Periscope tips and tricks

Broadcasting is so in right now.

Apps like Snapchat let you publish videos in real-time for the world to see, for instance, and then there’s social networks like Facebook, which have added live-streaming tools for its users. Because these types of streaming features are in high demand, it’s easy to see why standalone products are popping up specifically for streaming our moments exactly as they happen. Twitter-owned Periscope is one such example.

It debuted a few years ago, contended with a similar app called Meerkat, but eventually became the go-to broadcasting app for people wanting to live-steam video. One year after its public debut, Periscope revealed its users have created 200 million streams and watched 110 years of video daily. With that in mind, here’s some tips and tricks to help you jump in on Periscope and master broadcasting in no time.

What is Periscope and how does it work?

Twitter bought Periscope in February 2015 – before the app even launched.

It is a free live-streaming app that allows you to live-stream video through your iPhone or Android. You can make your videos public or private. It is basically your own broadcasting station, because you can go live anytime and anywhere. And anyone who joins your video can interact with it by “liking” (clicking hearts on the screen) or getting involved via commenting. You and your follows can also share live broadcasts on Twitter.

Once the broadcast is over, others can replay it (if you’ve enabled this option under your settings). Your broadcasts are automatically saved to your phone as well, where you can then treat them like any other video (publish them online, send through email, re-watch, etc). Also, although Periscope doesn’t yet have a website where you can explore live and finished broadcasts, it does have an Apple TV app with such options.

• For more information about how to actually start broadcasts (also dubbed scopes), check out Pocket-lint’s guide.
• Pocket-lint also has this round-up of the best Periscopers to follow.

Pericope tips and tricks

Now that we’ve covered the basics of Periscope, let’s get into how you can really use and leverage this app…

Starting a broadcast

Tap the Camera icon (under People tab in iOS; at the bottom of the app in Android), enter a title that describes your broadcast, manage your options like location settings, private/public broadcasts, limited chats, tweeting a live stream, then tap Start Broadcast.

Ending a broadcast

To end a broadcast, swipe the screen down during a broadcast and tap Stop Broadcast.

Searching for broadcasts

Under the World Tab, select the search icon to find any public broadcasts by title. You can also search for broadcasts by city, state, or country.

Setting broadcasts to public or private

By default, Periscope sets all broadcasts to public so that they are visible on everyone’s global feed. However, before you start broadcasting, you can tap the lock icon to start a private broadcast. You’ll then be asked which followed you’d like to share the broadcast with, but keep in mind you will only be able to invite users you are following and who follow you.

Liking a broadcast

If you like what you’re seeing in a broadcast, just tap the screen to like the stream/give the broadcaster a heart. Keep in mind hearts are only available in public broadcasts and replays, and hearts in private broadcasts are not counted toward your overall heart count.

Screen-shotting a broadcast

If someone takes a screenshot with their device while you’re broadcasting, a camera icon will appear on the screen alongside any hearts.

Switching between cameras

To switch between a front-facing camera and a rear-facing camera during your broadcast, double tap the screen. You can also swipe down to switch the camera with the camera icon.

Going between landscape and portrait mode

You can broadcast either in portrait mode or landscape. Simply rotate your device.

Zooming in during a broadcast

Simply pinch to zoom on your device’s screen.

Sharing your location

Before you start a broadcast, you will see the option to share your location and make your broadcast discoverable on the Global Map. This will also allow users who search for your location to discover you. To turn your location on or off, use the Compass icon on the Broadcast Tab.

Limiting comments

You can allow everyone in your broadcast to comment, or you can limit comments to only users that you follow. This setting can be enabled or disabled before each broadcast by tapping the chat icon on the broadcast screen.

Hiding chat

Both broadcasters and viewers can hide chat during a broadcast by tapping Hide Chat (swipe right in iOS, or swipe up in Android). When you hide chat during a live broadcast, you won’t be able to see any comments, though all comments will still be viewable in replay and will need to be hidden again if you want to watch the chat without seeing comments. You can do so by tapping the Chat Hidden in chat bar.

Opting out of comment moderation

Periscope lets users report and vote on comments that they consider to be spam or abuse during a broadcast. Broadcasters can opt out of having their broadcasts moderated and viewers can opt out of participating by adjusting settings in the app: Profile > Settings > Comment Moderation.

