Thursday, January 19, 2012

Googland

Googland

[G] A global search for the world's best storytellers

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 04:11 AM PST

YouTube Blog: A global search for the world's best storytellers

One of the best parts of working at YouTube is helping connect creative voices from around the globe with the audiences they deserve. So, we've teamed up with Ridley Scott and Scott Free London, the Venice Film Festival, and Emirates to create Your Film Festival, a global competition that will provide one deserving entrant with a half million US dollars to work on their next great story. Here's an overview:



Starting February 2, you can submit your short, story-driven videos (15 minutes or less) on Youtube.com/yourfilmfestival. Entry is free and open to people 18 years of age and above, and all genres and formats are welcome: live action short, animation, documentary, web-series episode, TV pilot — you name it. Your video must be story-driven, and cannot have been publicly shown or distributed prior to January 1, 2010. Full rules are available on the Your Film Festival Channel.

From there, the Scott Free team will select 50 semi-finalists from across the globe by June 2012. YouTube users will then vote for their favorites to select 10 finalists, whose videos will then be screened at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. A jury led by Ridley Scott will crown one grand prize winner, who will receive a $500,000 production grant to work with Scott's team to create a new story for the world to see.



For more information, check out the Your Film Festival Channel, and get your entries in before March 31 at midnight ET.

We can't wait to see what you've got.

Nate Weinstein, entertainment marketing manager, recently watched "Panic Attack."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/ivJRTBh353k/global-search-for-worlds-best.html

[G] An update on the new version of Google Analytics

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 04:11 AM PST

Google Analytics Blog: An update on the new version of Google Analytics

Since May of last year we've been working on a new version of Google Analytics and quickly adding new features and functionality to provide you with fast access to the insights you need.



We're extremely pleased with the new capabilities around multi-channel measurement, real-time analytics, flow visualization and improved device reporting to name a few. Our goal was to create a faster, more intuitive platform for the future and I think we've met many of these goals.



Before we fully move to the new version we're ensuring that you have the key functions you're used to and which enables GA to be integral to your organization. We're working hard on some priority features - email scheduling and PDF export as a top priority, alongside profile copying and dashboard sharing - and want to let you know that we'll only fully be moving over to the new version once these are in place.



We've collected a lot of feedback on things you love and things you miss - but if there is still something you just can't live without let us know by filling in this survey.



We're excited to bring you more in 2012 - we have a lot on our to do list - so keep reading and I hope to hear from you so we can continue to make GA the most intuitive, useful analytics tool available for marketers and site owners today.



Posted by Phil Mui, Group Product Manager, Google Analytics


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/tRaA/~3/0Livkz0MkT8/update-on-new-version-of-google.html

[G] Mark your calendar: Affiliate Management Days

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 04:11 AM PST

Google Affiliate Network: Mark your calendar: Affiliate Management Days

We hope to see many of you at Affiliate Management Days on March 8-9 in San Francisco. Affiliate Management Days is a professional forum for affiliate managers and marketing executives responsible for their company's affiliate marketing strategy, program management and related operations.

Two members of the Google Affiliate Network team will be speaking at the event:
  • Kristin Hall, Head of Publisher Development
    Publisher Segmentation & Key Optimization Levers

  • Ali Pasha, Product Manager
    Trends & Innovations in the Affiliate Marketplace
You can review the conference agenda and register on the Affiliate Management Days website. Register by Friday, January 20th to take advantage of the early bird rate, which will save you $500 from the onsite price.

Posted by Erica Sievert, Product Marketing Manager
URL: http://googleaffiliatenetwork-blog.blogspot.com/2012/01/mark-your-calendar-affiliate-management.html

[G] YouTube for nonprofits, reloaded with new tutorials and features

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 04:11 AM PST

YouTube Blog: YouTube for nonprofits, reloaded with new tutorials and features

Nonprofits are an important part of the YouTube community, and their videos have educated and inspired audiences since the early days of the site. We launched the YouTube Nonprofit Program in 2007 to help organizations take their work to the next level, and since then, more than 16,000 nonprofits have joined the program. There are hundreds of nonprofit organizations with millions of views on YouTube, and dozens with more than ten million views, like Greenpeace, Khan Academy and UNICEF.



We've made a couple of updates to the program that we hope will help nonprofits use video in new and compelling ways.

  • The Playbook Guide: YouTube for Good. This is a how-to resource specifically targeted at nonprofit organizations, with sections on how to create content, raise funds, connect with other community members and more.

  • Improved features. As part of our new Channels design, we've made the donate button on nonprofit channels even more prominent, making it easier than ever to support the causes you care about.





If you're a YouTube Nonprofit Program with other ideas about how we can make the program better, tell us your suggestions in the comments below! If you're a nonprofit in the U.S., U.K., Canada or Australia and not yet a member, visit www.youtube.com/nonprofits to learn more and apply.



