YouTube

1,661 'YouTube' stories May 2011 - September 2013

YouTube is Google's massive video streaming platform, accepting videos from creators large and small

YouTube is a major video platform owned by Google — and it has grown to be one of the most famous social media destinations on the web.

YouTube offline viewing coming soon – but no details revealed

Ben Lovejoy Sep 18 2013 - 5:29 am PT

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The YouTube Creator blog reveals that offline video viewing will be launched in November, but doesn’t reveal any details.

We’re always exploring ways to bring more viewers to your content. As part of this effort, later this year we’ll launch a new feature on YouTube’s mobile apps that will help you reach fans — even when they’re not connected to the Internet. This upcoming feature will allow people to add videos to their device to watch for a short period when an Internet connection is unavailable. So your fans’ ability to enjoy your videos no longer has to be interrupted by something as commonplace as a morning commute …
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Virgin Mobile YouTube channel using eye tracking to change ads as you blink

Jordan Kahn Sep 17 2013 - 6:49 am PT

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Virgin Mobile is testing out an interesting new technology on its YouTube page that will allow users to quickly skip over ads by simply blinking their eyes (via GigaOm). Virgin is calling the feature “BlinkWashing” and using your computer’s webcam in order to track eye movement and change ads as you blink.

If you head over to the Virgin YouTube page, you’ll see a blink washing tab where you can configure the feature by allowing access to your webcam and running through a short calibration process. Once you’ve set it up, the page will allow you to flip through a number of different videos just by blinking.

It’s not clear what Virgin plans on doing with the feature, or if it will just be a gimmicky marketing tool to bring people to its channel. Blinking doesn’t seem to be the ideal method of changing a video or skipping an ad, as you’ll often find yourself activating the blink washing accidentally or forcing yourself not to blink in order to make through an entire clip that you actually want to watch. Of course, we could see other implementations of similar eye and head tracking features in the future: Think scrolling and pausing video with head movements, much like Samsung and others have implemented on smartphones in recent years.

Samsung unveils the Galaxy Note 3 and 10.1 2014 edition with updated specs across the board

Seth Weintraub Sep 4 2013 - 10:11 am PT

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Samsung’s JK Shin today announced the Galaxy Note 3 at IFA today with improved LTE radios, better enterprise capabilities and improved specs. The Note 3 has a 5.7″ 1080p screen (up from 5.5″), 3GB of RAM (up from 2), 13 megapixel camera, 32/64GB storage, 3200mAh battery and a leather-like rear cover. It is also thinner and lighter even with the bigger display.

Samsung also updated the Note 10.1 2014 edition with better speakers, leather cover and display.

September 25th is the launch date and the products will roll out globally in October. Press releases and videos follow:
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YouTube retiring little-used video responses on Sept 12, developing ‘more effective fan engagement tools’

Jordan Kahn Aug 28 2013 - 7:02 am PT

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YouTube has announced on its YouTube Creators blog that it will be retiring the video response feature that allowed users to leave a video response in the comment field instead of the usual text comment. It’s likely not something that many users will even notice, as YouTube notes that video responses currently only have a click-through rate of about .0004%. That means only around 4 out of every 1 million users that see a video response actually click it. The feature will officially come to an end on September 12, but YouTube says it has plans to implement even better fan engagement tools in the near future:

So, on September 12 we’re going to retire this little-used feature as we work to develop more effective fan engagement tools for creators. The team is focused on enabling you to share video links in comments. Doing this in comments will let creators and viewers add more context to a video, and more context should drive more engagement.

Until the new fan engagement features for video comments roll out, YouTube provides a couple tips for finding and sharing video responses from fans:

In the meantime, you can continue to encourage fans to upload videos with specific titles, hashtags or descriptions (e.g., Video Response To Taylor Swift’s Video “22”), so you can find these by searching for them. If you want to highlight them, you can use playlists and channel sections instead of displaying these videos below yours. Any video responses you or your fans have made will still be available and discoverable.

