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Byte, the upcoming Vine reboot, starts beta testing

Byte has sent out 100 beta invites and people are already sharing videos across the new platform.

The internet lost something truly entertaining and fun when Vine stopped publishing user-generated six-second videos back in 2016. Vine’s short video loops took the internet by storm when it first started up in 2012 and the app rose to prominence quickly until Twitter bought it and then, ultimately, pulled the plug.

It was good news for every internet user who has a funny bone when one of the Vine co-founders announced in November that he was working on a reboot. Dom Hoffman said he was working on a new Vine app called Byte, that would launch in Spring 2019. Best of all, the app would have nothing to do with Twitter. Today, it seems Hoffman is making good on that promise.

Byte has sent out 100 beta invites and people are already sharing videos across the new platform

Byte will allow users to make their own short videos that can be uploaded to the platform. The videos will be vertical only and can be looped. Overnight, the first 100 beta users set about doing just that and there is already a stream of videos on the app. According to a Tweet put out by Hoffman, that shows the Byte feed, posts will appear in reverse chronological order with videos scrolling up to the top of the screen.

the byte beta we’ve been running with friends and family *feels* exactly like the vine friends and family beta, down to the weird but appealing randomness of the videos. that’ll change as we expand, but it’s a pretty good sign pic.twitter.com/rBbQrNtTJ7

— dom hofmann (@dhof) April 22, 2019

So far, it looks like the Byte team is happy with the content that the beta community has been uploading. The content seems random and off-the-cuff, and fits with the type of content that was regularly being posted on Vine, helping the app carve a space for itself on the modern internet.

The current state of the Byte beta is still pretty basic, however. The app only allows for direct camera recordings and there is no upload feature. Also, although the feed does allow users to post videos and have other users comment on them and like them, at the moment, there is no facility for users to follow their favorite accounts.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Hoffman has said that getting the content right is the top priority for Byte. This means that he is determined to create an attractive space for content creators that works well for them. As the beta test continues, the team will add and remove new features to the basic set described above, and see how the community responds to them.

Hoffman has also promised to expand to the testing pool, too, so more testers will be receiving invites soon. If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll find yourself at the new Byte sign up screen, which Hoffman recently shared on Twitter.

It is good to see a new and updated version of Vine coming back to the internet. As with everything these days, however, the world moves quickly and there is no guarantee that emulating a once successful app will guarantee success. With TikTok, a notable successor to Vine, having over 500 million active monthly users, this beta testing stage is more important than ever. We’ll be watching this one intently.

Cheap mobile-only Netflix subscriptions? Don’t hold your breath

Netflix has decided against rolling out cheaper subscription models in South Korea.

We’ve been following the extensive testing Netflix has been running on new subscription models for quite some time now. In November, the streaming giant launched a mobile-only model in Malaysia, which has since spread to other regions around Asia. As well as offering a reduced-price plan for mobile viewers, the tests have also seen cheaper standard SD plans offered to users and single device plans, too.

Earlier this month, we learned that Netflix is also testing a weekly subscription model in India. The new Indian model offers a weekly subscription for as little 95 cents for a week’s access to the full Netflix catalog with the Ultra HD package, Netflix’s most expensive subscription, coming in at around $2.90 a week. Sadly, however, for our readers in the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia, it looks like these new cheaper subscription models won’t be available to them any time soon.

Netflix has decided against rolling out cheaper subscription models in South Korea

Speaking in the Business section of the Korea Herald, Netflix has said that it has finished testing the mobile-only subscription model in South Korea. A spokesperson said, “The tests have concluded… These tests we conduct may not get rolled out as member plans. Netflix will continue its efforts to provide the best entertainment experience for its members.” This means that the tests are over, and Netflix won’t be extending the mobile-only subscription plans, that are cheaper than the current more established plans, any further.

