Tech Shout!

Google co-founder has announced that the search engine would permit the on-demand viewing of both recent as well as classic CBS shows and NBA basketball games. The announcement was made at Friday afternoon keynote at CES 2006.

Larry Page announced, “Google video will let you watch lots of high quality video on the Web for the first time. You can search and browse, and we make it fast and easy for you to watch.” He added, “For video producers and anyone with a video camera, Google Video will give you a platform to publish to the entire Google audience in a fast, free and seamless way.”

While newer shows, such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “The Amazing Race” will cost $1.99 YSD to rent for 24 hours, older programs can be viewed for an unlimited period of time for the same price. NBA basketball games would cost $3.95 USD per download, and would be available about a day after the game is played.

Other content to be added to the service includes films from independent studio Greencine, programs from UK network ITN, and older episodes of “The Charlie Rose Show”. Since all content would be protected except for The Charlie Rose Show, implying that users could transfer episodes to portable devices.

Customers would pay for downloads via credit card through Google’s payment system. Google said that half of the fee collected by Google would go to the companies providing the content. The search engine anticipates having the service up and running soon from the current Google Video page.

Google’s video collection will also include:

- Music videos from Sony BMG. The line-up of launch videos includes offerings from some of Sony BMG’s global superstar artists, including Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Kenny Chesney, Destiny’s Child, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Lil’ Flip, Jessica Simpson, Shakira, System of a Down, Switchfoot, Usher and many more.

- Feature Length Independent Films from Greencine.com. Including works by legendary Polish director Andrzej Wajda (Zemsta), documentary filmmaker Ted Bonnitt (Mau Mau Sex Sex) and independent actor/director Caveh Zahedi (In the Bathtub of the World).

- Historic, news and educational footage from ITN. This material ranges from coverage of key events in 2005 such as the Pope John Paul II’s death, back to a recording of the 1896 coronation of Tsar Nicholas II - one of the earliest known pieces of moving imagery.

- Charlie Rose interviews. Including interviews with Henry Kissinger, Oliver Stone, Quentin Tarantino, Martha Stewart, Martin Scorsese, Harrison Ford, Dan Rather, Charles M. Schulz, Steve Jobs, Jay Leno, Tom Brokaw and others.

- Cartoon classics from Classic Media. Featuring many of the world’s most famous animated series such as “Felix the Cat,” “Casper The Friendly Ghost” and “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”

- Children’s educational programming from Clearvue. Educational video topics vary from teen education on tattoos to explanations about the workings of the human brain.

- Clips from Getty Images’ Archive Films Collection. A diverse collection of short clips that capture personalities, moments and eras throughout history, selected from vintage newsreels and educational film, as well as contemporary news and events from around the world.

Google said it would be adding new titles to its video store everyday. The list of content producers will also include a broad range of entertainment and educational partners including among others, Blue Highways TV, CareTALK, Fashion TV, Here! TV, HDNet, Hilarious Picks, Image Entertainment, iWatchNow.com, Kantola Productions, MediaZone, Plum TV, Porchlight Entertainment, SOFA Entertainment, Teen Kids, Trinity Broadcasting Network, WGBH, Wheels TV and Wilderness Film India Ltd.