Google reportedly blocking Android app for streaming local files to Chromecast

Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2013 - 10:01 am PT

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Developer of the third-party AllCast Android app, Koushik Dutta, says that Google’s latest software update for Chromecast blocks the app’s ability to stream local files to Google’s new $35 streaming device. The app had not yet made its way to Google Play, but Dutta claims (via TheVerge) that Google intentionally disabled support for AllCast in the latest Chromecast software update:

Heads up. Google’s latest Chromecast update intentionally breaks AllCast. They disabled ‘video_playback’ support from the ChromeCast application.Given that this is the second time they’ve purposefully removed/disabled[1] the ability to play media from external sources, it confirms some of my suspicions that I have had about the Chromecast developer program:

The policy seems to be a heavy handed approach, where only approved content will be played through the device. The Chromecast will probably not be indie developer friendly. The Google TV team will likely only whitelist media companies.

So far Google’s Chromecast only officially supports YouTube, Netflix, and content from Google Play, and to help it make deals with other big media companies it looks like it might have to limit access to streaming capabilities for third-party apps. The other side to that of course is that Chromecast allows users to stream a tab from the Chrome browser, which allows users to stream local content from their own devices anyway. Google hasn’t commented on the AllCast situation, but we’ll update you if we hear anything.

Google ready to raise its TV profile by spending $1B+ on NFL streaming deal?

Ben Lovejoy Aug 21 2013 - 5:15 am PT

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AllThingsD reports that Google may be in discussions with NFL to buy the rights to the Sunday Ticket package when DirectTV’s contract runs out at the end of the 2014 season.

Today, according to sources, Google CEO Larry Page, along with YouTube content boss Robert Kyncl, met with a delegation from the NFL led by commissioner Roger Goodell. And the Sunday Ticket package was among the topics of discussion, according to people familiar with the meeting …
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YouTube bringing video playback while searching, improved ChromeCast integration to Android, iOS apps

Mark Gurman Aug 20 2013 - 10:09 am PT

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir1xdtIb-g0&feature=player_embedded

Google has announced that is launching an update for its YouTube for Android and iOS applications that brings multiple new features. Notably, the app will now allow users to watch a video in the corner of the display while browsing and searching for other videos.

The app also gains support for viewing playlists and more content on mobile. Also new is deep integrated with the ChromeCast:

The Cast button on YouTube already lets you send YouTube videos from your phone or tablet to your connected TV, like on Chromecast, Google TV, Playstation 3 and other TVs. To make it easier to choose what to watch next, you’ll see a preview screen when your devices are connected and you select a video, with options to play the video to queue it up to watch next.

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Microsoft’s updated Windows Phone YouTube app blocked by Google

Scott Buscemi Aug 15 2013 - 10:13 am PT

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After Microsoft’s first attempt at a Windows Phone YouTube application was blocked by Google for violating the Terms of Service, this morning the company’s second attempt has also been blocked due to the same issue, according to The Verge. This is despite the two companies working together to build the HTML5 application.

The Verge posts the following quote from a Google spokesperson:

“Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service. It has been disabled. We value our broad developer community and therefore ask everyone to adhere to the same guidelines.”

Microsoft told TechCrunch that they are “working with [Google] to resolve the issue.”

We’ll update this post as more details arise.

Here’s To Change … of ad direction: full HTC ad now out, and it’s not pretty

Ben Lovejoy Aug 14 2013 - 7:15 am PT

3 Comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVE1OcfB1E4

HTC’s rebranding campaign, teased a couple of days ago, is not off to a good start …
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YouTube to live stream Kings of Leon concert tonight w/ controllable 360 degree camera

Jordan Kahn Aug 9 2013 - 6:29 am PT

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XURK5fviu38

This certainly isn’t the first time YouTube has live streamed a concert. Most recently the site live streamed the weekend long Lollapalooza festival from Chicago and it’s been hosting its own AMEX Unstaged series that brought live streamed concerts from Coldplay, Usher, Jack White and many, many more. However, tonight’s live stream of the Kings of Leon concert live from London will be the first time YouTube busts out a new 360 degree camera that will let viewers control every angle of the show while it happens.

