Amazon Japan adds 12 new original series to Prime Video
Amazon isn’t wasting any time making good on its original programming plans for Japan. As part of its Prime Video service, which launched in September of last year, the company had announced plans to offer about 20 original shows tailored to that market. And today, Amazon Japan has unveiled a slate of originals detailing 12 new series that span a variety of genres, including documentaries, dramas and children’s shows.
Standouts include Magi, a time-traveling historical drama about teens that return to Japan to find Christianity’s been banned; live-action versions of Ultraman and Kamen Rider; and animated fare like the Manga series Businessmen vs. Aliens, and Baby Steps. While some of theses series are already available to stream now, others are planned to debut later in the year or even in 2017. It’s also worth noting that Prime Video subscribers in Japan get access to these originals, as well as other Amazon series like Mozart in the Jungle for the bargain price of $32/year. Doesn’t seem fair, now does it?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline
Take Amazon’s Alexa for a spin in your browser
Alexa’s gradual procession toward ubiquity is proof that the Echo speaker isn’t the heart of Amazon’s voice assistant, it’s the server farms that run it. Now you can tap into Alexa with the device sitting on your desk or lap thanks to Echosim.io, a website that replicates the experience of talking to Jeff Bezos’ smart speakers. Sign in with your Amazon info, give the website permission to access your microphone and you’re good to go.
From there, hold the site’s microphone and then ask about what’s on SyFy, if it’s going to rain tonight or a definition of the word “they.” Think of it as a try before you buy, or, if you’re a developer, a a way to test your mettle before fully committing to the platform. Amazon’s Glenn Cameron writes that by following the company’s tutorials, it should take less than an hour to build your first Alexa skill.
Via: VentureBeat
Source: Echosim, Amazon
Blue Origin’s next flight will end in a crash-landing
While Blue Origin has shown it can successfully land a reusable rocket multiple times, the space tourism company will hit the ground a little harder on the next test. As Jeff Bezos announced this week, his space venture will intentionally crash the empty crew compartment to see what happens when the parachutes fail.
On previous missions, the empty crew compartment detached from Blue Origin’s flagship New Shepherd rocket and drifted back to Earth while the rocket stage landed. That’ll change on the next flight.
“On this upcoming mission we also plan to stress the crew capsule by landing with an intentionally failed parachute, demonstrating our ability to safely handle that failure scenario,” Bezos wrote in an email announcement yesterday. “It promises to be an exciting demonstration.”
There’s no announced date for the flight yet, but Bezos did say the test launch will include “additional maneuvers on both the crew capsule and the booster” to better understand how the New Shepherd flies. All of this, of course, is working towards the larger goal of launching manned test flights by next year and providing tourist flights to space by 2018.. When those tourist flights take off, Blue Origin plans to carry up to six passengers at a time beyond the Karman line 62 miles above the Earth where they’ll get about four minutes of weightlessness before returning home.
Amazon’s got eight more TV show pilots for your perusal
Rather than letting shadowy commissioners decide on what TV shows to make in secret, Amazon lets everyone get involved. As it’s done so several times before, the company will debut a number of pilots and ask members of the public to vote on what gets turned into a series. This time ’round, there are two one hour dramas, both of which will be available in 4K and HDR, as well as six kids series for you to weigh in upon.
First on the docket is The Interestings, a series that’s based on Meg Wolitzer’s 2013 novel of the same name. It’s the story of a group of teenagers who bond at summer camp over their shared love of art, and how they grow over time. The show stars Six Feet Under’s Lauren Ambrose alongside David Krumholtz, Jessica Pare and Matt Barr. Behind the lens you’ve got Four Weddings director Mike Newell as well as Lyn Greene and Richard Levine, who both wrote for Nip/Tuck and produced Masters of Sex.
