YouTube TV is now available in 10 additional markets, representing a big uptick in the number of still-limited regions in which the livestreaming television service is available. YouTube TV is, in case you hadn't heard, Google's own alternative to DirecTV NOW, Hulu Live TV, PlayStation Vue, and Sling TV, giving consumers access to (in this case) a skinny bundle of channels delivered straight over the Internet.
YouTube is arguably the biggest source of streaming multimedia, video or audio, on the Internet but its viewing experience on mobile, even on Google’s own Android, leaves much to be desired. We are almost at the mercy of how Google dictates mobile users should experience YouTube, which isn’t really that much compared to what you can do on the desktop. There are, however, a few enterprising and daring developers who are giving users a bit more control. Like this NewPipes app that even lets you slow down or speed up YouTube vids, whether Google allows it or not.
Google is testing a new feature on YouTube that will greatly enhance the browsing experience: animated video thumbnails that offer a snippet of what the video contains. This experiment is arriving for only some users that access the service on desktop, though we may see them expand to everyone in the future. The preview creation process is automated for now; the creators themselves aren't 'currently' able to create the previews themselves.
This past week the folks responsible for making Star Wars a fun place to be for all people released a series of short episodes. These episodes were called Star Wars Forces of Destiny, and they contained all the most female of heroes in the Star Wars universe. These episodes are very, very short and don't have any mega-massive impact on the Star Wars canon - but they are super fun and quick to watch.
If you're both a YouTube and an Android TV user, it has been a while since you've felt any love from Google's video platform. The YouTube app for Android TV went a long while without any updates, but that has finally changed; the new version brings a major overhaul of the user interface, adding some new features into the mix. If you've used the newer YouTube app on some other streaming devices, you'll have a good idea about what to expect.
As it stands, it's a little difficult to watch a YouTube video with friends if you aren't all in the same room. Uptime, an app from Google incubator Area 120, looks to solve this exact problem, but before today, there's a solid chance you'd never heard of it. What was once an app that was an invite-only affair has now opened up to the general public, giving you the chance to watch YouTube videos alongside your friends.
YouTube's relatively new live television service YouTube TV launched in a limited number of markets, and while it still isn't available for everyone, Google says it'll soon be available in ten new markets. It hasn't actually launched in all of these markets yet, so you'll still need to sign up on the service's website where you'll find out whether your zip code is in the coverage area.
Last month, all of Google's major products went on stage at I/O, but this time, it's YouTube's turn to shine on its own. At this year's VidCon, Google introduced its new "half" 360-degree VR180 platform, but that is hardly the only new YouTube thing going on. Coming to users both in the US and elsewhere are better ways to share, more YouTube TV coverage, and an app that is smart enough to know how a video was recorded and adjust itself appropriately.
In the always-tumultuous world of content that is the internet, today Google has pledged with YouTube to tackle "terror content." This means that Google and YouTube are, as they said today, "working with government, law enforcement and civil society groups to tackle the problem of violent extremism online." This is in addition to the already-massive effort the company(s) make to root out and stop content from being shared on their networks that violate their use policies.
360-degree and virtual reality video may be the hottest new trend in entertainment, but it turns out most people can't really be bothered to move their head. The growth in popularity of affordable VR systems, like Samsung's Gear VR and Google's Daydream, has made viewing 360-degree content more straightforward. Meanwhile, cheaper 360-degree cameras like the Samsung Gear 360 has made producing content easier too.
This week the folks at YouTube responsible for the rules it lives by have made another big change. Details have been shared this morning on what YouTube is allowing in or out - and which sorts of content all content judges will be considering "hate speech". As a result, there could be some major turn-overs for which videos are able to be monetized and which won't see any revenue from this point forward.
YouTube has been around a long while, so long, in fact, that you've probably developed an impression of it that's a bit obsolete. Once the bastion of cat videos and fail compilations, YouTube has developed into a platform with some seriously great content -- including series and shows with production and writing quality that'll rival anything you see on TV. Still, finding this content is not a simple task, and so we're here with a list of the 30 best channels you've (probably) never heard of.
