What is Google TV?

The tweet is here. Welcome, Google TV.

Youtube lean back: According to the demo, youtube leanback will just start playing and there is no clicking involved. Videos based on recommendations (from your friends or people you subscribe) and channels will be available. Google says you will be able to lean back but keep control.
Sony: A full line of new televisions that work with Google TV.
Intel: Intel Atom will be powering all these devices.
More partners: Logitech, Dish network, Best Buy
Availability: Fall 2010, source will not be released until later

We will have to wait and see how consumers take it. The answer possibly lies, not in the big issues like openness and platforms but user experience and usability. One of the questions that we need answered is "What are the compelling reasons for me to change the way I watch TV?"

big news on Christina Aguilera's website... NOW!

As of this writing, Christina Aguilera's website at http://www.christinaaguilera.com/ has a countdown that says "big news in ..." and the countdown is at a little over four hours. 

screen capture from http://www.christinaaguilera.com/

From the singer of songs like Genie in a bottle (self-titled album), Dirrty (Stripped) and Candyman (Back to basics) comes yet another album Bionic. Aww, did I spoil your huge surprise? Well, to make things up, here is some of her finest... Enjoy!

Click through for Save me from myself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYxmS4UNrWY

and don't forget, less than four hours remains as I close this article. *Smiles Go to http://www.christinaaguilera.com/ now! (or just check iTunes later, if you so wish)

Youtube vs Viacom

The YouTube blog has a new post (by Zahavah Levine, YouTube Chief Counsel) and while this issue has garnered enough attention as it is, the issue deserves one more leg-up, no matter how small it is. These words from TechCrunch deserve your attention as well

it’s becoming clear that we can’t take everything that’s being said by either party at face value (as if we didn’t know that already).

Youtube homepage

The youtube homepage is down for me.Just for the record, I am sure Youtube is aware of it (unless it is a localized issue with me and my  eternally stupid firewall. Lets hope Youtube is going to announce more changes and bigger and better things are to come soon.It keeps on giving me these 500 error messages. 

Need a sample? Here you go:

500 Internal Server Error

Sorry, something went wrong.

A team of highly trained monkeys has been dispatched to deal with this situation.

Also, please include the following information in your error report:

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Google Music and possible short-term decline in Youtube traffic

As Google has come up with music search (example), it is possible that youtube might see a slight decline in views. I am sure a lot of people would like to get their hands on the data of the rise of Google Music and the change in youtube's traffic during the same time period.

view count lagging behind

This pertains to the previous blog post from youtube. It seems that the view count is lagging behind as I write this post. As you can see in the screen shot to the right, the viewcount only reads 311 when the ratings count reads 784. By the way, if you cannot find the previous post or would like to see the video on YouTube for some reason, please click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnSbpPXlmvo) Just to put the conspiracy minds to rest, I visited the link a few minutes myself and put the second screenshot up there too. :) 

Oh, and by the way, I would like to wish YouTube a very happy birthday (I don't know the exact dates) and congratulations on being the lovable giant that serves us over a billion video views every day.

Atma chintan se hi hoga atma parivartan

Here is the text of the youtube description:

"Asha Bhonsle ATMA CHINTAN SE HI HOGA VISHWA PARIVARTAN Extremely Soulful Meditation Song From Brahma Kumaris

Let Us All Take A Very Informed Oath That Each One Of Us Would Start This Process Of Transformation From This Very Moment." 

We can loosely translate "atma chintan" to self-meditation. or even introspection (thank you Dr. Ogden!). Similarly, self-change would probably be a good enough transliteration of "atma parivartan". The song says that self change is possible through introspection.Furthermore, to effect world change, one must first focus on self-change. 

Thus, according to the song, introspection, or self-meditation, is a way that can help one in one's way to change the world! 

Disclaimer: This is NOT a scholarly publication and may NOT be cited in academic papers. If you need help, free help is always available through the generous support of my beloved Wikipedians at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reference_desk/ 

Ciao!

Youtube Profile changes

Well, well, well ... if you are on youtube, check out this exciting blog post by a Youtuber to learn more about how to make your youtube profiles instantly editable and über-cool*. Check it out today, and remember, this magic is reversible until the fifteenth of July. So go ahead and knock yourself out!


* I concede that it is a shameless Brüno plug. Learn more on his Wikipedia article. Well, not that I am getting paid or anything for it ...

Zombie Bank

Featured on The New York Times, this video is catchy and very relevant.

Disclaimer: I was not involved in the production of this video.

Oh, and there was more ...