YouTube Red, Google’s ad-free video service, launching October 28 for $9.99 per month
YouTube has been rumored to launch a subscription-based, advertisement-free video service for some time now, and it’s looking like that’s finally coming into fruition. Google has just announced YouTube Red, a new video service that will offer completely ad-free videos and more for just $9.99 per month.
Not only will the videos be ad-free in YouTube Red, it will also allow users to save videos and songs to their mobile devices for offline viewing, as well as the ability to keep videos playing in the background when using other applications. The $9.99 monthly fee also includes a free subscription to Google Play Music, which is a steal considering the music service normally costs $9.99 per month on its own. Additionally, Google Play Music subscribers will also get a free subscription to YouTube Red.
YouTube Red is launching on Wednesday, October 28th and will include a free 30-day trial for all users. Google says that early next year, YouTube Red subscribers will get member-only access to new, original shows and movies from popular content creators. You can learn more about the member-only channels by following this link.
Be sure to watch the promotional video attached above, and head to the YouTube link below to learn more about the service. There’s a pretty informative FAQ section at the bottom of the page, detailing all of YouTube Red’s features.
Apple Releases OS X 10.11.1 El Capitan With New Emoji, Mail Improvements and Office 2016 Bug Fix
Apple today released OS X 10.11.1, which is the first update to the new El Capitan operating system that was launched to the public on September 30. In testing since mid-September, OS X 10.11.1 is a minor performance update that focuses on fixing bugs found in the first version of El Capitan.
The OS X 10.11.1 update can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and it is available to all users who are running OS X El Capitan.
According to the release notes, OS X 10.11.1 fixes several major bugs that El Capitan users have been experiencing since the software was released. It improves compatibility with Microsoft Office 2016, addressing ongoing crashing issues that Office 2016 users have run into. There are also two fixes for Mail issues.
This update:
– Improves installer reliability when upgrading to OS X El Capitan
– Improves compatibility with Microsoft Office 2016
– Fixes an issue where outgoing server information may be missing from Mail
– Resolves an issue that prevented display of messages and mailboxes in Mail
– Resolves an issue that prevents certain Audio Unit plug-ins from functioning properly
– Improves VoiceOver reliability
– Adds over 150 new emoji characters with full Unicode 7.0 and 8.0 support
OS X 10.11.1 also introduces support for Unicode 7 and 8, adding new emoji that include taco, burrito, cheese wedge, middle finger, hot dog, popcorn, and unicorn head. These emoji are also included in iOS 9.1.
Apple Releases iOS 9.1 With New Emoji, Live Photos Improvements
Apple today released iOS 9.1 to the public, marking the first major update to the iOS 9 operating system that launched in September. In testing since before iOS 9 was even released, iOS 9.1 was beta tested for more than a month before its launch, with developers and public beta testers receiving five betas in total.
Today’s iOS 9.1 update is available as an over-the-air update to all iOS 9 users. It is the third update to iOS 9 so far, with Apple having previously released iOS 9.0.1 and iOS 9.0.2. Apple has also released the tvOS golden master (GM), which represents the final version of the software that will be available when the new Apple TV launches next week.
iOS 9.1 has a limited number of outward facing changes. It includes support for Unicode 7 and 8, introducing a range of new emoji like taco, burrito, cheese wedge, middle finger, champagne bottle, unicorn head, and more.
A selection of the new emoji in iOS 9.1, via Emojipedia
iOS 9.1 includes an update for Live Photos, which now sense when the iPhone is raised or lowered to refrain from recording unnecessary movements. The update also introduces a new Messages option in the Settings app that is designed to allow users to disable photos for contacts, and it brings Apple News to the UK for the first time.
