Video

YouTube announced several upcoming features for video makers during its VidCon conference today. Among the new features is support for high-framerate video, including popular options like 48 and 60fps, typically used in HFR live-action footage and video game captures, respectively. When viewed in HD, videos uploaded at these framerates will retain their full quality.

Another new feature for content creators is the YouTube Creator Studio app for Android, which allows uploaders to manage their channels from their mobile devices. A new donations feature will allow viewers to directly contribute money to channels they enjoy. The feature is currently in beta, but anyone interested in testing it can sign up for a chance to do so through a form on YouTube’s website.

These changes are accompanied by smaller changes, such as more visible playlists, viewer-submitted subtitles, a new annotation-like “info cards” function, and the ability to tag collaborators in video descriptions so viewers can easily find their work.

Most of these changes are being rolled out to a few select YouTube partners for testing while others are not yet available. All of these features are expected to go public soon. As noted earlier, YouTube also announced a SiriusXM music show called YouTube 15, hosted by YouTuber Jenna Marbles that will start on July 11th.

New video from Google shows how all of today’s announcements will work together

Chance Miller Jun 25 2014 - 3:43 pm PT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36cIFCJvQs

Google announced a variety of new services and products today at Google I/O, including the “L” version of Android, Android Auto, Android TV, Google Fit, and Android Wear. In an effort to help us all digest this onslaught of news, Google this evening posted a 2-minute video on YouTube showing how all of those services can seamlessly work together to make your life easier.

The video, seen above, shows a man performing daily routine, but with all of Google’s new services. He’s using an Android “L” smartphone paired with an Android Wear watch, paired with a car with Android Auto, paired with Android TV. And, of course, an obligatory cute dog. The video makes it look like it all works pretty seamlessly together. But unfortunately, we’re still quite aways away from this becoming reality.

Google Glass can steal phone PINs from across a room

Ben Lovejoy Jun 25 2014 - 6:19 am PT

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell have demonstrated an interesting (and slightly scary) technique for using Google Glass to detect phone PINs with 83 percent accuracy from across a room – even when the screen wasn’t visible.

The technique used applies an image-recognition algorithm that doesn’t need direct sight of the screen. Instead, it uses a reference image of the target device to detect the angle at which it’s being held, then tracks the shadows from finger taps to detect which on-screen keys are being pressed …
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Tune in live to Google’s I/O press event live stream starting at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET

Stephen Hall Jun 25 2014 - 5:01 am PT

Google I/O starts today, and as per usual, the company is kicking things off with a huge 2-hour press event set to start at 9 AM PT. The event is said to be bringing a multitude of new products and service announcements, rumored to include the “L” version of Android, Android Wear smartwatches, a new line of “Android Silver” smartphones, a second-generation Chromebook Pixel, an “Android TV” set-top box, Project Tango tablets, and Google Glass announcements.

OnePlus One hands-on and first impressions (Video)

Dom Esposito Jun 17 2014 - 8:09 am PT

The OnePlus One is one of the most talked about devices in 2014. This budget flagship smartphone is here to take out the competition with high-end specifications that are comparable with any other top of the line device. OnePlus u nveiled the device earlier this year and since then it has grabbed the attention of many consumers.

The first wave of devices are finally shipping and today we’re taking a look at the 64GB Sandstone Black model to find out what all of the hype is about. Check out our hands-on and overview video below for more information and a closer look at the OnePlus One…

Live stream: Watch Samsung’s ‘Tab Into Color’ event right here at 7PM Eastern

Chance Miller Jun 12 2014 - 3:00 pm PT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CInK6ZiaZWY

Samsung is set to hold its “Tab Into Color” event tonight in New York City at 4PM Pacific/7PM Eastren, and as you’d expect, the company is live streaming the entire thing on YouTube. Given Samsung’s recent event history, the event could be quite the spectacle. You never know.