For the first time on YouTube, watch the live stream through a 360 degree camera you control to see the event from all angles. This concert marks the latest in our AMEX Unstaged series that pairs musical artists and film directors to create innovative performances. Actor, comedian and drummer Fred Armisen will direct the concert at London’s Shepherd’s Bush, webcast globally on Vevo and YouTube.

The concert and live stream kick off at 9 p.m. GMT (4 p.m. EST) on Vevo and YouTube.

Wondering why YouTube keeps buffering on your high-speed connection? It’s no accident …

Ben Lovejoy Jul 29 2013 - 6:00 am PT

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Image: techinasia.com

If, like me, you often find that 1080p content on youtube buffers even when your download speed is more than sufficient to stream HD content, arsTechnica has the explanation.

Behind the scenes, in negotiations that almost never become public, the world’s biggest Internet providers and video services argue over how much one network should pay to connect to another. When these negotiations fail, users suffer. In other words, bad video performance is often caused not just by technology problems but also by business decisions made by the companies that control the Internet …
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Google announces $35 Chromecast, a small HDMI stick that shifts video from mobile to TV

Seth Weintraub Jul 24 2013 - 9:56 am PT

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Google just seemingly ‘cast’ its Google TV project to the curb. As a much simpler version of GoogleTV, the leaked Chromecast allows you to do what you can now do on Google TV: pushing content from both Netflix and Youtube to your TV. Unlike Airplay, the Chromecast stick allows the original device to turn off or go to sleep. It functions as a standalone streaming device, awaiting orders from an iOS device, Android device, or Chrome browser on a PC, Mac or Chromebook Pixel (strangely, other Chromebooks need not apply).

Google has also baked in iOS support, which will allow users of both platforms to control Netflix or Youtube. You can also broadcast a tab in the Chrome Browser.

Google Play music and movies can also ‘cast’ to the best speakers in your house as long as those are connected to your TV. Pandora is coming soon.

It will be available from Google Play, Amazon and Best Buy as well as other retailers. We’ll have a review up as soon as possible.
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YouTube launches embeddable subscribe button for websites

Jordan Kahn Jul 24 2013 - 6:52 am PT

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Starting today, YouTube is rolling out a new embeddable subscribe button that will allow users to subscribe to channels from outside of YouTube. Channel owners can embed the new subscribe button on their websites and else where using the code below. Above is an example of the new subscribe button embedded on Vice.com.

To put the subscribe button on your site, just embed the code below like you’d embed a YouTube video.

<script src=”https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js”></script>

<div data-channel=”Your Channel Name Here”>

</div>

Check out this documentation if you want to customize the button or dive into the details.

Superheroes, comics, gaming, science and sci-fi: YouTube announces Geek Week

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2013 - 6:40 am PT

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With geeks now cool, YouTube has announced that August 4-10 is Geek Week, with more than 100 channels celebrating superheroes, comics, gaming, science and sci-fi.

YouTube has become a top destination for fans everywhere to create, share and watch geek content. That’s why on August 4-10 we’ll celebrate this content with a special programming event: our first-ever YouTube Geek Week at YouTube.com/GeekWeek.

Produced in conjunction with geek powerhouse Nerdist in the U.S. and Channel Flip in the U.K., Geek Week will showcase more than 100 channels that fans love, unveiling new videos, series premieres and creative collaborations, as well as highlighting some of the best geek videos and shows already on YouTube.

YouTube says that more than half of its top 20 non-music channels are geek-orientated.

Via Engadget

Pre-order your 1080P Nexus 7 at Best Buy (or PC Connection, Sam’s Club) now, before it is announced

Seth Weintraub Jul 24 2013 - 12:19 am PT

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Sadly, there are no more secrets left to reveal here. We’d already seen the Best Buy circular and inventory system and we knew the specs which include Android 4.3 and $230-$270 price tag for 16GB and 32GB. But now you can, well, buy them. People should start getting them before the end of the month. Unless they come sooner.

