YouTube's Blog


Last Chance to be a Red Carpet Reporter
Based on some of your comments and emails saying that the entry period for the People.com/YouTube Be a Red Carpet Reporter contest was too short, we have decided to extend the deadline for submissions by an additional 48 hours – which means that July 23 will be the last, last day to interview your way to TV's biggest red carpet event.



The premise is simple: send us your best two- to four-minute video showing off your interview skills with a family member or friend, using your front walk as a red carpet. Submissions are due by midnight EST on the 23rd, after which a team of PEOPLE.com editors and red carpet correspondents will narrow the field to 10 finalists. Then it's up to PEOPLE.com and the YouTube community to select the best red carpet reporter to be flown to the L.A. event. (Read the full rules to ensure that your video qualifies for this contest.)

Good luck, and hope to see you on the red carpet!

The YouTube Team



Trendspotting Tuesday: Religion on YouTube
YouTube teems with videos representing a multitude of viewpoints, especially when it comes to users who are passionately engaged with religion or spirituality. This week’s Trendspotting Tuesday showcases those folks who use the site as their pulpit, demonstrating that you don’t have to go to India to have a guru (for example) and that you can preach to your “congregation” right from your comfy living room armchair. Naturally, this playlist could have been as long and as plentiful as all the viewpoints out there, so consider it just a randomly ordered taster of how some spiritual people are using the site:



Peace,
The YouTube Team


No Longer a Small Potato
For years, the potato has been an integral part of the global food system, serving as the world's number one non-grain food commodity. Now, as food shortages around the world become more prevalent, and the price of other staple foods like wheat, maize, and rice skyrocket, the humble spud is becoming an even more important player in the international fight against hunger. That's why the United Nations has decided to give the potato its rightful due, by naming 2008 the International Year of the Potato:



The aim of the International Year of the Potato is two-fold: to raise awareness about the crucial role of the potato in agriculture and economic security around the world, especially in developing nations, and to promote sustainable potato-based systems which would provide nutritious food for present and future generations. Other organizations besides the UN are also using YouTube to pitch in and meet these objectives. For example, the Idaho Potato Commission recently launched "ITuber Take," a contest which invited potato aficionados to create and submit YouTube videos about potatoes:



In celebration, other YouTube users are offering practical advice, like expertvillage, who is educating others on how to plant, grow, and harvest potatoes, and chefs Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarborough, authors of the Ultimate Potato book, who demonstrate an easy recipe for Indian potato curry.

In, ahem, starch contrast, if you're in the mood for a little music, you can enjoy Potato 2008 by reveling in the melodic stylings of this potato choir, which received RocketBoom recognition, or watch the classic "My Name is Potato" video performed by Italian songstress Rita Pavone. And if you like your baked potato with sour cream, chives, and a dash of the ridiculous, you may want to explore this "Conan O'Brien"-led potato dance posse, which puts Michael Flatley to shame.

For more on how YouTube users are taking this opportunity to celebrate their carb-laden pal, take a look at the full playlist of "YouTuberlicious" videos:



Spudtacularly yours,
Ramya R.
YouTube Nonprofits & Activism

Tech Vloggers Are Phoning It In
Cell phones created a big buzz in tech lately, and YouTube's tech vloggers have been working overtime to unbox, critique and compare the latest models.

For eager Apple fans, every step of the iPhone 3G's arrival has been documented, from the lines outside the Apple store to the unboxing of just-purchased phones. There are videos comparing the original iPhone and the 3G successor, videos reviewing the latest downloadable apps from the AppStore, and for those suffering from iPhone fatigue, Tom from Blendtec gives an iPhone the "Will It Blend?" treatment. Check out a few of our 3G favorites in this video playlist.



Of course, you don't have to be an Apple obsessive to get into the technology trenches with YouTube's gadget gurus. While john4lakers is delivering his take on 24 hours with his new iPhone, PhoneDog Noah is putting some other slick handsets to the test with a head-to-head dogfight between the LG Dare and Samsung Instinct. Meanwhile, SlashGear is unboxing the Treo 800w, TigerDirectBlog is getting hands-on with the HTC Touch Dual and absolon3 is giving his first impression of the Nokia E17.

By the time the iPhone residue has been cleaned off of the blender blades, there are sure to be dozens more videos posted on the various handsets, smart phones, touch screens and other gadgets that make up the "most wanted" lists of our tech experts. And there will doubtlessly be no shortage of opinions on offer, from "get it now!" fanboys to "wait and see!" skeptics. Who knew that cell phones would give us so much to talk about?

Cheers,
The YouTube Team


Guru Challenge: Princess Diana Cook-Off
It's time for another Guru Challenge and this month Princess Diana161 wants to see what's cooking (specifically summer recipes):



We all know there are some talented chefs on YouTube and we want to see them make everything from grilled hamburgers to tasty desserts. (The best ones just might make our home page.) Just upload your video as a response to Princess Diana's humorous call to action.

New to the Guru Challenges? They're for users making HowTo videos -- or for those who need a reason to start. Our first challenge with Zoo York was a call out to see your creative ways for spreading the word, and it generated some fun responses:



Our next challenge was a green-themed one, with architect Michelle Kaufmann asking to see how you would reuse and recycle an item you would normally throw away. Here's a peek at some of the best entries that have come in so far:



Now get cookin!,
Sadia H.
YouTube HowTo & Style