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If you go onto YouTube today you may notice something different and although you may be a regular visitor, you could still not notice for half an hour like me.  If you don’t want me to spoil it for you (assuming you didn’t read the title of this post) run off to http://www.youtube.com and see if you can spot anything different, but for those who don’t like a challenge, who are lazy, or never go on YouTube here it is…

YouTube has finally gone widescreen. 

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Sections: Video, Web, Web 2.0, Websites, Online Music/Video, Google

Whoa, Netflix!  First came the Watch Instantly on the PC, then dedicated boxes, then Mac, then yesterday’s announcement of Xbox and now this one: TiVo will stream Netflix content on series 3, HD and HD XL receivers and up (sorry DirecTV users, no soup for you).  Hot dang, what is next for Netflix, streaming on my toaster?

For TiVo, this is huge news.  TiVo’s loyal army surely has been considering their options as aged equipment, user interface and attractive alternative offers have been rolling in from providers.  TiVo begins testing the service in select markets today and plans to offer it nationwide by early December so you’ll have plenty of time to go back and forth on deciding for a holiday gift.

No news yet on if the HD recievers TiVo offers will get Netflix HD content.

Read [NewTeeVee]

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Disney movies, independent films, anime and Bollywood flicks have something in common – starting soon, you’ll be able to download them directly to your TiVo.  TiVo has struck deals with Disney, CinemaNow and Jaman.com to get new downloadable content to TiVo boxes everywhere. 

The content will be rolled out over the next couple of weeks.  Stuff from Jaman.com, like indy films, anime, and Bollywood flicks, will be available today.  CinemaNow brings the Disney content and that won’t be available until next week.  More information, including pricing, after the break.

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Finishing up it’s two-day convention in San Fransisco yesterday, YPulse National Mashup is a yearly event that brings together youth media and marketing professionals from brands, agencies, and the non-profit sector to share practices for reaching today’s totally wired youth. And this year’s findings were a rather obvious one for anyone walking around any school, mall, or other teen gathering place. Teens are becoming more and more mobile and cell companies, advertisers, and other media companies plan to be sure to capitalize on this.

And capitalize on it they will indeed be able to.  It’s estimated that teens wield a whopping $200 billion annually in discretionary spending. Yep, you read that correctly, and it wasn’t a typo. Two-hundred BILLION. Today’s kids must be charging much more for lawn-mowing services than back in the day, or else get one heck of an allowance.

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Sections: Communications, Mobile, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Web

Although we have already seen the migration of YouTube video content into our living room TV. HP wants to up the notch a step higher by bringing you a better video watching experience with its HP MediaSmart Products that include the MediaSmart Connect digital media receiver and the high-definition MediaSmart TV.

Yes dear readers, with this tie-up between HP and YouTube, you will be able to watch and share full-screen videos on your HDTVs. You can also create multiple playlists from anywhere you watch TV. Even sweeter is the fact that just like the old habit of slacking on your couches and watching your favorite TV shows from morning till dawn, you can do all these things using your HDTVs remote control,. Only this time, you have a full YouTube video database to watch, which if you would calculate, could probably last you a lifetime to finish watching.

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Sections: Video, Content, Video Providers, Web, Downloads, Online Music/Video

AT&T has announced a repackaged version of its successful mobile content shop, and is branding it Media Mall 2.0. The Media Mall 2.0 will have a new feature called “try-before-you-buy.” This feature allows consumers to try the mobile content first directly from their cellphone before having to make the purchase. The redesigned Media Mall 2.0 will provide AT&T subscribers with a selection of 90,000 games, full songs and ringtones.

Mark Collins, vice president of Consumer Data for AT&T’s wireless unit envisions that the Media Mall 2.0 will be a one-stop shop for mobile content and applications. Hence the need for the remodeling.

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Microsoft have recently announced deals with Sony BMG and MTV Networks that will significantly increase the amount of professional content on its European video sites. The drive behind this is an attempt to capture more of the online video advertising market, which experts predict will be the fastest growing segment for some time to come.

So what does the new deal mean in real terms for people in Europe? Well viewers of MSN in UK, France and Germany will be able to access a large amount of Sony BMG’s catalog, including videos from artists such as Avril Lavigne, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, and Justin Timberlake. So not all good news then!

To date Microsoft has been a small player in the online video market, and they will be hoping to change that with this deal, but somehow it doesn’t have “breakthrough” written all over it to me!

Via [The Times]

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Sections: Web, Online Music/Video