Google Targets Austin; AT&T too

With plenty of fanfare, Google announced that Austin, TX will be the next test market for its Gigabit data/video network.  Google indicated that it hoped that it will be providing its Gigabit network to consumers starting in 2014.  Google's already built a Gigabit network in Kansas City, offering data speeds three times faster than its nearest major competitor (Verizon) offers in a few markets, and thirteen times faster than AT&T's current fastest standard offering.

   AT&T, who currently provides its U-Verse data/video service in Austin, responded by committing to upgrading their network to Gigabit speeds, as part of their Project VIP broadband expansion efforts - if it can get the same terms and conditions from local authorities that they will offer Google. 

"AT&T is making the point that they could make a lot more investments in many of their communities, absent the regulatory burdens which every community puts on providers," said Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan.

City officials indicated that Google wasn't getting the kinds of special deals in Austin that they had negotiated in Kansas City.  The only Austin "deals" that have been made public call for Google to connect some 100 public facilities to the Gigabit network, as well as offer free low bandwidth (5 Mbs) Internet service (for at least seven years) to anyone paying a one-time construction/connection fee (the amount for Austin residents was yet to be determined, but was $300 in Kansas City).
  There are two other Gigabit speed networks currently providing residential service in the US - one in Chattanooga, TN, the other in the San Francisco Bay area - but those are significantly more expensive (around $250-300 a month, without digital video) than Google's KC rates ($120 a month).  And if AT&T and Verizon start building competitive Gigabit networks, the competition should help keep prices low.

Source -  Google, AT&T target Austin for high-speed internet,  TelecommEngine.com

Smartphones, Google Now, and Intelligent Agents

Smart mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, are quickly reaching the point where they will have the technology capable of becoming a truly Intelligent Agent (IA). The notion of intelligent agents has been around a while, with roots in the AI (artificial intelligence) and digital/ computing futurist communities.  The essence of the idea is an autonomous system that can take independent action on the part of users, based on observation of current context and what it learns from observing previous user choices and behaviors.  Or more colloquially, a digital personal concierge or personal assistant that can provide you what you want or need, when you need it.
  James Kendrick, in a post on ZDNet, suggests that we're quickly getting to the point where your smartphone can become your personal assistant and usher in a "new dawn of usefulness."  He spins a story of how smartphones as personal assistants can aid users throughout a typical day.  It's a nice example of "design fiction," where stories are told to illustrate the potential of technologies and applications.  (I still think that Corning's A Day Made of Glass is one of the best examples - and reflects many of the same uses and benefits, although displayed on a wide variety of nearby screens.  Still, you can think of the personal smartphone as the mobile interface that drives all the screens in the "Glass" world).
  Smartphones are personal mobile devices, and thus are in a good position to observe and record individual contexts, choices, and behaviors.  Current smartphones already combine anytime/anywhere access to the Internet and its wealth of information, geolocation tracking and apps, and the ability to monitor and record basic personal information and individual choices and behaviors that occur through the device. Recommendation systems are here and improving (if narrowly focused) - both Amazon and Netflix have strong recommendation engines that track user preferences and can autonomously search for and recommend alternatives that might be of interest.  Is this enough to usher in a new dawn of smartphones as intelligent agents?