Chromecast now streaming Google+ photos & video, WatchESPN, Major League Soccer, & Crunchyroll video

Jordan Kahn Jun 3 2014 - 8:16 am PT

Google made a big announcement today for new content arriving for users of its $35 Chromecast HDMI streaming stick. The latest additions to the lineup include the WatchESPN app, Major League Soccer via the MLS Matchday app and MLS LIVE premium services, photos and video from Google+ apps, as well as TV and video content from the Crunchyroll video service:
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LG teases the laser-focus camera, design, and display of the G3 (Video)

Jonathan Kizer May 23 2014 - 7:34 am PT

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGR34U76QiU]

We’ve seen its unofficially official specs. We’ve seen its updated UI. We’ve even known about its announcement date (May 27th) for some time now. And now, LG is teasing its upcoming G3 flagship device with three new videos posted this morning to YouTube. The “Design” video below also gives us the best look yet of the device’s metallic-looking back, as the camera slowly pans around it.
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Surgeons are now streaming their craft to a global audience via Google Glass (NSFL video)

Stephen Hall May 23 2014 - 7:08 am PT

A surgeon in the U.K. is now the first to live stream video of a surgical operation via Google Glass (via The Telegraph). The landmark surgery, which removed cancer from a 78 year-old patient’s liver and bowel, was viewed in live time by 13,000 medical students from 115 countries, and is clearly yet another example of a situation in which this innovative device doing good for humanity …
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Samsung Galaxy S5 Active exclusive features shown off in new video

Dom Esposito May 22 2014 - 5:11 am PT

Last year when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S4 Active, some of its primary features included a rugged design and water resistance. With the impending announcement of the Galaxy S5 Active, what will Samsung bring to the table that’s beyond the standard Galaxy S5 which already carries an IP67 dust and water resistance certification? Sure, you’re not getting a redesigned body, but that’s nothing a tough case can’t fix.

In a new video published by TK Tech News, we get a first look at exactly what makes the Galaxy S5 Active so special. Nothing has been confirmed by Samsung, but the videos below showcase what is claimed to be the upcoming smartphone and also happen to be very convincing.

YouTube reportedly reaches deal to acquire Twitch game streaming platform for $1 billion

Mike Beasley May 18 2014 - 4:03 pm PT

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Update: The Wall Street Journal reports the talks are at an early stage and a deal is not yet imminent.

Variety reports that Google has reached a deal to acquire the video game streaming platform Twitch for $1 billion. The move could provide YouTube with the resources to bolster its current live streaming platform, which doesn’t seem to be all that popular among its users. The entire amount will be offered in cash, according to the report.

Twitch has the distinct benefit of being the only live streaming platform built directly into both Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 consoles. A YouTube buyout would essentially bring all of those next-gen streaming customers to YouTube’s platform, along with the countless users already streaming PC games.

Minuum demoes typing on Google Glass, visualizes the future of text input

Jonathan Kizer May 13 2014 - 10:19 am PT

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjcHzO3-QEg]
Minuum, one of the more distinctive third-party keyboards available for Android devices, is coming to Google Glass. The keyboard was shown off this morning in a video of the prototype app running on Glass. The second half of the video, however, is far more exciting.
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LG posts official G3 teaser video, shows off sleek brushed metal design

Dom Esposito May 13 2014 - 3:35 am PT

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LG has just published a new teaser video for its upcoming G3 smartphone. The video doesn’t reveal much, but it definitely proves that most of the leaks we’ve seen recently were accurate.

According to this epic new video, the LG G3 looks incredibly thin and appears to have a brushed metal design (also leaked in gold), but we won’t know for sure until LG’s announcement. The video teases the G3’s optical image stabilization, referenced only by a moving camera sensor, and concludes with a tag line that reads, “Simple is the new smart” and the official announcement date of May 27th, 2014. Unfortunately, there’s not much else to see here, but the video does provide a look at the smartphone’s thin profile.

HTC One M8 and Samsung Galaxy S5 compared to detailed Space Gray iPhone 6 mockup (Video)

Dom Esposito May 12 2014 - 5:18 pm PT

Based on all of the iPhone 6 dummy units we’ve seen, this rumored design closely resembles Apple’s fifth generation iPod touch, but that’s not all. As shown in the video below, the alleged iPhone 6 design looks very similar to another flagship smartphone released this year.

The HTC One M8 and iPhone 6 mockup look like cousins or long-lost brothers when it comes to their design. Of course there’s no confirmation that Apple is actually using this design for the iPhone 6, but almost all of these mockups have been manufactured based on “leaked” schematics and specifications.

