Software : Is Twitter preparing an official Twitter Music app?

Is Twitter preparing an official Twitter Music app?
Record Corrie forever with YouView for iOS update
Facebook rolls out streamlined Timeline with cleaner layout
Updated: Google Now for the web spotted again in Chrome code

Is Twitter preparing an official Twitter Music app?

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After taking on video with Vine, Twitter is reportedly setting its sights on music for its next media venture with a new standalone app.

According to a CNET report, Twitter has acquired the We Are Hunted music discovery service and use its technology as the basis for its own music app allegedly called Twitter Music.

Twitter Music is said to offer personalized music recommendations based on a user's Twitter account, along with music streaming through SoundCloud.

Music recommendations will be based on who a user follows on Twitter, making it easy to find music by the artists they follow and artists their friends follow.

Twitter tunes

Though Twitter Music reportedly pulls recommendations based on Twitter followers, it sounds like a Twitter account will not be a requirement to use the app.

It will allegedly also offer recommendations based on the most popular songs on We Are Hunted, along with emerging artists and recommendations from across Twitter from anyone using the #NowPlaying hashtag.

CNET's report is pretty thorough, going so far as to describe the app's grid layout and app icon (a silver play button with the blue Twitter bird logo in a corner).

The site for We Are Hunted also recently went offline, which could be in preparation for the Twitter Music launch, or simply temporary maintenance.

The Twitter Music app sounds like it's in the final stages, with the report indicating it could even launch by the end of the month.

There is no shortage of music streaming services out there, so Twitter Music will have to fight an uphill battle against established services like Spotify, Pandora, and Rdio.

But with close ties to a user's Twitter followers, and more than two million followers for the official Twitter Music account already, Twitter might just have the install base to pull it off.

Record Corrie forever with YouView for iOS update

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The multi-talented broadcast and on-demand TV platform, YouView continues to boost its mobile offerings with a major update to its iOS app, released on Wednesday.

The new version of the app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch now allows users to remotely record an entire TV series from their mobile device.

The last update in December facilitated remote recording for single episodes while on the go, but now a series link option for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 programming is now also in situ.

This matches the functionality on offer to Sky+ users through its mobile apps, as YouView looks to establish itself as an equal to Sky's forward-thinking mobile offerings.

Smarter TV guide

The update doesn't stop there for YouView customers with iOS devices. The new version of the app also brings a neat 'Now and Next' feature for all of the channels on offer.

There's also an updated version of the TV guide, which no longer segregates channels into days, but rather employs a free-flowing interface that allows users to keep on scrolling.

YouView users can download the update from the App Store now.

Facebook rolls out streamlined Timeline with cleaner layout

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If you're a Facebook user who still hasn't adjusted to Timeline view, the social network is introducing several design changes today in response to feedback from its members.

Facebook announced Wednesday that it has started rolling out improvements to Timeline, the profile redesign it first introduced in late 2011.

First and foremost, the new Timeline layout is cleaner, a change the social network claims was implemented with the help of feedback from Facebook users.

Instead of posts being spread across two columns, the improved Timeline now keeps everything on the right side of the screen, with photos, music and other activity separated at left.

All about apps

The cleaner Timeline also aims to make it easier for users to organize the interests represented on their About page with redesigned sections for apps.

For example, movie lovers can use Flixster or Netflix to share what they've been watching, while books can be added to their own section with a click of the Add button.

For developers, Timeline now includes a new Open Graph tool to simplify the setup process, while making it easier to preview News Feed stories and configure sections.

If you don't see the updated Timeline on your own profile yet, don't panic: Facebook claims the change is rolling out gradually to all users in the coming weeks.

Updated: Google Now for the web spotted again in Chrome code

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Update: Google Now may be spreading its wings to iOS as well, if a now-yanked YouTube video is to be believed.

The vid looks to be a low-res promotional spot for Google Now on the iPhone and iPad, though it may be a fraudulent flick or a never-was project.

Exciting times are seemingly happening...well, now.

Google Now

Original article...

The popular Google Now feature built into Android Jelly Bean is looking ever more likely to make its presence felt on the Chrome web browser after the feature was again spotted by a Chromium developer.

The handy personal assistant, which serves up alert Cards based on the information most relevant to the user at any given time, has been a revelation since it was announced at I/O last summer.

Now it seems Google is preparing a launch for its web browsers on Windows and the Chrome OS, judging by a discovery within the Chromium (the open source version of Chrome) code by Francois Beauford.

The post within Chromium lets users enable and test the Google Now feature if they know the private Google URL. However, the feature hasn't yet been made public so that URL remains guarded.

More evidence

The post on Chromium is headed "enabling testing Google Now component extension," and informs testers that the "Google Now component extension now can be turned on via chrome://flags."

However, this isn't the first time that Google Now for the Chrome browser has been foreshadowed by Beauford.

Back in December developers within the Chromium project were reported to have accepted a submission for "Creating a skeleton for Google Now for Chrome implementation" via Chrome notifications.

Also, in late January this year, the ability for Chromium developers to "Enable Rich Notifications" was also seen as a sign that the integration Google Now Cards isn't far away.

Yahuui Blog

Wednesday, March 13, 2013