Tag: public-access

DJs can buy remix-friendly ‘Stems’ music files starting today

Back in March, Native Instruments — the company behind the ubiquitous Traktor DJ software — announced Stems : a music format that lets DJs and remixers to control individual parts of a track. Today Stems launches to the buying public on a number of popular music stores including Beatport and Traxsource have them listed already, Bleep, Juno, whatpeopleplay, and Wasabeat will also be selling them. For years DJs and producers’ only chance of finding a cappella versions of songs was to hope a vocal-only recording existed. The advent of the internet made finding these a little easier, but they were still rare. Expensive software can sometimes help you surgically remove parts or a track, or isolate vocals, but the results aren’t always very clean. Stems makes all that a thing of the past. The new file-format allows DJs to turn the separate parts of a track on and off at will. Importantly, Stems is open, so anyone will be able to export music as a compatible file (Native Instruments will release tools for this later in the year), and big artists and labels are already on board. A Stems file will break a song into four parts; usually drums, vocals, bass and lead, each of which can be manipulated independently with compatible hardware (Native Instruments’ Kontrol S8 , D2 , and F1 for example). Beatport, will even let you audition tracks as separate parts in the browser (as seen below). It’s unlikely most casual listeners need to worry about Stems — it’s definitely more for performers — but, if there’s a killer track, with a really annoying vocal , there might just be a workaround at last. An update for Traktor that adds Stem compatibility is available via NI Service Center today. Filed under: Misc , Home Entertainment Comments Source: Stems , Beatport

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DJs can buy remix-friendly ‘Stems’ music files starting today

Apple reportedly wants to turn Siri into your receptionist

Apple is testing a service that will let Siri take your calls, record them and transcribe them to text, according to Business Insider . The company is reportedly referring to it as iCloud Voicemail, and it’s similar to the existing visual voicemail service. However, instead of playing a pre-recorded message to your caller when you can’t pick up, Siri will take over the chore. It can then let certain contacts know where you are and why you can’t take the call, provided you give permission. The voice message will then be shunted over to Apple’s servers and transcribed into text. It works in much the same way that Siri transcribes your voice commands, but it’s unclear if the system would require carrier support. Currently, Apple’s visual voicemail service (which can also back up messages to iCloud) only works with select operators. It’s also not clear if it’d be free, as certain carriers charge extra for that. Nevertheless, it sounds like a good idea — as BI pointed out, lots of folks aren’t fond of voicemail, but the less tech-inclined still prefer to leave them. Employees of the company are reportedly testing the service, and if it’s reliable enough, it’ll be launch next year along with iOS 10. As always, however, take such rumors with a large chaser of skepticism. Filed under: Cellphones , Internet , Apple Comments Source: Business Insider Tags: apple, Siri, transcription, voice to text, Voicemail

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Apple reportedly wants to turn Siri into your receptionist

Uber reaches $50 billion value thanks (in part) to Microsoft

Uber is getting richer and richer. It’s now valued at $51 billion after raising another $1 billion in funding, and it got to this stage two years faster than Facebook did. As always, the ride-sharing service has attracted an assortment of investors during its latest funding round — one of them’s none other than tech juggernaut Microsoft, according to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal . While neither company has admitted it yet, Bloomberg says Microsoft has agreed to back Uber to the tune of around $100 million. It’s unclear whether this means they’re pursuing a deeper relationship or if they’re working together on a project or two, at least. If you recall, though, Uber’s snapped up a portion of Bing’s mapping tech back in June, along with a hundred of Redmond’s employees. Microsoft is neither the first nor the only tech corporation/personality that has invested in the ride-hailing service. Chinese internet giant Baidu jumped in weeks after it was announced that Uber was already valued at $40 billion with an investment that could’ve been as big as $600 million. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos put his money in the company way back in 2011, while Google Ventures backed it with $258 million in 2013. That was years before both companies announced their intentions to develop self-driving taxi services, making them future competitors. In all, Uber now has $5 billion to spend on the aggressive expansion it’s planning in India , China and Southeast Asia. [Image credit: Getty Images] Filed under: Transportation , Microsoft Comments Source: The New York Times , Bloomberg , The Wall Street Journal

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Uber reaches $50 billion value thanks (in part) to Microsoft

Facebook’s ‘Security Checkup’ is ready to guard your account

Facebook initially rolled out a new account safety feature, dubbed Security Checkup , this May as part of a limited test release . Today, that feature is available for all users. Security Checkup is designed to make finding and enabling Facebook’s multitude of optional security settings much easier. Users will be able to automatically logout of rarely used devices, set alerts for suspicious login activity and reset their password. Even finding the checkup function itself will be a snap as it’s going to be positioned at the top of your feed for the next few weeks. [Image Credit: shutterstock] Filed under: Internet , Facebook Comments Source: Facebook