Valerie Streit, YouTube Next Lab, recently watched "Martin Luther King Jr. on NBC's Meet the Press in 1965."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/QsSWHeNFSzg/youtube-for-nonprofits-reloaded-with.html

[G] Play On! YouTube Channels get more into action sports

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

YouTube Blog: Play On! YouTube Channels get more into action sports

From trick shots and game clips to commentary and live events, sports has always been one of the most popular categories on YouTube. We want to bring you even more sports Channels to get into, so we're kicking off a new lineup of action sports Channels that bring great original content to you:


  • Alli Sports: Whether you want tips from your favorite athlete on how to pull off their signature trick, a behind the curtain look into the lives of the biggest and fastest rising stars in the sports, or news and highlights from the industries most insightful analysts, The Alli Show, Step by Step, Inside AlliSports, AWSM on Alli and Frends Crew, are just a few of the shows on Alli Sports that will keep you up to speed on the latest and greatest moves and news in the industry.

  • Network A: Network A features some of the most amazing performances and personalities in the history of action sports. Want to see the best tricks and segments from some of the best athletes and filmmakers from around the world? You've come to the right place. In the coming weeks, new shows, new Channels, and an unprecedented level of access to action sports pros will be added. Stay tuned!

  • Red Bull: The Red Bull Channel is bringing 13 new original episodic series that will chronicle the competition and daily lives of the world's best action sports athletes including urban mountain biker and YouTube celebrity, Danny MacAskill, skateboarding pro Ryan Sheckler, action sports phenom Travis Pastrana and big wave surfer Jamie O'Brien. You'll also be able to find new episodes of other popular series starting with the first episode of Livin' Louie Vito that explores the life of professional snowboarder Louie Vito.

  • RIDE: Brought to you by Tony Hawk, RIDE is a 24-hour Channel devoted to the skateboarding lifestyle that will feature Hawk, Skatepark of Tampa, Jamie Thomas and Lance Krall among others. On "Tony Hawk's Dissent," subscribers will have behind-the-scenes access as Tony hangs out with different celebrities. Viewers can also get into the game with shows like "Shredit Cards," where skaters upload their own skate videos and earn shopping passes based on the degree of difficulty and "One in a Million," where amateur skateboarders will compete to become sponsored.






Because it's YouTube, you can program a lineup of your favorite action sports Channels — that way you won't miss a trick, highlight or interview. Just subscribe to the Channels you like, and get the latest episodes delivered right to your YouTube homepage. Tell us what Channels you'll be dropping into your YouTube guide in the comments below!



Tim Katz, Strategic Partner Development Manager, recently watched "Surfer Almost Swallowed by Whale."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/a4yuZOKNlNA/play-on-youtube-channels-get-more-into.html

[G] Doodle 4 Google: “If I could travel in time, I’d visit...”

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

Official Google Blog: Doodle 4 Google: "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..."

Starting today, we'd like to invite K-12 students in the U.S. to participate in our fifth annual U.S. Doodle 4 Google contest. Draw your rendition of the Google logo and you may see it on the ultimate gallery: the Google homepage. The winning doodler will also take home a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school.

The theme for this year's contest is "If I could travel in time, I'd visit...". That could mean visiting a past, present or future setting—whether it's traveling back in time to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to the future to witness everyday space travel, or to just a few moments ago to relive a poignant experience.

Building on last year's record-breaking participation (107,000 entries!), we've made a few enhancements to the 2012 contest. First, we're opening Doodle 4 Google up to an even wider audience—with a winner from every state. There will be five finalists and one winner per state, so everyone will have a local doodle champion to cheer on. From these 50 State Winners, we'll find 5 National Finalists and the lucky National Winner.

We're also partnering with Crayola this year and the winning doodler's artwork will appear on a special edition of the 64-crayon box—a first!

Participating is easier than ever, since we've eliminated the registration step. All you need to do is submit your child's or student's artwork by March 20 with a signed and completed entry form.

Contest judging starts with Google employees and a panel of guest judges—including multi-platinum singer Katy Perry, Phineas and Ferb creator and executive producer Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, and recording artist Jordin Sparks, as well as other great illustrators and artists—who will help us pick the state finalists and winners. Then, on May 2, we'll put the 50 state winners up for public vote. All 50 State Winners will be flown to New York City for the national awards ceremony on May 17, with the winning doodle appearing on May 18.

The doodles by the 50 State Winners will be displayed at The New York Public Library's historic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street in an exhibition open to the public over the summer. We'll also be partnering with museums across the country to display the artwork of the state finalists in areas near their homes.

For more details, check out google.com/doodle4google, where you'll find full contest rules and entry forms. Happy doodling and good luck!

Posted by Marissa Mayer, VP, Product Management
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/doodle-4-google-if-i-could-travel-in.html

[G] The opportunity for video on the web

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

YouTube Blog: The opportunity for video on the web

In order to fully appreciate how exciting today and tomorrow are for our viewers, one needs to look back to the 1980s when we went from four broadcast channels to hundreds of Channels through cable and satellite TV, expanding the choices available and, as a result, viewership. Today, the web may be to cable TV what cable was to broadcast TV — a way to excite and engage viewers even more.