Entering Cinema mode

You can enter a Cinema mode on the web player by pressing H. This will toggle the display of hearts, comments, titles, and app links, providing you with an unobstructed viewing experience.

Sharing broadcasts

You can share a live broadcast you’re watching with your friends by swiping right in iOS or up on Android and then tapping Share. The shared broadcast will appear friend’s home feed.

Tweeting broadcasts

Before starting a public broadcast, tap the Twitter icon to tweet your broadcast. Your tweet will contain a URL to your broadcast on Periscope’s website, where anyone can watch the broadcast while it is live. To see an example, check out: https://twitter.com/periscopetv

Using tags

Periscope serves up Suggested Tags to make discovering content easier. Simply click on a tag to view live and replay videos related to that topic. To broadcast about a topic and use tags, tap the Broadcast button in the topic’s search results and add the relevant hashtags to your title.

Transition to another device with Handoff

You can start watching a broadcast on one device and transition to another while watching, thanks to Apple’s Handoff feature. So, when you’re using the web view to watch a broadcast on your desktop, you’re able to quickly switch to watching on your iOS device (or vice versa). Just be sure the devices are running iOS 8+ or OS X, have Bluetooth turned on, and are logged in to the same iCloud account.

Letting your broadcasts expire

Periscope allows you to control whether you keep broadcasts indefinitely. Otherwise, they automatically expire after 24 hours. If you would still like your broadcasts to expire after 24 hours, go to Settings and select Auto Delete After 24hr. When Auto-Delete is enabled, you will still be presented with the option to save each broadcast to your camera roll after it ends.

Saving broadcasts to your camera roll

To automatically save your broadcasts to your phone’s camera roll, go to the People Tab, then tap the Profile icon in the top right corner, and rom your Profile page tap Settings. You can then turn on Auto-Save to Camera Roll. To save an individual broadcast after it has ended, you can tap Save to Camera Roll/Gallery after ending a broadcast and download the video.

Replaying broadcasts

To access to your replays, open Broadcasts from your Profile Tab. You can replay any video that hasn’t expired or been deleted.

Deleting replays

If you would like your broadcasts to expire after 24 hours, go to Settings and select Auto Delete After 24hr. You can also delete your individual broadcasts beyond 24 hours by tapping the Delete Broadcast button immediately after your broadcast has ended, or you can open Broadcasts from your Profile, swipe left on the video, and click Delete/Remove Replay.

Understanding broadcast stats

As a broadcaster, you’ll see some stats during and after your broadcast. Live Viewers is the total number of viewers that watched your broadcast live. Replay Viewers is the total number of viewers that have watched your broadcast as a replay. Time Watched is the total amount of time that all viewers watched your broadcast. And Duration is the total length of your broadcast.

Finding people to follow

When you follow someone, you will be invited to join their public broadcasts via push notifications (if they are enabled), and their broadcasts will appear in your Watch Tab. You can also chat in their limited broadcasts.

To find someone to follow, tap the People Tab and browse the list of suggested users to follow, or you can then tap the magnifying glass icon, enter a name into the search bar, then tap the “+” icon for whoever you want to follow. To unfollow someone, go to the user’s profile and tap “unfollow” or uncheck them from your follower list. And that’s it.

Watching via web profiles

Web profiles show live and recent broadcasts with heart counts. People using a Mac or PC can view broadcasts by visiting a user’s web profile page. Profiles are located at periscope.tv/username.

Viewing broadcasts on TV

Periscope is available on the new Apple TV (4th generation). Go to the App Store, download and open the Periscope app, and you can start browsing a collection of live broadcasts from around the world with no account signup required. You can even send hearts to the broadcaster by tapping the Touch surface on the Siri Remote as well as read comments from other people.

This FAQ page has more details about how to use Periscope for Apple TV.

Discovering what’s trending

Periscope has a Trending section in the People Tab that highlights recently popular broadcasters.

Navigating the map

The Map is under the Globe tab. It allow you to access live and replay broadcasts from around the world. When you zoom to a new place on the map, Periscope will load live and replay broadcasts from the region. A broadcast will only show up on the map if the broadcaster is sharing their location. Red dots are live broadcasts, and blue dots are replays.

