YouTube has shipped their new ‘HTML5 video player’ in beta. Whether it’s just that the beta is for tech geeks, and some differentiation from the Flash version is required, or there’s some greater ulterior marketing at work, the loading screen actually includes the text ‘HTML5’.

Alas, the page uses table to lay out a single row of playback controls. It’s HTML5 in video element and branding only; the spirit of using the mark-up language properly remains elusive.