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YouTube taps into Thailand’s content producers with localized site and partner program launch

May19
by on May 19, 2014 at 7:01 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Asia, Google, Thailand, youtube

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Thailand is the latest stop for YouTube, after the Google-owned company introduced a localized version of its site and its YouTube Partner Program in the country. The move will allow the company to work more closely with local content producers to help export their work across Thailand and the rest of the world. The company will also begin working with local advertisers to place ad spots inside content on Youtube.co.th. Ariya Banomyong, who heads the company in Thailand, outlined the potential of the localized initiatives in a blog post: We hope that bringing this program and the fully localized YouTube site to Thailand will help encourage more…

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Facebook is reportedly preparing to take on Snapchat once again with a new ephemeral messaging app

May19
by on May 19, 2014 at 4:03 am
Posted In: Around the Web, messaging app

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After having a billion dollar acquisition offer reportedly spurned by Snapchat and killing off its unsuccessful challenger Poke, Facebook is now planning a new effort to take on the ephemeral photo and video messaging app, the Financial Times reports. The new app dubbed ‘Slingshot’ will likely be a standalone app apart from Facebook Messenger, according to the FT. Slingshot is also said to be different from Snapchat in that users tap or hold a friend’s profile picture to send a photo or short video clip, which can be viewed only once, and is reminiscent of TapTalk’s approach instead. This new stab at a Snapchat competitor comes…

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Google reportedly wants to buy video-streaming service Twitch in a $1b deal to boost YouTube

May19
by on May 19, 2014 at 2:10 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, live streaming, video

Google is reportedly in early discussions to acquire live video-streaming platform Twitch, though they aren’t close to a deal yet, the Wall Street Journal reports. The deal, if it goes through, would be a boost for Google-owned YouTube, in particular its live-streaming section. US entertainment magazine Variety pegs the deal at more than $1 billion in an all-cash offer. Twitch launched as a fork of the Justin.tv livestreaming service and is focused on gamers. Sony’s gaming console PlayStation 4 has supported Twitch streaming since its launch, and it also recently got integrated into Microsoft’s Xbox One. Last year, at the Game…

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WhatsApp pulled from Windows Phone store due to technical issues

May18
by on May 18, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider

Late last week, WhatsApp mysteriously disappeared from the Windows Phone app store with little fanfare, leaving many users of the platform confused as to why it would be pulled. Existing users were able to continue using the app, but those who didn’t already have it couldn’t download it anymore. The app had been suffering some significant technical issues before being pulled, leaving many wondering if Microsoft or Facebook pulled the app until it is able to fix it. We contacted Facebook for comment on WhatsApp and they replied that “due to technical issues, we have chosen to un-publish WhatsApp Messenger…

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