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Facebook’s ‘Security Checkup’ is ready to guard your account

LG bets big on flexible displays for cars and phones

More and more smartphones , TVs and wearables like Apple’s Watch now use OLED displays, but only two companies mass produce them — Samsung and LG. LG is trying to stay on top of demand by building a new 1.05 trillion won ($900 million) flexible OLED plant in Korea. Starting in 2017, the 6th-gen line will spit out four times as many screens as the current-gen plant thanks to a larger “substrate” sheet size. The plastic-based displays are aimed at smaller next-gen devices that can benefit from the bendability like automotive displays, cellphones and wearables. Most of LG and Samsung’s high-end smartphones and smartwatches already use OLED displays (P-OLED and AMOLED, respectively). Some — like LG’s G Flex 2 “banana” phone and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge — specifically take advantage of the flexibility. But, it’s other companies — the Vivo X5 , Oppo R7 and 2nd-gen Motorola Moto X all have OLED-based displays, for instance — that are creating demand for the technology. LG said it will eventually build another plant for larger, TV-sized displays that uses the same 6th-gen tech. Samsung also recently pledged $3.6 billion toward OLED production. Filed under: Displays , LG Comments

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LG bets big on flexible displays for cars and phones

Netflix’s TV apps get their first major update since 2013

While Netflix has focused on rolling out more original content to more countries over the last couple of years, we haven’t seen as many updates to its software as we used to. Last week the streaming video service said it would start optimizing its mobile apps, but first up is a tweak for the TV apps you probably use more often. Netflix says this is the first major change its TV apps have had since the new look rolled out in late 2013 , and it will start or resume video as soon as you select a title, while keeping the info on the screen (check after the break for a GIF showing how it works). An earnings report earlier this year mentioned bringing video “forward” in the TV experience, and this seems to be a part of that plan, delivering what Netflix says is a more cinematic experience. Cinematic or not, when I’ve fallen asleep mid- OITNB binge, a visual hint would make it easier to remember which episode I was on so this should help. When we spoke to Netflix’s Cliff Edwards in January we heard about plans to put its app on the same footing as cable, and creating a way for viewers to passively slip into watching makes that possible. Once you turn on cable TV the video is usually just there, while with streaming you’ve always had to pick something first — this new feature combined with faster loading apps and video makes your Netflix & chill moment more casual . If you’re using an older TV or device you may not see the feature, but it’s rolling out to “eligible devices” ( Netflix Recommended TVs are a good bet ) globally over the next few days. Filed under: Home Entertainment , HD Comments Source: Netflix Blog

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Netflix’s TV apps get their first major update since 2013

The AP adds 550,000 old newsreel clips to YouTube

The Associated Press has teamed up with British Movietone to share more than a century’s worth of newsreel footage with the denizens of the internet. The pair will upload more than a million minutes of archival clips to YouTube with the intention of creating a “view-on-demand visual encyclopedia” for the world. The 550, 000-plus stories range from footage of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake through to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It’s not the first time that a news organization has used YouTube to take its archives online. Last year, British Pathé uploaded more than 85, 000 newsreel clips from between 1896 and 1976 to the site. Users can feel free to embed the clips in whatever story they’re working on, but we assume that re-editing the work isn’t permitted. Which is a shame, because we were hoping for some cheeky dance remixes of the footage of Prince Charles getting frisky at the Rio Carnival. Which, for no reason at all , we’ve embedded below… Filed under: HD Comments Via: The Guardian Source: AP

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The AP adds 550,000 old newsreel clips to YouTube