This release includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
– Live Photos now intelligently senses when you raise or lower your iPhone, so that Live Photos will automatically not record these movements
– Over 150 new emoji characters with full support for Unicode 7.0 and 8.0 emojis
Aside from these changes, iOS 9.1 includes new features and compatibility updates for upcoming Apple products like the fourth-generation Apple TV and the iPad Pro The new Apple TV requires iOS 9.1 to be set up using an iOS device.
iOS 9.1 also includes bug fixes for a number of issues that iOS users have been experiencing, and as with most iOS updates, it enhances performance and introduces important security fixes.
Apple Releases WatchOS 2.0.1 Update for Apple Watch With Multiple Bug Fixes
Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 2 to version 2.0.1. The update comes one month after Apple first released watchOS 2 to the public with new features like Nightstand mode, native apps, new watch faces, and more.
The 2.0.1 update can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. watchOS 2.0.1 requires iOS 9.1 to be installed on the iPhone.
This update contains new emoji characters, performance improvements, and bug fixes, including:
– Fixes an issue that could cause software updates to stall
– Fixes issues that were impacting battery performance
– Resolves an issue that prevented a managed iPhone from syncing iOS Calendar events to Apple Watch
– Addresses an issue that could prevent location information from properly updating
– Fixes an issue that could cause Digital Touch to send from an email address instead of a phone number
– Addresses an issue that could cause instability when using a Live Photo as a watch face
– Resolves an issue that allows the sensors to stay on indefinitely when using Siri to measure heart rate
The watchOS 2.0.1 update includes a whole slew of bug fixes, as listed above, and it also includes support for the new emoji also made available in OS X with 10.11.1 El Capitan and iOS with iOS 9.1.
Apple Releases iTunes 12.3.1 With Stability and Performance Improvements
Along with updates for iOS, OS X, and watchOS 2, Apple today released a new version of iTunes, iTunes 12.3.1. The update is a minor one, with the release notes only saying it improves overall stability and performance.
The iTunes update can be downloaded from the software update function in the Mac App Store.
iTunes 12.3.1 comes just over a month after the release of iTunes 12.3, which brought support for iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. iTunes 12, which brought a major redesign to the iTunes software, was initially released in 2014 alongside OS X Yosemite.
Twitter Announces Upcoming Revamped Twitter for Mac App
At its Twitter Flight developer conference, Twitter today announced plans for a redesigned and updated Twitter for Mac client, reports TechCrunch. The new Twitter for Mac app will include support for several newer Twitter features such as in-line Vine, video, and GIF playback, group Direct Messages, photo Direct Messages, and in-line replies.
Image via TechCrunch
The app, which will be optimized for El Capitan, will show interaction highlights within the OS X Notification Center, and it has a built-in dark mode for users who prefer a darker interface.
New Twitter for Mac in dark mode looks so good pic.twitter.com/OnDukgtslx
— Rus (@rus) October 21, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Twitter for Mac has never been a focal point for Twitter, and the app has often gone for months without updates and new feature additions. From June of 2011 to April of 2013 it received zero updates, and in 2014 and 2015, it’s only been updated twice. With the revamped version, it’s possible Twitter plans to invest more of its resources into the Mac app to allow it to better compete with third-party products like Tweetbot.
Twitter plans to release its updated Mac app in a few months, with no concrete launch date set at the current time.
YouTube Red is Google’s ad-free subscription video service
Google is finally taking the wraps off of its long-rumored subscription video service at an event in Los Angeles today. YouTube Red is a $9.99 monthly subscription that’ll offer everything on YouTube without ads as well as variety of other content. But most importantly, YouTube Red gives you ad-free playback and the ability to save anything you want to a device for offline playback. YouTube Red will also encompass what was formerly called YouTube Music Key — it’s now known as YouTube Music, will have it’s own dedicated app, and includes a full subscription to Google Play Music.
YouTube Music’s dedicated app is built off of all the learnings Google gained from YouTube Music Key. Its design is centered around playing music fast, easy discovery, the ability to both watch or just listen and giving viewers as much music as possible — not just official versions, but also live music, remixes, content created by the huge variety of YouTube creators out there and more. There’s a slider that you can adjust to filter exactly how big of a net YouTube Music should cast when looking for different content. There’s also the now-standard automatic music stations based on particular songs or things you’ve listened to in the past. If you’re already a Google Play Music subscribers, you’ll also get a subscription to YouTube Red.
