YouTube wins Time's 'Invention of the Year'

updated 3:45 p.m. ET Nov. 6, 2006

NEW YORK - YouTube, the video-sharing Web site recently acquired by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, beat out a vaccine that prevents a cancer-causing sexually transmitted disease and a shirt that simulates a hug to grab top honors as Time magazine's "Invention of the Year for 2006."

Time magazine, owned by media conglomerate Time Warner Inc., wrote in an article that YouTube's scale and sudden popularity have changed the rules about how information — along with fame and embarrassment — gets distributed over the Web.

YouTube, which had 27.6 million unique visitors in September, according to Nielsen NetRatings, came along at just the right time, according to Time: social-networking Web sites were hot, camcorders were cheap and do-it-yourself media was expanding beyond text-based blogs.

YouTube inherits the tiara from Snuppy, a cloned puppy and winner of the magazine's 2005 award.

MORE FROM TECHNOLOGY NEWS FROM THE WIRES

Apple shares surge, investors like valuation

Apple shares surge, investors like valuation   Sinking shares could make Yahoo a target again NASA presses ahead for Mars rover launch in 2009 Visit China's Forbidden City -- as a virtual eunuch YouTube starts running full-length CBS shows Scientists: Virginia shark's pup a 'virgin birth' Buffett boosts wealth to top Gates on Forbes list Sony seeks to harmonize music, electronics FCC likely to recommend unlicensed spectrum use Doctors, investors get latest data on heart devices   Add Technology news from the wires headlines to your news reader: