Beginning today, you can opt-in to take part in the brand-new YouTube home page. According to the press release, this new layout offers a homepage that has a real emphasis on a personalized video browsing and watching experience. It’s quite different looking, definitely. The question is – is it something we really need in order to have a better experience on the site?

So, what’s in store with the new shiny page? Plenty, according to the powers-that-be:

• Combined list – Merges your subscriptions, friend activity, and recommendations into one easier-to-scan list (and a “Subscription uploads” tab if you only want to see subscriptions)
• Don’t miss a video – If a channel uploads 4 videos in a day, you’ll see all 4 – instead of just the latest video
• Delete anything – Hover over any video you don’t want to watch and click ‘x’
• Or just grey it out – Videos you’ve already watched will be grayed out – so even without deleting, you’ll know where you left off
• Help me re-find stuff I just watched – Your homepage will include your recent likes and favorites so you can easily get back to them
• Easy inbox – Links to your inbox (personal messages & comments) are front and center

My question is, though, is all of this eye candy really necessary in order to improve my experience while visiting the site? It’s a well-known fact that YouTube has tried too hard in the past to “fix” things – only to make them worse. What do you think? Is this new home page a step in the right direction – or not?

New YouTube Home Page

Five years ago today, YouTube began changing the world of online video consumption. As of now, the company reports that there are approximately two billion video views per day. I’ve been lucky to have been a part of this service almost since its inception. Watching the changes over the years has been exciting… and a headache, at times. Not every change has been for the better. However, the folks behind the service are pretty good at listening to what their users really want.

YouTube is launching a new channel of videos that they have named “My YouTube Story.” This will include a collection of clips featuring people from all over the World talking about how the popular video-streaming service has changed or enhanced their lives. According to TechCrunch, “The initial batch of clips were filmed by documentary filmmaker Stephen Higgins, and some of them are quite touching. YouTube users can upload their own video stories as well; YouTube will be plotting these videos on a global map, and will also offer an interactive timeline of clips.”

I like to believe that our community has contributed in some small way to the success of the site. Since I joined the site in April of 2006, I have recorded a grand total of 2796 videos. Our channel has garnered 78,661,584 total views!! There have been 4,702,845 channel views, and we are number 34 on the “most subscribed” list of YouTube Gurus and Partners. We’re also ranked nineteenth on the list of most viewed Gurus and Partners of all time!

All I can say to that is that I am blessed to have been able to grab a small corner of the YouTube merry-go-round for our community, and it’s been one hell of a ride thus far. Happy birthday, YouTube… here’s to another successful and amazing five years.

Happy Birthday, YouTube

Imagine being stuck in an airport for hours on end. You’re bored out of your mind, and feeling as though you could flip out at any second. Now imagine having the iPad with you, just waiting for you to connect to iTunes. It takes one tap of a finger to connect to the iTunes store via a wireless connection.

Once you connect to iTunes, you know what to do from there. You can browse through music, podcasts, telelvision shows and movies to purchase. Grab that new album you’ve been dying to listen to, plug your headphones in, and rock out. There are millions of songs available – and thousands of movies and videos.

If you are a student and could use some extra knowledge (who couldn’t?), you can connect to iTunes U. There you will find lectures, lessons, audiobooks and even podcasts – all coming from universities and museums.

You can quickly transfer your existing iTunes library from another device to your iPad and from your iPad to the other machines. No matter where you go (or what device you have with you) you won’t have to leave your media at home.

How Does iTunes Work on the iPad?

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

100,050 is a pretty big number! That’s how many subscribers we now have on our YouTube channel! Thank you for following what we’re doing!

I’m coming up on my four-year YouTube anniversary. I’ve been publishing tech-related information online since 1996. I’ve posted more than 2500 videos to YouTube, and been fortunate to rack up millions of views.

Based on the emails and feedback I receive, I know I have influenced many of you, and that humbles me. I got where I am today because of all of you. I literally raised a glass to all of you to toast our continued success together. The community as a whole is what makes me want to push myself to do more, and to continue producing content.

I have been told I’ll be heading to Hell if I don’t reach a million subscribers soon, but you won’t be heading there if you subscribe to me! Only good things will happen if you join our community!

Thanks everyone. Thanks for helping me do what I love to do.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lDZKqShpmGM"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lDZKqShpmGM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

How to Reach 100,000 YouTube Subscribers

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You have digital images, digital video and even digital audio. What if you want to experience digital quality on your television? It’s not so easy to do, unless you have a specific device such as Hi-Den.

The Hi-Den HDMI Digital Photo Viewer is a small easy-to-use device that allows you to view your photos, watch videos, or listen to music right on your HDTV. Forget crowding around the computer. Sit back and relax on your couch while sharing your fave pics and vides with everyone. Show pictures on HDTV by inserting a memory card or USB drive. Play your favorite MP3 files through your tv, or watch slide shows from the last family reunion.

Assuming you have an HDMI television or a cable, you’ll be able to easily set this up. It has an AC adapter, and a remote control! It allows you to browse, or choose what type of device to watch from. You can even adjust the resolution right from the remote… supporting up to a whopping 1080p!! That’s about as good as it gets these days.

If you know of other cool devices I need to check out and review, drop me a line. I’m always looking for the latest and greatest gadgets!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iaSjavzKpFo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iaSjavzKpFo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

How to Experience Digital Media on HDTV

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You may have an iPod, or may get one in the future. When you buy a new one, getting your data off the old one is a bit of a challenge. You could cry yourself to sleep at night, or use an easy solution to get the data off the old one!

Using Pod to PC, it’s easy to pull the data off of your old iPod or iPhone. It is freeware that lets you transfer music, videos and playlists from an iPod or iPhone back to your computer and into iTunes. Additionally, you can recover your music in iTunes after your computer crashes by transferring the music on your iPod or iPhone back to your computer!

Of course, for you Mac users, there is Pod to Mac!! It’s exactly the same concept, by the same people. It’s just made to work on OS X instead of Windows. How beautiful is that?!

This service is completely and 100% free! It’s not the most beautiful utility I’ve ever seen, but it gets the job done very well. That is what matters, right? Bookmark this site – I guarantee you’re going to wonder how you ever managed without it.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j39MjfHsQRY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j39MjfHsQRY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

How to Transfer Music, Video, Photos from an iPod / iPhone

In just under a week, Geeks has exploded! All of you who have joined us have just made yourselves at home, and I love it! There are hundreds of message board threads, hundreds of groups, and thousands of pictures uploaded already. Heck, we are even starting to gain on YouTube for most videos uploaded. Ok, so maybe that was just a bit of a stretch. But, you get the idea.

I wanted to take a minute to not only say how proud I am of the entire Geeks community, but to shout out to those of you uploading your videos, as well. Most of these are bursting with creativity and passion, and I just can’t get enough of watching them. Take a look at some of what you’ll find:

I would like to start promoting other videocasts on the Geeks Web site. Every day, I hope to feature a different geek – which means every community member must start to upload their videos there (or include the embed for them in the Videos section). Doesn’t matter what kind of videos you’re doing – if they’re done with passion, I’ll throw ‘em into the loop! It’s front page promotion for everybody eventually (hopefully). Don’t ask when you’re going to be featured – you’ll know when it happens, or doesn’t happen.
Bonus points for:

• Brevity (I know, I tend to ramble as well)
• Creativity in presentation (grab our attention)
• Good audio quality (we have to hear you clearly)
• Good video quality (we have to see you clearly)

Got a product review (good or bad)? Got a simple “how to” you’d like to share? How about a passionate opinion or perspective on something you feel geeky about? Let ‘er rip.

The First Geeks Community Video Roundup