Comcast attempts to launch YouTube clone
If your cable TV has ever gone on the fritz, then you're familiar with how committed cable companies are (hah!) to quality service. One major cable operator - Comcast - apparently is just as reliable on the Web.

Take the botched launch of Ziddio.com, Comcast's would-be competitor to YouTube. Comcast announced the service last week, but the press release suddenly vanished from BusinessWire. Why? Looks like the website wasn't ready for prime time.

The site is up and running now, and it looks slick. Empty too. Comcast is hoping to solicit videos by running contests for devoted groups like Star Wars fans. But why would any Star Wars fan upload a video to Ziddio when there are already, at last count, 22,582 Star Wars-related videos on YouTube?

Even Ziddio's creators seem to admit they've got a bad case of YouTube envy: Take a close look at this Ziddio promotional video, where "Lonelyguy35" explains how the site works. Doesn't it look like it's been uploaded to YouTube? Maybe it's a spoof - or maybe, given Comcast's glitchy launch, Ziddio wasn't ready when "Lonelyguy35" filmed the clip.
Posted by Owen Thomas 11:45 AM 0 Comments comment | Add a Comment

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Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2012 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM © 2012 is proprietary to Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Chicago Mercantile Association. The market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2012. All rights reserved. Most stock quote data provided by BATS.