Google recently unveiled a potential new redesign of their YouTube interface, codenamed: “Cosmic Panda.” Unlike the exclusive Google+, this experiment is open to the public at http://www.youtube.com/cosmicpanda.
The Cosmic Panda landing page offers you a look into the interface changes of three core components to YouTube: single videos, channels and playlists. Even before choosing, you can see a facelift to the main header that looks similiar to the proposed redesign of Gmail that was unveiled in late June:
The new, raised and shadowed buttons give YouTube a sleeker, more modern look.
What’s immediately apparent on the new video player is a dark grey light-box that frames the video. Suggested Videos now appearer below the currently playing video, with larger thumbnails. An advertisement is now more prominently displayed next to the currently playing video.
In Cosmic Panda, you have the ability to browse between between videos, playlists, and channels while a video is playing, rather than navigating to a new page. (this feature works in Chrome only).
Channels now have more robust navigation that allows a user to browse featured videos and playlists, all videos, and “Community” – the revamped comments section.
Playlists have been completely overhauled. Rather than playing a listed video in the normal YouTube environment, playlists now boast their own dedicated interface that allows you to easily browse between videos on the list. It gives a playlist more of the feel of a singular channel, with the ability to promote conversation around the playlist, rather than just on the individual videos therein.
Take some time to click around – YouTube is eager to hear feedback on the new design. Tell us what you think about it below.
About Steven Shattuck
Are they still dropping an ad layer over the active video? That is so annoying. Start video, get into it, then having video blocked by an ad. Without even noticing what the ad is about, search for the X to make it go away.
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