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YPlan adds new features designed to make it easier to nail down plans with friends

Jan05
by on January 5, 2015 at 5:00 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider, Product Updates

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UK-based YPlan has ushered in the new year with a few new features aimed at making its ‘going out’ app an altogether more social experience. Among the updates is a new invite system that lets you share events with contacts (via Facebook or your phone book) to test their potential popularity before handing over any cash. If they accept the invite, you know you can go ahead and book tickets, and if they decline it, you know there’s not much point.   The app also lets you just buy for yourself, or for the whole group – and provided they also have YPlan installed,…

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Google will soon let you cast audio to internet-connected speakers

Jan05
by on January 5, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, Insider, Product Updates

Google today launched Google Cast for audio, which will let users send music directly to internet-connected speakers, just like it already does with video and images on TVs. In fact, using Cast for audio will be just like using Chromecast today when the first compatible speakers start to arrive “in the spring”, Google said. Tapping a button on your favorite music or radio app will launch the service on your speaker, and also just like Chromecast, this functionality will be available across the Web, Android and iOS platforms. Google said Denon, Sony and LG would be among the first device…

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At CES 2015? Check out the fully revamped official app for Android and iOS

Jan05
by on January 5, 2015 at 4:11 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, CES2015, Insider, Product Launches

On one hand, CES gives journalists, investors, buyers and the general public a glimpse at some of the most interesting new technologies to expect in coming year. On the other hand, it presents a logistical nightmare for visitors whereby you spend days trudging through vast halls between stalls, presentations and keynotes. The new official CES app, however, might be able to streamline things for you a little. Available to download now for iOS and Android, the app allows visitors to the show to be notified when events and conference sessions are beginning, as well as jump straight into news and events from…

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Sony opens up Lifelog API so devs can tap platform’s activity, profile and location data

Jan05
by on January 5, 2015 at 3:54 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Design & Dev, Product Updates

Sony announced today that developers can now sign up to use its Lifelog API, providing access to the user activity information, app usage data and location history stored by Sony’s service. By offering this to devs, they can then use that data to enrich their own apps. Naturally, users will still need to give permission for access to the data upon installation, as per normal. The API is a REST-based Web service API that queries Sony’s Lifelog platform to return usable information in JSON format. Sony suggests it could be accessed for things like using lifestyle activity data to make recommendations in a third-party…

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Plex begins rolling out new music streaming features to take on iTunes

Jan05
by on January 5, 2015 at 3:43 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, CES, ces 2015, iTunes, media streaming, Plex

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Plex has long been a popular media server for folk with lots of videos to stream, especially since it rocked up on Xbox One. Now it’s aiming to improve the way it handles music files too. While Plex is already ready and able to stream music files, new features are rolling out over the next few weeks that will give them the same VIP treatment offered to videos. Plex will now be using Gracenote’s database of more than 200 million tracks to make sure your library features the right metadata. It’s also added a one-click import feature to bring playlists,…

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