darn close if you are watching the message on a smartphone screen.

Here’s how it works:

In the Beem app, the sender records a video message, currently a 15-second message. It’s important to place your phone on a steady surface such as a desk or using a smartphone tripod. It’s also more effective if the person recording the message is in the camera frame standing so you are recording from your feet to the top of your head.

Record the message through the camera and when you’re pleased with it, tap a button to send the video “into the metaverse” as the app explains. After processing your beem is ready to send through a text message, social media post, or email.

The person receiving the message simply taps on the link and gives Beem permission to use the camera, microphone, and the phone’s gyroscope. The receiver does not need the Beem app installed on their phone.

Once the message is received and permissions granted, the receiver is shown their surroundings on the screen. Tap on the floor and the Beem begins playing, showing the video message as if the person is standing right in front of you.

Beem was released in February 2022. Beem has big plans for the technology and plans to offer 2-way video messaging in the future. Right now, you can record and send Beem messages and post them to social media or with a QR code link. If you have a green screen, you have the ability to beem live video messages.

There have been some hiccups. When the app was first released videos took only a few minutes to process. Recently, I’ve found videos can take hours if they process at all. The app is being updated regularly and there are Beem apps in both the Google Play Store for Android devices and Apple’s App Store for iPhones.

If you’d like to try it for yourself, tap on THIS link on your smartphone.