Looks like YouTube is following parent-company Google’s increasingly awesome mobile optimization initiative, announcing an iPhone-friendly version of the dominant media site. According to their official blog:

Just visit youtube.com from your mobile phone, and you’ll be taken to a new website specially designed for your device. You can log into your account, view your favorites, and discover and share new videos quickly and easily with whoever you choose. It’s part of our mission to create the best possible YouTube experience for you, whether you use the site on your computer, in your living room, or on the go.

Since Google’s own Android, as well as Palm’s Pre, use the same Mobile WebKit foundation as the iPhone, YouTube hits three advanced platforms with one code-base.

Nifty.

[Via PreCentral.net]

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Quick WebApp: YouTube Optimizes for iPhone

Dan Moren at Macworld quotes the figures:

In a post on the YouTube blog product manager Dwipal Desai and community manager Mia Quagliarello say that the number of videos uploaded to the sharing site from mobile phones has jumped 400 percent a day since the iPhone 3GS’s release last Friday.

As part of an overall 1700% increase year to date, you don’t have to be Oliva Munn and Kevin Peirera (NSFW-L) to know how much the quick and easy shooting and uploading of video to YouTube via the iPhone 3GS will continue to push that. Truth be told, we think Apple just unleashed a TMZ-style hurting on reckless celebrities and unfortunate public fool-of-themselves’ers like the world ain’t never seen before.

Little brother indeed.

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Mobile YouTube Uploads Increasing 400% PER DAY Since iPhone 3GS Launch

iFun.de (via MacRumors) has posted up the above video of what’s purported to be some of the first iPhone 3G S direct-to-YouTube uploads. How does it look to you?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone 3G S-Shot Videos Hitting YouTube?

Lots of smartphones have lots of features, and as Steve Jobs has said in the past — many people don’t even know about them, much less use them.

With the original iPhone, Apple popularized mobile web browsing, and the iPhone 3G too that to previously unseen levels (and AT&T has the data network woes to prove it). The App Store made getting and using mobile applications so ridiculously easy that 50,000 now fill the store and over 1 billion have been downloaded.

So now Apple is set to take on mobile video.

Like previous efforts, mobile video isn’t new. Many smartphones have been able to shoot video for many years. Likewise, the Flip Mino and similar pocket video camera have become media darlings. But as with most things Apple, the iPhone 3G S is set to make shooting, editing, and sharing videos not only more convenient, but easier and likely more popular than ever.

Think about it: the video camera will be with you everywhere you have a phone. It will be constantly connected. And it will be integrated with not only MMS and MobileMe, but with the 800lbs gorilla of video — YouTube.

Hey, dad, here’s your son making that soccer goal 5 min ago. Hey, sis, here’s Steve Jobs totally ordering a smoothy at Whole Foods! Hey, air force, here’s that flying saucer that keeps buzzing my cattle ranch!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone 3G S — Apple Delivers Mobile Video to the Masses

Sure, we’re still only a few days out from the launch, but at the speed of the interw00ts, that counts as recent history. Here’s a bit of nostalgia for you: Armed with my Flip Mino in hand, I took this video while waiting in line at my local Apple Store. I was able to handle the iPhone 3G before launch, played some of the Caveman racing game and asked folks some general questions about the iPhone. 

If you have not witnessed an iPhone launch before, everyone goes crazy when the doors open; watch the video to check it out!

(Note from Dieter: I challenge you to watch this without a giant grin on your face. The enthusiasm in this line matched the joy in mine — enough to melt even the coldest, iPhone-hating heart)

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Video: Waiting in line for the iPhone 3G in Cincinnati, OH

You know what the iPhone popularized? Not just iCloning. Not just multi-touch. Not just visual voicemail. What I’m talking about is watching video on your mobile device. Youtube was integrated into the iPhone from the beginning and well, most other mobile users were jealous.

But the iPhone has so much more video potential than just Youtube. As popular as Youtube is, there are other video sites out there. Take the webapp PocketVidz for example, they have thousands of videos available for your iPhone, sized and optimized for your viewing pleasure. What is the selection like? Should you try it out?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design/Interface

After selecting a category the next page shows certain ‘broadcast networks’, if you will. The videos that populate PocketVidz are mostly vodcasts, so if you’re looking for the latest music video, you’re out of luck. You select which vodcast series you wish to watch and tap it for a short description and a listing of the latest episode. There is also a link at the bottom of the screen for all videos from this vodcast.

