YouTube Brings 60fps Video Streams To Its Android And iOS Apps

 Over the last few months, Google’s YouTube launched both 60fps video on the desktop and — later — for live video streams. Starting today, you can also watch the service’s smooth 60fps videos in its iOS and Android apps. Read More

Apple Music Is For People With No Clue What To Stream

 You’re no DJ. That’s the biggest problem with streaming services. A search box connected to the history of recorded music can be discouraging. You constantly have to know what to play next. That’s why Apple was so smart to make Apple Music all about telling you what to play next. Apple is the king of making complicated technology accessible to the masses. It turned clunky… Read More

ScoreBeyond, A Standardized Test Prep App, Raises $2.8M

 ScoreBeyond, a service that helps students prepare for standardized tests like the SAT, said it has raised $2.8 million in a round led by Khosla Ventures. The ScoreBeyond app gives students a daily progress report of their skills as they prepare for the test, as well as daily exercises to improve their skills in certain subjects. Dogan has a background in product management for… Read More

Xiaomi Expands Its Empire To Brazil, Will Sell First Smartphone There July 7

 Xiaomi, the $45 billion valued Chinese firm ranked the world’s third largest smartphone maker, has taken its first step outside of Asia after launching its business in Brazil. Read More

Pinterest Has Started Rolling Out Buyable Pins On The iPhone And iPad

 Pinterest is starting to roll out a buy button on its pins today in the iPhone and iPad apps, the company said. Buyable Pins let some retailers who are partners with Pinterest and retailers using Shopify and Demandware. The company unveiled Buyable Pins earlier this month, and said at the time that they would be rolling out later in June. The tool lets retailers add a buy button to pins that… Read More

Apple Music And iOS 8.4 Now Available

 Apple has finally entered the streaming music game, with the launch today of Apple Music. The new service is available as a built-in part of its iOS 8.4 Music app for iPhone and iPad devices, and offers a huge catalog of on-demand tracks for streaming playback for just $9.99 per month, or $14.99 for a family plan that allows sharing with up to six users. The service is free for three months… Read More

Europe To End Mobile Roaming Charges By 2017

 The European Union has agreed a preliminary deal to scrap mobile roaming charges across the region by June 2017. The European Parliament previously voted to scrap roaming fees by the end of this year — but the European Council pushed to keep them in place until the end of 2018. The European lawmakers have now apparently agreed a third way of mid 2017. Read More

Shazam Takes On Apple Music Connect With New Social Features Aimed At Musicians And Their Fans

 Music discovery platform Shazam is today rolling out a new feature in partnership with over two dozen artists that will allow Shazam users to see which songs their favorite musicians are listening to on the service. The news comes just ahead of Apple Music’s worldwide debut tomorrow, which will introduce streaming music, radio and other features, including a social network… Read More

Facebook’s Snapchatty New Photo Uploader Lets You Overlay Text And More

 Face it. Your photos aren’t all that interesting. But Facebook’s going to help you jazz them up with its shiny new photo uploader, which just began testing on iOS. It lets you add overlaid text in any color, instantly preview filters that you swipe across your photos, or paste Facebook’s stickers on top. Facebook offered more standard filters before and had tested photo… Read More

Google Now Allowing Project Fi Customers To Check Their Invite Status

 Early adopters who signed up for Project Fi, Google’s recently announced initiative to provide its own cellular service, can now keep better tabs on the status of their requested invite thanks to a new online tool Google rolled out this week. Potential Project Fi customers were alerted to the availability of the tool by way of an email which informed them that they could now track… Read More

Disney Now Has Its Own GIF App And iOS 8 Keyboard

 Disney has now somewhat belatedly joined the ranks of the numerous app publishers offering their own custom keyboards for iOS 8 users with the launch of an iOS application called Disney Gif. The new app is a mobile keyboard extension that lets you share Disney and Pixar-themed GIFs via text messaging as well as email and social networks. At launch, the app includes over 200 GIFs, the… Read More

Apple Watch Lands In Seven New Countries, Coming To Three More July 17

 The Apple Watch is expanding beyond the launch group of countries today, shortly after the device first became available for in-store purchase at Apple Retail with a reservation. The international sales expansion includes Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Taiwan as of today, and the next group includes the Netherlands, Sweden and Thailand starting July 17.… Read More

Kindle’s Sharing Features Now Support Messaging Apps, Plus Web-Based Book Previews

 Kindle e-book readers will now have a new way to socialize with their friends about their favorite books or quotes from those books by way of mobile messaging apps, including Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, texting, and more. The change is indicative of the trend toward private sharing as the preferred means of connecting with friends, versus larger, more public social media platforms like… Read More