Google Video Store announced

It's arguable that Google was in the content business before, but they've officially done it: alongside Google Pack (a package installer of many of their popular desktop apps like G Talk, Earth, Desktop, as well as software that Google really likes, like RealPlayer, Acrobat, etc.) they're going online with CBS to sell commercial-free episodes of CSI, NCIS, Survivor, and a whole host of other CBS library eps -- not to mention a whole menagerie of other video content like NBA matches (24 hours after they've aired), music videos from Sony BMG, indie films from Greencine.com, news footage, Charlie Rose interviews, and cartoon classics. Though we don't have pricing right at this moment for downloadable content from the Google Video Store (move over, Apple, Google-train comin' through), it looks like they might be using DivX video technology in their distribution, as they've also announced what sounds like a loose partnership for "bringing video into the connected home." One of the more interesting aspects of the Video Store, however, is the fact that they're also making their non-copy-protected content available for download DRM-free encoded for the iPod and PSP (though there's also no word on what it is we're going to have to deal with in terms of DRM on purchased Google Video content).

[Peter F @ Jan 6th 2006 7:45PM]

How disapointing.

This isn't exciting.

[bv @ Jan 6th 2006 7:49PM]

CHLOROPHYLL? MORE LIKE BORE-OPHYLL.

[Evan @ Jan 6th 2006 7:51PM]

i too would have thought that there would have been more content providers lined up, i mean google didn't use its leveraging correctly

[Aaron @ Jan 6th 2006 7:51PM]

This can't be the big announcement, CAN IT?



Do they have any longer non-copyrighted videos on there? DLing to PSP would be cool.

[ph0n33z @ Jan 6th 2006 7:54PM]

.........hasn't this been done already?



I am not seeing the big announcement......

[Steve Rhodes @ Jan 6th 2006 7:56PM]

Greencine has 10,000 titles in their library (thoguh I'm not sure how many of those are downloadable or how many are adult which I doubt GV will offer). Indie films are between $1.99 and $4.99.



More details



http://www.greencine.com/static/vod_main.jsp

[Orbberius @ Jan 6th 2006 7:57PM]

Real Player? REAL PLAYER????

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA







wooo sorry... long day and I was just waiting for a good joke to crack me up.

[jt @ Jan 6th 2006 7:59PM]

From Cnet "With Google Video Store, consumers can pay $1.99 to download and view, for an unlimited time, episodes from last season's "Survivor" series, as well as episodes of 300 older TV programs like "I Love Lucy," said Peter Chane, senior business product manager for Google Video. The announcement was made in conjunction with a keynote address by Google co-founder Larry Page at the Consumer Electronics Show here.

Also for $1.99, people will be able to rent, for 24 hours, recent episodes of popular TV series from CBS like "NCIS," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "The Amazing Race," Chane said. National Basketball Association games shown on TV can be downloaded for permanent purchase within one day of broadcast for $3.95, he said. Classic NBA games will also be available."

Yes...you can rent...for 24 hours for $1.99

[David @ Jan 6th 2006 8:05PM]

pricing here: http://news.com.com/Google+launches+video-on-demand/2100-1025_3-6021998.html?tag=st_lh

[pieter @ Jan 6th 2006 8:06PM]

iTunes still sounds like it's better.

[Ben brenker @ Jan 6th 2006 8:06PM]

This isn't really a bad thing for apple, they've said time and again that the itunes store serves to drive ipod sales, if google's serving drm free video in ipod format, it seems like it would be the type of thing that would drive more ipod sales along the way...

[mike @ Jan 6th 2006 8:14PM]

Nice try Engadget.. you don't know if their shit will be copy-protected?



Umm.. I would have to hazard a guess that YES. Selling copyrighted digital media = copy protection.



Of course, the implication is that Apple LIKES DRM because it locks people into the iPod *groan



Move over Apple? Um.. yeah right..



They didn't even mention PRICE? What the hell kind of 'annoucement' is this??

[slip @ Jan 6th 2006 8:16PM]

yeah, what's up with the inclusion of RealPlayer. Real has violated nearly all of Google's "Software Principles", which is prominently linked at the bottom of the Google Pack. http://www.google.com/corporate/software_principles.html



I'm really not clear on why Google would include it, and frankly a bit disappointed that they did. (Why I care, I don't know...)



On the other hand, the Google Pack is, as others have noted, a very nice installation method, and is probably just Google's step in the door for further desktop-based application and of course the oft-rumored GoogleOS. Get users used to the idea, then add more stuff...



So, I guess this keynote is a tiny bit better than the Sun-Google non-announcement, but still...what did they really launch today? (Mind you I don't have a blackberry so i haven't checked out the dashboard thing)

[Steve Rhodes @ Jan 6th 2006 8:18PM]

As I said in the keynote comment, it seems like the content provider sets the price and terms. So that is CBS being typically stupid.