  I'd argue that these factors alone aren't quite enough.  You also need to factor in the other side of the interactions - the wide variety of devices and systems that an intelligent agent will need to interact with.  The coffee machine in the kitchen, to start it brewing, monitoring and tracking public transportation, making reservations at restaurants, etc.  So far, only bits and pieces of digital systems are interconnected at the level envisioned in Intelligent Agent design fiction.
  Another issue is the question of the processing power, and storage capacity, needed for the better recommendation systems.  Current generation smartphones aren't up to the task, yet. For now, quality recommendation systems reside on their hosts systems, although their results are accessible on mobile devices.  In addition, even the best of existing recommendation systems are several steps below the level of artificial intelligence envisioned for Intelligent Agents.  The applications are extremely narrow, with minimal tracking of preferences and applied to fairly static inventory of choices.
  And then there's data service pricing.  Intelligent personal agents need to be active almost continuously - monitoring locations, searching for relevant information, updating personal preferences. They will generate significant data flows, particularly if hosted on the mobile devices.  As mobile service providers move from unlimited data pricing packages to data caps with punitive overage charges, users may not be able to (or want to) absorb the costs of operating Intelligent Agents.  And costs could skyrocket if the systems an agent queries for information charge for that access and use.
  Then there's the issue of mobile network capacity, when everyone's Intelligent Agents are driving those high levels of data flows simultaneously.  The London Olympics gave an unanticipated answer to the question of capacity, when the data flows from spectator smartphones along the cycling road course overwhelmed the official GPS tracking app designed to show where individual riders were during the race.  And for mobile IAs, that capacity needs to be wireless.  There is intense competition among the myriad users of radio spectrum, so it's not clear whether the mobile bandwidth needed will be forthcoming.
  The advent of Cloud computing and storage does provide a technological framework for hosting personal Intelligent Agents off-device - although serious issues have yet to be resolved.  Among them: the costs of required data storage and processing; privacy and data security concerns related to personal information and behaviors; offline back-up and restoration of agents in case of emergencies or failure of online systems; etc..
  Still, the technological and programming foundations for mobile-based Intelligent Agents exists today, although not at the level that experts expect IAs will need for smooth, efficient, and effective performance.  And you can see the beginnings of smart personal agents (not quite IA) emerge in prototype applications like Google Now.

  Google Now, at least in terms of what is envisioned, looks to be that kind of personal assistant - using smartphones to provide real-time location data to mesh with personal information (calendars, contacts, email) and public data feeds to create "cards" of relevant information that users can choose to access.  It looks to be using the Cloud to record location and Web browsing histories, and to perform the information processing needed to develop pre-packaged templates of personalized information that users can choose to access..  Bundled with the recent 4.1 upgrade for Android OS, it provides a glimpse (limited and imperfect) of what personal digital assistants and mobile Intelligent Agents can be.

Sources -  Smartphone of the not-too-distant future, your personal assistant,  ZDNet.com
Reading the tea leaves of Google Now, c/net.com

Slight editing for typos and clarity.

Google dumps its TV Ads, shifts to Online Video

Five years ago, Google introduced Google TV Ads, an auction-based system designed to provide an easy entry for novice TV advertisers.  While the system was seen as being successful, and had developed arrangements with stations reaching 42 million homes, Google has decided to shutter the last of its systems for buying and placing ads in traditional media (Google had closed similar systems for radio and newspapers in 2009).  Google's TV Ads system will be phased out over the next few months, as current ad campaigns come to an end.

In announcing the close-down, Google executive Shishir Mehrota noted that

“video is increasingly going digital and users are now watching across numerous devices … We’ll be doubling down on video solutions for our clients (like YouTube, AdWords for Video, and ad serving tools for Web video publishers. We also see opportunities to help users access Web content on their TV screens, through products like Google TV.”

  Recent reports suggest that the online advertising market is set to grow significantly.  The market for online video advertising, while still young, should meet or exceed the growth rates for online advertising as a whole.  In addition, recent research suggests that advertising in online videos is accepted by viewers - if it's seen as a subsidy for content access - and can be effective (particularly in mobile settings),  While it's troubling to see a major player dumping traditional media, I suspect that Google's shift in strategy will be successful in the long run.

