"YouTube has revamped its website putting channels at the core of the service.  A channel is a curated list of video clips chosen by a specific YouTube member or celebrity.  Channels are now displayed in a central column on the site's home page resembling news feeds on social networks such as Facebook or Google+.  Experts say the redesign may mean people spend longer on the site, but some users have attacked the change" -- BBC News

YouTube has redesigned its website to put more focus on the channels; not just the videos.  The new ‘left hand panel’ will display videos by a particular YouTube member, individual or celebrity.  As noted by the BBC, the new site resembles the look and usability of a social networking site - but unfortunately more people seem to be against the ‘new look’ than for it.  To be honest, every time Facebook update or redesign, they are always met with resistance and negativity but given a few days and everyone is on board.  Perhaps users don’t appreciate the need for constant renovation and fresh ideas; technology moves so quickly and unless you reinvent yourself, then you just become stagnant and regrettably will eventually become redundant.  The saying ‘if it aint broke...’ doesn’t really apply to technology; with such an open market, someone else is always waiting in the wings ready to swoop in and take over.

Over the last six months, we have seen a lot more ‘integration’ of social networking sites with ecommerce sites; Facebook and YouTube are integrating with TicketMaster and iTunes...the need for huge amount of information and rapid response is huge and users are becoming increasingly fickle; if it doesn’t work how and when you want it to, then move to the next!  The information flow between sites is increasing by the day, you can pretty much track what everyone in your life is doing without having to actually speak to them at all.  As great as all the technological advances are; let’s still remember that it’s people over product.