Pressing to use Force Touch

iPhone 6S and 6S Plus owners can press down on the Periscope app to search people, go to a random location in the world and view a live broadcast, start a private broadcast that only your mutual followers see, or start a public broadcast.

Reporting inappropriate content

If you see inappropriate content on Periscope, swipe left to access the info panel, scroll to the bottom, and tap the Report Broadcast button.

Blocking and unblocking users

When you block a user on Periscope, he or she will not be able to follow you or view any of your content. The same goes for you. To block a user, tap the the user you would like to block. From there, while on their profile, tap the gear icon/menu icon and select Block User. To unblock, tap Blocked in your Profile, select the user, and tap Blocked to bring up the option to Unblock User. Tap this option.

Users will not receive a notification that you have blocked/unblocked them.

Changing usernames

When you sign up for Periscope, you must choose a unique username. You change this username at any time by select your Profile icon, going to Edit, and choosing the second entry (@) to edit your current username. Be sure to hit the Done button to save your changes. Keep in mind you will only be able to change your username twice in a 30-day period.

Changing display names

Your display name is the name located directly under the photo on the profile page. Unlike your username, your display name is not unique to only your account. You can change your display name by selecting your Profile icon, going to Edit, and choosing the first field to edit your display name. Again, be sure to hit the Done button to save your changes.

Switching between multiple Twitter accounts

You can have multiple Periscope accounts if you have multiple Twitter accounts. This FAQ page has more details about how that works.

Getting a blue verification badge

If you are verified on Twitter, your verification badge will carry over to your Periscope attached to your verified Twitter account. Periscope does not award verification badges to accounts yet. Verification is handled by Twitter and is closed to the public.

Editing your profile

To edit your Periscope bio, click the Profile icon in the top right corner on the People Tab, tap the Edit icon on the top right, and you will then see options to edit your photo, display name, and edit your bio inline. .

Managing push notifications

If enabled, you will receive a push when someone starts following you, someone you follow starts a broadcast, someone you follow invites you to a private broadcast, someone you follow shares another person’s live broadcast. This FAQ page has details on how to manage push notifications.

Deleting your account

To delete your Periscope account, you must email help@periscope.tv with subject line “Delete Account”. In the email, include your Periscope username and the email address or phone number associated with your account.

Want to know more?

Periscope has this handy Help Center with more useful tips and tricks.

Adidas uses robots to bring shoe production back to Germany

Years ago, clothing manufacturers started moving production to developing nations where the labor costs were cheap and employees were plentiful. Proponents of globalization said that jobs going to poorer regions was a great thing, but sportswear firms paying workers pennies to make $100 shirts certainly isn’t. But now, the robot revolution is likely to cause a retreat from the days of fashion houses opening sweatshops in far-flung lands. And Adidas, which has often come under fire for its use of unethical labor practices, is leading the charge.

The Financial Times is reporting that Adidas is going to bring back production to its native Germany for the first time in 30 years. It’s spent the last six months testing a robotic factory with automated production lines creating soles and uppers separately before stitching them together. Spurred on by the results, the company is working on a large facility near Ansbach which will begin making sneakers for sale at some point next year. Another facility will be built in the US, although both are expected to produce just a tiny fraction of the 301 million pairs the firm made last year.

The paper explains that a robot production line takes about five hours to create each pair of sneakers from scratch. By comparison, it apparently takes “several weeks” to do the same job in an Asian factory with human workers. Efficiency and cost savings may be the name of the game, but there are other perks for companies toying with robot production. Adidas will become more nimble when it comes to creating new sneakers, and can cut costs by only manufacturing a shoe when demand is high enough. That will end the days of unwanted stock being sold off on the cheap at the end of the season, reducing waste and boosting profits.

Of course, the end goal is surely to end the days of buying a sneaker off the shelf and simply have a custom-made kick sent to your home days after ordering. It’s another benefit of localization, since Adidas will be able to get product into the hands of consumers far faster if factories are located nearer to its audience. With advances in 3D printing likely to come in the future, the idea of things you want to buy being made in a far-flung land may be a thing of the past in three or four decades time.

But there’s a dark side to all of this, which is what’s going to happen to those communities when the sweatshops eventually close. In 1992, US Senator Tom Harkin proposed legislation that would block imports of goods produced by children under the age of 15. A year later, the Bangladesh garment industry dismissed 50,000 children in anticipation of the bill, which was never passed. A 1997 report by UNICEF tracked those children, and found that their situation had gotten worse, not better. As the report explains, the children wound up in “hazardous situations” where they were “paid less, or in prostitution.”