Secondly, there’s The Last Tycoon, which was written and directed by Billy Ray, who wrote Captain Phillips and adapted the first Hunger Games. The show stars Kelsey Grammer as an aging studio head as he battles his son, played by Matt Bomer, for control of the business. If anyone’s concerned that there could be any real-world parallels between a media tycoon fighting for control with their relatives, don’t worry. Unlike what’s going on over at Viacom, this drama is set in the 1930s with the rise of fascism looming in the background.
We won’t bore you with the details of the other five kids’ shows, but one will probably appeal to big kids with long memories. Amazon has teamed up with legendary producers Sid and Marty Krofft to remake Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, the 1973 NBC series about a pair of brothers who befriend a sea monster. The whole slate of shows will be made available on Amazon from June 17th, and the show that gets the most positive reception will be turned into the next big thing — following in the footsteps of Transparent and The Man in the High Castle.
EU wants Netflix to offer 20 percent European content
The European Union is updating its broadcasting laws to cover online services like Amazon and Netflix. As part of the move, the union is looking to prevent these firms just leeching money out of the 28 member states without putting something back. That’s why the new rules mandate that 20 percent of each company’s content library needs to be European in origin. Rumors of the ruling prompted fears that on-demand businesses would have to pay millions for obscure content that nobody wanted. But it turns out that Netflix is already doing more than the bare minimum to promote European film and TV.
The proposals cite data from the European Audiovisual Observatory, which conducted a survey of on-demand businesses last year. It found that Netflix actually had 21 percent of European-made films in its back catalog, thereby satisfying the new regulations. It’s not much above the minimum, sure, but enough to prove that the company had nothing to fear from the rule change. It should probably be worth mentioning that plenty of Hollywood blockbusters, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens, are filmed across the pond. Perhaps that exaggerates the tally a little, since those films would, surely, qualify as European.
As well as devoting one fifth of their respective libraries to European content, video services will be required to “give a good visibility” to homegrown media. That means both making it easier to find and letting people search for European-only content, or simply adding a promotional banner encouraging everyone to watch Marseille.
Source: On Demand Digital Markets, Europa, European Commission
ComiXology Unlimited offers all of the comics for $6 a month
ComiXology, Amazon’s online comic book service, unveiled a new unlimited content subscription option on Tuesday. The $6 per month ComiXology Unlimited plan gives subscribers unfettered access to the service’s archive, which includes titles from Image, Dark Horse, IDW and a bunch more — basically every notable publisher outside of Marvel and DC. ComiXology will continue to sell individual issues from the Big Two, it just won’t offer them on the unlimited plan.
Via: Android Central
Source: Comixology
Amazon no longer offers refunds for after-the-sale price drops
Say goodbye to the days when Amazon would cut you a break if the price of a product dropped right after you ordered it. Customers are reporting that Amazon has stopped offering partial refunds on orders if a price drop happens within 7 days — if you pull the trigger shortly before a sale, you’ll just have to live with your choice. Amazon tells Recode that it didn’t officially have a policy like this outside of televisions, but it’s now clear that the company no longer hands out exceptions like they were candy.
It’s possible that Amazon is reacting to services that automatically ask for refunds when they detect price drops, and not just because of the money it stands to lose from thrifty shoppers. Amazon warns that those sites are asking for your login details. While many of those outsiders are likely to be above-board, there’s no guarantee that a site won’t abuse your info or fall victim to a data breach.
Source: Reddit, Recode
Cat treats and the secret to livestreaming success
As livestreaming has grown into a billion-dollar business, it’s prompted a series of important questions about the future of technology and society. For example: When people share every moment of their lives with the internet, what is privacy? Does accessible, global communication build more community or less? How many AmazeBalls would you spend to feed a treat to a stranger’s cat?
That last question may not be crucial to the future of humanity, but it does have a concrete answer: Twitch streamer Jesse “Fangs” Campana calculated that her fans would happily spend 4,500 AmazeBalls to have her feed her cat, Squirrel, live on the air. This isn’t a gimmick; it’s an essential part of Fangs’ job as a full-time streamer and YouTube personality.
