YouTube began testing simultaneous support for both Flash and HTML5 video delivery back in 2010, but Flash has continued to be the default in most cases unless users opted into an HTML5 only beta -- until now. YouTube announced today on their developer blog it will now default to utilizing the HTML5 video tag on certain web browsers.
Bang & Olufsen is known for its expensive yet beautiful industrial design-like audio gear, and the latest piece is no different. Basically a really expensive home network and Internet radio streamer, the BeoSound Moment will set wealthy buyers back a not-insignificant $2,800. While at CES, Electronista got a chance to check it out.
HTC has added the ability to stream from its Re Camera to YouTube. An app update for the camera will enable the live streaming to the video service while it is paired to a smartphone, with users able to sign into their YouTube account from within the app to create public and private live streams. While Android users can download the update from today via Google Play, iOS users will have to wait until later this quarter to be able to stream from the action camera.
YouTube has added an animated GIF tool to some of its videos. Spotted by Gizmodo, the tool appears under the Share menu, with users able to select a section of video and create a six-second GIF from the clip, complete with a caption at the top and bottom. So far, the tool has been discovered on some videos created by PBS, but it may appear on other YouTube content in the future.
The Apple TV has received several new app updates. The most important of these may be a revamped YouTube app, bringing its features closer to par with other platforms. Search results are now displayed while typing, for instance, and users can subscribe to a channel directly, instead of having to use the desktop website or a mobile app. The Apple TV app has also brought in recommendations based on viewing history.
Vimeo is allowing Vimeo Pro users to upload 4K-resolution videos to the service. GigaOM reports that subscribers of the $200-per-year service can transfer the high-resolution video files to its video-on-demand platform, putting the videos up for sale and download by customers. While downloads are available, Vimeo is not allowing 4K streams to operate yet, with CTO Andrew Pile admitting the lack of device support for the format.
Google is so keen on keeping its important content creators from moving away from YouTube that it is offering bonuses for staying, a report claims. Prominent YouTube stars and video producers are said to be offered higher payments and additional funding, in exchange for agreeing to a multi-year exclusivity period where content must appear solely on YouTube long before surfacing on rival video services.
Google has been forced to upgrade the counter used on YouTube, after Psy's Gangnam Style video exceeded its maximum value. The Register reports the video sharing site had used a 32-bit integer for the counter, which failed once more than 2,147,483,647 views of the video occurred. Google has now changed the counter to fix the problem, as well as showing what the counter would read if it kept using the old system.
Following a pair of new ads that debuted on Tuesday, Apple has followed it up with an unusual single additional ad in the current campaign, which again features Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and entertainer Justin Timberlake. In the new TV spot, called "Voice Text," the pair demonstrate the WhatsApp-esque Voice Text feature in iOS 8, which allows for easy recording of voice which is then sent as an MMS message or iMessage (depending on the recipient) for times when texting is too inefficient.
Users are starting to chime in on Google and Apple's support forums about a sudden incompatibility with video hosting service YouTube. Some users of OS X 10.10.1 are complaining that YouTube videos with leading advertisements either fail to load, play a discordant sound with no video, or crash Safari itself. Firefox and Chrome are not affected by whatever is causing the problem.
Google has rolled out its YouTube Music Key service to existing Google Play Music All Access subscribers. While the YouTube Music Key launch revealed its users automatically enrolled into the Google Play Music subscription, Google revealed yesterday that Music All Access users were also able to use Music Key as part of their existing subscription. The Google Play Music app has also been updated on Android, providing options to watch the music video with certain tracks.
YouTube has launched its often-rumored music service, just one day after a report claims it struck a major deal with independent record labels. YouTube Music Key is a subscription-based streaming service which offers advertising-free viewing of music videos on YouTube itself, as well as a few other features only paid subscribers will receive.
Google's in-development YouTube music subscription service is another step closer to reality, as a deal with independent record labels has apparently been reached. One of the last stumbling blocks for launch, a report claims YouTube's agreement with rights agency Merlin will allow the service to include tracks from thousands of independent record labels, significantly expanding the library.
Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who has penned the screenplay for the forthcoming Sony-backed movie about Steve Jobs, was interviewed on the project by Emily Chang of Bloomberg and revealed that he had met and spoken on the phone to Jobs a few times, along with some minor details about the upcoming film. Sorkin told Chang that the movie will follow Jobs' interactions with a number of key people, including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and former CEO John Sculley. He also detailed his encounters with Jobs.
New color options of the Moto 360 are on the way, according to a leak on Amazon. The now-removed listings spotted by Android Police showed a champagne gold Moto 360, combined with matching 18mm and 23mm metal bands, with the existing black and brushed steel versions also shown by the online retailer as being sold with their respective-colored metal straps.
Android app developers may take advantage of live YouTube streaming, thanks to a new open source project released by the video service. The YouTube WatchMe for Android project, hosted on GitHub, uses a combination of existing APIs to make it easier for developers to add live streaming capabilities to their apps in the future.