As was the case with all the other pricing tests we’ve previously reported on, there were various price points in Korea beginning with the 6,500 won price plan. Costing the equivalent of around $5.70, this monthly plan gave users access to the full Netflix catalog on a single mobile device. This works out at around 3,000 won ($2.58) a month cheaper than Netflix’s standard cheapest plan.

Netflix on mobile — It doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a cheaper mobile only Netflix subscription model any time soon.

Out of all the Asian countries where Netflix has been testing these new subscription models, South Korea has the most advanced economy. It is bad news for Netflix viewers in countries like the U.S. and the UK then that Netflix has concluded that there is no need for them to offer a cut-price subscription to South Koreans. It is a pretty safe bet that if Netflix doesn’t think it needs to do it there, it won’t think it’ll need to do it in countries with more advanced economies either.

In fact, the truth is likely to be much worse for Netflix viewers in the West. As we discussed when we reported on a recent note from a Netflix shareholder’s meeting, Netflix growth is continuing despite recent price hikes in markets like the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Brazil. This means, if anything, we can only expect to see Netflix prices increase further in the future.

Netflix experimenting with Top 10 lists

Discover where the test will begin.

Netflix has quickly become an intrinsic part of modern culture. Its growth has seen the streaming platform spread around the world. On top of this, as well as offering diverse content, the streaming platform has been running a series of subscription model tests to find new ways of spreading Netflix to parts of the world that can’t really afford a full Netflix subscription.

A new shareholder letter released by the streaming giant shows that this growth still continues with over 10 million new subscribers signing up between the beginning of January and the end of March this year. The letter also includes some interesting information about a new test Netflix is about to begin, which could see how you interact with it change significantly.

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Netflix is going to test Top 10 lists in the UK

According to the shareholder letter, Netflix is going to begin, “running a test to improve our UK member experience by releasing weekly top 10 lists of the most popular content on our UK service across various programming categories. For those who want to watch what others are watching, this may make choosing titles even easier.” The top 10s will be based on the content’s popularity across the region you’re a part of.

Netflix shareholders meeting — A recently released shareholder’s note has uncovered some interesting information about Netflix

These top 10 lists will stand aside from what you normally see on Netflix as they won’t be affected by your own viewing habits. Well, they will but only in so much as if you watch something, it will get one vote that will add to the overall ranking. Until now, all the movies and TV shows you see when you open Netflix, are based on things you’ve already watched and how Netflix thinks that fits with its current content roster.

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Netflix went on to say that the British testing of top 10 lists will go on for a few months. After the test period is over, the streaming platform will analyze the results and decide whether to simply end the test or extend it to other regions.

If you’ve ever struggled to find something to watch on Netflix, these new top 10 lists could be a good way for you to find something you know is popular with other Netflix users. If you’re the type of person who tries to avoid the mainstream, however, you might be less interested in Netflix’s latest test.

New Netflix subscribers — Netflix keeps adding new subscribers

The real interesting thing to note from the Netflix shareholder’s letter is that the streaming platform has seen subscriber numbers continue to rise, despite price hikes in a number of its key markets including the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and parts of Europe. If we’re talking about Netflix tests, it is clear that the price hikes have returned positive results for the streaming giant. It might not be a sure thing, but at this point, it looks like there is nothing stopping Netflix from looking to price hikes to boost revenue again at some point in the future.

You can now buy movie tickets from a Google search on your phone

Google adds feature to iOS and Android that enables you to buy movie tickets directly from a search.

With the premiere of “Avengers: Endgame” now less than two weeks away, it seems the perfect time for Google to partner up with some movie ticket purchasing platforms. So that is exactly what happened. With the biggest movie of the year upon us, it has never been easier to buy tickets to the movies.

Google adds feature to iOS and Android that enables you to buy movie tickets directly from a search

Google has partnered with a few movie ticket booking sites and platforms to offer you tickets from within a Google search. According to Inc42 these partners include BookMyShow, Paytm, and INOX so you can now book tickets to your local cinema as an endpoint to a number of different search queries.