If it’s not already clear, AmazeBalls aren’t actual money. Fangs uses Revlo, a service that allows streamers to hand out custom currency and rewards to their audience members. Revlo is currently available for Twitch, but it’ll roll out to YouTube and other services in the near future. For reference, Fangs has 1.05 million subscribers on YouTube and 356,000 followers on Twitch, so that’s a lot of AmazeBalls to go around.
As ridiculous as the AmazeBalls economy sounds, this type of engagement strategy is essential to success as a livestreamer. Today, streaming on Twitch is more than simply broadcasting a game to a group of fans. The livestreaming ecosystem has blossomed from a one-way transmission platform into an interactive, community-focused experience, and many of the top streamers have earned their places by showcasing their personalities and talking with viewers while they play.
This level of interaction isn’t always easy for broadcasters to achieve. As Twitch has exploded in popularity, the live chat rooms for popular streamers have become impossibly crowded. The chat box scrolls endlessly up and up, pausing every now and then on a screen of emojis and inside jokes before flipping to the next batch, and the next, and the next.
Here’s where donations come in: Fans can throw down a small amount of cash (say, $3) to send a message directly to their favorite streamer while he or she is live. The message and donation amount generally pop up over the game itself (usually with a cute animation and sound effects), and the streamer will say thanks and respond. It’s a simple way for fans to get the interaction they crave, and it helps streamers earn a living producing entertainment on Twitch.
It’s a simple solution, but it’s not egalitarian.
“We didn’t think that was very community focused,” says James Sun, co-founder and CEO of Revlo. “The whole thing that makes Twitch awesome, the whole reason we enjoy watching Twitch, is because everybody feels like they’re together. It’s very tight-knit. You develop your own jargon, your own internal jokes, your own memes, your own culture, and when you only get noticed if you pay, it just feels wrong.”
Sun and his friends came up with Revlo as a way to restore balance to the Twitch chat. Revlo removes cash from the equation and it opens up more channels of interaction for fans. In Fangs’ case, that means AmazeBalls instead of dollars (and more treats for Squirrel).
Fangs fans earn two AmazeBalls for every minute they watch her Twitch stream. They can save up and turn in those points for a series of rewards, including requesting a song (1,000 AmazeBalls), receiving a personal email from Fangs herself (6,000 AmazeBalls), playing a game against her (10,000 AmazeBalls), or having Fangs dress Squirrel in a silly outfit for at least 20 minutes of the stream (12,000 AmazeBalls).
For another popular streamer, Tim “Trick2g” Foley, Revlo means more merchandise deals. His viewers earn one GOON buck for watching 10 minutes of his stream, and the first three rewards are codes for 10, 20 and 30 percent off the merchandise in his store, which includes backpacks, mousepads and beanies. Trick2g also has sub-only rewards that are solely available to the people who subscribe to his Twitch channel at a cost of $5 per month.
Revlo makes sense for fans, but it poses some perceived issues for streamers. If viewers can interact with their favorite streamers for free, there’s a chance they won’t donate as often — or at all. Trick2g had this exact concern, so Sun ran a case study on his channel to soothe his fears.
“We wanted to prove to him that the money you lose from donations is worth it,” Sun says.
As it turns out, Revlo is definitely worthwhile for streamers. On Trick2g’s channel, new viewers who used Revlo were 2.1 times more likely to return the following week than non-Revlo users. Existing viewers who started using Revlo spent 48 percent more time watching Trick2g’s stream, which translated into more revenue from branded content and advertisements. The sub-only rewards drove more subscriptions his way and the discount codes that he offered through Revlo pushed more people to his store. Overall, the app provided a boost in audience retention, loyalty and direct sales.
Revlo went public earlier in May, but before that, 15,000 broadcasters tried it out in beta form for 5 million unique viewers per month. And there’s one notable feature buried within Revlo’s userbase — half of its streamers are male and half are female. Meanwhile, on Twitch, a majority of streamers are men.