YouTube's music subscription service "Music Key" is still in development, CEO Susan Wojcicki has confirmed, though it may not be the only subscription option the service will provide its users. A monthly payment to remove pre-roll and other forms of advertising from YouTube is being considered, but other subscription schemes are apparently being considered.
The latest experiment in using 'white spaces' in the United Kingdom is underway, with London Zoo being the unexpected location for testing. Communications regulator Ofcom has detailed a trial by Google and ZSL London Zoo of technologies using white spaces, by streaming live video from several animal exhibits on YouTube.
Google is investing more money into original content for YouTube. Building on top of its previous channel creation efforts, where Google paid filmmakers to create channels on the service, the search company will be funding new content from popular YouTube creators, as well as expanding the marketing of the new online shows outside the United States to the UK, France, Germany, and Brazil.
Motorola has updated its online store in the United Kingdom, giving citizens the ability to directly purchase devices directly from the manufacturer, rather than diverting sales to retailers. The updated site, spotted by Pocket-Lint, stocks the second-generation Moto G for £150 ($), with separate pages offering to register visitors for updates for the Moto 360 and new Moto X. Moto Maker is expected to become available on the UK site in the near future.
Google's long-rumored music service for YouTube will apparently cost $9.99 per month, according to a leak. Dubbed YouTube Music Key, the subscription service will provide advertising-free music playback on the desktop, mobile, and through the TV, with the ability to cache songs on devices for offline playback, similar to the existing Google Play Music All Access subscription.
London firm Vedanti Systems Limited (VSL) is suing Google over the compression algorithms used in YouTube. According to the complaint, filed on August 10, Google uses the technology across a wide swath of Google offerings, with YouTube being the primary violator. VSL attorney Adam Levitt wrote in the complaint that "this case is yet another of the many occasions on which Google has unlawfully taken, rather than developed for itself or paid for, valuable technology that is core to the functioning of its many businesses and products."
Google has overhauled the design of its YouTube for TV interface, and has started to roll out the changes to its set-top box apps. The new user interface, taking on many of the characteristics of Android L's Material Design scheme, aims to simplify searching for channels and specific videos for those preferring to watch YouTube clips on a bigger screen.
A new report has surfaced that Google has signed a deal that would see the search giant picking up the popular game streaming platform Twitch for $1 billion. The report adds builds on the previous report floating around that Twitch was being courted by Google's video arm for a possible purchase with a price tag in the same ballpark. By purchasing Twitch, Google could be positioning itself to be the number one destination for live streaming games, as well as watching associated videos.
Google is taking a leaf out of Netflix's playbook, by hinting to YouTube users that their Internet service provider (ISP) is slow or poor. A new blue banner stating "Experiencing interruptions?" has started to appear underneath YouTube clips when users experience buffering or poor quality video, along with a link to the search company's YouTube Quality Report.
Google has added more tools to YouTube, to help creators with their video productions. Presented at Vidcon, YouTube Director of Product Management for Creators Matthew Glotzbach and Vice President of Engineering for Creators Oliver Heckmann showcased upcoming features to the video service, including a new mobile app, and support for 48fps and 60fps video.
YouTube is looking outside the box with its latest music expansion, partnering with SiriusXM. The two will join forces to offer a weekly radio show on the satellite radio service starting July 11 at 6PM ET. The show will be hosted by YouTube personality Jenna Marbles on SiriusXM Hits 1 as it presents existing and emerging music stars.
Partnering with "hundreds of major and independent" labels, Google's YouTube video service is launching a paid streaming music service. Trumpeting the poorly-kept secret, YouTube says that the offering will "bring our music partners new revenue streams in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars YouTube already generates for them each year."
Independent record labels may see their music videos removed from YouTube, if they do not agree to new licensing terms relating to the video site's rumored music service. The videos could be removed "in a matter of days" if an agreement is not reached for the service, which is believed to start testing soon and become available to the public later this year.
Following the "instant replay" of Monday's Worldwide Developers' keynote on the Apple website, the company has now made the presentation available in high resolution through its Apple Keynotes podcasts, and has posted a copy at up to 720p resolution on YouTube. The 1080p and 720p versions of the keynote are available through iTunes, though with a runtime of two hours and 10 minutes the file at 1080p resolution takes up more than 6GB of space. Subscribers to the HD podcast receive the event automatically.
According to information from the Hurriyet Daily News, YouTube is now open again to citizens of Turkey after enduring a two-month ban of the service. The Telecommunications Directorate (TIB) announced today that it had removed the popular video site from its list of "blocked sites" after receiving word from the country's highest court. The restoration of the service comes about after the Constitutional Court in the country issued a ruling that the ban on YouTube had violated free speech rights.
Google is expanding the coverage of its Video Quality Report to all Internet service providers in the United States. Originally launched in Canada in January, the service monitors the quality of connections between YouTube servers and the end user, with ratings provided for each ISP in an attempt to pressure telecommunication companies to improve their services.
Console maker Nintendo has changed its mind on the lock down of revenue on "Let's Play" videos on YouTube. Nintendo will be launching an "affiliate program" that will give a share of the ad revenue from videos to the person(s) creating the content. The move comes after content had been flagged and removed from YouTube when Nintendo filed copyright claims on videos that included footage of their games in 2013.