At CES 2012, I talked about how the web is creating exciting opportunities for all of us in online video, and how YouTube is proving that producers, curators, advertisers and viewers can all thrive in this rapidly growing ecosystem. While you're collectively watching 3 billion hours of video a month already, we're just scratching the surface of the amazing possibilities for countless new Channels, aiming to map the interests of all people in this world. Look forward to the world where you will have channels for all of your interests, small or big.



I was also joined by a few friends, who are key influencers in the world of online video, to talk about the changing video landscape, including MediaLink CEO Michael Kassan, CSI and BlackBox TV Channel creator Anthony Zuiker, T-Mobile CMO Peter DeLuca, Machinima CEO Allen DeBevoise, GroupM CEO Rob Norman and Lucas Watson, YouTube VP, global video solutions. Here's the video:







We also shared a sneak peek at some of the new Channels coming to YouTube this year:







It's a great time for video on the web, and we hope you're as excited as we are for what's ahead. Come and play with us.



Robert Kyncl, global head of content, recently watched "Coca-Cola 'Open Happiness'."


URL: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/youtube/PKJx/~3/ItmocgmG27w/opportunity-for-video-on-web.html

[G] East West Bookstore: Lending a personal touch to eBooks

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

Inside Google Books: East West Bookstore: Lending a personal touch to eBooks

This is a guest blog post written by Graham Waldon, manager of East West Bookstore, an independent bookseller based in Mountain View, California


People are more important than things. That motto lies at the heart of what we believe at East West Bookstore, lending a certain resonance to our partnership with Google and its philosophy of "focus on the user and all else will follow."

East West is not just a business. It is above all a resource for expansive ideas, a retreat from ordinary life, and a gathering place in support of community ideals and spiritual growth. True spirituality is always current, vibrant, and applicable to daily life, not something to be hidden away or buried in the depths of history. In that spirit, East West always strives to evolve and adapt to people's current needs. One of our fun new evolutions this past year has been our integration with Google to sell Google eBooks on our website.

Our partnership has given us a complete ebookstore, with a vast selection, so that as more and more people move to ebooks, we'll be there ready for them. Since we rely heavily (like all independent bookstores) on people who love helping to support us, we're glad we can offer them this way of doing so. And when you buy a Google eBook from us, you're supporting more than just East West. You're serving our whole community by supporting an important spiritual and cultural resource that is unique in the Bay Area.




Some of us on the staff here already take our eReaders with us wherever we go, and many of our customers are the same way. For those who aren't, we held a "technology petting zoo" event on January 3rd for folks who were just looking for a friendly way to dip their toes in and find out what this whole ebook thing is all about. With help from some of our Google friends, we had demonstrations, one-on-one assistance, and a variety of devices -- including an iPad, iPhone and Android devices -- on hand for people to try out.

Customers who came out enjoyed the event, learned a lot about eReaders and apps, and became more familiar with our ebookstore. A visiting couple from Portland was glad to be able to support East West even after they headed back home, by purchasing eBooks. A local author was inspired to get her own book published through Google eBooks. And everyone enjoyed exploring the expanded possibilities of reading in the digital age.


Check out East West's ebookstore.

Hundreds of bookstores across the US are also selling Google eBooks. To find your nearest participating independent bookstore and learn how you can support them through Google eBooks, visit http://www.indiebound.org/google-ebooks. For customers outside the US, you can search for participating stores in Australia, Canada and the UK.
URL: http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2012/01/east-west-bookstore-lending-personal.html

[G] Google Code-in 2011-2012 Concludes

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 03:47 PM PST

Google Open Source Blog: Google Code-in 2011-2012 Concludes



Over eight busy weeks, 545 high school (pre-university) students competed in the Google Code-in contest completing tasks for 18 open source projects. The Google Code-in contest is designed to introduce high school students to the world of open source software development by having them complete 'bite sized' tasks while gaining knowledge and earning prizes along the way.

Stay tuned to this blog as we will be announcing the 10 grand prize winners on February 14. The grand prize winners will win a trip for themselves and a parent or legal guardian to Google's Mountain View, California campus in June.

Congratulations to all of the students who completed tasks during this year's contest. We hope you all learned more about open source and will continue to work with the organizations you built relationships with during the contest and with other open source projects in the future.

And a hearty thank you to all of the mentors and organization administrators who helped the students these past couple of months. We couldn't do this contest without all of your incredible work!

For more information on the Google Code-in contest check out our site. We will post more statistics from this year's Google Code-in in the coming weeks, stay tuned.

By Stephanie Taylor, Open Source Programs

URL: http://google-opensource.blogspot.com/2012/01/google-code-in-2011-2012-concludes.html
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