Entertainment: YouTube

YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing site that anybody can upload videos to. The material is however checked by YouTube so that no inappropriate material or material is copyright infringed. Material includes movie trailers, music videos, tv show clips and video blogs (vlogs). Youtube can set videos for only registered users because some material could be considered explicit (for over 18s only). Google brought YouTube in 2006 for $1.65billion.

The YouTube homescreen.

What is YouTube?



Features:

• YouTube allows users to upload videos (icluding a feature that allows users to upload video straight from a webcam). This allows people to share opinions easily, however some countries have taken this "freedom" as a dangerous oppurtunity for activists: in 2008, Morocco shut down access to YouTube. YouTube is also currently blocked in Turkey after after controversy over videos deemed insulting to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.The good side is that users can easily share there favourite moments with friends and family.
• YouTube has an infamous feature known as "YouTube Disco" where the user types in their favourite artist and the website creates a continuous playlist of that artist. It is useful for people that can't afford to buy the artist's album, however the system is not perfect and it can "lag" between songs.



The YouTube Disco homescreen.



• In 2009, YouTube introduced the feature to watch some videos in 3D using the simple anaglyph method, icluding the "cross-eyed" method. This was introduced when the 3D "hype" came back with the first fully-filmed in stereoscopic 3D movie "Avatar" was released in late 2009. The feature is very clever however the user needs to buy 3D glasses to watch most of the videos.  It has helped film makers world wide to develop and experiment in the third dimension.

The 3D option shown on the toolbar of the video.

An example of a 3D video.

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  An advertisement on YouTube.

  Adverts now appear on youtube at the end of videos. These are often adverts that relate to the audience of the video. Many users are finding adverts a distraction and annoying, YouTube should be for entertainment not advertisement. Howver, YouTube requires money to run, and if videos are free, this is the only way an income can be obtained. Without adverts, YouTube would not be running.

• Many companies have found another way of advertisement; Viral videos. This is where companies produce popular videos that discreetly mentions or shows their brand. It will also add humour so that they can entertain their user whilst advertising at the same time. Some "YouTubers" find virals annoying because some of the stunt virals are fake, and if it's fake it's less "entertaining". One of the most pouplar viral campaigns is by Blendtec, where viewers are asked "Will it blend?" with various different products.

An episode of "Will it blend?"

News Stories Relating to Online Entertainment

• In 2009, YouTube decided to block the UK from watching US music video, this caused a lot of argument between british citizens and YouTube. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7933565.stm
• Russia bans YouTube due to a "Racist" Video.  http://mashable.com/2010/07/28/youtube-banned-russia/
  

Entertainment: SeeSaw

SeeSaw
SeeSaw is an online entertainment site that allows internet to watch tv programmes from over 3500 hours of free tv. The user also has the option to rent "premium" tv shows over 30 days from a price of 99p. SeeSaw provides TV shows from; BBC, Channel 4, Five, Universal and MTV. 

A screenshot showing a user watching "The Inbetweeners".
This is an example of an archived TV Show, where users
can watch any of the old series episodes for free.

What Is SeeSaw?

Features:

• The website allows users to watch hundreds of TV shows for free. However this can be subject to piracy issues. If the video is free, users can download software to record what's on screen and copy to files or DVDs, these can then be sold or distributed illegally. Users also must have an internet connections so that they can access the videos. On the other hand this service makes it easier for people who cannot afford DVD box sets, allowing them to watch almost any program for free, right at their computer.
• Users can "rent" premium TV shows from both the UK and US. These are shows such as "Heroes" and "Spooks". Most of these episodes cost 99p to rent which is affordable, especially over a lengthy 30 day period. The benefit of renting TV shows is that the user can then watch the program without being connected to the internet, as it has been downloaded to their PC, however after 30 days, it automatically deletes itself. The main problem with the renting feature is once again, piracy. Hackers or professional "pirates" can edit the file codes so that it does not automatically delete itself, allowing the TV show to be watched without a time constraint.
• SeeSaw allows users to share what they are watching with their facebook friends and twitter followers. This feature is useful as it allows friends to help eachother discover new shows which can widen their entertaiment experience.
• The website is safe and legal, therefore it prevents piracy and other illegal sites being used. However, screen recording software could still be used to copy tv shows to files and DVDs.