Google continues to make money thanks to mobile and YouTube

While Google has been enjoying consistent financial growth for quite some time, it was dinged the last two quarters for not living up to Wall Street expectations. But in today’s Q2 earnings announcement, the Mountain View firm has made significant strides in rectifying that reputation. It reported a revenue of $17.7 billion this past quarter, which is an 11 percent growth year over year and a 3 percent growth since Q1. This has beat Wall Street estimates handily, causing its stock to climb by 11 percent at closing. What’s contributing to this success? As CFO Ruth Porat puts it, it’s all thanks to mobile, with YouTube playing a star role. Though Google won’t reveal specific numbers, Porat said that “the gap between mobile and desktop continues to narrow” when it comes to the money it makes from advertising. There’s apparently been a particularly strong surge in mobile search , which is a significant contributor to ad revenue. Chief Business Officer Omid Kordestani said on the earnings call that “more searches happen on mobile than computers in 10 countries.” It’s why the company is putting even more resources behind creating a better mobile experience. He says that around 30 percent of mobile searches are location-related — perhaps they want to know what’s around them or where’s the closest gas station. “When people search on mobile, they want immediacy and action, ” he said. It’s not just search either. Google has also invested in other key mobile experiences, especially in a world where people are less likely to head directly to google.com to search. Kordestani states that efforts like Google Photos , Now On Tap and Android Pay all factor in to making Google’s mobile presence more widespread. He also credited deep linking — where users are led to install new apps from links within other apps — for a boost in traffic. Indeed, Porat said that Google Play “continues to grow at an impressive clip” and is the “fastest growing mobile gaming platform.” What’s particularly impressive is that YouTube ad revenue has also blossomed, particularly in mobile. The ” Trueview ” ad format — basically all those pre-roll ads you see before YouTube clips — has really grown of late. Porat said that YouTube has experienced an accelerated 16 percent growth rate and that “mobile watch time has more than doubled.” Cost per clicks have gone down, but that’s alright as those aforementioned Trueview ad hits have increased. A new feature of Trueview that automatically adds product information and pricing in video ads is cited for the growth. Indeed, the number of advertisers running ads on YouTube has gone up by 40 percent and the average spend is up by 60 percent. Kordestani said that the average viewing time on YouTube is also more than 40 minutes and that more 18 to 49 year olds watch YouTube on mobile than any cable network. He said YouTube is great for content creators too, as the number of channels making six figures is up by 50 percent from this time last year. As for Google’s other projects — Nest , Fiber and Google Life Science s — those are now under “tighter governance” and are seen as more longer-term sources for revenue. Which basically means that they’re not quite making money hand over fist from those units just yet, but the potential is there. [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images] Filed under: Google Comments Source: Google

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Google continues to make money thanks to mobile and YouTube

Former Reddit CEO says the site’s about to be purged

Steve Huffman’s going to reveal Reddit’s new content policy tomorrow , but one of his predecessors is promising that it’ll be a “purge.” Yishan Wong, who ran the site between 2012 – 2014 and has spoken in support of Ellen Pao , has decided to “declassify a lot of things, ” airing plenty of dirty laundry in the process. Wong points to discussions he had with Huffman during his tenure, saying that the co-founder was previously unconcerned with protecting free speech and was blasé about censoring racist, sexist and homophobic threads. He goes onto quote Huffman as saying that “I don’t think there’s a place for such things on Reddit , ” giving you a clue as to the tone of tomorrow’s AMA. “The free speech policy was something I formalized because it seemed like the wiser course at the time. It’s worth stating that in that era, we were talking about whether it was ok for people to post creepy pictures of women taken legally in public. That’s shitty, but it’s a far cry from the extremes of hate that some parts of the site host today. It seemed that allowing creepers to post (anonymized) pictures of women taken in public, in a relatively small subreddit that never showed up on the front page, was a small price to pay for making it clear that we were a place welcoming of all opinions and discourse. Having made that decision – much of reddit’s current condition is on me. I didn’t anticipate what (some) redditors would decide to do with freedom. reddit has become a lot bigger – yes, a lot better – AND a lot worse. I have to take responsibility.” Wong also takes the blame, personally, for the perilous state that the site currently finds itself in, saying that r/creepshots was a watershed moment for him. The executive said that he decided not to ban “creepy pictures of women” as it was a “relatively small subreddit that never showed up on the front page.” He felt that giving it a free pass was “a small price to pay” for making it clear that we were a place welcoming of all opinions and discourse.” The other notable point in the essay is the belief that the deposed Ellen Pao was, contrary to public belief, advocated against wide-scale bans on the site. When Pao banned r/fatpeoplehate, it was because it incited “off-site harassment, not discussing fat-shaming.” Wong adds that Pao “upholds free speech and tolerates the ugly side of humanity because it is so important” — as well as the more cynical point that the former Interim CEO’s gender and career provided a shield against criticism. “What all the white-power racist-sexist neckbeards don’t understand is that with her at the head of the company, the company would be immune to accusations of promoting sexism and racism: she is literally Silicon Valley’s #1 Feminist Hero, so any “SJWs” would have a hard time attacking the company for intentionally creating a bastion (heh) of sexist/racist content.” In closing, Wong issues a warning to the Reddit community that was successful in ousting Pao in the wake of the Victoria Taylor scandal . Just after saying that Huffman now “has the moral authority” to purge the “ugly side” of the site, he closes his piece by adding “We tried to let you govern yourselves and you failed, so now The Man is going to set some Rules. Admittedly, I can’t say I’m terribly upset.” Filed under: Internet Comments Via: The Verge , Casey Johnston (Twitter) Source: Yishan Wong (Reddit)

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Former Reddit CEO says the site’s about to be purged