Sun sees a huge difference in the way women and men approach streaming, and it might explain Revlo’s balanced gender split. In general, men are more antagonistic and women are more welcoming, he says, and since Revlo is a service that encourages interaction, it’s well-suited to the warmer female approach. Again, he’s speaking in general terms here.
“Female streamers are generally more interactive with their community compared to male streamers,” Sun says. “I think part of it is because they’re just friendlier, I guess. I think there are more personalities on Twitch that are male who are just more — I don’t like using this word — that are more abrasive and more aggressive than the female streamers. Female streamers are just much better, I think, at building a tight-knit community. They’re much more likable. And so their rewards are typically more interactive.”
Revlo currently ties into Twitch only, but Sun is working to bring it to YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms that streamers regularly use. The company just secured $1.12 million in funding, partially from start-up incubator YCombinator and Justin Kan — the man who founded Twitch.
Kan has moved on since his Twitch days, and he’s now a partner at YCombinator and the Group Leader in charge of Revlo. This means Sun and his team will meet with Kan every two weeks for guidance and feedback as they try to grow the app. Simply having Kan on board is already a huge validation of Revlo, Sun says.
Sun has already secured partnerships with major organizations like the Electronic Sports League and he imagines Revlo being used by streamers and companies of all sizes. He thinks mobile is the next big platform for live streaming — “Look at the number of mobile devices out there versus the number of PCs,” he says — but whatever the industry’s future holds, he wants Revlo (AmazeBalls, GOON bucks and all) to be a part of it.
“I think streaming is going to become bigger and bigger in general,” Sun says. “I think as we grow and I think as the streaming community grows, there’s going to be even more of a craving to be more immersed in the content and actually become a creator while being a consumer.”
Amazon’s screenwriting tool lets you easily share scripts
We all have at least one great story to tell, and Amazon’s free screenplay writing software is intended to help you spin that tale. Like other screenwriting tools, Amazon Storywriter auto-formats your work to the required industry standard, with the added benefit of letting you submit your script directly to Amazon Studios if you think you’ve created the next Prime Video original. Before you get to that point, though, you might want a second opinion. Which is why Amazon’s added a new quick-sharing feature to Storywriter that lets you easily put your script in front of reliable critics (aka Mom and Dad).
This mean you no longer have to export a script and attach it to an email or upload it to a file-sharing service. Simply open the sharing menu within the browser-based version or Chrome app, plug in an email address, and the recipient will receive a link to a read-only version of your draft — though they’ll need an Amazon account to view it. You can also head back into that menu at any time and remove permissions, just in case you get tired of Dad’s opinions on how your zombie vampire romance screenplay is taking shape.
Source: Amazon Studios (Facebook)
The best USB battery packs
By Mark Smirniotis
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. Read the full article here.
We brought in almost 50 pounds of batteries and tested them in a specialist lab in Vancouver, British Columbia, to find the best USB battery pack for any situation.
If you need a pocketable pack to get through an evening out, we recommend the TravelCard Charger because our previous top pocketable pick, the AmazonBasics Portable Power Bank with Micro USB Cable 2,000 mAh, is inconsistently available. If you need a unit to leave in your bag to keep your device going for a busy day of meetings, pick up the EasyAcc 6000mAh Ultra Slim Power Bank. If you need to charge your phone repeatedly, grab the larger AmazonBasics Portable Power Bank 16,100 mAh, and if you require a pack that can power a bagful of devices for a full day, buy the RAVPower 26800 mAh Xtreme Portable Charger.
How we picked and tested
Cadex devoted a corner of its lab to testing almost 60 batteries.