Source -  Google TV Ads Shuttered,  MediaDailyNews

Google Fiber Goes Live, Google Enters TV (MVPD) Biz

Google's first major fiber network overbuild went live in Kansas City Thursday, offering TV and internet service.  Google's stated intention is to compete with Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse services, and the initial offering looks to be competitive.
  The posted price for the TV/Internet bundle is $120 a month.  The Internet service ($70/month if separate) promises Gigabit data rates (1000 Mbps), and comes with 1 Terabyte of digital storage via Google Drive.  The Gigabit Google Fiber TV promises "hundreds of on-demand shows and channels", DVR storage space, and access to movies through Netflix and YouTube.  The kicker is that Gooble will throw in its new Nexus 7 tablet to serve as a remote (and offers a discounted Chromebook as an alternative0, AT&T's U-verse offers TV/Internet/Phone bundles from $89 to $166 per month - with more TV channels, but significantly slower data speeds (up to 12 Mbps); Verizon's FiOS TV/Internet bundles run from $80-$105 a month (with discount and 2-year commitment) and it also seems to offer more channels but slower Internet data speeds (25Mbps).
  For now, Google Fiber excels in Internet access - being one of the first to build and use a Gigabit fiber network.  Verizon seems to have shut down expansion of its FiOS service, and AT&T is focused on bringing its current network service to new areas.  As such, it looks like Google's network speeds are likely to leave its competitors in the dust for some time to come.  As Google brings its fiber network to more cities, it should be able to attract interest from more TV channels and programmers and continue to build up the TV side, making their service more desirable to all types of media consumers.

Source -  Google Enters TV Biz, Google Fiber Debuts in Kansas City,  OnlineMediaDaily

Google drops Google Video, iGoogle, others

  Google started some serious house=cleaning last fall, dropping some 30 projects and services that it felt were outdated or could be replaced by more recent acquisitions.  Last week it announced five more.  Three were specific services or apps that it felt could be easily replaced by improved versions.

  Google Video, originally intended as competition for YouTube, was originally closed to any new submissions in 2009, after Google acquired YouTube.  Users are being notified that they have until mid-August to migrate, download, or delete their videos from the site.  Any remaining videos will be moved to YouTube as private videos, and then the site and service will be purged.
  More controversial is the announced closure of iGoogle this fall.  The iGoogle service offered users a personalizable home page, and was launched in 2007.  A large number of users have responded critically to Google support pages, challenging Google's assertions that the availability of apps for Google's Chrome browser, or Android operating system has "eroded" the need for iGoogle.

"I don't understand the rationale," wrote an iGoogle user identified as Mark. "Chrome runs apps, so that make iGoogle outdated? That is like saying my TV shows movies, so we should close the grocery store. iGoogle is my home page, full of bookmarks, news, weather, and customized info that I have lovingly developed and improve on every day. Whenever my browsers open at home or at work, they open to iGoogle. And you think it would be good if I changed this to Yahoo? I hope you can be persuaded to change your minds."

Source -  Google Plans End of iGoogle,  Information Week

Augmented Reality, with Google Style?

Post contributed by Nicholas Belitz -


  A new device from Google was teased last week, it is code-named Project Glass. The product was seen when Google’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin wore the device out in public last week. The new device is a pair of augmented realty glasses. The glasses have a HUD (heads up display) that will give wearers the same information they would receive from their smartphone and will even have capabilities to interact with the internet.

  These glasses are receiving mixed reviews according to an article on CNET.com which includes interviews from three experts in the augmented reality field. Blair MacIntyre, director of the Augmented Environments Lab at Georgia Tech has this to say about the new device, "In one simple fake video, Google has created a level of overhype and over expectation that their hardware cannot possibly live up to." It seems that many of the experts do not believe that this device (in its current state) will really amount to anything.