Thanks to the change, you can now make searches like “movies” or “cinema showtimes” and Google will show you a new widget. The cinema widget will show you local theaters, movies, and showtimes and you’ll be able to select the movie you want to see, the cinema where you want to go and see it, and then the showtime you’re interested in.

From there, you’ll be presented with the new option to buy tickets. If you’re able to buy the tickets through one of Google’s new partnerships, you’ll be able to buy the tickets directly from the widget. If not, you’ll be given the option to buy the tickets online at the cinema’s website. At the moment, it looks like users won’t have a choice when it comes to the platform they’ll buy the tickets from. Google makes that choice rather than presenting a list of possible outlets.

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You can also access the widget by searching for particular movie titles. If, for example, you searched for “Hellboy,” you’d open the special widget for movie search results. Scrolling across and tapping Showtimes would take you to the new widget where you could buy tickets to a showing at a local cinema.

Other cool features include a number of handy filters for narrowing down the type of movie, theater, or even screen you’re looking for. You can also search for films based on critic rating and language. A particularly useful filter, if you’re not searching for a specific movie, is the genre filter. If you’re merely looking for a chance to get down to the cinema and see something on the big screen, you can search for a particular genre of movie and then see what films are available in that genre, where they’re on, and what time they’re showing.

All in all, the new feature is a little basic, but it does make it easier for you to buy movie tickets from your phone. There still doesn’t seem to be much scope, however, for buying tickets more than a couple of days in advance. This means if you’re looking to buy your “Avengers” tickets early, this isn’t the best way to do it.

Twitter reveals the most popular Game of Thrones character in your state

This map is based on geo-tagged Twitter data and shows the most popular Game of Thrones character in every state.

Excitement is reaching fever pitch as we are mere days away from the final season of HBO’s acclaimed “Game of Thrones” hitting our screens. Never before has the world been so excited about winter’s arrival, but here we are. Does it get any better than this?

One of the main reasons for the show’s unrivaled popularity is its expansive world and the rich list of well-developed characters. The scale of the show ensures everybody has somebody to love and somebody to hate. It also ensures that when it comes to favorite characters, everybody has one, and you won’t have to talk to many people before you find somebody who disagrees with your choice. This is why this map from the guys at Daring Planet is so interesting.

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This map shows the most popular Game of Thrones character in every state

The map takes data from geo-tagged tweets that are publicly available on Twitter. The result, after processing over 200,000 tweets, is a photo map highlighting which citizen of Westeros garners the most attention in all 50 states. The results are a little surprising.

The map uses the first-past-the-post voting system, which means it only shows the big players. First-past-the-post gives the whole state to whoever gets the most mentions. This means that even if somebody like The Hound or Davos Seaworth scores thousands of mentions across the country, their faces won’t appear on the map unless they score the most mentions in a single state. Theoretically, The Hound could have more mentions overall than Tyrion or Cersei, but it wouldn’t matter. As long as The Hound doesn’t have the most mentions in a single state his face will be nowhere to be seen on this map. Basically, it’s like the electoral college, but less depressing.

A map of GOT season 8 most talked about characters on Twitter — Image via: Daring Planet

The overall winner is somebody that you might not expect it to be. Yes, the map is dominated by Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, but the character with the most states baring her face is, ironically, the now faceless Arya Stark.

According to Twitter, Arya is the most talked-about “Game of Thrones” character in a whopping 19 States across the U.S. Now whether this is because of the shocking way she ended Season 7 or because people aren’t happy with how the TV writers are treating a treasured book character remains to be seen. With the final season bearing down like a White Walker army, it will be interesting to see if this remains true once the credits roll.

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Netflix is testing something very interesting in India

Netflix is testing weekly subscriptions in India.