The NBA is selling games for $4 (online, they should just drop the stupid .95 or .99 - the audience is too smart to be conned by a few cents). And Charlie Rose is selling interviews for a buck with no content so you can listen to them on your ipod (there rarely is a reason to actually watch Charlie).



Larry Page first mentioned Google Video in an almost offhand way on a panel at the NCTA cable trade show on April 4th. Sergey Brin said he was in the neighborhood and stopped by to watch the panel. After wards they talked to reporters and emphasized they thought this was an experiment. They did mention then that at some point content providers would be able to charge for video and set their own price.



This is page at the press conference next to Jeffrey Katzenberg



http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/8691934/in/photostream/



Brin and Page answering questions



http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/8691939/in/photostream/



And Brin giving an interview to the Discovery Channel (he said he loved science programs when he was young)



http://www.flickr.com/photos/ari/8691938/in/photostream/

[MrFloppy @ Jan 6th 2006 8:20PM]

To rent? How stupid is that?

[Andrew Fong @ Jan 6th 2006 8:23PM]

Why is RealPlayer included in Google Pack? Through most of its lifecycle at least, the thing almost seemed designed to intentionally piss off its users -- definitely un-Google. Anyone know if the new version is any better? I'd try it out, but given how difficult it was to remove the last copy, I'm a wee bit nervous about doing so.

[amd2001 @ Jan 6th 2006 8:25PM]

Why in the name of all that's holy would someone spend $3.95 for a day old basketball game? People hardly watch the NBA, and now they're going to fork over $ to download and watch on the computer. Absolutely no way in hell.

[Eric @ Jan 6th 2006 8:26PM]

So why is Google partnering with the junky companys...



Real(use RealAlternative instead)

Adobe Acrobat(bloatware, use Foxit instead)

AOL (umm, don't use it at all)

Norton(bloatware...use anything else)



*drum roll*



BECAUSE THEY'VE BECOME A MAMMOTH COROPRATION



These companies are jizzzing all over the place

because Google "endorses" them. It's a shame. Google could easily build comparable apps that would CRUSH every one of the apps offered by these "partner" companies. Why don't they?



$$$, that's why.



I wish they never went public...

[Jeff @ Jan 6th 2006 8:30PM]

I hate to say it, but the most interesting video-related announcement recently has come from AOL. I'm still excited to see their *free* (ad-supported) downloads of old TV series that you *can't even get* anymore on any other format. That's the wave of the future. I still don't understand why Google or Apple or whoever thinks I'm gonna pay $2 for something I could have easily seen for *free* the night before. It's much more interesting to me to give me content that I can't get *any* other way. Haven't we been told over and over about how the internet is eventually going to mean all content is available all the time, everywhere, to everyone? Well, AOL's upcoming service at least goes a step towards fulfilling that... Google's (and Apple's for that matter) service seems to just be a boring attempt to cash in on whatever shows are hot at the moment.

[BlackFire @ Jan 6th 2006 8:33PM]

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

[hans stam @ Jan 6th 2006 8:33PM]

the real anouncement for me i Gtalk for my nokia!!!!!!!!!!!

[jc @ Jan 6th 2006 8:38PM]

Google and RealPlayer... too bad I won't use Real, guess I will have to go somewhere else to watch Google jump the shark.

[mike @ Jan 6th 2006 8:40PM]

ah.. variable pricing.. what a mess

[Nick @ Jan 6th 2006 9:01PM]

#11 mike said:

"Of course, the implication is that Apple LIKES DRM because it locks people into the iPod *groan"



Not true, and one of the main FUDs spread by Apple-haters. You only need iTunes software (PC or Mac) to run vids or music from the iTMS. It's still a closed system but it does NOT require an iPod.

[jimbob @ Jan 6th 2006 9:14PM]

Actually I think the NBA part isn't that bad. As a fan of a team on the other side of the country I'd like to actually see them play once in a while instead of just reading the box score.

[Y.C. @ Jan 6th 2006 9:40PM]

G-Talk and RealPayer ARE NOT included in Google Pack.



Google Pack consists of the following:



Google Earth

Google Desktop

Picasa

Google Pack Screensaver

Mozilla Firefox with Google Toolbar

Google Toolbar for IE - Why bother? Use Firefox instead.

Norton Antivirus 2005 Special Edition (includes a FREE 6-month Security Update subscription)

Ad-Aware SE Personal

Adobe Reader 7



See for yourself: http://pack.google.com

[Steve Rhodes @ Jan 6th 2006 9:43PM]

If you don't want full games, you can get the NBA TV video recap for free as a podcast.



It is brief, but at least it is more complete than the sports highlights on your local news. And they offer a few others



http://www.nba.com/broadband/podcasts.html

[ravi @ Jan 6th 2006 9:44PM]

Disappointed.

I will dump the stock on monday morning.

[Matt @ Jan 6th 2006 10:41PM]

Real and Gtalk are included if you select them. Just click �Add or remove software� at the bottom.