Source - Google's augmented-reality glasses: Is it all PR?  c/net news

Joining the Cloud - GooglePlay

There's several ways you can look at the recently announced GooglePlay - as an amalgamation and re branding of Google's various media sites, as a move try to tap into the growing digital media content market and the success of iTunes and Amazon, or as a harbinger of the final shift in content from physical to virtual.  Wired.com's Mike Isaac argues for the latter - that with Google's size and reach, GooglePlay may provide the critical mass for the Cloud.
  Specifically, GooglePlay combined the content and infrastructure of Google Music, Google eBookstore, and the Android Market (which recently also started serving as an access point for video streaming.  However, the integrated GooglePlay site is entirely cloud-based, so that all of the content is always available on any device that is Internet-connected.  As the press release touted:

“Google Play is entirely cloud-based so all your music, movies, books and apps are stored online, always available to you, and you never have to worry about losing them or moving them again,”

As with Apple's iCloud, a key feature of GooglePlay is the ability to not only have digital content available across your devices, but to automatically sync that content.  Early reports suggest that in terms of cloud storage space - free "storage" for digital content acquired from them (they don't actually have to put whole files in a separate area for you - just keep track of what you've paid for and let you access their main storage to stream or download), a limited amount of "free" storage for other files you choose to put in the Cloud, and opportunity to rent larger storage lockers.

Sources - With GooglePlay, the Cloud Goes Prime Time,  Wired.com Cloudline blog

Google to enter Cable Market

Google is following up on some of its recent fiber network builds by filing requests for cable franchises in several Midwestern communities.  While some analysts think this might suggest that Google is finding that the broadband-data only business model isn't economically viable, others point to the reports that Google had been considering purchasing some cable systems recently.
  Certainly with Google's efforts at channel development on YouTube, the fact that Google already sells TV advertising for a number of cable systems and smaller cable networks, and the fact that adapting their fiber broadband network into a FiOS or IPTV style "cable" service, this move is a reasonable extension into related markets.  And other analysts note that running their own "cable" system could provide Google with a real-world laboratory for Google to explore consumer behaviors and technology, and to test the effectiveness of various new and emerging ad formats and models.  It will also put Google in head-to-head competition with some traditional cable MSOs - a battle of formats and business models that could prove very interesting to track.

Source - Google Moves Into Traditional TV, Files For Cable Franchise,  MediaDailyNews

Google’s new iOS app a direct challenge?

  Google released an improved app for Apple’s iOS that could well become a threat to Apple and Safari’s control of web-surfing on the iPad.

  The updated Google app significantly improved on the basic search process, coming much closer to the kind of ‘instant search’ users experience on computers and laptops.  It has voice search capability, and integrates a dynamically served search results that evolves with keyword entry.  However, the real integration is with the applications button, which gives the user access to the full Google suite of Web apps, including Gmail, Picasa, Google Earth, Blogger, YouTube, Reader, News and Google Docs – which lets you open and edit documents saved across the various Google platforms.  As such, the new Google for iPad is approaching the functionality and integration of an alternative desktop on the iPad.

  As long as Apple’s iOS interface remains a collection of discrete apps, the new Google for iPad may provide a strong alternative for those seeking the kind of integration promised in the iCloud.

Source -  Google’s Trojan App,  Mobile Insider

Even $299 too much for Google ChromeBook

Post contributed by Alex Aubuchon -

Google recently announced that it is dropping the price of its ChromeBook laptop computer to $299, just in time for the holidays.
   The ChromeBook, manufactured by both Samsung and Acer, is essentially a web browser with a screen and keyboard. The computer doesn't have a traditional operating system; instead, its “Chrome OS” pseudo-operating system just runs the Google Chrome web browser, through which the entire computer operates. This means there is no software installed on the computer. Chrome's selection of apps functions as software, all of which is stored through the user's Google account.
   The obvious drawback to this system is that it essentially requires an Internet connection to function. ChromeBooks do support both WiFi and 3G internet, but if you're separated from the Internet for any reason, there's precious little the machine can do – Google has created a Gmail offline app that allows users to read and manage their mailbox while offline; Google Calendar and Google Docs have similar offline functionality, but other than those three applications, there is little a ChromeBook user can do offline.
   Even at $299, the ChromeBook is a tough sell. For around the same price, buyers could get themselves an older model Samsung Galaxy Tab, offering similar functionality with the ability to use Android apps offline. And for just a hundred dollars more, an array of tablet computing options open up, including the industry-leading iPad 2. The Kindle Fire is also in the running as a ChromeBook alternative at only $199. And for $300, a savvy buyer can find themselves a host of true Windows netbooks and laptops, each of which offers infinitely more functionality.
  Google seems to be targeting prospective tablet buyers with this product, offering essentially a tablet with a full keyboard in a single unit. But if it looks like a laptop and has the portability of a laptop, it should have laptop functionality as well.