Last November, Netflix began testing a mobile-only subscription model in Malaysia. The test model, which allows users to pay less each month, but then only access Netflix on their mobiles has since been extended to India. As well as restricting Netflix to a smartphone or tablet, the mobile-only subscription model also limited streaming to Standard Definition (SD) only. Netflix is now extending this test in India, adding an interesting new element to its subscription model tests.

Netflix is testing weekly subscriptions in India

The new weekly subscription model that Netflix is introducing to Indian users will offer much more flexibility. Users will be able to subscribe one week but then not the other, allowing them to cut off their connection to the Netflix library during busy weeks and then hook themselves up again when they’ve got a bit more free time on their hands. It also works for users who might struggle to afford a full month’s subscription. A week’s subscription on one of the new plans will cost Indian users as little as Rs 65, which is only about 95 cents.

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At such a low price, it will come as no surprise that the weekly subscription comes complete with restrictions. Fortunately, the restrictions do not hold back any of the Netflix catalog. All titles will be available to weekly subscribers, but like with the original mobile only plan, they’ll only be available in SD. The other main restriction is that the Netflix subscription will be limited to one device only, which must be a smartphone or tablet.

Netflix mobile headphones — The new weekly subscriptions won’t just be on the mobile-only plan

The Rs 65/week plan marks the cheapest of all the new subscription models that Netflix is testing. Prices will go up based on adding multiple devices to the basic package, the ability to watch on a laptop or TV, and also adding HD and Ultra HD to your weekly subscription. The most expensive weekly subscription, which offers Ultra HD content and allows streaming on up to four devices at the same time costs Rs 200, which is about $2.90 a week.

If you’re an Indian Netflix user and you’re interested in this new weekly subscription model, you’ll be happy to know that Netflix is offering a four-week free trial to all new users. Unfortunately, however, you won’t able to take advantage of the free trial without first handing over your financial information.

U.S. Netflix users shouldn’t get too excited about a new super-cheap weekly subscription model just yet. Even if the new weekly subscription does make it over to the States, we shouldn’t expect similar pricing structure for a week’s worth of Netflix. These tests are designed to help Netflix expand into markets where people can’t really afford a full Netflix subscription, rather than as a way to make it more competitive in markets where it already competes.

WhatsApp update: More on fake news and better audio file organization

New “Frequently forwarded” message control coming to WhatsApp Groups and a new file system for audio files is on the way, too

As the days roll on, more news comes through about exciting new features that will be coming to WhatsApp. Coming soon, you’ll get a new feature to group chats that could help prevent the spread of fake news and another feature that could see the app become more than just the messaging app we know and love.

New frequently forwarded message control coming WhatsApp Groups; new file system for audio files

We first broke the news of the incoming Frequently forwarded message tabs to WhatsApp. The tabs are an update on the forwarded tabs WhatsApp introduced a while back. Whenever a message has been forwarded from one user to another more than four times it will show “Frequently forwarded” above the message text. The hope here is that this extra information will give people more control over the information they consume via WhatsApp. Yep, it is all about fake news.

#WhatsApp is testing two new features https://t.co/glchksE2sI #fakenews pic.twitter.com/DuqfaRiQO0

— Softonic (@softonic) March 28, 2019

Today, we’re bringing you news of an update the Frequently forwarded message feature. The update will give greater control over who can send Frequently forwarded messages in groups. The feature has been spotted in the latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android, although it still isn’t available for use by beta testers. Basically, the feature will allow Group admins to block Frequently forwarded messages from being sent in their groups.

New Fake news block controls for WhatsApp groups — Image via: WABetaInfo

This is a good feature for WhatsApp to introduce, but if you look at how fake news was spread via WhatsApp during the recent national elections in Brazil, you’ll see that it still isn’t a perfect solution. In Brazil, huge WhatsApp groups were set up and run by supporters of the far-right politician, and now President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and then used to disseminate fake news. This feature will do nothing to stop such actions in the future.

