Wii Fit underwear girl is YouTube sensation

Footage of an attractive young woman gyrating in her underwear to Nintendo's Wii Fit video game has become a YouTube sensation, reports The Telegraph.

"The clip, which was filmed by the woman’s boyfriend with his cellphone and posted on the internet without her knowledge, has been viewed two million times.

Titled "Why every guy should buy their girlfriend a Wii Fit", it shows 25-year-old Lauren Bernat doing increasingly fast hula hoop motions dressed only in her pants and a T-shirt. "

UPDATE:

-- Interview Video of Lauren Bernat and her boyfriend Giovanny Gutierrez by the Daily Mail

-- Wii Fit underwear girlfriend spoofed online by The Telegraph

YouTube expands mobile video service

YouTube is expanding its mobile service to include virtually all of the videos available on its Web site.

"Beginning Thursday, most people equipped with the latest generation of mobile phones will be able to peruse tens of millions of YouTube videos. YouTube first began showing videos on phones in 2006, but only a few thousand clips had been available until now.

Besides opening up its vast video library available on so-called "smart" phones, YouTube also is providing mobile access to many of the same features that have become staples of its Web site. The additional mobile features include the ability to rate videos and share clips with friends."

[via The News Tribune]

Teenager lies under train in YouTube stunt

Video footage of a teenager lying face down on a railway track as a speeding train passes a few inches above him has been posted on the internet. The Telegraph reports.

"The video, which appeared on the YouTube website, shows the boy picking himself up after the train has passed and waving his legs in the air to show that he has not been injured.

It is not known where the footage, which is believed to have been captured on a mobile phone, was filmed.

British Transport Police have given warning that anyone in Britain caught performing such a stunt would face prosecution."

Man urinates on dying woman, declaring it 'YouTube material'

From the "Annals of Modern Depravity" comes this sordid story:

Shouting, "This is YouTube material!" a 27-year-old British man urinated on a dying woman who had collapsed on the street, the BBC and local Hartepool Mail and Northern Echo tell us. He also doused her with a bucket of water and covered her with shaving cream.

The woman, 50-year-old Christine Lakinski, died at the scene of pancreatic failure.

In a sad sign of the times, it was all recorded on a mobile phone.

In court, Anthony Anderson said he had smoked a joint and been drinking with two friends when they spotted Lakinski. He faces jail after pleading guilty to "outraging public decency." Sentencing is set for Oct. 22.

"We will await the outcome and just hope he gets what he deserves," Lakinski's brother said after today's court hearing.

[via Blogs USA Today]

Those YouTube videos on your iPhone might be illegal

"The latest copyright infringement story has just popped up over on NewsBlog. TUAW reports.

"It would seem that some of Bob Tur's work has been illegally uploaded to YouTube, and he isn't happy.

He has filed suit against YouTube already, but now he thinks he has a case against Apple. Why? Because the YouTube app on the iPhone plays his copyrighted material."

YouTube could dominate cellphones

According to BloggingStocks, YouTube's greatest potential is not on the computer screen -- but on the cellphone screen.

"Visit mobile.youtube.com on your cellphone's web browser and you can get a taste of what may be coming. Not all YouTube content is available yet, but with these videos being converted on the fly to the format most modern cellphones can play, is YouTube's vast video library about to be opened to over a billion cellphones worldwide?

With YouTube being bundled by Apple on the new iPhone and with a partnership with Korean cellphone giant LG on tap, Google's plans for YouTube may expand way beyond the computer screen.

There are about four times as many cellphones in use in the world as PCs -- and we can all do the math, right?"

Helio ads YouTube Mobile

The American virtual carrier Helio announced that it had added YouTube Mobile, its own adaptation of the web video service.

"... Like Apple's iPhone client, the Helio version includes a custom program for searching and playing videos and plays re-encoded versions of the clips in full-screen rather than the normal Flash versions."

[via electronista]

YouTube Gets Embedded on LG Handsets

LG Electronics will build a YouTube app for its phones and then start selling handsets with it later this year. LG handset users will be able to film, upload and view videos on YouTube using their mobile phones.

[via MocoNews]

YouTube content available on the iPhone at launch

Gizmodo reports that Apple has announced that the YouTube software update was ready for download for Apple TVowners.

And "one more thing": YouTube would be available on the iPhone at launch.

More in press release.

YouTube rolls out in 9 countries wtih celeb welcoming videos

In the first step in its international rollout, YouTube has launched localized versions of its video sharing site in nine countries — Brazil, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the UK and Japan.