Sources -  Google drops price of Chromebook,  Washington Post.com
Google product page

Google Plus - Geared for Grown-ups?

Post contributed by Christopher Thomas -


With the growing phenom that is social networking, many companies are trying to enter a market that has been predominantly owned by the likes of Twitter and Facebook over the past five years. Most networks have minimal success trying to out-whit these social monopolies. That could soon change, however. Google+ entered the market in 2011 with the hopes of offering consumers and advertisers an alternative to traditional social media networking.
  Unlike Facebook, where individuals connect with close friends and relatives, Google+ is more geared, at least for now, toward business networking on a large scale. And its much more complex than Facebook, too. This new site will aim brand pages and companies in a network that has opened in exclusivity to the public. Facebook boasts nearly 800 million users. Google+, conversely, reaches only 40 million. The hope is that frivolous advertisements and a crowded “wall” won’t take over the network. This should allow individuals to find the information they want and connect with the business’s they choose in an effective and efficient manner.
  Sounds easy right? Actually, Google+ has taken an innovative approach to surfing the internet and the network. With the likes of “+” correspondents, YouTube, Android, and Google Chrome, users will be able to directly connect, link, and load a variety of media forms directly through their web browser. Picasa is its photo engine, YouTube its video.
   The hope is that Google+ will find its place within a market that has been dominated as of late. At least for now, their innovative ideas should give them a chance to make an impact soon.
  Only time will tell.

Sources -  Google Plus vs. Facebook: Who's Winning?,  Huffington Post
Everything You Need to Know About Google Plus and Photos,  Wired.com

Google TV Gets Music App

Post contributed by Monica Newman -

Google has launched a program that lets users play their Google music in the background while they surf the web or use other applications. The application comes just one day after Google launched Google Music. This service syncs with Google cloud which allows users to play their music across their computers or android phones without hassle.

This brings another major player to the table for Google TV. Google TV already integrates YouTube, Google Search, and Google Chrome, among others..

The feature will bring in revenue by featuring advertisements. It is available for download on android phones. 

Source -  Google TV Gets Google Music App,  eWeek.com

Slight editing by BJB. For some other Google TV news, check this post.

Abandonment Issues

The last week has seen some significant moves by major players abandoning efforts in the mobile / connected media markets.
The most recent is Logitech's announcement that it is pulling out of its deal manufacturing its Google TV set-top box.  CEO Guerrino De Luca called it's near year-long effort to sell the Revue set-top box based on Google-TV software a "mistake of implementation of a giant nature."  Issues with the implementation of Google TV limited demand, and a price drop from $250 to $99 per unit didn't help.  Logitech reportedly lost $100 million on its Revue player in the last year.
The Logitech withdrawal leaves Sony as the sole remaining hardware firm incorporating Google TV.  The Google TV software is included in some of its connected TVs.

