Google Launches Video Download Service

LAS VEGAS -- As expected, Google today launched a new video download service during a keynote here by co-founder and President Larry Page at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

The service, called Google VideoStore, allows consumers to buy and download video content from providers such as CBS Broadcasting and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from its Web site.

The service will act as a marketplace and lets the content providers decide in what capacity and for how much they want to sell their content, Page said. "Content producers are in charge, and they can decide if they want the videos for rental, download or other things," he said.

Other Google Announcements

Google also unveiled the Google Video Player for playing the videos, as well as other content deals with Independent Television News, The Charlie Rose Show, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Classic Media, HDNet, and PorchLight Entertainment.

The Google Video service has been around for about a year, but only as a way to search television programming and upload video content onto the Internet, Page said.

Internet-centric companies such as Google, Yahoo, Apple Computer, and Microsoft are providing the means for consumers to download and purchase television video, as well as movies, to be played on PCs and handheld devices. An array of the latest in portable video devices were on display at CES this week.

Page also introduced a new package of free software, called Google Pack, designed to provide users with a basic set of applications for using the Internet on a computer.

Google Pack allows users to download Mozilla Firefox, Ad-Aware SE Personal, Google Desktop, Google Toolbar, Picasa, Google Earth, and Adobe Reader 7.

In addition to the new Google VideoStore and Video Player, Page demonstrated and introduced other Google inventions during his keynote. One was a prototype for a Google Earth automobile dashboard co-developed by Google with Volkswagen AG, and another was a new version of Google Local for mobile devices, including Research in Motion Inc.'s Blackberry devices.

The Google Local for mobile service is available in beta form.

For more CES coverage, head to PC World's CES Info Center.