Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Video, Apple, iPod nano, iPod touch
Apple's ugly YouTube channel
Apple has designed some beautiful stuff over the years, from the ][e (hey, I think it looks good) to the iPod, but you can take the new OfficialApple YouTube channel off that list -- it's hideous. The glaringly huge sidebar ads got squished and crunched, and managed to make even the new nanos and iPod touches look ugly.On the plus side, the channel offers lots of Apple videos in the YouTube player, from tutorials to tours to TV ads, so that's nice -- what YouTube videos lack in quality they make up for in ease of use and playability. Sure, the comments aren't much to read (unless you're a glutton for punishment), but at least the videos work.
But what did they do to those icons?! I'm tempted just to report the background with the link at the bottom of the page -- not because it's offensive or crude, but just because it's so badly done.
Update: The evil, unpleasant background is gone. Most commenters, justifiably, are quite skeptical that this is an actual Apple effort (could it be the 'ca' Canadian prefix?) -- we'll ask Apple.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shannin said 8:05PM on 9-29-2008
i highly doubt that that is truly official.
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mingistech said 8:27PM on 9-29-2008
I agree. I could make an myspace page called Official Apple MySpace Page and this id10t @ tuaw would think it's official.... sheesh.
muk546 said 9:09PM on 10-02-2008
IT JUST GOT SUSPENDED LOL
Jinto said 8:08PM on 9-29-2008
It reminds me of myspace. *shudder*
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Stephen.4 said 8:12PM on 9-29-2008
That hurts my eyes. Although i don't think it's official, although, what does "Official" really mean these days.
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colouroflight said 10:03AM on 9-30-2008
"Dear Valued Customers" ??
It's as fake as the cake.
Ian said 8:18PM on 9-29-2008
Yeah, sorry. There is no way that page is "official".
I'd be surprised if that page was still there within the week - after Apples suits step in.
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nanodalek said 8:18PM on 9-29-2008
Yeah really, why would Apple Inc need a streaming video page. I may have been living under a rock or something, but I was sure that they had streaming video technology and an adequate delivery system for their ads.
That page background is just screen shot from apple.com. I call Shenanigans. If this is real, someone is getting fired, hard.
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erik said 8:18PM on 9-29-2008
ok, so if this site is at ALL related to apple, i'd sack the web designer. and his boss. and his boss. and the person who sits NEXT to his boss. that is, by far, one of the most HIDEOUS sites i've ever come across.
which leads me to believe apple had nothing to do with. or at least, that's what i hope. please tell me it ain't so, joe. or steve...
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nanodalek said 8:23PM on 9-29-2008
I couldn't take it, I reported it. Too many people get paid too much money working on design for Apple for this to be "Official".
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KennyB said 8:31PM on 9-29-2008
Maybe its their subliminal way of clever apple trying to redirect traffic to their own services..... Naaaaaa
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Kevlar said 8:38PM on 9-29-2008
This is not Official, and I can't see how anyone might think it would be.
a) Apple has their own streaming video solutions.
b) Does not fit with previously defined design standards.
And, a small detail but a dead giveaway:
c) Font kerning used everywhere is consistent with MS Windows.
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E to the M said 10:20PM on 9-29-2008
Type nerds FTW!
E to the M said 10:31PM on 9-29-2008
Type nerds FTW!
Kevlar said 11:36PM on 9-29-2008
I'm not a type nerd. I couldn't even accurately identify the particular typeface used. I just tend to automatically pay attention to those little details most people miss. Font kerning, and (after a second glance) anti-aliasing remind me of MS Paint.
Shunnabunich said 11:11AM on 9-30-2008
And a bigger giveaway:
d) Apple? Canada? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Mabedan said 8:40PM on 9-29-2008
there should have been an effort to make it that ugly
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James said 8:40PM on 9-29-2008
Official, as in some dumbarse in Canada with too much time on his hands officially made the Web just a little bit uglier!
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LD said 8:49PM on 9-29-2008
There's one born every minute. On Sep 29th, 2008 at 8:00pm that one was Mike Schramm.
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spyker said 8:59PM on 9-29-2008
So... bad.... When did TUAW get this redesign? Haha, that's what I get for using an RSS reader.
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