YouTube has just launched an expansion to its Annotations feature that gives users the ability to invite their friends to help spruce up their videos using text boxes, labels, and interactive buttons. In the past I’ve been somewhat critical of these annotations, primarily because they can be really annoying in the wrong hands. But tonight YouTube has also introduced a oft-requested feature that will turn off all annotations entirely, allowing users to peruse videos in their unadulterated form if they wish to. You can find the option under your account’s ‘Playback Settings’ menu.
YouTube originally launched annotations last June, and introduced a new interface in January that made the process more intuitive. Tonight’s new sharing feature presents video uploaders with a link that they can share with friends to invite them to help annotate their video. Anyone who accesses the video through the special link will be able to use the same annotation interface, though the original video owner will retain final control over what appears (they can also reset the link should it become too widespread).
For tight circles of friends this will probably be a welcome addition and could lead to some fun interaction, though if the sharable link got posted to a message board or public chat room I can imagine a video getting cluttered up pretty quickly (though you can always delete these later). In any case, it’s nice to see that YouTube isn’t resting on its laurels as it continues to expand its feature set, and is willing to implement user requests like that ‘off’ button.
I can see it coming …. “Rate the annotations”, followed by “Show only annotations above 5.0 / 10.0 rating”, followed by “Tag annotations”, followed by “Hide annotations tagged ‘annoying’”, and, and
I HATE the font Youtube has strted using to display the video title.
Wow i wonder where YouTube gets all these new feature ideas from because if you look in their help group they dont even reply to ideas users post in there.
it’s amazing they roll out this new ‘turn off annotation’ feature to ALL users, yet their new videos page design of having popular videos and most viewed videos on the same page is only available to US users and NOT users of the local YouTube sites(country content preference).
It looks to be really amazing feature by YouTube which they have launched for all users.
http://www.smartbloggerz.com
This is great, as long as you can turn the features off. It’s great to see YouTube trying different things to give more buzz to YouTube Videos
Those damn annotations should be turned off by default!
Annotations = MOST ANNOYING THING EVER!
YouTube ought to remove that crap. It’s totally useless.
What would happen if they mention the sharable link in the desciption of the video…?
Take a look at the very first collaborative sitcom –
http://www.yout...h?v=Hqhxevcw2Tw
hilarious
I think annotations would be useless whatsoever.
Social Search Engine, , Social Network, Social Shopping, SOCIAL VIDEOS…
Add way to insert ads or hyper-link within these videos via annotations. Content producer can insert his/her own ads and youtube gets a cut out of it. YouTube already does this on some content, this just opens a whole new set of people who want to make $s via their vids.
Next New Networks and Verizon have just launched a new website where little-known bands and film makers can create “music video masterpieces” and the low-budget music videos will be available at YouTube see the article here:
http://www.whic...ic_network.html
Thank goodness! Annotations were akin to when Myspace started allowing everyone to customize the crap out of their pages. Flickr adding “notes” was acceptable and well implemented but YouTube annotations were “effing ridiculous” I’m so glad there’s an off button now.
Annotations are useful… {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/QVlsTtkcFW_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”Annotations are useful… ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/iYhOzr3xAN”}}}
This rocks! Imagine the possibilities. YouTube is always on the cusp of innovation.
Do you know Niconico Douga?
Social annotation system in Japan.
http://www.yout...h?v=PJzbKeod3zI
@hotfornerds: Not really.
As Shun mentioned, Nico has been on this since its inception. It makes commenting a lot of fun.
This feature in not only social-oriented.
Video content has a trouble: search engines could not understand how to index this kind of document.
This feature implemented in YouTube also helps to solve this problem while users using annotations.
Youtube is creeping closer to Blip’d which Already does the same thing but better!
See it at http://myspace.com/blipd
@ Yaroslav Delosite
Totally agreed, I think that it is very helpful for the users, and Youtube has achieved much as last annotations feature was not quite successful.
Speaking of new features, I’m particularly excited about the latest H.264 “web HD” video quality YouTube is supporting. It FAR exceeds that of standard videos, and really makes a difference in the experience. Refer to Jan Ozer’s review and snippets for a detailed review at http://www.stre...H264/Page1.html
pleased help improve annonations theye are not avavilible turn on turn off
plesaed help imrove youtube annotatons that are not avavible or slow down