14 DAY TRIAL // YouTube has recently unveiled new native applications for two mobile phone platforms, namely Symbian and Windows Mobile. The new apps have been optimized to offer users a leveraged experience, so they can browse and search for videos, while also being able to watch them on the go.
The interface of the application released for the Symbian S60 platform resembles a lot the YouTube we are all accustomed with. It has been optimized for QVGA screens, yet it does not include full support for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Users are able to access top rated, most viewed and most recent videos, just the same as on the web version of the site. Once selected, a clip will start playing in full screen and in landscape mode. Movies that are widescreens will be viewed in a “letter-box” format.
The application also offers standard YouTube controls so that users be able to jump through the video, pause it or change the volume. At the moment, it seems that the client hasn't yet been fully integrated with the Tube. At the same time, it doesn't allow users to save clips so that they can view them later.
The Windows Mobile version of the application follows the Symbian one closely. One interesting thing is that YouTube might use here Silverlight and not Flash, and many of you might already know that Windows Mobile phones are able to handle Silverlight with the Skyfire mobile browser. At the same time, in the near future the technology will also be included with Internet Explorer Mobile too.
It comes as rather good news that Silverlight is getting support for other applications too. At the same time, WM mobile phone users will have another feature to enjoy, after having the Google Mobile app added to Windows Mobile not too long ago. All in all, those of you who would like to get the YouTube application, either for the Symbian S60 platform or the Windows Mobile one should head over to the YouTube Mobile site.