Usability

Over Wi-Fi, the videos load quick and snappy and the quality of the videos seemed to be on par with what Youtube currently offers (sorry I couldn’t screenshot a video). Loading the videos on EDGE was expectedly slow. There is also an option to download the videos as well which means you can step away from the typically iTunes-only videos of the iPhone and watch PocketVidz’ videos at your leisure.

The best feature of PocketVidz is the seamless way it loads videos onto your iPhone. Sure the layout of the whole web app is clunky and dated-looking, but when clicking the play button it effortlessly transitions into the video player. Also, unlike Youtube, you can watch videos in portrait mode which is of course smaller, or watch it in landscape (the recommended way).

Overall, the web app is still in its beginning stages. Its easy to use because there isn’t much flair to it and I was watching videos in a matter of seconds over Wi-Fi.

Criticism

PocketVidz claims that the experience is optimized for iPhone users and though the videos are sized correctly, the interface is clearly not. In order to have your application stand out among the rest of the more polished apps available, PocketVidz will certainly need to improve their layout. It functions fine, but man, it doesn’t feel like using an iPhone at all.

Final Thoughts

But PocketVidz definitely needs to step it up in design. The program is functional, to be sure, but it just lacks a certain amount of oomph to it. Put it this way, the program looks like it was made for smartphones with bad screen resolution and a trackball. And in the iPhone world of polished and multi-touch, PocketVidz current design layout just doesn’t cut it.

PROS

• Quick load times over WiFi
• Offers Categories and Channels to choose from
• Video launches effortlessly
• Serviceable Alternative to Youtube

CONS

• Poor, ‘rest-of-the-smartphone-world’ design
• Not all videos are available

Final Rating: 3/5

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Weekly Web App Review: PocketVidz

Direct YouTube Link

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Aquapac Waterproof Pro Sports Case

Part 1 of 2

No bones about it, the Aquapac Waterproof Pro Sports Case (store link, $34.95) isn’t a pretty case. It’s a pretty ugly case. You don’t wear the Aquapac to the beauty pageant though, so this review is less about aesthetics and more about form.

Even still, first impressions are important. Regarding the aesthetics of the case, it took my wife about a nanosecond to mention that I looked like a dork, and I didn’t even have it strapped to my arm or thigh, it was just clipped with the fake carabiner to one of the belt loops of my jeans.

The AWPSC is a bit of an odd duck. If you’re just using the lanyard or the carabiner and have removed the strap, the side flaps stick out like miniature kid floaties. The side flap and plastic combo isn’t really especially comfortable on the skin.

It also has to be said that the strap isn’t especially comfortable in the plastic area; you’ll probably be happiest wrapping it around clothes (or keeping some cloth handy to act as backing for the plastic.

If you want the velcro strap securely fashioned to your thigh or arm, you’ll be best if you attach it to something with a max circumference of about 16″. I’m personally more likely to hang it around my knees or shins than I am my thigh, I could definitely use more strap. You can get an extra inch or more of give if you’re willing to leave some velcro exposed, the velcro holds pretty well. Still, more strap.

The carabiner and lanyard are fine; the carabiner is a bit too thick to really work with the tiny hole in the plastic. A bit more hole there would have been nice. The lanyard is a decent one; it sports a sliding mechanism to keep your loop anchored around your neck.

Unfazed, I tested on. I took the Aquapac out on a fishing trip recently to see how it would perform (admirably), but the test really left me wanting more. I stuck the Aquapac in the water; the lake I went to isn’t deep enough to hit the 30 feet / 10 meter depth limit. Plus, I don’t have an underwater camera, so taking it to that depth really doesn’t do anyone any good. This is why this review comes in two parts.

I can gripe about comfort and plastic on the skin and not enough strap or whatever. It doesn’t really matter; if one way doesn’t work for you, there are two more plus whatever else you can think of. What counts is that the iPhone is dry when it’s all said and done. And it’s dry when it’s all said and done. 4/5

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Review: Aquapac Waterproof Pro Sports Case