Google Search results now include NBA video recaps, other leagues on the way

Jordan Kahn May 9 2014 - 7:01 am PT

The next time you’re looking for a score or recap of a recent NBA game, you’ll find a much smoother experience directly from the Google Search page. Google noted last night that it’s starting to display high-quality video clips from NBA games next to sports scores for related queries (as pictured above).

The new embedded videos play directly on the Google Search page without sending the user to YouTube and appear to becoming directly from the NBA’s official YouTube channel. You can check out an example of the new feature here.

Google says that it plans on adding other leagues in addition to the NBA in the future.

Google posts ’Seeds’ video shot entirely on Glass just in time for Mother’s Day

Jordan Kahn May 8 2014 - 9:49 am PT

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvo6ls7edUQ]

The video above just landed on the official Google Glass YouTube channel as the latest of Google’s promotional/inspirational videos showing off the video capturing capabilities of Glass. As noted by Google, the video was shot entirely on Glass by students from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts as part of its contribution to Google’s Glass Creative Collective.
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MagicPlay brings native Apple AirPlay support to Play Music on rooted devices

Jonathan Kizer Apr 22 2014 - 6:35 pm PT

MagicPlay—another app from the doubleTwist developers—brings support for Apple’s AirPlay to any Android device running Android 4.1, allowing content to be streamed to an Apple TV connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the phone. If you aren’t rooted, a separate app will enable you to stream your music and videos to an Apple TV or compatible set of speakers from doubleTwist, but you won’t be able to use these features within the Play Music app itself.

If your device is rooted, however, MagicPlay now adds an option to stream your content via AirPlay from the Play Music app. This feature, added in the 1.1 update that was released today, was announced by doubleTwist in a blog post today. MagicPlay now takes advantage of an API normally reserved for the Chromecast:
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Stream music and video to Amazon’s FireTV from your Android device with AllCast

Jonathan Kizer Apr 19 2014 - 9:35 am PT

Koushik Dutta — the man behind Clockworkmod, as well as various other Android apps and projects — has released AllCast for Amazon’s FireTV. The program lets you send videos, photos, and music from any Android device running Ice Cream Sandwich or higher to your TV. The app is free to install for the FireTV, though AllCast for Android requires a $4.99 purchase to enable the majority of the features, including a screen-mirroring feature.
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Chrome Beta 35 for Android brings Undo Tab Close, Chromecast video support, & more

Jordan Kahn Apr 11 2014 - 9:58 am PT

Following yesterday’s release of Chrome Beta 35 for the desktop, the Android beta started rolling out last night with a few notable new features that will soon be making their way to all users. In the beta, you can now “Undo Tab Close,” which means if you accidentally close a tab you’ll now be able to restore it. There are also improvements for multi-window devices, which we assume means tablets that support apps running side by side, as well as “fullscreen video with subtitles and HTML5 controls.”

Perhaps the most notable feature is initial support for Chromecasting videos. Google is making it easier to cast videos from Chrome for Android to the TV through its $35 Chromecast HDMI stick, but for now it’s not sharing a lot of details on what videos you can expect to work. It does note that “YouTube support for casting videos is not complete.”

You can expect these features to be rolling out for all users in the near future. Until then, you can try out the new features in the updated beta release.

Dropbox launches new “Carousel” photo & video gallery app

Jordan Kahn Apr 9 2014 - 11:23 am PT

http://vimeo.com/91475918#at=0

Dropbox is introducing its latest product today, a photo and video management app called Carousel that integrates many of the features from the photo storage service Snapjoy acquired by Dropbox back in 2012.

The company unveiled the app at an event today in San Francisco as a gallery to store and share all of your photos and videos. The app is built for quick and easy sharing of one or multiple photos to phone contacts or email addresses (even if the recipient doesn’t have a Dropbox account), allowing you to get around the upload limitations usually associated with sharing photos. With everything backed up in full resolution directly to Dropbox, it essentially becomes a standalone app to manage just photos and videos that you want to store in Dropbox.

With Dropbox, we built a home for your photos and videos but never gave you a great way to experience them. We’d like you to meet Carousel, the newest member of the Dropbox family. It’s a gallery that houses your entire life’s memories. Even more, Carousel lets you share and relive these memories in private conversations with friends and family.

Carousel is now available as a free download on the App Store for iOS and the Play Store for Android.

[tweet https://twitter.com/carouselapp/status/453949761830154240]

The company also made some other product announcements today including news regarding versions of its Mailbox app for Android and Mac OS X.

