14 DAY TRIAL // When Google TV was revealed, the company also announced YouTube Leanback, a customized version of the video site designed for the big screen. Leanback was live even then, but now that Google TV is basically here, it's getting a revamp and some finishing touches.
The new version of the site, the one that's supposed to be the one that Sony TV and Logitech Revue buyers see, is now live and some of the improvements are noticeable.
If you haven't seen Leanback before, be prepared for a surprise, the site looks nothing like YouTube. The emphasis is on the videos and uninterrupted playback.
When you land at the site, a video is already loaded as well as a playlist. The idea is to make it as easy to start viewing as possible, with little interruptions.
The video is full screen of course and, by default, you'll see very few interface elements. Not that that there are that many of them in the first place.
You get a search bar which shows up as soon as you star typing, and a bottom navigation toolbar which only shows up when you press the down arrow key.
Leanback loads a playlist of videos that YouTube thinks you may like or are from the people you subscribe too.
You can also easily get to your saved playlists or browse the dedicated categories on YouTube like Comedy, Music, Entertainment and so on.
Everything can be controlled from the keyboard, very handy for Google TV devices which come with a full qwerty keyboard remote.
Leanback works in any browser and on any device, so you can take it for a spin even if you don't have Google TV.
The new interface should be particularly interesting for those running home-made media PCs or other dedicated devices like the Roku or Boxee.