YouTube goes downloadable

So begins a new day for the venerable YouTube, the popular video streaming site is testing downloadable videos which include both a free and a for-pay model.

Thai Tran, Product Manager at YouTube announced today in the site's official blog that YouTube is "going offline." That is to say, it is giving video owners the option to make their videos downloadable under the Creative Commons License. Also, the option to make the videos available through a Google Checkout purchase is being tested.

Videos available for purchase currently have a small link under the left corner, across from where the "Watch in High Quality" tab is currently placed. Clicking there will expose the Google Checkout gadget that carries the user through the transaction. Videos are in the MP4 file format with H.264 video and AAC audio, suitable for play on most portable media devices including the iPod and iPhone.