New HTC One (M8) for sale online in US & Canada today, 7 countries before end of April

Jordan Kahn Mar 25 2014 - 8:48 am PT

After unveiling its new flagship second-generation HTC One, the company just announced availability for the device on stage at its event in New York. The device will arrive in the US and Canada in the first couple of weeks of April through all major carrier partners, but starting today at 1PM EST you can pick one up online through HTC as previously revealed. It will also be available through select Verizon stores starting today.

The company announced the phone will be coming to a handful of countries before the end of April including Australia, Taiwan, UK, Germany, France, China, and the US. HTC didn’t mention a timeframe for the 100+ countries and 230+ carriers shown in the image above, but it did say the new HTC One M8 would be “the single largest product rollout in HTC’s history.”

Sense 6 will arrive for the last generation HTC One lineup, including the One mini and Max, this Spring. In addition, HTC Advantage is getting the free screen replacement program (as well as the latest version of Android promised for two years) that was previously rumored.

If you’re planning on picking up the new HTC One today, you can do so here starting at 1PM EST.

HTC unveils the new HTC One (M8), here are the official specs

Jordan Kahn Mar 25 2014 - 8:17 am PT

We’re live from New York at HTC’s unveiling of the new HTC One (M8) and the company has now officially unveiled the new flagship smartphone. The company has spent the starting of its presentation talking about the HTC One’s high-quality metal construction that it described as “like a premium watch,” as well as the new Gunmetal Gray Hairline Finish pictured above. It also shared a few specs for the device (below) before moving on to its new customized version of Android, Sense 6 (or 6th Sense).

One of the big announcements for Sense 6 is that HTC is opening up its Blinkfeed homescreen to developers with a new SDK releasing today. Foursquare will be the first partner to support the feature and will publish, for example, lunch recommendations into the Blinkfeed homescreen, while Fitbit will display activity milestones in the feed. HTC is hoping other app developers will follow with support.

We have most of the hardware specs below (no huge surprises), but HTC also spent a lot of time talking about small tweaks you might not see in the specs list like much improved sound quality through a combination of redesigned speaker chambers and software tweaks. HTC also mentioned some big improvements for the camera including a new camera switcher (pictured in the gallery below) with new “dual capture”, “selfie”, and “customizable manual” shooting modes. The M8 also features a 300 millisecond focus time that’s 50% faster than the previous generation.

Sales for the new HTC One (M8) will kick off today in the US and Canada. Details on availability for other countries and carriers are available here.

Check out the official specs from HTC and some shots from the event below:

HTC site says new One (M8) goes on sale at 1PM EDT today, 4 colors, all major carriers

Jordan Kahn Mar 25 2014 - 6:53 am PT

HTC’s event is about to kick off at 11AM ET, and it looks like the company just revealed that its new flagship second-ten HTC One (M8) smartphone will go on sale starting 1PM EDT today. A page for the device on HTC’s online store not only confirms the device goes on sale at 1PM, but also that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint will all be partners at launch. Purchases through HTC’s site will get free express shipping and the company is also giving away 65GB Google Drive storage for two years with every purchase. The page also makes mention of the Google Play Edition we told you about earlier and four color variants including “gun metal gray, silver, gold, and black.”

It’s unclear if the new HTC One will be available at 1PM through all carrier partners or just HTC’s site, or if the Google Play Edition will launch alongside the standard model. You can catch HTC’s livestream of the event here at 11AM ET or stay tuned to 9to5Google for all the official details.

HTC confirms Google Play Edition for new HTC One ahead of this morning’s unveiling

Jordan Kahn Mar 25 2014 - 4:45 am PT

Ahead of this morning’s official unveiling of the all new HTC One in New York, the company has confirmed that a Google Play Edition of the device will be on the way (via AndroidPolice). No word if it will get a release alongside the regular version of the device, but we’ll know for sure in a few short hours. The confirmation comes from a description for the new HTC Gallery app that notes “Support for HTC One(M8) Google Play Edition is limited to HTC Photo Edit.”

The new HTC One (Codenamed M8) is the successor to HTC’s successful flagship HTC One smartphone from last year and has experienced a long list of leaks in recent months leading up to today’s unveiling. Yesterday we got a look at the device next to the previous generation in a lengthy comparison video.