Google shuts down video service

zippyjuan · 08-13-2007, 10:59 AM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6944292.stm

Quote:

Google shuts down video service

Larry Page announced the video store in Las Vegas
Google is shutting down its premium video service, leaving users who have bought or rented content unable to view their videos in the future.
In an e-mail to users the web giant said that money spent on videos would not be refunded.

Customers are being offered fixed credit on the firm's online payment system, Google Checkout, instead.

The move comes nine months after Google paid $1.65bn for online site You Tube, which also sells some video.

Google started selling video content on its video site in January last year, offering programs such as Survivor, CSI and Star Trek for about $1.99 (£1).

Google co-founder Larry Page launched the service at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, but the success of YouTube has made Google Video increasingly irrelevant.

Jupiter analyst David Card said Google's decision to stop people from watching content they had already bought from the service was a mistake.

"No wonder consumers are still a bit cautious about digital content," he wrote on his blog.

He added: "We've seen a physical format-device combo go out of manufacture before: wax cylinders, 8-tracks. But can you think of any consumer-purchased medium that actually becomes unusable while there are players that still work?"

Google said users would be offered a Google Checkout credit of $5 (£2.50), which would expire within 60 days.

Napoleon54 · 08-13-2007, 12:15 PM

They should at least offer to refund peoples' money. Instead, they're capitalizing on thier failure by stearing people to another Google service? That's very sketchy IMO.

ray · 08-13-2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Napoleon54

They should at least offer to refund peoples' money. Instead, they're capitalizing on thier failure by stearing people to another Google service? That's very sketchy IMO.

Would other DRM sites refund your money if they shut down? Probably not.

As a consumer there is always the possibility that someone you purchased from closes its doors, and unfortunately there's nothing we can do about it. Heck, Google didn't even have to give everybody $5.

Napoleon54 · 08-13-2007, 01:09 PM

I'm still peeved over my lost $8 balance at the now-defunct allofmp3.com...

but I blame RIAA et al for that.

Thesifer · 08-13-2007, 04:27 PM

I'm not sure exactly how Google Video Premium worked, but was it not possible for them to allow the people that already had a balance to use up their balance before being locked out?

I mean if it's a finite amount of money, It seems like it would have been a pretty simple process. Or to at least move their accounts to "YouTube Premium" accounts.

gear02 · 08-13-2007, 08:19 PM

that was a half assed attempt at selling movies...

ShawnLee · 08-14-2007, 12:52 AM

Do no evil, cough.

Thesifer · 08-21-2007, 11:20 AM

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/08...deo-purchases/

Update on the Google Video Fiasco.

Google to offer full refunds on Video purchases

Posted Aug 21st 2007 10:40AM by Nik Fletcher
Filed under: Video, Windows, Macintosh, Google
Google recently caused something of a commotion with their announcement that Google Video would be shutting down, and that videos would no longer be playable. In return, Google was offering Google Checkout coupons, which many people were (quite understandably) displeased with.

Thankfully, Google appears to have listened to peoples concerns, and has had a change of heart with their policy. According to the Official Google Blog, Google Video customers will receive a full refund via their credit card (once you've confirmed or updated your credit card details), any existing Google Checkout coupons can be kept as a way of saying "sorry [Google] goofed", and Videos will remain playable for another six months.

Of course, this whole saga could have been avoided by not shutting down the service (and perhaps by not using DRM, depending on your point of view), but it's good to see Google owning up to its mistakes and trying to make right on them.

08-13-2007, 12:15 PM	#2
Napoleon54 Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: floating inside of a giant egg made of stars Posts: 4,861	They should at least offer to refund peoples' money. Instead, they're capitalizing on thier failure by stearing people to another Google service? That's very sketchy IMO. __________________ There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal. - Friedrich Hayek

08-13-2007, 04:27 PM	#5
Thesifer Vice Admiral Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,338	I'm not sure exactly how Google Video Premium worked, but was it not possible for them to allow the people that already had a balance to use up their balance before being locked out? I mean if it's a finite amount of money, It seems like it would have been a pretty simple process. Or to at least move their accounts to "YouTube Premium" accounts. __________________

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08-13-2007, 01:09 PM	#4
Napoleon54 Vice Admiral Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: floating inside of a giant egg made of stars Posts: 4,861	I'm still peeved over my lost $8 balance at the now-defunct allofmp3.com... but I blame RIAA et al for that.

08-13-2007, 08:19 PM	#6
gear02 Admiral Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 7,223	that was a half assed attempt at selling movies...

08-21-2007, 11:20 AM	#8
Thesifer Vice Admiral Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,338	http://www.downloadsquad.com/2007/08...deo-purchases/ Update on the Google Video Fiasco. Google to offer full refunds on Video purchases Posted Aug 21st 2007 10:40AM by Nik Fletcher Filed under: Video, Windows, Macintosh, Google Google recently caused something of a commotion with their announcement that Google Video would be shutting down, and that videos would no longer be playable. In return, Google was offering Google Checkout coupons, which many people were (quite understandably) displeased with. Thankfully, Google appears to have listened to peoples concerns, and has had a change of heart with their policy. According to the Official Google Blog, Google Video customers will receive a full refund via their credit card (once you've confirmed or updated your credit card details), any existing Google Checkout coupons can be kept as a way of saying "sorry [Google] goofed", and Videos will remain playable for another six months. Of course, this whole saga could have been avoided by not shutting down the service (and perhaps by not using DRM, depending on your point of view), but it's good to see Google owning up to its mistakes and trying to make right on them.

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