Their URLs are easy to remember, simply put the country's code before youtube.com. ie.e.: br.youtube.com, ie.youtube.com, it.youtube.com, uk.youtube.com, es.youtube.com....

YouTube Japan features a welcome video by Tokyo-based art collective Rinpa Eshidan, whose killer “motion painting” videos have a history of rocking YouTube.

And on YouTube France celeb French rap singer Kamini extends his welcome. This welcome video is also promoted on most other country specific YouTubes that I checked out (on Japan's too), so it must it appears by recognizing your IP adress. In my case YouTube France would be the closest to Switzerland.

My guess is that each country has a celebrity welcome video message.

[via Pink Tentacle]

YouTube Mobile Goes Live

Youtube's Mobile site at m.youtube.com has gone live. Gizmodo reports.

"YouTube Mobile is a new, xHTML site optimized for your cellphone. The service will require your phone to be capable of video streaming already (RTSP/3GP with H263/AMR), but that shouldn't be a problem for most our techbling Gizmodo readers. Plus, using MMS, you can upload YouTube videos directly from your phone."

More details on pronet advertising via Techmeme

"Paris Hilton Goes Back to Jail!" videoclip a huge hit on YouTube

Poor Paris. Back in jail.

A subject of gleeful merriment on video sharing website YouTube, with one musical clip having already attracted over one million viewers.

Played on a catchy and familiar tune with clever lyrics, PARIS HILTON GOES BACK TO JAIL! was produced and written by Allan Murray and Sean Haines. This is the their first clip: We made this video on a shoe string budget with the help of some great peeps. Great indeed.

[via WatchingTV Online]

'Garda' caught in YouTube sneer

Video footage showing what appears to be a uniformed Garda Ombudsman making fun of a member of the public has sparked top-level investigations after it was posted on the internet. The Independent reports.

"The posting of the video on a website comes just a week after mock footage of troops firing at civilians in Liberia was also posted onto the same YouTube site.

The 4½-minute video shows what appears to be a clearly visible young uniformed garda taking a phone call from a member of the public and repeatedly laughing and mocking the man who requests to speak to a sergeant.

First reports indicate the footage was most likely filmed using a mobile phone and posted onto the internet after being circulated to other mobile phones in the locality."

YouTube fights Viacom legal bid

Google has asked a US court to dismiss a $1bn copyright action from entertainment giant Viacom Media, saying it is a threat to the internet, reports the BBC.

"Viacom, owner of MTV and Nickelodeon, claims Google's video-sharing website YouTube uses its shows illegally.

In action launched in March, Viacom alleged that about 160,000 unauthorised clips of its programmes had been uploaded onto YouTube.

But Google has denied it is involved in "massive" copyright infringement.

... In February Viacom, which also owns cable networks VH1 and Comedy Central, told YouTube to remove 100,000 "unauthorised" clips.

Viacom said its demand came after YouTube and Google failed to install tools to "filter" the unauthorised video clips following negotiations.

The soaring popularity of YouTube has led traditional media to worry that the displaying of clips from their programmes - without compensation - will lure away viewers, and, as a result, advertising revenue. "

YouTube for soccer Moms

Pure Digital is unveiling a new, cheap camcorder that syncs easily with YouTube. It could be a hit with parents and, eventually, investors. Called Flip video, it's a new pocket-sized camcorder that comes with a USB arm to connect to a personal computer or Mac. [via CNN]

Ourmedia turns 2.0

ourmedia, a site where citizen-media types — especially podcasters and video producers — can upload and discuss their work, has launched a 2.0 version of the site.

Ourmedia is an alternative to YouTube, Blip.tv and other sites offering similar uploading and display capability, with a key difference. The default copyright license is a Creative Commons license, which reserves some but not all control for the copyright holder.

Center for Citizen Media via Unmediated

Video sites spark fears of bubble

An investment boom is underway in consumer video websites, drawing warnings of a new bubble in the venture capital business, reports the FT.

"Video has become the hottest corner of a broader financing boom tied to so-called “Web 2.0” internet companies. The amount of US venture capital flowing into video-related start-ups of all types jumped by 95 per cent last year to $682m, according to figures compiled by Dow Jones/Venture One.

... Like other financiers and entrepreneurs caught up in this wave, Todd Dagres, a partner at Spark Capital, predicted an eventual round of failures that would see most investors lose money. With many of the start-ups in their early stages and drawing in money, though, the shake-out is unlikely to come this year, he added.

... With internet users gravitating to a handful of the most popular sites and big media companies starting to call the shots over how their copyrighted content is viewed online, many start-up sites are likely to struggle to find an audience, said Mr McInerney, founder of Guba one of the first consumer video sites to strike a deal to distribute professional content from an established media company.

