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Google Video (beta)

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 7 reviews
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Product summary

The good: Google Video hosts thousands of titles, most of them free, which are viewable online on Windows or Macintosh PCs. Most free videos can be downloaded in video iPod- or PSP-compatible formats. Google Video does feature some decent commercial content, including CBS programs.

The bad: Google Video has almost no organization of content, and paid content comes in a wide range of prices. Paid content is in a proprietary format, is not transferable to any portable devices at this point, and requires Google Video Player, which works only on Windows 2000 and XP systems.

The bottom line: It turns out that an open, sprawling interface works better for a search engine than a video store. Google Video will have to take a few categorization notes from Yahoo if it's ever going to challenge the iTunes Music Store.

See all products in the Google series

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by:
Troy Dreier
Edited by:
James Kim
Reviewed on: 02/07/2006
Released on: 12/01/2005

This review will probably need updating quickly, because we can't imagine a company as successful and motivated as Google leaving a high-profile product in a state such as this for long. Google's entry into the online video marketplace looks rushed, and it lacks organization, ease, and any forethought about how people shop.

Unmistakably a Google product, the video store has the company's signature sparse, white interface with an emphasis on searching, rather than Yahoo-like categorization. The top of the home page features commercial content from CBS, BMG music, and others, offering well-known names such as Survivor, CSI, and NBA basketball. As of the posting of this review, you can even browse and play back all commercials shown during Super Bowl XL. Lower on the page, you'll find selections of popular and random free videos. A quick browse will uncover a gigantic library of video clips and shows.

The Google Video home page.

It's with paid content that Google Video mostly misses the mark. Videos can range in price dramatically, from 99 cents to $14.99, instead of a standard price; the iTunes Music Store charges $1.99 for videos. More expensive shows can often be purchased for less with a day pass, for those who are content to watch a show but not own it. Purchased content is available only to Windows 2000 and XP users and is in a proprietary GVI format, which can be played only with Google's free, no-frills player and can't be transferred to a portable device. With restrictions such as that, it's obvious that Google misunderstood why the iTunes Music Store's video sales made such a splash.

The no-frills Google Video player.

With free content, Google Video is more successful, although it's no more than a time-killing diversion. Users can post their own videos to the store, which are free to view, although within a few weeks, people will be able to charge for them (good luck). Free content can be viewed through Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari on any Windows or Macintosh computer, and most of it can be downloaded in AVI for either Windows or Mac computers; or in the correct format for PlayStation Portables or video iPods. Some pages have icons for sending the listing to a friend or adding the video to your Web site, but not all of them do. We hope that you'll soon be able to download a version that works with Windows Media PlaysForSure devices.

Google won't say how many titles are on the site, except that the number is in the thousands. With no organization to the store, you're left browsing commercial or popular content, or searching on keywords. It's an entertaining way to spend some time, and the inclusion of so much free content is a smart idea, but with so little organization, it's hard to discover interesting content in the store.

We didn't experience any major problems using the site or purchasing video, although purchases downloaded far too slowly. One 30-minute program took 20 minutes to download. Also, the Google Video player is far too simple, with no way to view your library of titles.

If you're having problems, Google Video offers several FAQs online, as well as a page to e-mail a question.

See more CNET content tagged:: Google Video,; Google Inc.,; Apple iTunes Music Store,; video player,; organization

User reviews

Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 7 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 7 user reviewsSee all 7 user reviews
5.0 stars

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

"Its free, and better than anything else"

by Dustout on February 7, 2006

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3.0 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"Google video - letting the side down"

by monkeyhouse on February 8, 2006

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4.0 stars

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

"Great source of misc videos"

by mfed3 on February 7, 2006

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Google Video (beta)

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