Earlier in the week, Adobe announced that it was abandoning future development and support for Adobe Flash players for mobile devices.  While not giving a lot of details behind the move, there were hints that some of the elements of HTML 5 provided player opportunities surpassing Flash in mobile uses, and Adobe did stress its commitment to contributing to HTML 5 development efforts.  They also indicated that abandoning further mobile Flash development would free Adobe to pursue work on mobile apps.  One apparent advantage in the move is that Adobe can work on a single code platform (HTML 5), or on developing apps for a small number of mobile operating systems (primarily Apple's iOS and Android), rather than having to develop plug-ins for a wide range of hardware chip and operating system implementations.  The move may have a short-term impact on Google's YouTube, which has relied heavily on Flash as a video platform and format.  The move may limit mobile access via Android and Windows-Mobile based mobile devices, at least until new YouTube player apps can be developed, or YouTube can convert the millions of Flash videos it hosts into alternative formats.  Apple already has a YouTube app that translates Flash into alternative formats for viewing.
In a separate announcement, Adobe announced that it was abandoning further development of Flash Mobile Player for connected TV systems and other digital home devices.  This was also a blow for Google TV, which had relied heavily on Flash players for its video content.  In the announcement, Adobe explained the move - "we believe the right approach to deliver content on televisions is through applications, not a web browsing experience, and we will continue to encourage the device and content publishing community down that path." 

Overall, it's not been a good week for Google on the mobile video and connected video fronts.

Sources:  Logitech CEO - Google TV was a 'gigantic' mistake,  Fierce Cable
Adobe to abandon Flash plug-ins for mobile,  TechRadar.com
Adobe to abandon Flash on Connected TVs, too,  Mashable

Google TV expands offerings

The GoogleTV service has announced the addition of new channels from CNN, TBS, and TNT to its service.  Content from those, and a number of other channels are available only to can authenticate paying for the channels through other multichannel TV services.  The offerings from Turner (CNN, TBS, TNT) appear to be similar to what is made available through their websites and iPhone and iPad apps.

Source -  TV Everywhere is Coming to GoogleTV,  GigaOM

Google I/.O Announcements - Now a medium

Google is sponsoring a big event for tech types and reporters, called Google I/O.  Among the announcements are several indicating Google is making serious moves into both the content and mobile markets.  Here's a glimpse at some of the big announcements:

Google Music (or at least "Music Beta by Google) was launched, offering users the ability to upload 20,000 of your tunes initially, providing a cloud hosting service similar to Amazon's that would allow you to stream from your library to any device supporting Flash.  The full launch of a music store was delayed by issues in getting licenses from major record labels.
Engadget has a comparison of streaming music services.

Not content with sound, Google also announced the addition of video and movie rentals to the Android Market, mirroring the recently expanded YouTube rental inventory.  Users can access the movies Via PCs and Google TV through YouTube-Movies, and will soon be able to use Android Market for play on smartphones and tablets running Android 2.2 or higher. In additions, purchases on one platform reportedly can also be accessed from the other.

Speaking of Google TV, the folks at Google announced that the Google TV platform will get an upgrade to the new Android 3.1 platform this summer.  The upgrade will provide users with access to the Android Market.  Google also confirmed that the Google TV app will be included in Sony, Samsung, and Vizio TVs offering internet access, and Logitech Google TV set-top boxes.

Sources: "Google Music Beta to stream 20,000 songs for free, official! (updated)," Engadget
"Android Market launches movie rentals, thousands of titles available to your PC, phone or tablet,"
Engadget
"Google TV getting Android 3.1 and Market this summer; Sony, Vizio, Samsung and Logitech onboard," Engadget

Street Views go Inside (Business)

From Emma Thomas -

If you've ever looked up an address or wanted a street view of a location, chances are you've used Google Maps.  And while it can't seem to get much better than actually seeing the exterior of a building, Google has found a way to improve themselves: Google Maps will be bringing the street view indoors.  According to Google's Vice President of Location and Local Services, Marissa Mayer, Google Business Photos will be a new services allowing an interior view of businesses, yet unlike other services like Yelp that allow businesses to upload their own pictures, Google Business Photos will be taken by Google, just like the street view photos are.