Despite that, venture capitalists report a continuing flood of proposals for new start-ups trying to cash in on the video boom."

Thieves caught on You Tube

An Austrian computer store owner caught two teenage thieves after he put CCTV footage on YouTube, reports Ananova.

"... The video shows how one of the pair kept watch and covered what his pal was doing as the second teenager slipped the computer under his jacket.

People who saw the video online recognised the pair, told Mr Karer who alerted the police."

YouTube on your mobile

According to T3 Vodafone customers can now get clips from YouTube straight to their phone for free (for an (undefined) limited period).

"Vodafone tipped T3 to its new service today, saying it’ll serve up a selection of videos comprising the ‘Best of YouTube’ through its Live! service.

The selection will be refreshed each day with around 15 to 20 new flicks available each morning."

Al Jazeera on YouTube

The English-language news operations of Al Jazeera, the sister channel of Al Jazeera Arabic TV, have opened their own channel on YouTube, where they've posted some 100 documentaries so far. [via LoIP]

YouTube gets Va. Tech shooting footage

It was inevitable that the online video world would offer its take on a crime glimpsed as it unfolded most dramatically via a cell phone camera, carried out by a student who put together a CD-ROM of his manifesto and mailed it to a TV news network. The Associated Press reports.

"A quick search of YouTube brings up dozens of videos posted in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre, many of them simply news footage lifted from the various networks.

But one of the most-watched videos — viewed by some 150,000 people — is a song dedicated to the families of the 32 victims. Playing keyboard, Kojo Best sings: "God bless your family, and your community, through this insanity."

Also posted, though, are dramatizations of two of killer Cho Seung-Hui's plays, which have become easily available on the Web."

Candidates to post videos on YouTube

As of yesterday, White House contenders from both parties will take turns posting videos on News and Politics's site, and YouTube watchers will get to post their own video responses. [via the Associated Press]

"The experiment is an outgrowth of YouTube's "You Choose '08" initiative that kicked off in February to let candidates showcase their campaigns on the Web site through their campaign videos.

Beginning this week with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, candidates will get one week to engage in a video discussion in YouTube's "You Choose '08 Spotlight." Romney's video question: "What do you believe is America's single greatest challenge and what would you do to address it?"

He encourages watchers to post their video replies and vows: "I'll do my best to watch as many as I can and respond to them."

The new political give-and-take comes as political campaigns begin to explore the realm of new technologies for reaching voters."

Newt Gingrich makes apology on YouTube

On Wednesday, former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who's mulling a White House run, apologized in a YouTube video for his recent remarks equating bilingual education with "the language of living in a ghetto." CThe Washington Post reports.

"The apology was delivered in English and Spanish, with the three-minute Spanish video, "Mensaje de Newt Gingrich," subtitled in English. Can't get any more bilingual than that."

YouTube to launch mobile website soon

According to GiigagOM, YouTube will launch its mobile website in June 2007 for U.S. users.

"YouTube ToGo will go live once the exclusivity clause on the company’s mobile video deal with Verizon Wireless expires. The service will be live for European users in May. YouTube has been already working closely with mobile carriers, and handset makers such as Nokia on the mobile version of their video service.

... The mobile site when it goes live will have around 800 “editorial picks” of videos to choose from. It’s kind of an experiment to see how well things go and how good of a response the company gets, the spokesperson explained to GigaOM. Though, the end goal is to create a truly mobile YouTube experience with eventual access to the entire video catalog.

YouTube award winners announced

The results are in, and YouTube users have chosen their favourite videos of the year in seven different categories.

Picture left:Independent rockers OK Go were nominated for the Most Creative YouTube of the year for their treadmill antics in a video for their song Here It Goes Again.

Watch the 7 winning videos.

[via Canada.com]

Previously: - YouTube Video Awards - The awards will be handed out in seven categories: most creative, most inspirational, best series, best comedy, musician of the year, best commentary and "most adorable video ever.

YouTube Reaches Critical Juncture

Industry experts aren't ready to announce its demise, but say the online video company needs to revamp its strategy quickly. The Washington Post reports.

"YouTube has suffered a one-two punch in the past two weeks.

First, Viacom asked for $1 billion in a lawsuit against YouTube, saying the video Web site failed to remove copyright-protected clips. And yesterday, some of the most powerful businesses in Hollywood and on the Internet joined forces to create an online video site of their own , taking some of the Web's most popular videos with them.

