Common Craft Blog
Custom Video: Google Reader in Plain English
By leelefever on August 26, 2008 - 9:12am
The Google Reader team hired us to create this one minute introduction to Google Reader.
Our other videos for Google include:
View all of our custom client productions.


Love the video
Very cool video, loved the use of simple paper mockups.
I also believe that you really hit on the most key points of why you would want to use Google Reader.
Chris
Custom Video: google reader in plain english
Hey Lee,
I thought you no longer did custom videos.
Brian
Custom Videos
Hi Brian. I thought this might come up. We have a backlog of videos that have been produced, but not yet published. Often, there is a gap between the production/delivery of a video and the time it is published by the organization. I can assure you that we've stopped adding new custom projects.
Google Reader video
When I click to play it, a message appears, "We're sorry, this video is no longer available." It's happened to me before too ... maybe I need a video to learn how to play the videos :)
Great Video ... but adding friends
Great Video, but one thing you don't mention is how you add friends. I find it weird that you have to do that through googletalk, wish they'd change that!
Regarding Adding Friends
As I understand it one of the more recent innovations is an automatic share. As far as the adding of friends, well they do that now for the sake of giving you the opportunity to choose who you share with. Although they most certainly could do it automatically I believe it is a matter of giving you a bit more control.
Good Insight
Simple and straight to the point and just as has been mentioned earlier it hits on many of the key points and +1 on the paper mock up and always like the touch screen idea.
Missing the CC zing?
A nice video, but seems to be missing the "zing" that I've come to love with your video series. Maybe the 1 minute time limitation forced you to cut away any of the personality of your great explanations?
I've tried to get friends and family to use Google Reader and I can never get them to change their surfing behavior. I'm not sure this video will help out my "cause". I hope it does.
Does the video need to explain less of "how" it works and more of "why" you would want to use it. Maybe a metaphor (used in so many of your other videos) would help (i.e. it's like a magazine subscription coming to your home versus being overwhelmed by browsing a bookstore)?
Anyway, sorry to be critical, because I love the CC stuff... just wanted to give some honest feedback
If possible, please do Google Calendar next!
Zing
Hi Tony,
We always appreciate constructive criticism. I think you make a good point and I think the one minute format does force us to stick to more pure information. The big point that is often missed is that we were hired to produce this video - it reflects the goals of the Google Reader team.
Nice Video
Your videos are great, I just shared this one with my friends and added it to my blog.
I also loved the RSS one.
keep the great work.
Cheers.
Your videos are legit.
That's bad to the bone that google hired you to do a video for them!
Kudos to Lee and Sachi
Hi Lee and Sachi,
Congrats!
Good one in your video series.
It is also good to hear that Google team hired you to do a custom video for them.
Cheers,
Vijay
More please
Lee,
I love the way you are able to make complex ideas and tools easier to understand. I hope that you will do more on Google reader. There are many aspects of it that are still unclear to me and a video from you would be a big help!
Maryanne
Lee you always do a nice job
Lee you always do a nice job with your explanations. Kudos to you for being hired by Google. That is an awesome feather in your cap!
Looked nice
Beautifully done! Thanks very much.
Great video
Great video. It's simple yet easy to understand. Good work man
Animation
These videos are soo cool! I would really like to know how he makes the animation happen. Does he just take a lot of photos or something?
Cool!
Hey, this is a great video! You have a very nice product here. Do you do this for a living?
Pete Monroe's Comments
How do you plan your videos and set them up? These things are simple and fantastic... simptastic!
When I click to play it, a
When I click to play it, a message appears, "We're sorry, this video is no longer available." It's happened to me before too ... maybe I need a video to learn how to play the videos :)