streaming

Live streaming app XSplit will make you look and sound better

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Streamers: Don't wait til 2024 for $140 off this recording app.
Take $140 off the studio that lets streamers broadcast, record and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re a streamer, your clips should be all about showing fans the fun you’re having. However, that’s hard to do when you’re fiddling with tools, watching your sound levels, etc. That’s why live streaming software XSplit Broadcaster enjoys a growing following among the streaming community on Twitch and elsewhere.

Now, new users can get a lifetime subscription to XSplit for less than $60. That’s a 70% discount off the normal price of $200. Note: This app works on Windows only.

Convert any XLR microphone to USB with this adapter

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No need to buy a USB mic. Just use your XLR mic with Shure's adapter.
No need to buy a USB mic. Just use your XLR mic with Shure's adapter.
Photo: Shure

If you’re a content creator and you have an XLR microphone, you don’t necessarily need to buy a USB microphone to interface with your computer for uses like streaming and podcasting. Shure’s got you covered with its new Digital Audio Interface. It converts any XLR mic to USB for easy use directly with a computer.

Razer’s first in-ear monitors give gamers THX-certified sound

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Razer Moray In-Ear Monitors
Razer Moray wired in-ear monitors are designed for marathon gaming and streaming sessions.
Photo: Razer

Razer, known for gaming gear, sounded off Tuesday with its first in-ear monitors (IEM) — Razer Moray.

Designed for gamers and streamers, the new wired earbuds emphasize THX-certified audio, natural noise isolation and lightweight comfort for long gaming and streaming sessions, the company said.

Rode unveils all-in-one Streamer X and RodeCaster Duo for content creators

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The compact, portable RødeCaster Duo can do everything the RødeCaster Pro II can do.
The compact, portable RødeCaster Duo can do everything the RødeCaster Pro II can do.
Photo: Røde

Australian audio powerhouse Røde introduced five new products and two major software updates Monday — its “biggest product announcement ever,” it said — at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.

Two new products headlined — the Streamer X audio interface/video capture card and the compact RødeCaster Duo AV production tool. The new PodMic USB, important firmware updates to the Wireless Go II mic system and the RødeCaster Pro II production tool, and handy new accessories rounded out the mix.

Up your vlogging game with new Sony full-frame camera

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The new Sony ZV-E1 is designed for vloggers and other content creators.
The new Sony ZV-E1 is designed for vloggers and other content creators.
Photo: Sony Electronics

Sony Electronics unveiled its new full-frame 12MP ZV-E1 camera Wednesday. It takes its place at or near the top of the company’s growing ZV lineup of cameras for vloggers and other content creators.

At $2,200 it’s not cheap — a big step up from the company’s roughly $750 cameras for content creators — for but it could a key to making amateur content look professional.

New Elgato Stream Deck+ jacks up control with LCD touch strip and 4 dials

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Elgato just further opened up your workflow-tweaking opportunities.
Elgato just further opened up your workflow-tweaking opportunities.
Photo: Elgato

Corsair Gaming subsidiary Elgato unveiled the latest version of its popular Stream Deck streaming and workflow controller Wednesday, dubbing it Stream Deck+.

It retains eight of the familiar customizable LCD keys that other versions have. But it adds a touch strip, which is a screen, and four “infinite dials” to help you tweak and adjust tasks in your workflow. A common use of this type of tool is controlling video streaming production.

Hey streamers, Razer wants you to look and sound better

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Razer's new Key Light Chroma offers adjustable colors and temperatures.
Razer's new Key Light Chroma offers adjustable colors and temperatures.
Photo: Razer

If you want to kick your streaming or vlogging up a notch, Razer has a trio of new products designed to help you look and sound better to your online audience.

On Friday, the gaming peripherals company rolled out the Razer Key Light Chroma, the Razer Seiren BT lapel microphone and the Razer Audio Mixer.

Super-portable skyBox SSD storage enables fast and easy streaming, sharing

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HyperAccessory's skyBOX SSD storage device lets you take your streaming and sharing on the go.
With massive amounts of storage, skyBox lets you take your streaming and sharing on the go.
Photo: HyperAccessory

This portable storage post is presented by HyperAccessory.

If you’re a photographer, videographer or content creator who likes to travel light, leaving the laptop behind, we found a must-have storage device for you. HyperAccessory’s skyBox features all-in-one portable SSD storage with built-in wireless connectivity and universal compatibility. It will have you streaming and sharing media on the go with gusto.

How to listen to YouTube music in the background on iPhone

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youtube on a phone
There's no need to stare at a screen just to listen to YouTube music.
Photo: Szabo Viktor/Unsplash

Unlike streaming music, which often keeps playing when you switch away from the app or webpage, YouTube playback stops as soon as you leave mobile Safari. This means that using YouTube as a music player is out of the question. Or is it? Can you make YouTube play just the audio, even when you’re not showing the video? You can, and it’s really, really simple.

Quibi quickly captures 1.7 million downloads; fast-tracks plans for shows on streaming TV

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Quibi
Quibi is taking a different approach with streaming.
Photo: Quibi

Quibi, the new smartphone streaming service with 10-minute program, keeps wracking up the downloads and may give viewers a choice to watch its “quick-bite” shows on streaming TV.

CEO Meg Whitman told an interviewer Monday that Quibi has had more than 1.7 million downloads since launching one week ago.