The other new feature that has been spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta is a new way of organizing your WhatsApp audio files, playing them before sending them, and simplifying the process of sending multiple audio files at the same time.

Audio picker WhatsApp update — Image via: Twitter

The new audio file feature should be available now to all WhatsApp beta users. If you have access to the feature, you should be able to send up to 30 audio messages at once. When coupled with other recent updates to voice notes and the way you can send audio files across WhatsApp, this marks another step along WhatsApp’s evolution towards becoming a handy standalone digital audio player.

There is no news yet on when either of these new features will receive a wider roll-out to all WhatsApp users. Stick with us though, and we’ll let you know as soon as the news breaks.

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Two great new and improved WhatsApp features

WhatsApp consecutive voice notes land on the beta for Android and an improved Picture-in-Picture mode is coming, too.

WhatsApp is an evolving app. Although the core feature of messaging our friends and family always stays the same, new features are being added all the time to help make the whole process easier. As well as adding new features, it is good to see the WhatsApp team working on old features to make them bigger, better, and, stronger. This is what today’s news is about, older WhatsApp features that are getting an upgrade.

WhatsApp consecutive voice notes land on the beta for Android and an improved Picture-in-Picture mode is coming, too

In December, we first brought you news of the WhatsApp consecutive voice notes feature. The new feature automatically plays voice notes one after another once you’ve hit play on the first one. The feature only works on voice notes that have been received consecutively and uninterrupted, so voice notes received later on in the conversation won’t play once the string is up. It also includes new tones that’ll let you know when a voice note has finished and also when the last voice note has finished.

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Back in December, it was only a bit of code that had been spotted in the WhatsApp beta. It wasn’t usable. This has now changed. The Android WhatsApp beta version 2.19.86 includes a working version of the feature. Consecutive voice notes are officially out for public testing.

The other feature that WhatsApp is working on improving is the Picture-in-Picture mode. That allows you to watch certain types of videos that you’ve been sent in chats while you’re still chatting to your friend. The feature starts up a mini video player for videos from YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Streamable that hovers and plays while you’re chatting away.

WhatsApp Picture in Picture mode on the inbox — Image via: WABetaInfo

Although useful, the feature has quite a few shortcomings, but it is now clear that WhatsApp is working to give it a bit more power. The biggest frustration with Picture-in-Picture is that you still have to close the video you’re watching if you want to switch between chats. Code in the latest WhatsApp beta indicates that this problem is being fixed. Also, it looks like WhatsApp is going further and making it possible to continue watching your video even when WhatsApp has been minimized and is only running in the background. It appears like these improvements to Picture-in-Picture will be available for Android 8 and newer when it receives a wider roll-out.

Picture in Picture WhatsApp minimized — Image via: WABetaInfo

Unfortunately, with these features only making just making it into the beta version now, there is still no telling when they’ll make their way onto regular WhatsApp. Consecutive voice notes seem to be further down the development path than the improvements to Picture-in-Picture but there is still no official word about when either will be ready for general release. As soon as we know more, we’ll let you know.

Take an early look at WhatsApp’s brand-new dark mode

Check out these screenshots from the beta version of WhatsApp’s dark mode.

It just seems like every app and program needs a dark mode these days. Recently, Facebook Messenger became the latest app to jump on the bandwagon, even if its new dark mode is still hiding behind an emoji. Now though, it is Messenger’s sister app WhatsApp that seems in line for the app world’s hottest new feature.

Check out these screenshots from the beta version of WhatsApp’s dark mode

Once again, we need to thank the guys at WABetaInfo for bringing these advanced screenshots to the public. WhatsApp recently released an update to the Google Play Beta Program. Beta version 2.19.85 brings the new dark mode although, as yet, it still unavailable, even to members of the WhatsApp beta program. Fortunately, however, a few screenshots have still made their way through.