[Michael C @ Jan 6th 2006 10:42PM]

RE: Google Pack doesn't have RealPlayer



That's true, however, if you click on the Add or Remove Software link, it is possible to download RealPlayer (and others) as part of your Google Pack.

[Grant @ Jan 6th 2006 10:44PM]

When is Google going to make a music program? I can see them making an absolutely awesome media player.

[Geoffrey Sperl @ Jan 6th 2006 11:02PM]

Huh. Well, until I see the actual store, I'm not going to comment on the video store (though I personally think the current video site is complete crap and I hate being pointed to it). However, the Google Pack is completely underwhelming. All of the software is free, with the exception of the NAV. But, let's be honest, what major ISP is not doing free NAV or McAffee any longer? The univeristy I work for has a license for Symantec AntiVirus (the enterprise version of NAV) for office and home use... I just can't see that as a major bonus. The Google Updater is kind of spiffy, but VersionTracker's been doing the same thing for years on both the Mac and Windows... and they do it well.



Sorry, Google. I love my Gmail account, but these announcements are dull beyond belief. Get your act together and unveil Google Calendar with free hosting of ical/vcal files and then I will be impressed. This other stuff just completely misses the boat.

[Matt @ Jan 7th 2006 12:39AM]

Right now, AOL has the best music player out on windows, IMO. (Winamp)

[cc @ Jan 7th 2006 12:39AM]

I get a laugh out of all the "this isn't anything new"/"this has been done before" posts... so had web search, mapping, and web-based e-mail, but that didn't stop Google from changing the entire industry in those three fields.

It's hard to get excited about this, yeah, but they've got something up their sleeve, I bet, that's going to make everyone take notice once the service gets established.

[HarryC @ Jan 7th 2006 1:17AM]

I found a video of this keynote.



Find it here:



http://news.com.com/1606-2-6022641.html

[Scott @ Jan 7th 2006 1:31AM]

You mean for 2 bucks I can watch last night's CSI? AWESOME! Why has it taken *this long* for someone to give us a method to watch shows we may have missed? And for such a reasonable price! The Emperor wears such beautiful clothes!

[Alex @ Jan 7th 2006 3:14AM]

Google are losing their way. They're flailing around trying to get new revenue streams beyond advertising. They should leave paid video to others. The bundled software is a terrible idea. Sad to say it, but this is one more shareholder they've lost.

[Patrick @ Jan 7th 2006 7:44AM]

Bob Barker On My Desktop YEY



THE PRICE IS RIGHT!

[Javaflash @ Jan 7th 2006 3:18PM]

Have you people actually tried Google Video? Go there, search "Top Gear." Enjoy British folks trying out super cars. I did that for 2 hours, and all I have to say is that the two new channels of video/software distribution Google opened are quite promising.



The playback is nearly flawless, no software to install, almost zero buffer time, and those thumbnail pictures on the right hand side of the playback aren't for look. They are chapter breaks, useful for skipping dry humor commentators put up...



Google Video Store is NOT Google Video. From what I read, Google Video is a beta test of Google Video Store. The video store is yet to open. And please, how do you expect normal folks to come up with high definition videos.



#26, I will buy your block of shares if I know you. You probably got GOOG during the last few days. Go ahead, blindly dump your investment before actually seeing or understanding the new product.



Google don't hype their products. They rarely talk to the press, and they don't even advertise for god sake.

[Satish @ Jan 7th 2006 5:59PM]

Gosh!

I was waiting all the day, and browsing news sites and updates now and then for the Google's key note..



and at the end of day all i feel i s "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ",



Google Pack? What's there in it?

I already have them on my machine since ages..



Wish we got some more exciting stuff yesterday... But there's always CES next year...



Whatever I still Love Google. :-*



Satish

Boston,MA

[Shelly Jacobs @ Jan 8th 2006 3:26PM]

We own 2,000+ titles [most all-color motion pictures] I wouldn't mind putting up for streaming & downloading, though would prefer offering for combo of:



Pay Per View online.



Pay Per download w/DRM, for any device.



Subscription Fee streaming/download [yearly/monthly for ALL titles].



FREE in exchange for revenue from imbedded interstitial ads within the programming.



All providing our content is physically segregated, and not lost amongst a plethora of "Snappy Rope Knots" and "How to Play the Harmonica."

[Noah @ Jan 9th 2006 12:15PM]

I actually like the idea of seeing episodes of shows I missed (e.g. Family Guy), but instead of paying for the mistake of not setting my VCR to record it right (yeah I use a VCR, wanna fight about it?), I'd rather just be prepared and not shell out that cash. If I do, I think I'd like to use Apple's deal. Good prices, limit what those greedy media barons get. Wait, do those videos have resolution of 640x480?

[astrogirl @ Jan 10th 2006 3:44PM]

they are charging for some movies that are available free on the internet archive. for example, the 1968 Night of the Living Dead. $4.99 on google video, FREE on the internet archive.