YouTube has just rolled out an impressive number of new features. One of the biggest changes: they've integrated Google search. YouTube's previous search was terrible, and it's now massively improved. This seems to complete the loop: Google Video now indexes YouTube, and YouTube search is now powered by Google.
They also claim to have fixed the messaging so that the spam filers won't catch legitimate messages, and they've improved the "block user" feature - you can now block YouTube "haters" by simply clicking a button next to their comments. They've made the profiles more customizable, too, allowing users to remove modules they don't want. They've stopped short, however, of embracing MySpace layouts or html embeds. Customizable profiles is one area where YouTube rival LiveVideo really shines.
They've also added a new social filter - you can now rank clips by the number of video responses they've received. And there's a new account type: in addition to Comedian, Musician and Director accounts, there are now "Guru" accounts for experts on certain topics. That could be bad news for VideoJug, which wants to be "YouTube for How-Tos".