Last month we announced our brand new short video-based dapp Hot or Not on ICP, and it’s out now!
We have a ton of retouches and new features that are a part of this version of the app. It has a slick new interface and contains an infinite feed of videos right as you open it. This makes sure that the first thing you see when you open the app is actual content (the thing you came to us for ;) ). This content is also specially curated just for you. As you use the app, an algorithm will decide what content is served to you. The factors are chosen to make sure that you always enjoy what you watch. With this app, we’ve focused on user experience as a top priority. The algorithm is not static and we hope to make it open to community voting as we grow.
The app right now constitutes two user experiences: the viewer experience and the creator experience.
As a viewer, the home page will be all you need. It has a feed of videos, along with all the interactions like likes and shares available. All actions will be done either through presses or swipes to provide a flawless and effortless experience. This is just the beginning though, as we will soon add a whole new dimension to this experience in our later updates, so stay tuned for that!
But, like any other social media app, a viewer is not the only party involved, so we’ve also made a section solely for the creator. The Camera menu is filled with features to make the content-making experience fun and easy. Creators can make their videos right there in the app with our included camera system and filters, or they can import any pre-made videos if they desire total control over the content that is being published.
Hot or Not is built on-chain powered by the Internet Computer, which means it supports a special login system in the form of Internet Identity. Internet Identity combines cryptographic security with convenience and low friction, not requiring passwords or your personal information. Obviously, login can also be done via a person’s existing accounts (gmail, etc) through NFID which doesn’t only provide ease of use, but also the security that comes with Internet Identity. Every logged in user of the app gets their own canister (a super-powered smart contract) which stores all their information and app data, making it one of the first truly scaleable dapps in the world.
Having an account is not a requirement to enjoy the app, just a recommendation to enjoy its feature set to the fullest as having an account will enable better a better feed experience and it will also enable some special upcoming features.
Having an account also means you get to have a profile. A profile is your own page with your personalised profile picture and name. Your proof of existence on the app. It contains any videos that you might’ve posted extending your presence on the platform. It is also required to enable liking and creation of posts.
Apart from the actual interface, there are a lot of factors that make our app a better experience than other similar apps. For example, its existence on-chain allows each user the capability of identifying the ownership of any content posted on it, enhanced by a multi-canister architecture, which is huge for any social media app, especially video-based ones such as TikTok, Youtube, and Hot or Not.
Being on-chain also provides us, and by extension our users, with alternative monetisation pathways that would eliminate the need for advertisements, allowing users to enjoy the platform seamlessly while receiving fair revenue shares. More on this in the coming weeks!
We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received in the last month and we thank you for coming on this journey with us. Stay tuned! LFG!