16GB: $229 | 32GB: $259

Here’s Best buy’s spec list:

Enjoy your media on the go with this Google Nexus 7 tablet, which features a 7″ 10-finger capacitive touch screen with IPS technology that simplifies navigation and delivers vibrant images. Wi-Fi makes it easy to surf the Web.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Google Nexus 7 7 inch Tablet with 16GB Memory
1-cell lithium-polymer battery
Adapter, power plug
Owner’s manual

PRODUCT FEATURES

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system Along with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 8064 processor with a 2MB L2 cache and 1.5GHz processor speed allows you to stay connected and productive on the go.
Built-in 802.11a/b/g/n wireless LAN Connect to the Internet without wires.
2GB DDR3LM memory For multitasking power.
7″ LCD high-definition 10-finger capacitive touch screen With IPS technology, 300 cd/m² brightness, 178° viewing angles and 1920 x 1200 resolution offers easy operation and provides crystal-clear visuals.
Scratch-resistant glass helps guard the display against damage. Antifingerprint technology minimizes smudging for enhanced clarity.
16GB on-board flash memory Offers plenty of space for your music, movies, photos, apps and more.
Adreno 320 graphics For lush images with precise detail.
5.0MP rear-facing and 1.2MP front-facing webcams Make it easy to video chat with loved ones.
Micro USB 2.0 port with SlimPort For fast digital video, audio and data transfer.
Bluetooth 4.0 Easily link with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a mobile phone or MP3 player.
Weighs only 11.2 oz. and measures just 0.3″ thin For lightweight portability. Sensors include G-sensor, ambient light, Ecompass, gyroscope and proximity.
Preloaded apps Include Google Search by Voice 2.1, Gmail, Google Talk, Google Maps, Google Street View, YouTube, Android Market and more.

Here’s the gallery from Best Buy:

Best Buy

It is showing up also at PC connection

Also, Droid-Life notes that it’s at Sam’s Club too.
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YouTube

Google (mostly YouTube) accounts for a quarter of all North American internet traffic

Jordan Kahn Jul 22 2013 - 8:25 am PT

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According to new data from analytics firm Deepfield (via Wired), Google services now account for an incredible 25% of traffic on all internet providers in North America. Not only is that significantly more than Netflix, it’s a huge increase from the approximately 6 percent Google held just three years ago. As noted in the report, Google now measures in at more than Netflix, Facebook, and Twitter combined, but mostly due to YouTube:
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Chrome for iOS adds support for opening links in Google apps, voice & text-to-speech enhancements, fullscreen iPad, & data cost savings

Jordan Kahn Jul 17 2013 - 11:12 am PT

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Image (1) chrome-a_512.png for post 72530 Google has just issued a big update to its Chrome app for iPhone and iPad that brings new “interoperability with other Google Apps” and a number of other notable features. That means that you’ll now be able to open all links for YouTube, Maps, Google+ and Drive in their native apps instead of in the browser.

The update also brings enhancements to the newly introduced voice search capabilities, including: always visible controls from the toolbar and text-to-speech support for “all variations of English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean.”

Other improvements in today’s update include fullscreen support on iPad, easier access to browser history, and, according to Google, data cost savings:

Reduce data usage and speed up page load times. View data savings in Bandwidth Management settings. This feature is being rolled out and will be available to all users over time.

Google explained the experimental data cost savings feature in a whitepaper when it was first introduced on Android. Google said its tests showed the feature will reduce data usage by up to 50%:
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YouTube Capture adds support for accounts with multiple channels, performance improvements

Jordan Kahn Jul 8 2013 - 1:33 pm PT

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Google updated its YouTube Capture app for iPhone and iPad today with support for YouTube account users with multiple channels and a couple other performance enhancements.

Also included in version 1.5 is improved uploading on devices still running iOS 5.

A full list of what’s new below:

What’s New in Version 1.5

– Support for YouTube accounts with multiple channels.
– Better uploading on iOS 5 devices.
– General improvements.

Google asked to explain why it sells ads on YouTube videos “promoting illegal acts”

Ben Lovejoy Jul 3 2013 - 4:38 am PT

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Two Attorneys General have written to Google to ask why it profits from advertising on YouTube videos which “depict or even promote dangerous or illegal activities.”

