YouTube has launched a new feature that will allow the service to compete better with televisions. Called Leanback, it will allow users to more easily watch HD video in full screen and make a playlist based upon videos the user watches.
Just as its name implies, YouTube Leanback is all about letting you sit back, relax and be entertained. Videos tailored to your interests play as soon as you visit the site and they play in full screen and high definition, continuously, said YouTube senior project manager Kuan Yong,. There s no need to click, search, or browse, unless you want to, of course. Watching YouTube becomes as easy as watching TV.
Playlists can be created based upon genre or what your friends on Facebook like. The Leanback beta is already receiving commentary and criticism.
“Whether they can win in the living room is the billion dollar question, said Ben Parr, co-editor of news website Mashable.com. It is just unclear if people want to watch YouTube video after YouTube video versus professionally made shows on the networks.”
“It’s the ultimate goal, after all: users being able to watch Internet video as passively as they do television with YouTube being the only channel just waiting for friend to upload the next home video of their bunny rabbit,” wrote Brian Barrett of Gizmodo.
Additionally, YouTube announced changes to their mobile site, increasing its speed and including features from the desktop version like search query suggestions, playlists and the ability to like or dislike videos. They expect that mobile devices will be more popular to connect to the internet than desktops within five years.
As the world continues to go mobile, we think this is a great improvement for users who want a more consistent YouTube across many devices, no matter where they are, said Andrey Doronichev, a YouTube product manager in a blog post.
Source: Toronto Sun
