Is YouTube the Best Way to Find Videos on the Web?

You + the Virtual Boob Tube More options than you may think Dave Helfrey

There are a lot more clips out there than what turns up using YouTube's keyword-search function. On sites such as Hulu.com, you can watch free TV shows and movies. And "vertical content" Web sites focus on single subjects, whether bird-watching or extreme sports.

These sites don't actually scour the Web looking for videos, however. For a more in-depth result, check out Blinkx.com, a search engine that analyzes each video and constructs a transcript of the audio to better find what you're looking for. Also try MeFeedia.com, which uses social networking to help you find videos your friends are watching, and Truveo.com, which lets users see the most frequently Twittered videos.

There are a few video applications as well. Boxee, for example, can access video from many sources, including Hulu, YouTube and Netflix's streaming service. It's still in development, but since it was made to be used on multiple platforms — its interface is designed to be displayed on a TV — eventually it may be the best option for searching (and watching) Web video, wherever you want.

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