The letter follows the publication of a report by the Digital Citizens Alliance entitled Google, YouTube and Evildoers: Too Close for Comfort, presented to the National Association of Attorneys General last month. DCA Executive Director Tom Galvin commented then:

Google has allowed thousands of videos to exist on YouTube that offer drugs, prostitution, forged passports, counterfeits and content theft. Worse, they have profited from them by running ads in conjunction with these videos. Hopefully, the attorneys general will be able to get answers others have failed to get. Namely why such an important, otherwise great company is putting profit over the safety of Internet users. When Google finally takes steps to ensure these dangerous videos are gone for good from YouTube, the Internet will be a safer place.

Given fierce rivalry between Microsoft and Google, however, it pays to be a little circumspect in giving too much weight to organisations whose sources of funding are not clearly stated. We’ll await Google’s response with interest.

The vast majority of Google’s revenue comes from ad sales, with Google leading the market in the sale of mobile ads in particular.

Wimbledon tournament to be live streamed on YouTube

Chance Miller Jun 21 2013 - 5:25 pm PT

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YouTube announced in a blog post today that it will be live streaming the 2013 Wimbledon tennis tournament. The event kicks of on June 24th and this will mark the first time that it has been streamed on YouTube. The two plan to offer interviews, behind the scenes footage, exclusive live look-ins, and more for the two-week tournament.

Catch the key moments of the tennis, interviews, behind the scenes and press conferences throughout the Wimbledon fortnight. You can also relive all the glory days of Wimbledon’s golden moments, such as one of the greatest matches ever played, the 2008 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer.

Tennis player Bethanie Mattek-Sands has also been taking Google Glass for a spin and was featured in the company’s latest “Explorer Story” video. You can watch it down below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_iMA-y_4KwA

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YouTube app for iOS updated with suggestions for what to watch next

Mark Gurman Jun 20 2013 - 10:43 am PT

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Simultaneous with Instagram’s video-focused update, Google’s YouTube video service has updated its iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch application with a couple of neat new features. For those interested in receiving suggestions for which video to watch next, the YouTube iOS app can now provide overlaid suggestions. Additionally, closed-captioning support is available for live-streamed video. Stability improvements, including fixes for app crashes, are also available in this free (version 1.4) update.

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Google rolls out new slow motion enhancement tool for YouTube

Jordan Kahn May 29 2013 - 5:40 am PT

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YouTube has been adding a lot of new options and tools over the last year, most recently adding the ability for the majority of content creators to live stream right on their channel. Today yet another tool is rolling out to users and this time it comes in the form of a new Enhancement tool that allows creators to add a slow motion effect to their videos to give the impression “it was filmed with a high-speed camera.” You can try out the new effect now:

To create a slomo video, visit the Enhancements tool or the YouTube Editor and apply it to one of your existing videos. You’ll get a smooth, slomo video that makes it look like it was filmed with a high-speed camera.

Microsoft’s internal “Scroogled” video leaks, mocks Google’s own Chrome ads [video]

Jordan Kahn May 16 2013 - 8:41 am PT

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Another instalment in Microsoft’s “Scroogled” smear campaign attempting to point out the downsides of using Google services. While Microsoft has released many ads attacking Gmail, search and other Google products as part of the 7 figures it plans to drop on the campaign, this one was apparently supposed to be an internal video for employees anyway.

Whether it was a controlled leak or not, the ad, which takes cues from one of Google’s own Chrome ads, has happened to make its way online right in the middle of Google I/O and it doesn’t appear that a take down notice is getting issued.

Google has responded to the ads several times calling Microsoft’s approach ‘misleading and intellectually dishonest.’
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Google I/O 2013 Keynote posted to Youtube

Seth Weintraub May 15 2013 - 10:10 pm PT

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If you weren’t able to follow along live earlier today, Google’s just posted an archive of today’s event. So block out your next 4 hours or just skip to CEO Larry Page’s impromptu Q&A at the end like me.
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