14 DAY TRIAL // The Google Instant launch generated quite a lot of interest and most users welcomed the new feature. The new search interface also inspired others to try and recreate the experience, one of the first and best known being YouTube Instant.
Launched shortly after Google Instant, the result of a long coding session by Stanford computer science student Feross Aboukhadijeh, the site became an instant hit.
Not only it clicked with the users, who have been pouring in for the past couple of weeks, it also got the attention of YouTube co-founder and CEO Chad Hurley who, no less, offered the budding developer a job.
Aboukhadijeh took Hurley up on that offer and has said that he will start working at YouTube, while also continuing his studies.
"I met with Chad Hurley (YouTube CEO) last week to discuss the job offer and what we can do with YouTube Instant. He and the engineers I spoke with were really excited about the possibilities," he wrote in a lengthy blog post.
"I will continue my studies at Stanford University while working at YouTube. I can’t wait to start building some awesome stuff at YouTube!," he added.
But that's not all, the site itself proved a hit with YouTube users as well. In just 10 days after launch YouTube Instant hit one million visitors. The site also got 28,000 Facebook Likes, 20,000 tweets and 14,000 stumbles.
This clearly isn't a fluke and it can't be 'blamed' on the media coverage alone, people really like the site. Of course, being mentioned all over the web, on TV and even in Chinese newspapers probably helped.
But it gets even better, while working on YouTube Instant, Aboukhadijeh was and still is an intern at Facebook. He says he has been working on a new product all summer so there may be an announcement coming in that area soon.