Source: "Google Business Photos Brinks Street View Inside," Huffington Post
And don't forget to check out Google's video promoting Business Photos, posted late last year:

A World Without Google

From Jordan Lawson -

This was such a great find. Imagining a world without Google as I type an email on Gmail and talk to a friend via Google Chat while my phone with an Android operating system made by Google is in my pocket. I can't imagine a world without Google now, and this graphic shows how high reaching they are and asks if it would or wouldn't be a good thing if they were gone.
Source: "A World Without Google," Design Taxi

Accompanying Infographic (for enlarged version go here)

Google is Shutting Down Google Video

From Martin Johnson:

 

Google is closing its Google Videos site and binning your old movies. The search giant, which also owns YouTube, won't keep the videos that have been uploaded to the site.

It's not much of a surprise that Google has opted to wind things down with Google Video, considering Google owns YouTube, which according to comScore's January figures, is the number one online video content property with 144.1 million unique viewers per month. 

So what will happen to videos hosted on the site? Google is asking that users move their content over to YouTube.

Google said videos uploaded to the site will be unavailable for playback as of April 29. The company added a download button on the video status page, so that content you want to save can be stored easily. This feature will be removed after May 13.

Source: "Google is shutting down Google Video" PC Magazine.

YouTube to Offer Original Content

From Martin Johnson:

(Originally forwarded last week, my fault for losing it in email backlog- Ben Bates)

Google is planning to spend as much as $100 million to develop original content for YouTube as part of a site redesign around channels based on categories, according to a report published in The Wall Street Journal today.

YouTube is looking to introduce 20 or so 'premium channels' that would feature 5 to 10 hours of professionally-produced original programming a week.

The report would mark a change in strategy for YouTube, which has historically maintained that it is not in the content creation business. However, the company does have grant programs that enable partners to create content for the site. The site also allows people to create channels for specific content, but is not organized by topics, relying instead on a search box for navigation.

Source: "Google Sinking $100 Million into YouTube Content," PC Magazine

GoogleTV seeks to expand

One could easily make the case that Google was in the entertainment business.  Or at least in the business of helping people find entertaining content.

But with GoogleTV and some recent business moves, you could argue that now Google is getting serious.

The acquisition of YouTube gave Google the largest repository of user-generated video content; and keeping it open as a free service has encouraged continuing exponential expansion.

Not to be satisfied with fuzzy home videos, Google’s actively making deals for “premium” video content from more traditional entertainment media outlets.  Last week, Google India announced that its put hundreds of Indian movies onto YouTube,   Then came word that Google was planning to create original video channels on YouTube.

More recent actions include the acquisition of fflick, a service starting to integrate social media by seeing what friends are saying about movies.  Other recent acquisitions include a firm specializing on marketing business videos online, and a video production house.  All told, Google has invested a reported $100 million in “premium” shows and materials to serve as a draw for a YouTube app on Google TV and elsewhere. (A reported 7000 hours of full-length movies and shows so far).

With YouTube, Google already has arguably the world’s largest repository of video.  The new emphasis on original, high-quality productions, Google TV seems to be trying to position itself more as a content destination than a search engine.  While Google’s excelled at text searches, its ability to sort, categorize, and develop individually-focused recommendations for video content has been less successful.  Its current video search relies largely on textual descriptions and filenames of clips, as much of the Web’s video content doesn’t have particularly useful metatags associated with it.  This has made using GoogleTV search apps difficult, as they provide limited results per display, making finding something you want to watch more of an effort.

For now, Amazon’s new online video system seems to be providing a better viewing experience – using their knowledge about user’s interests (and previous movie and video purchases) to make better recommendations.  And it probably helps that with their more limited selection of content, they’ve been able to do a better job of meta-tagging their offerings.  We'll have to see if Google can come up with a better approach to searching for, and making good recommendations for users online video entertainment.

Sources:

“Google’s fflick Aimed at Making YouTube More Social,” WebProNews

"Google TV: Extended Test Drive Report," VidBlog