YouTube has just launched a complete redesign of its video pages and its video player, emphasizing simplicity and video discovery, including the removal of the five-star video rating system. Currently the new design is opt-in, but over time it will become the default.

Undoubtedly, social media is a powerful force.

The NBC series Chuck will be back for a third season in the fall, with the social media efforts of fans playing a staring role in convincing executives at the network to keep it in the rotation. Now, however, Chuck must prove that it can preform alongside the rest of the big boys and pull in higher ratings, should it want to keep on keeping on. How’s that going to happen?

Google Wave , released earlier today, is already generating a lot of buzz, and for good reason: it’s a potential game changer in the realm of of email, IM, and project management. But there a few key features that really speak to Google Wave’s potential.

Hulu , which continues to see strong growth , has been a web-based video site since day one.

Just recently we asked you to let us know what theme you would like us to release next. Among numerous comments we found many request for a gallery-theme that could be particularly useful for portfolios and showcases.