Video status updates make text updates look sooo last year

Much of Twitter’s success comes down to its concise nature — make your point in just 140 characters or we cut you off. What began as a “status update” tool has rapidly grown into the web’s equivalent of a great snappy conversation around the world-wide-water-cooler.

But there is a new star on the horizon set to eclipse Twitter. A star that is just as concise. A star that is launchin as a “status update” but will no doubt soon become the ultimate source for sound bites: 12second.tv

12seconds is the next Twitter

It uses a familiar social media format to let users share, wait for it…12 seconds of video (I bet you didn’t see that coming)

Why only 12 seconds?
Because anything longer is boring. The scientists here at the 12seconds dodecaplex have conducted countless hours of research to determine the precise amount of time it takes for boredom or apathy to set in during typical Internet video viewing. Our patent pending Electro-Tear-Duct Prongers have determined that exactly 12 seconds of video is the ideal amount of time to keep anything interesting.

You can use your mobile phone!
You can record and share 12second updates with just about any mobile phone. Just record your video and email or MMS it to the unique email address we give you and you’re good to go.

12seconds is still in private alpha. I know it may seem a bit premature to feature such a service, but just the first few glimpses of it (you can watch five videos a minute!) has me hooked. This will no doubt be the Twitter of 2009 — you heard it here first.