Screenshots of the new WhatsApp dark mode — Images via: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp is still working on a number of improvements to the feature before it rolls it out. This means, unfortunately, there is no news about when it’ll be available on the beta program, never mind for all WhatsApp users.

Another new innovation to come with the latest beta version of WhatsApp is a cool little feature that will display the file names of all audio clips. Whenever an audio clip is shared in a conversation or group chat, the file name will appear below the play button and progress bar.

WhatsApp audio file name — Image via: WABetaInfo

As well as the dark mode and the audio filename display features, the upcoming authentication feature has also been spotted in a more advanced form in WhatsApp’s latest beta. It was in January when we first brought you news that WhatsApp is planning on introducing fingerprint ID to its security protocols. Since then, news has been thin, but now it seems that work has been going on in the background. The authentication feature now has a better user interface and added features. It still isn’t available, but it is heartening to see that progress has been made.

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All in all these, three features will add useful and important capabilities to the popular messaging app. With dark modes being proven to save battery on devices with OLED screens, it should prove a very popular addition among WhatsApp users. Security conscious users will also be happy to see and added level of security placed on top of their private WhatsApp messages and communications.

The audio file name display feature isn’t as earth-shattering as the two features we’ve already mentioned. If, however, it ties in with the improvements to WhatsApp voice notes that we’ve reported on in the past, it could see WhatsApp moving towards becoming an impressive audio recording and playback app in its own right.

If you hate annoying autoplay videos, you need to see this

Firefox update will block autoplay videos with sound and stop slow loading ads

Good old Mozilla. The Mozilla Foundation has built itself a solid reputation for protecting user privacy while offering top-notch web services. We recently saw the introduction of Firefox Send, which offers a free and easy way to send huge files to whoever you want. Firefox though, Mozilla’s ever-present web browser is the not-for-profit foundation’s jewel in the crown. The browser is Google Chrome’s biggest competitor and Mozilla keeps working hard to give it the latest features.

Mozilla Firefox Free Download

Mozilla Firefox is a free, open-source web browser. Now with new features, faster and more secure.

Firefox update will block autoplay videos with sound and stop slow loading ads

This is now a standard feature – blocking all autoplay videos you come across that play with sound. Videos that autoplay without sound, however, will not be blocked. This means videos that play in your Facebook feed or Twitter feeds will make it through the blockade. This will either be good news or bad news for you, depending on your social media habits.

The new feature was announced in the release notes for the latest Firefox update, Firefox 66, with a couple of scenarios fleshed out. If you think autoplay videos with sound are annoying or if you usually browse the internet in environments were silence is paramount, you’ll be interested in the first scenario.

“Scenario #1 – For anyone who wants peace and quiet on the web: Go to a site that plays videos or audio, it could be a news site or site known for hosting movies and television shows, the Block Autoplay feature will stop the audio and video from automatically playing. If you want to view the video, simply click on the play button to watch it.”

The second scenario Mozilla highlighted speaks to all you binge watchers out there. Should you be watching your favorite TV shows on Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube (autoplay videos with sound) the new feature won’t block them from playing so you still won’t have to budge from the couch.

block autoplay videos with sound on Firefox — Image via: Mozilla

Google Chrome has had a similar feature for almost a year now, but the feature is limited in scope and a bit tricky. Whereas the new Firefox solution blocks autoplay videos with sound automatically, you have to do a lot of messing around to get it set up on Chrome. Chrome allows autoplay videos with sound from 1,000 popular sites and blocks the rest. To block those 1,00 sites, though, you need to fiddle around with bits of code in the address bar. If you’d like a full tutorial on this, hit us up in the comments.

The Firefox solution works the opposite way to Chrome. By default, all sites are blocked from auto-playing videos with sound, and the onus is on you to allow videos through the default block or turn the block off altogether. You’ll find full instructions on how to do both here.

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Mozilla Firefox is a free, open-source web browser. Now with new features, faster and more secure.

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