YouTube is at a critical juncture. Since it launched in December 2005, it has ridden a wave of popularity that led Google to buy it in a $1.65 billion deal last year. But now the site must figure out its relationship with major traditional media companies while also forging its business, which to date has relied on advertising posted alongside videos.

The key for YouTube is to find a way to keep traffic coming back to the site even as it finds itself trying to pull copyrighted content as fast as users upload it, said Jennifer Simpson, an analyst at Yankee Group. "As these [copyright] issues are being resolved, it becomes increasingly important for YouTube and Google to find really interesting and compelling user-generated content to attract users," Simpson said."

NBC, News Corp. in online video venture

NBC Universal and News Corp. joined forces Thursday with several major Internet companies to distribute TV shows, video clips and movies online in an effort to better control their programming and counter competition from YouTube. Canada.com reports.

"The new network, which would launch this summer, comes in response to the explosive growth Google Inc.'s YouTube".

The venture is aimed at giving broadcasting companies greater control over how their shows are distributed on the Internet."

Real estate sellers shoot for YouTube hits

According to PopMatters, the latest industry to get YouTube and video hosting websites, are realtors.

"From slick, cinematic productions touting waterfront castles to underlit, homemade tours of modest condos, real-estate marketers are eyeing online video as the next way to capture that increasingly elusive creature, the homebuyer."

YouTube Video Awards

The video-sharing website announced Monday that it will hold the first YouTube Video Awards to recognize the best-user created videos of 2006. [via USA Today]

The awards will be handed out in seven categories: most creative, most inspirational, best series, best comedy, musician of the year, best commentary and "most adorable video ever."

The nominees, picked by YouTube, are compiled in a gallery at www.youtube.com/YTAwards. YouTube community members can vote on their favorites beginning Monday and concluding on Friday.

CBS will show NCAA tournament highlights on YouTube

CBS has reached a deal with YouTube to show highlights, press conferences and other content from the NCAA basketball tournament on the video-sharing site, the broadcaster said Thursday, reports USA Today.

"... The CBS agreement with Google's YouTube is also notable in light of the $1 billion lawsuit filed against the video-sharing site this week."

Viacom will sue YouTube for $1bn

Entertainment giant Viacom Media says it will sue web search engine Google and its video-sharing website YouTube for $1bn. The BBC reports.

"Viacom, which owns MTV and Nickelodeon, says YouTube uses its shows illegally.

Viacom alleges that about 160,000 unauthorised clips of its programs have been loaded onto YouTube's site and viewed more than 1.5 billion times.

Google says it is "confident" that YouTube has respected the legal rights of copyright holders.

As well as more than $1bn in damages, the legal action seeks an injunction to prevent what Viacom calls "massive intentional copyright infringement".

Turkey lifts YouTube ban after two days

Turkey lifted its ban on YouTube Friday, an official for the country's largest telecommunications firm said, two days after a court ordered the Web site blocked because of videos that allegedly insulted the founder of modern Turkey. [via Associated Press]

"The Istanbul court that ordered the site blocked on Wednesday had said it would lift the ban as soon as it ascertained that videos insulting Turkey's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, were removed."

Previously: - Turkish court bans YouTube access

Turkish court bans YouTube access

Access to the popular video-sharing website YouTube has been suspended in Turkey following a court order. The BBC reports.

"The ban was imposed after prosecutors told the court that clips insulting former Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had appeared on the site.

According to Turkish media, there has been a "virtual war" between Greek and Turkish users of the site, with both sides posting insulting videos.

The clip prompting the ban reportedly dubbed Ataturk and Turks homosexuals.

Insulting Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey, or "Turkishness" is an offence which can result in a prison sentence."

BBC strikes Google-YouTube deal

The BBC reports that it has struck a content deal with YouTube.

"Three YouTube channels - one for news and two for entertainment - will showcase short clips of BBC content.

The BBC hopes that the deal will help it reach YouTube's monthly audience of more than 70 million users and drive extra traffic to its own website.

The corporation will also get a share of the advertising revenue generated by traffic to the new YouTube channels."

YouTube to give politicians video boost

YouTube is launching YouTube politics, reports the Associated Press.

"The new YouTube site will allow candidates to feature their own video "channels" in one location. There is no cost to appearing on the site. The video is the same as what the candidates have on their own sites, though it might be packaged differently.

... YouTube officials said that for now, the site is limited to candidates of legally registered political parties, but said they might consider opening it to other political entities, such as groups that advocate for or against candidates.

"This is such an important election coming up that we just wanted to make sure we did everything we could in terms of helping candidates get their messages out, but also helping voters start a dialogue with those candidates on issues that really hit home at them individually," said Jordan Hoffner, YouTube's director of content partnerships."