In a new video series from Google, the company outlines some of the changes it is making to YouTube in hopes of providing content creators with more tools and avenues for monetization without leaving the site. The changes the company plans to make are based on a desire to have more transparency and channels for feedback from its large network of video content creators, along with increased opportunities for advertising in the monetized content.
Game video streaming service Twitch could be acquired by Google in the future, according to reports. The deal, according to Variety, is said to have been reached between Twitch and the Google-owned YouTube, with the all-cash offer claimed to be worth at least $1 billion, though the Wall Street Journal believes the two companies are in early-stage discussions, and are not imminently close to an acquisition.
Yahoo has announced the expansion of their news app, now available for Android. Yahoo News Digest now features both International and Canadian news, the latter of which is primarily curated for US and United Kingdom interests. Yahoo News Digest (free) is now available for iOS on iTunes, and Android through Google Play.
Electronics do-it-yourself repair resource Fixya is launching a new service that offers users the ability to connect with local repair shops and service providers. Named Fixya Pro, small businesses can generate traffic in their area through the site by listing what services they provide to what regions, and including their contact information. Businesses can post a free listing by signing up for a Fixya Pro account.
The Google Chromecast is now supported by the MLB.com At Bat for iOS and Android. The update allows subscribers of MLB.TV's Premium Subscription to stream live, out-of-market games and on-demand events, with a choice of home or away broadcasts also available. The MLB.TV subscription is $25 per month or $130 for the entire year, with access to the MLB.com At Bat app's features included in the price.
Confirming earlier rumors, Google is opening up wearable computing device Google Glass for purchase for one day in the US. Any US adult can join the Explorer program with any shade or frame for $1,500, plus applicable local sales tax. Available devices are limited. Purchase begins April 15 at 6AM PDT.
YouTube's untitled on-demand music service launch has been postponed again. The move is allegedly a requirement for the company to "get it right" from day one, and for the service to be competitive with similar offerings from other vendors immediately upon release. The service, originally slated to go live at the beginning of 2014, is now not likely to see release until the end of the year, or later.
The ban of YouTube in Turkey should be partially lifted, a court in the country's capital has ruled. Citing earlier rulings that affected a similar block of access on Twitter, the new ruling deems the ban to violate human rights in the region, and though it is ordering for access to be restored, some videos hosted on the service will continue to be blocked from view.
Turkey is blocking access to YouTube, in order to prevent the spread of videos alleging there to be corruption in the country's government. The new ban on the video service comes just a day after courts ordered the block on Twitter to be lifted by the government, with the telecommunications regulator (TIB) claiming the latest block is to prevent a "national security issue."
According to the complaining actress, Google is not complying with an order by the Ninth Circuit Court in California to purge the anti-Islamic Innocence of Muslims film from its YouTube service. Saying that all Google has done is post "a snide message" on a few copies of the movie on it service, actress Cindy Lee Garcia has filed an emergency motion for sanctions against the search engine for noncompliance.
Turkey is actively blocking access to Google's DNS service, in order to keep Twitter and allegations of corruption blocked off from the country's citizens. Following its ban of the micro-blogging platform a few days ago, the move is an attempt to thwart efforts by Twitter users from accessing the service via a workaround, though this too may soon be temporarily thwarted.
Google today announced that it has settled its long-running copyright litigation over videos hosted on YouTube. The nearly seven-year old lawsuit inspired changes on the service such as the ContentID system, and other initiatives designed to easily identify when videos are being uploaded without permission of the content owner. Viacom had asserted in an appeal of a verdict indemnifying Google from any wrongdoing that YouTube was intentionally violating copyright by not taking action against every copyright violation it later found.
After a ruling on February 26 in which the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a previous decision and ordered a YouTube video removed, Google's appeal to appear before a larger panel review has been denied. On Friday, the Ninth Circuit Court rejected Google's request to put the video's removal on hold as the case continued.
Earlier today. a US appeals court upheld a ruling forcing Google to pull an anti-Islamic film from YouTube that caused international unrest on its release. The Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Google's defense that pulling the video, which depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a sexual deviant, was impinging on freedom of speech, and thus the action would violate Constitutional protections.
Hulu has made a new deal with US broadcaster CBS, adding 2,600 new episodes to its subscription-based television and movie streaming service Hulu Plus. The library expansion includes classic television content such as The Brady Bunch, Melrose Place and Taxi, as well as more recent programming such as Everybody Loves Raymond. The added content brings Hulu Plus' CBS library to over 5,300 episodes.
Google has made two updates to search, for desktops as well as its Android search app. Web-based Google searches will now more prominently display YouTube videos for searches using musical terms, while the Android search app introduces a number of Google Now tweaks, with the option to set specific on-demand and TV providers in the search settings being the biggest change.
Google today promoted one of its early employees to be the new head of YouTube. Susan Wojcicki has been shuffled from vice president of advertising and commerce to helm the video serving service. Ex-head Salar Kamangar will be retained at Google, to work on projects at the search engine that are still in their infancy.
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