PopTok lets movie snippets do the talking in online messaging

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Israeli startup PopTok on Monday began inviting people to test a free service that weaves snippets from memorable films or hot music videos into instant messages and email.

Instead of relying on abbreviations such as "LOL" to indicate "laugh out loud," people using PopTok can let movie characters, live or animated, do it for them in short clips dropped into conversations.

A friend's attention online can be grabbed with Denzel Washington delivering the movie line "I'd love to talk to you."

An Internet chat can be started with actor Charlie Sheen bidding someone "Good morning."

A pause in a messaging exchange can be met with Al Pacino's character in the film "Scarface" asking "Did you finish?"

"Everybody quotes films,"...