Australian state bans YouTube in schools in a crackdown on cyber-bullying

An Australian state has banned the video Web site YouTube from government schools in a crackdown on cyber-bullying, a minister said Thursday, reports the AP.

"Victoria, Australia's second most populous state, banned the popular video-sharing site from its 1,600 government schools after a gang of male school students videotaped their assault on a 17-year-old girl on the outskirts of Melbourne.

The assault, which is being investigated by police, was uploaded on YouTube late last year."

Watermark Patent for YouTube

Wonderful Barry Fox for New Scientist has uncovered a patent for watermarking videos posted on YouTube, to discourage illegal downloads.

"Now, US company Digimarc, which specialises in image recognition and watermarking, has been granted a patent for a novel way of tackling the problem. Instead of preventing copyright infringement altogether, it would turn it into a commercial advantage.

... When the clip then reappears on the web, its owner can automatically be identified and viewers can be targeted with adverts that generate revenue for the original copyright owner." Read more

New hot properties: YouTube celebrities

The most popular YouTubers, who have generated millions of visits and tens of thousands of subscribers, say they have received overtures from multiple sites. And YouTube, meanwhile, appears ready to respond to the challenge. The New York Times reports.

... Few performers will divulge what kind of money is being thrown around. But Metacafe pays $5 for every 1,000 views, with their most popular acts netting tens of thousands of dollars, figures that the site will mention when trying to persuade YouTube stars to defect."

... YouTube is by far the most popular video site on the Web, with about 26 million visitors in December, according to comScore Media Metrix, an Internet statistics firm. Yahoo Video had 22 million, while the closest independent site, Heavy.com, had about 6.5 million visitors."

Mexican drug wars find new battleground on YouTube

A vicious Mexican drug gang war has moved onto Internet video-sharing site YouTube, where rivals taunt each other with blood-soaked slideshows and film of their murder victims. Reuters reports.

"One popular video on the site shows a man being shot in the head. A stomach-churning series of photos shows another execution victim, his missing face a mangled mess of flesh.

One chilling video on YouTube called "The Hit Men" shows a handcuffed man, apparently a Gulf Cartel henchman caught and beaten by police. He is curled on the ground and pleading with his captors. "They're going to kill me," he says.

... In one YouTube post, a user offers about $4,500 to anyone who can show proof of having killed members of The Zetas, "via photo, video or presenting the body."

... On the site include the footage of a man being shot in the head in a murder attributed to The Zetas. It has been viewed more than 280,000 times."

[via Techmeme]

Militant Islamic groups turn to YouTube

Interesting, from an Associated Press article on YouTube.

"Until recently, videos shot by terrorist groups were posted predominantly on specialist Internet forums, which often only those knowing what to look for could find. But more are turning to mainstream sites like YouTube, which draw millions of visitors around the world each day.

... Although scores of Web sites let anyone post and share video clips for free, YouTube is the most popular, receiving some 65,000 new clips a day. Users collectively watch more than 100 million videos on YouTube daily.

In another video entitled "Qanaas Baghdad Episode II," a man purporting to be an Iraqi sniper offers tips on attacking U.S. soldiers. As music plays, a group of soldiers stand at the side of a bustling, dusty street. The sniper locks on to one of them. A second later, the soldier falls to the ground.

The site had recorded 30,000 hits for the video since it was posted in November, according to YouTube's view counter on the site. The video was removed from the site Thursday, but other videos showing sniper shootings of American troops were still available.

YouTube — owned by Google Inc. — says it reserves the right to remove videos that users flag as unsuitable.

But like other video-sharing sites, YouTube generally takes down video only after receiving a complaint. Someone else can easily repost the video under a different account, and it would remain available until YouTube receives a complaint on that as well."

Construction workers jackass on youtube

Bored constructions workers, have been videotaping themselves for the last three months and posting their footage on YouTube doing such dangerous "jackass" pranks on constructions sites as: diving into a container full of wet cement , sitting inside a cement mixer as it rotates or setting fire to each others' helmets and shoes.

"But not everyone is amused - one firm has threatened action against employees, while the Health and Safety Executive is also investigating, reports Metro .

Another person failing to see the funny side is Stephen Williams, chief inspector of construction for the Health and Safety Executive. 'Some of the behaviour shown is criminal assault, breaches and health and safety legislation, and bullying.' he said.

G Bailey chief executive Mark Andrews said: 'The content of the video we have been shown is utterly disgusting. The firm not only bans violent or dangerous behaviour on-site, but also the use of mobile phones, he added."

Webcasting casts spell on Chinese Internet users but faces uncertain future