When it comes to USB battery packs, someone who wants a pocketable model for occasionally topping off a phone has different needs than a business traveler who wants to keep a tablet and two phones charged for back-to-back international flights. For each scenario, we set out to find the best balance of capacity, charging speed, size, and features. A hulking, heavy, cheap pack, for instance, isn’t as good as a moderately priced one you’ll actually use. We also looked for models that can cut down the clutter in your bag or pockets through the inclusion of convenience features such as multiple ports and integrated cables.
Once we established our test lineup, we worked with Cadex Electronics to put the packs through an exhaustive series of technical tests. We hooked up three samples of each model to Cadex’s lab gear to get insight into voltage curves, amperage, and how close the batteries’ actual capacities came to matching what their makers claimed on the box. With the help of Cadex engineers, we sifted through and analyzed all of that data and came up with solid recommendations for whatever amount of juice your power-hungry devices may need.
Our pick for your pocket
The TravelCard Charger comes in both Micro-USB and Lightning flavors.
If you need the absolute smallest battery to keep your phone going when you can’t get to an outlet, the TravelCard Charger is the most convenient and reliable option. A little longer and wider than a credit card and roughly three times as thick, the TravelCard stands out from other small batteries because it has two integrated cables–one with a Micro-USB or Lightning-connector plug (depending on the version you buy) to charge your device, and one with a standard USB plug to recharge the battery itself.
That said, even the best batteries at this size have limitations. And although the TravelCard charges at only 1 amp, and has an average of 1,049 milliamp hours, we still think it’s a better choice because of the integrated recharging cable that other similar-size models lack. An extra 100 mAh probably won’t make a huge difference in how you use one of these batteries day to day, but never wanting for an extra cable is more than just a convenience—it’s a relief.
The best battery for everyday use
Our top pick from EasyAcc feels like a midsize smartphone in your hand.
If you can make just a little more room in your pocket or bag, you can upgrade to a lot more power and a better value. The EasyAcc 6000mAh Ultra Slim Power Bank is about the size and thickness of an average smartphone, and it’s the best-performing model in this class—standing out thanks to its integrated Micro-USB cable and high-speed charging port (at least 2 amps).
Measuring at 5,500 mAh in our tests, this EasyAcc model had the most available power, enough to fully charge a smartphone—depending on size—two or three times. You could even charge a tablet more than halfway from this unit’s high-speed port.
Our pick for your briefcase or bag
Our alternate pick from AmazonBasics is about the size of a large portable hard drive.
The AmazonBasics Portable Power Bank 16,100 mAh is our pick if you have to charge a phone repeatedly, want to keep a full-size tablet and phone topped up through a week of commuting, or need to keep your gadgets going on a long flight. It had 15,280 mAh available in our tests—not the highest in the group, but enough power to charge an average smartphone almost every day of the work week or fill a full-size tablet twice.
Now that Amazon has upgraded the USB ports on its offering, this pack puts out enough juice to charge two devices at or near their full speed. Our meters found that the loads balanced to no more than 4 amps combined, or 2.4 amps per port—high enough for this battery to slide into the top spot for this size category. This battery is the most flexible of all our picks, and it’s the one to get if you want something that can work for commuting and for travel.
Our pick for your luggage
The RAVPower is closer to the size of a paperback, but it packs a big punch.
If you require a lot of power, you should get the RAVPower 26800mAh Xtreme Portable Charger. Next to the other large contenders in our test group, it offers more power, more ports, and faster charging, all at a reasonable price.
After charging and draining our three RAVPower test units, we found they averaged an actual capacity of of 19,107 mAh—about 70 percent of what the company advertises, but still enough power to both fully charge a large tablet and a fill a smartphone a few times.
Its three ports are rated at 2.4 amps, 2.1 amps, and 1 amp, and the RAVPower model can output at full speed to all three ports simultaneously. You’ll have to remember which port is which, though, to make sure your device is plugged into the port that supplies its maximum charging potential.
A drawback of this pack is its heft: This model weighs 21 ounces, and it takes up the space of a large paperback. If you need the power, though, this is how you should get it.
This guide may have been updated by The Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.
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