App of the Week: 1SE

Title: One Second Everyday (1SE)

Cost: $0.99

Platform: iOS

At the Alabama Library Association conference in April, I sat in on a Young Adult Services Round Table program on Apps. I was absolutely taken with a video application shared by YASRT Moderator Emily Seymour. It was similar to those photo-a-day flickr projects, but this one used video files. Emily said it had helped her become more mindful.

That sounded like the very opposite effect of too many technologies. I downloaded 1SE from my conference seat and started filming. The result was pretty fascinating.

Link to 1SE video for readers without Flash

While you could do the same sort of thing with more robust software, part of what makes 1SE so fun is that it is so unforgiving — the application pulls the video from your camera roll. You can’t manipulate the date, or stretch the video clip for any longer than that single second. Despite a date stamp and 1SE branding at the end of the product, the result is more organic and contemplative than you might expect.

One of the nicest features is that it copies the video into the application, so you can delete the source file. Once you compile the video, you can post to social media. You can set reminders from within 1SE to prompt you to capture your second.

Next year, I plan to use 1SE to capture one second everyday from my school library. I think the result would be a powerful advocacy message about the diversity of young people we serve and the range of their activities in the library. I also think it would be fun to vlog an outfit-of-the-day series.

An Android version of 1SE appears to be in development, too

For more app recommendations, check out the YALSA App of the Week Archive. If you have an app you think we should review, let us know!