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BalconyTV, the online broadcaster of bands performing on balconies, has been acquired by The Orchard

Mar07
by on March 7, 2014 at 2:47 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

Way back in 2011, we reported on how BalconyTV had become a global online broadcasting sensation thanks to bands and artists performing tunes on their, well, balcony.

Now, music, video and film distribution company The Orchard has acquired the Dublin-based startup and its arsenal of acoustic videos, and says it will look to “develop the talented acts that rise out of this global music community”.

Launched initially in 2006, BalconyTV has featured pre-fame performances from some well-known names, including Mumford and Sons, The Script, Edward Sharpe, Ed Sheeran, Jessie J and more. Each week, fifty new videos are added, and the platform has generated more than 50 million views in the past eight years.

➤ The Orchard Acquires BalconyTV [via Billboard]

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Beats Music takes its API public so any developer can integrate its library of music

Mar07
by on March 7, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Design & Dev

Beats Music wants to take on Spotify, Rdio, Deezer and the dozens of other music streaming services that are constantly vying for new listeners. To succeed though, it needs to be available everywhere – and that’s why its API is now available to developers.

As CNET reports, previously the API was only available to a handful of partners and developers, which led to integrations with Sonos speakers and social music service Bop.fm. While that ensured quality, Beats Music will need to be acessible on an ever-increasing number of devices if it wants to be considered a ubiquitous (and therefore preferred) music streaming service.

resource1 730x689 Beats Music takes its API public so any developer can integrate its library of music

Now that the API is public, developers can write code that will allow their users to search the Beats Music library and play tracks, as well as create, update and display custom-built playlists.

➤ Beats Developer (via CNET)

 Image Credit: Poolie/Flickr

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a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Beats Music takes its API public so any developer can integrate its library of music

Mar07
by on March 7, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Design & Dev

Beats Music wants to take on Spotify, Rdio, Deezer and the dozens of other music streaming services that are constantly vying for new listeners. To succeed though, it needs to be available everywhere – and that’s why its API is now available to developers.

As CNET reports, previously the API was only available to a handful of partners and developers, which led to integrations with Sonos speakers and social music service Bop.fm. While that ensured quality, Beats Music will need to be acessible on an ever-increasing number of devices if it wants to be considered a ubiquitous (and therefore preferred) music streaming service.

resource1 730x689 Beats Music takes its API public so any developer can integrate its library of music

Now that the API is public, developers can write code that will allow their users to search the Beats Music library and play tracks, as well as create, update and display custom-built playlists.

➤ Beats Developer (via CNET)

 Image Credit: Poolie/Flickr

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Flurry: Android launchers are taking off; app sessions in Q1 2014 so far have overtaken all of 2013

Mar07
by on March 7, 2014 at 2:00 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, Insider, Mobile

Here’s an interesting tidbit: so far in Q1 2014 (the quarter isn’t over yet) the usage for Android launchers is already higher than all of 2013. Android personalization apps are piquing mobile users’ interest, especially with news around the likes of Facebook Home, Firefox Launcher, and Yahoo’s acquisition of Aviate. The growth is worth noting:

flurry android launchers q1 2014 Flurry: Android launchers are taking off; app sessions in Q1 2014 so far have overtaken all of 2013

The above aggregate app sessions chart comes from mobile firm Flurry, which has over 4,500 of these apps on its platform. The company believes that launchers are an attempt to organize mobile apps much like search engines organize the Web, but it notes that their cumulative reach is still relatively small: 30 million monthly users in the US. Nevertheless, with growth like this, we can expect a lot of innovation in this space.

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Google is capturing underwater Street View photos around Sydney’s harbor and coastline

Mar07
by on March 7, 2014 at 1:45 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Google

Google has already taken its Street View photography to the Great Barrier Reef, but it’s not finished with Australia’s frequently stunning underwater geography just yet.

Today, it announced plans to capture the sub-aquatic landscape close to Sydney, stretching along the city’s iconic coastline between Manly and Bronte. To get the job done, Google is teaming up with Catlin Seaview Survey, who are already on a mission to document the world’s coral reefs with 360-degree photos.

bondi1 730x470 Google is capturing underwater Street View photos around Sydneys harbor and coastline

The new imagery will be shot with the Seaview SVII, an underwater camera designed by Catlin Seaview Survey. While it’s not the infamous Google Trekker, it houses three Canon 5D cameras and can shoot fresh images every few seconds. Google says the new Street View photos should be stitched together and available in Google Maps later this year.

For the record, Google has already been to Venice, the Galapagos Islands, a deserted city caught up in the Fukushima disaster and Mount Everest.

➤ Blog Post (via Google+)

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