We take a look at some of the most-viewed and most-shared videos on the web. This week features Microsoft winning over some haters, a pretty good reason to take the stairs from now on, some incredible anamorphic illusions, The Office pouncing on another show’s slip-up and some very entertaining animals.
More than 72 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, 500 years of video watched on Facebook every day, and more than 700 YouTube videos shared on Twitter each minute, ensuring there is always video trending on the web.
With so much video available for viewing, we take a look at some of the viral videos that have caught our eye this week.
Do you know this guy? | Internet Explorer
How are you supposed to win over the haters? Well, for a start, acknowledging that they exist would be a good thing, and move on from there. That is exactly what Microsoft has done this week in trying to get the message out that it has made significant improvements to its Internet Explorer browser. Microsoft has even set up a new website for the browser you love to hate. Full marks to Microsoft for recognising that it’s not perfect but at least it sucks … less.
Uploaded: 27 November 2012
Extremely Scary Ghost Elevator Prank in Brazil
For the people who were too afraid to get back in the water after Jaws, or those who went straight to watching DVDs after The Ring (I still maintain it was the final nail in the coffin for VHS) comes the best reason to never take the elevator again! The prank comes to us from a Brazilian variety show called Silvio Santos Program and involves the unaware victim standing in the lift before the lights switch off and a small, pale-faced child holding a doll appears from a secret entrance. Yeah, I’m taking the stairs from now on, and with more than 22m views in three days I think many others will be joining me.
Uploaded: 26 November 2012
Amazing Anamorphic Illusions!
I’m not going to lie, this one hurt my head. Taking a few household objects like a Rubik’s Cube, some tape and a shoe, YouTube user brusspup creates the illusion of 3D objects from images printed out. Of course these type of things become hotly debated within the YouTube community with cries of ‘fake’ being thrown about, however, with more than 6.5m views in two days, I doubt too many of the complaints are causing concern for this video.
Uploaded: 27 November 2012
Rainn Wilson: The Office is Filth
You are probably aware by now that Two and a Half Men star Angus T Jones earlier this week criticised the show, calling it “filth” and asking people to stop watching it in a taped interview that recounts his religious experience. The actor was quick to apologise but when you have quick-witted people willing to seize an opportunity, they will take it. Step forward Rainn Wilson of NBC’s The Office, who takes a wonderful jab at the interview and creates a fantastic plug for his show’s final season. Well played.
Uploaded: 27 November 2012
Ping pong cat
Have you ever been stuck for someone to play a game against? Well, why not get one of your pets to play? Proving himself to be more than a match for his opponent, this cat takes to table tennis better than Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Oh, he’s this guy.
Uploaded: 27 November 2012
Dog imitating Baby
There wouldn’t be a YouTube without talking huskys, would there? From Mishka the talking husky, with more than 330m video plays, to this new fellow, there is something quite amazing about dogs trying to communicate with people. Not quite as audible as Mishka, this canine is quite happy to try and talk to a baby – super cute.
Uploaded: 26 November 2012