Google Admits Video Launch Was A Mistake
from the moving-forward? dept
When the new Google Video launched, we thought it was worth noting that the initial response from people was awful. We didn’t doubt that Google would improve it, or that it could become a powerful platform eventually — but were surprised that such a hyped up product was launched in such a way to make so many people go “huh?” In other Google product launches, there’s been an immediate “wow” factor that wasn’t just missing with Google Video — it seemed to have been completely stamped out. It appears that even Google is now admitting that they should have thought through the launch a bit more. Google’s Marissa Mayer (who we think is starting to get more press coverage than Brin, Page or Schmidt these days) has now admitted that “We made a big mistake” with the launch of Google Video. Of course, it’s not clear that the company has figured out what that mistake really was. Mayer says: “You can’t come out and launch a product like Google Video and say ‘CSI’ and ‘Survivor’ are there if they’re not on the home page.” However, that’s only a tiny part of the mistake. Part of the problem seems to be that Google Video doesn’t know what it wants to be. Is it a store for broadcast content? Or is it a platform for anyone to create, share or sell content? Those are two different functions, and probably need two different interfaces. The company has revamped the site, slightly, but it still seems lacking. There’s now a big list at the top of videos you can buy, but it still isn’t that compelling. For example, the second video listed is the Lakers-Raptors basketball game from last weekend, where Kobe Bryant scored 81 points. There’s been a lot of talk about the game, so it’s probably a good one to promote. However, if you go to the page of the game, they show you the first 30 seconds of the game, which are incredibly boring. If you’re trying to sell the fact that you have a historic basketball game for you to watch, shouldn’t the “free” clips be something worth watching? At least show a basket or two or three by Kobe.
Comments on “Google Admits Video Launch Was A Mistake”
At least they admitted it sucked
At least Google admits it’s mistakes. Not many companies do that these days for fear of a decrease in stock value or for fear of a lawsuit or two.
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I agree, i can atleast give it to google that they dont mind coming out and saying “hey we made a mistake” cause you know what, their only human too.
I feel like everybody is always looks for somebody to take a fall so we can point our fingers and laugh yet when people/companies do something amazing, its just expected
any other company would get shafted
I feel like because it’s Google everyone is willing to simply accept the flaws and try and find a way to praise simply everything they do. Maybe it’s cause they are a really good company, maybe they’ve just brainwashed everyone. Everyone but me….
You’ll never get me, Google. Never.
Re: any other company would get shafted
Andrew. Please…join us…it is so blissful..uhhhh google..mmmmmmm
It just shows their stand as a company.
To be able to launch somthing as huge as google videos and come back and say, yes, it was a mistake. Is not somthing that any company does now without a lot of hassle. Take sony’s BMG scandal, it took weeks of enough people getting pissed off to make sony admit it’s mistakes. Praise to google for their effort, and for their honesty.
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Praise Google….
– More evidence that “google” is the Aniti-Christ incarnate.
“And google (mathmaticaly translated=666) will rise and unite the nations, and all will praise thier intentions. But in that day they shall go public and also join with the A’OL and it will cause that many should shudder for fear. And in those last days they will launch a beta service that is only medioker, and thier head shall be wounded. But a chinaman will rise out of the sea and heal thier head, in exchange for a crown. But all shall be blind to this, and see thier subtle moves as only reinforcing thier stand for all that is right, by this many shall be decieved.”
And to think, all this started with an apple… sheesh.