Beyond music, YouTube Red also works with the recently-launched YouTube Gaming service as well as Google’s new YouTube Kids section — all of these different content areas will be part of YouTube Red. Naturally, your YouTube Red membership will work across whatever platform you use it on — iOS, Android, the web and “anywhere you sign into YouTube”. Presumably, that means you’ll get ad-free playback on devices like the Apple TV and Roku as well as consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
There’s also a whole set of YouTube Red original content. All told, Google is announcing 10 new original shows that’ll launch on YouTube Red, including video from the massively popular PewDiePie and an as-yet untitled project from the team at CollegeHumor. There’s a variety of content, from full-length films and documentaries to episodic TV-style content. PewDiePie’s show, called Scare PewDiePie, is described as a “reality adventure series” that’ll be made with the creators and executive producers of The Walking Dead (seriously). It’s hard to say if these shows are the kind that’ll drive subscriptions, but original content is table stakes for any subscription video service. And it’s hard to bet against anything PewDiePie is doing at this point.
Indeed, that $9.99 monthly price seems pretty reasonable when you add up everything it gets you — Google Play Music is a full-fledged subscription music service comparable to Spotify and its competitors that all cost $9.99 a month, but when you add in all the other features a YouTube Red subscription gets you, it’s a pretty strong value.
For starters, YouTube Red and YouTube Music will only be available in the US, and YouTube Red will be available on October 28th. YouTube Red Originals will start rolling out to the service early next year, and the YouTube Music app will be out “soon.” If you want to give this all a try before putting down your hard-earned cash, US viewers will get a free one month trial.
Source: YouTube (1), (2)
Apple News comes to the UK with iOS 9.1
As part of iOS 9, Apple introduced its own news curation app called News (an unimaginative name, but it’s straight to the point at least). Like Flipboard, Google Play Newsstand and others, it’s designed to collect the best online journalism and present it in a simpler, more beautiful way for readers. Apple device owners in the US were able to check it out straightaway, but so far device owners in the UK have been left out in the cold. Well, that’s all changing today. iOS 9.1 is rolling out now and, as expected, it comes bundled with a tweaked Apple News app for Brits featuring some UK-specific journalism.
Right now, you can access feeds from BBC News, Conde Nast, The Economist, Financial Times, The Guardian, Haymarket, Hearst, Immediate Media, Sky News, The Sun, The Telegraph, Time Inc., The Times and Trinity Mirror, with more set to join the list in the future. While it’s no replacement for an RSS reader like Feedly, it could be worth checking out if you like to skim the headlines and haven’t already adopted a third-party alternative.
Twitter to finally update OS X app later this year
While the iOS and Android apps have gotten regular updates, the OS X app has languished. Twitter has shown the app very little love in the past few years. But, today at the company’s Flight developer conference, Jeff Seibert, Twitter’s developer platform lead announced that the app would be getting an update and would be available before the end of the year. It’ll have native GIF and Vine playback and a dark mode. Hopefully that dark mode will make its way to the Android and iOS apps.
iOS and OS X updates arrive with a ton of new emoji
If you’ve ever wanted to text taco pics from your iPhone or give the middle finger from your Mac, today’s your lucky day. Apple has released iOS 9.1 and OS X El Capitan 10.11.1, both of which add a slew of new Unicode emoji ranging from Mexican food through to rude gestures. There are some important under-the-hood fixes, too. Your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus is now smart enough to stop recording Live Photos when you lower the device, and OS X shouldn’t run into trouble with Office 2016. Whichever platform you’re using, you’ll likely want to update pronto — if just to see the cutesy characters you’d otherwise miss.
[Image credit: Emojipedia]
Source: MacRumors (1), (2)
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