Source: Financial Times

A high-tech spin class took me from San Francisco to Wonderland

I enjoy stationary bikes because they offer the exercise benefits of cycling without annoyances like bad weather and dangerous traffic. But there are times when I miss some of the benefits of being outside, like a cool breeze and changing scenery. While a gym’s AC unit can never really capture the magic scent of flowers and pine as you pass through a peaceful glade, workout designer company Les Mills has come up with a way to at least restore the sense of excursion with its new program, “The Trip.”

Instead of staring at a mirror for the duration of each spin class, riders sit on bikes in front of a giant screen and are enveloped in visuals that help create the illusion of motion. You may not physically leave the studio during the half-hour spin session, but thanks to some inventive imagery, you’ll mentally travel farther than a standard bike ride could ever take you.

The Trip made its debut in Santa Monica, California, last November and in March arrived at David Barton’s new gym in Midtown Manhattan, TMPL. That puts it in competition with ImaxShift, the immersive spin class introduced by the eponymous film company in May. Both classes feature a curved screen, booming sound system and an (overly) enthusiastic instructor. When I tried ImaxShift I found some positive aspects to the experience, but the sensory overload left me overwhelmed. On the surface it would seem that the Trip might induce the same feelings, but a series of small differences make it a more uplifting experience.

Though Imax is known for delivering larger-than-life cinematic experiences that can really draw you into the story and setting of your favorite films, Les Mills actually delivered a better narrative for an immersive exercise program. You start in a simulacrum of San Francisco, biking up and down the steep hills of the city until you cross the Golden Gate Bridge and enter a lush green forest. From there the scenery on the 30-foot screen gets increasingly whimsical, from a strange Wonderland-esque backdrop filled with rainbow mushrooms to a series of glossy neon-lined pathways reminiscent of Tron. Eventually you end up back where you started, gazing upon a sunset-tinged cityscape. It’s no wonder this particular program is called “The Rabbit Hole.”

Each ride has a specific playlist, making it possible to explicitly tie the visuals to the beat of the music. “The Rabbit Hole” starts with a cover of “Who Are You?” by the Travellers and closes with Nas’ “The World Is Yours” — perhaps an indication of how you should feel when you finish the 30-minute program. It’s an intense workout, requiring you to bike up steep hills for periods of between 15 and 60 seconds. Of course, these are merely virtual hills that you create by adjusting the resistance lever just below the handlebars on your cycle. The lever was a lot easier than the dials I’ve used on other bikes, which is just one part of why the Trip is as intuitive as it is. You see, when I tried ImaxShift I had an issue with following the instructor’s directions. The music would often drown out his voice, making it impossible for me to keep up and get the full workout. The Trip has the music at a more reasonable level. But even when I couldn’t hear the spin director, the screen provided plenty of visual cues as to my next action. A gentle slope? Increase the resistance slightly. A steep hill? Crank it up. Now we’re going back down the hill, so lower that resistance all the way down and enjoy the glide.

The computer-generated scenery wasn’t even close to Academy Award-winning graphics, but the aesthetic cheesiness of it didn’t really matter — the need to react to the images I was seeing made me feel more involved. It became more immersive as a result, and I was able to imagine myself going up those hills because I felt it both physically and emotionally.

As the class biked back through the forest to end up back in the city where we started, I also experienced an acute feeling of satisfaction. Sure, I was riding high on the thrill of a good workout, but there was also that completion you get out of a good narrative. And, in a way, that’s what a bike ride is: It’s a simple story, in which you travel some distance and eventually return where you started, a little better for the experience. And isn’t exercise in its own way about making us better people?

If the the Trip is a journey of self-improvement you’d like to take, the program is currently available at 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport in Santa Monica and TMPL in New York City. Unlike ImaxShift, individual spin classes aren’t available for purchase; instead, you’ll have to sign up for a club membership, which runs $165 a month at TMPL. This gives you access to all of the gym’s facilities, not just the virtual reality studio. But why would you confine yourself to a stuffy weight room when you could be gliding through futuristic cities and sunset-lit canyons instead?