YOU TUBE IS reportedly stuck with a couple of issues, namely searchability of uploaded content and the size of the content. Size issue is being taken care of to some extent by the fact that there is an easier and cheaper availability of storage with technology and miniaturization advancements. However, ease of being able to search requested information from terabytes of freely uploaded content is still a major headache despite speedier computers and search engines that are getting faster algorithms to churn out quicker searches.

The video-sharing website allows users to upload, view and share videos and uses Adobe Flash video and HTML5 to display a variety of video content, movie and television clips, music videos and amateur content such as video blogging and short videos. The website allows unregistered users to watch videos while the registered users can upload an unlimited number of videos.  With the ease and almost unrestricted access to users to upload any amount of data (and mind you most of the matter uploaded on YouTube comprises heavier files such as video clips etc) its an uphill task for the content to be “searched” instantly and dumped by the browsers at lightning speeds. With the advent of faster computing speeds, users are now averse to longer “wait times” and switch to other sites or other activities if their search does not fructify in milliseconds. Users are now quietly exploring various options to YouTube!

With potential business problem on hand to address, there are some newer alternatives which have been identified by entrepreneurs. One such alternative which is making the rounds these days is TinyTube.com.

As the name suggests TinyTube.com is a YouTube for kids — yes, a site for kids to upload all that YouTube allows — video clips, music numbers, movie trailers, cartoons and educational content too for targeted age groups. The comfort of being able to search specific content from a known area is almost akin to simply searching for a file from a known folder — and this thought is heartening. Of course, the success of this venture and its long term potential will finally hinge on the same two parameters: size and ease of search but the step seems to be in the right direction. On similar lines, one should not be surprised to see a host of new Tubes such as a AdultTube.com, SportzTube.com, EducationTube.com, RelegionTube.com — in short, YounameitTube.com to mimic the Mother of Tubes, YouTube.

YouTube is undoubtedly the most hugely popular websites globally in its category and is likely to become more dominant as video content becomes more accessible especially with the explosion of mobile devices and its demands. Google will surely address the above challenges by leveraging its technological muscle to address the issues else it will simply deploy its financial muscle to gobble up the new emerging Tubes to remain in the forefront and be the undisputed master of content!

The hugely popular website was set up in 2005 by a clutch of former Paypal employees and subsequently bought out by Internet Search forerunner Google Inc. in November 2006 for staggering $1.65 billion.

prashant.vadgaonkar@hotmail.com