Google just updated the YouTube Mobile website with better video quality, faster operation and an improved user interface.   Oh yeah, it's received the HTML5 treatment too, which means you can now use it on mobile browsers that offer no Flash support.  We're talking to you, iPhone users.

YouTube Mobile currently receives over 100 million playbacks a day, a number that's only bound to grow with the new website's rollout.  Yes, despite the fact that almost every major mobile platform has a YouTube app of its own.

Bearing capabilities found in YouTube's regular website, including search query suggestions and playlist creation, the new mobile version should entice even more users to abandon native apps.  It's not that hard a sell, either, as apps dedicated to the video giant tend to lag in the features department, being updated on a very irregular basis (yes, even Android's own).

The better, faster YouTube Mobile now incorporates larger, touch-friendly UI elements, allowing for easier navigation on mobile phones.    You can also designate videos as "favorite," "like" or "unlike" directly from your handset, a feature we're yet to see on most mobile apps.

Only the English language version is getting the makeover for now, with other languages promised for the coming months.  Goodbye, native iPhone YouTube app.  It was good while it lasted.  Check out the video demo below.

[YouTube Mobile via YouTube Global Blog]

The new Acer beTouch smart phone is a slim, sleek and slim-line device that is targeting those users looking for a shiny smartphone device that combines user-friendliness along with decent connectivity to mobile Internet and social networking. In fact, Acer's stated aim for the beTouch E400 is to 'open our users' world to the endless possibilities of real mobile Internet', and the device aims to please as it packs both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity allowing for rapid wireless online access and web browsing for fast and easy updating of information and user status on a range of social networking sites.

As for its speed, it certainly helps that the operating system fueling the E400 is Google's latest OS the Android 2.1 Eclair. This is usefully coupled with the Qualcomm 7227 processor running at 600 mega hertz allowing for instant access to web pages with fast loading and also rapid access to media streaming as well as a wide range of web-based applications. The power of the device's processing gives it an excellent battery life as it enhances energy efficiency with its fast running and easy access to information.

The image conscious individual should be more than satisfied with the dimensions of the E400 as well with its slender girth of just 12 millimeters. There is also a full-size 3.2 inch HD HGVA resistive touch screen, displaying color brightly and vividly.

The integral camera isn't of the highest specs at 3.2 megapixels, but it is decent enough and does pack some useful additional features such as integral flash, a digital zoom, white balance and geotagging. This gives you the option of immediately tagging your images with information such as the exact location of where they were snapped, which is great when you link to your social sites and post your pics to keep your friends and family updated. The camera will also record video and you have the ability to instantly post your recordings onto YouTube thanks to the E400's pre-installed YouTube app by touching its icon.

The E400 is also well suited to the business user, coming pre-installed with Native Microsoft Exchange Server Support giving the user immediate navigation to work and business e-mails from any location. The device also comes with the excellent Documents to Go function, another excellent feature for mobile business customers as it allows the easy creating and editing of a range of different file formats including Excel, Word and PowerPoint. In addition, there is a built-in PDF Reader on the E400, making it simple to read any PDF file from wherever the user happens to be.

Other useful functions of the E400 include the GPS-enabled Google Maps, which will help you find your way around cities and/or towns and includes both Street View and Latitude. The excellent media player will play a full range of file formats and there is a built-in 3-millimeter audio input jack allowing you to plug in your choice of headphones. There is even the very useful Acer Synch feature, allowing the user to wirelessly synchronize with their desktop or notebook so they can easily maintain and keep files and contacts up to date, which is great for when you are ultra-busy and need to save time. The E400 goes on sale in April, though prices have yet to be announced.

YouTube can now be accessed at up to 90% faster loading, searching and serving speed via their new downloadable app available from YouTube's mobile page.  Designed for Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 devices, the free viewer should replace the slow browser-based serving currently available for YouTube videos, solving the lack of Flash support inherent in many handsets.

Upon installation, it adds a YouTube icon to your device's menu for faster launching.  The official app not only plays videos but lets you search through YouTube's library as well as browse through the Top Rated, Most Viewed and other standard categories.

Video quality is automatically optimized depending on the speed of your 3G or Wi-Fi connection, so you can enjoy the best quality playable depending on your coverage.  YouTube claims very good buffering on the app which should allow good playback even over slower connections.

If you're thinking of getting the app, keep in mind that playing videos on your phone will throw your bandwidth usage through the roof, so better make sure you have the data plan to handle it or stick to Wi-Fi connections.  There's no word on how much better this performs compared to existing YouTube-serving apps currently on a few WinMo and S60 handsets, such as HTC's latest line.

No complete list of handsets supported by the app is available as of now, although YouTube is expected to roll out a complete one soon.  In the meantime, the company has released this list of Nokia/S60 devices that should work with the app:

5320 XpressMusic, 5630 XpressMusic, 5700 XpressMusic, 5730 XpressMusic, 6110 Navigator, 6120 classic, 6121 classic, 6124 classic, 6290, 6650, 6710 Navigator, 6720 classic, E51, E55, E63, E66, E71, E75, E90, N76, N79, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N85, N86 8MP, N95, N95 8GB

Photo Credit: Softpedia