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Google reclines with YouTube Google has inched into the living room with the launch of YouTube Leanback, a precursor to the debut of Google TV in the US this autumn. Leanback is a version of YouTube specially tailored for watching on TV - a version designed to transform the world's biggest video website from a '2ft' to '10ft experience.' Google first trailed the idea when it unveiled its Google TV masterplan in May - an initiative that sees the search giant buddying up with Intel, Sony and Logitech to introduce its own Android-powered set-top boxes this year. "Just as its name implies, YouTube Leanback is all about letting you sit back, relax and be entertained," the company said in a customary blog post. "Videos tailored to your interests play as soon as you visit the site and they play in full screen and high definition, continuously. There's no need to click, search or browse - unless you want to, of course. Watching YouTube becomes as easy as watching TV." The beta launch of Leanback online coincides with new figures released from the firm claiming that the mobile equivalent of YouTube (as distinct from its iPhone app) now serves up more than 100 million video playbacks a day. This represents a 160% rise during the past year and puts YouTube's mobile video consumption on a par with the number of videos it was serving up online in 2006, when Google snapped up the site for US$1.65bn. The company will be hoping for a further spike in mobile usage on July 24, after yesterday unveiling a partnership with directors Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald to create what is being billed as the world's first crowd-sourced documentary. Jonathan Webdale 8 Jul 2010 © C21 Media 2010 
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