New Youtube 3.0 Web Site Design – Cosmic Panda
First A Bit of Youtube History
Youtube Then, Now and the Future.
Youtube began life in 2005 as a video dating site and has evolved into a 24hr Round-the-Globe smorgasbord of anything that can be captured on video and uploaded.
The site has evolved gradually over the years but has had one previous radical re-design, the so-called Youtube 2.0 which mainly affected the user channel pages. The latest beta is the first to have it’s own name and logo: a “Cosmic Panda” ready for business with a space helmet and magic wand.
Neat and Functional
Summary
Youtube’s latest and greatest site redesign has been revealed under the name of Cosmic Panda.
UPDATE: As of 02 December 2011 changes are being introduced on a permanent basis across the entire site. This new video will get you clued up on the changes affecting the all important subscriptions box. For a general overview this tour video by SoldierKnowsBest provides some insight into the other major changes.
The entry and exit for this test is on the same page, and whilst in the test mode you can check out a range of pretty cool enhancements.
The most radical change is undoubtedly the channel page. This is now available in four flavours including a cool looking blogger format, a “network” flavour, a “creator” flavour and the “everything” format which would bear being renamed “not much”.
Youtube commentators have been generally welcoming and positive on the design, but criticisms have been made of the disappearance of the banner on Partner channels and absence of a subscribe button on the video page.