Popcorn Time, the Netflix of piracy, returns just in time for COVID-19 binging

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popcorntime
Popcorn Time is back!
Photo: Cult of Mac

One of the easiest ways to pirate movies and TV shows is back just in time for the great stay-at-home coronavirus quarantine party of 2020.

Popcorn Time, the legendary app that was basically a Netflix for privacy, announced its return Tuesday on Twitter, saying its newest build, called “Love in the Time of Corona Version 0.4,” is available for download.

Grab it while you can.

Apple, Spotify and other streaming companies accused of price-fixing ‘conspiracy’

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Music licensing company takes aim at Apple Music for illegal streaming
PRM thinks music streaming companies are playing dirty.
Photo: Stas Knop/Pexels CC

A music licensing company accuses Apple, Spotify, Google, SoundCloud, and other streaming services of entering into a price-fixing “conspiracy” to keep streaming music prices at anticompetitive levels.

Pro Music Rights (PMR) filed the complaint Monday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. PMR previously filed a lawsuit against Apple in December for allegedly streaming copyrighted music without the necessary permissions.

Cable company Altice USA adds streaming app to Apple TV

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Altice One on Apple TV
The Altice One app is available on Apple TV today.
Photo: Altice USA

The nation’s sixth-largest cable TV provider announced Wednesday the addition of an Apple TV app to its streaming service beating Roku to the punch in the competitive streaming video market.

Altice USA provides broadband and pay television in 21 states to some 3.3 million subscribers through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands.

The deal with Apple comes as more and more Americans cut their cable TV cords in favor of streaming services.

Former HBO chief signs five-year producer deal with Apple TV+

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file photo of former HBO chief Richard Plepler
Former HBO CEO Richard Plepler, right, in 2012 with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Photo: Ander Krusberg/ Peabody Awards

Forner HBO chief executive Richard Plepler has signed a five-year deal with Apple to make original feature films, documentaries and television series for Apple TV Plus.

Plepler was at HBO for 27 years and played important roles in the rise of original programming at the network.

Tidal one-ups Apple Music with even better student deal

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Tidal-macOS
Sign up today for as little as $4.99 a month.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Tidal today one-upped Apple Music with an even better student deal. Its 50% discount now extends to high-schoolers — not just college attendees.

Qualifying members will pay just $4.99 a month for Premium access, or $9.99 a month for the Hi-Fi plan. The discount is available to new and existing subscribers who verify their student status.

Apple TV+ is coming to Roku

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AppleTV+
How are Apple Originals looking on your TV?
Photo: Roku

Apple TV+ will be available on Roku boxes when it launches next month.

Roku revealed this morning that the Apple TV app will be available on its platform starting today, allowing users to access their iTunes video library as well as subscribe to Apple TV channels right from their Roku devices.

Netflix CEO: Apple and Disney will take streaming wars to ‘whole new world’

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75% of Netflix users have no plans to jump ship to Apple TV+ (right away)
75% of Netflix users have no plans to jump ship to Apple TV+ (right away)
Photo: Stock Catalog/Flickr CC

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings almost sounds excited about the increased competition his company is about to face from the biggest tech companies in the world.

After basically creating the entire TV streaming market, Netflix is about to go up against new services from Apple and Disney. In an interview with Variety, Hastings admitted it’s going to be a whole new ball game in just a few months, but Netflix doesn’t plan to change much.

Spotify now matches Apple Music’s 3-month free trial

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Spotify app now playing screen
Spotify and Siri are finally a team.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Spotify is now matching Apple Music’s generous three-month free trial for new subscribers.

The offer is available to eligible individual and student users who sign up for any Spotify Premium plan, starting today. It will be extended to support Duo and Family Plans in the coming months.

Microsoft is working on mobile Xbox controllers for iPhone

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Microsoft-mobile-Xbox-controller
They would be perfect for streaming Xbox games.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft has started developing new Xbox controllers for mobile gaming. Prototype images reveal how the gamepads might attach to the sides of your iPhone and iPad for portable play.

The controllers would be ideal for Microsoft’s upcoming Project xCloud service, which will allow players to stream Xbox games to their smartphones and tablets.

How to watch Apple’s WWDC 2019 event today

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The WWDC keynote is one of Apple's biggest events.
The WWDC keynote is one of Apple's biggest events.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Today Apple will announce iOS 13, possibly the new Mac Pro, plus a slew of Mac and Apple Watch-related news. Cult of Mac will not be live-blogging the action — instead you can join our WWDC 2019 watch party or follow along on Twitter. And as always, you can watch the show live.

We’re expecting to learn all about the incredible new iOS 13, which many expect will turn the iPad into some kind of Mac Pro-beating powerhouse1. Also expected is a Marzipan update, and perhaps our first peek at the real new Mac Pro.

Whether you’re watching on your Mac, your iPhone or iPad, or your Apple TV, we’ll show you how to tune in.

You can even show up at an Apple Store and watch it on the big screen!

Netflix can’t wait to compete against Apple and Disney

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Apple TV
Kim Rozenfeld is no longer a part of Apple's team.
Photo: Apple

Netflix doesn’t seem worried at all that Apple and Disney are launching their own competitive streaming services by the end of 2019.

In its latest report to investors, Netflix cited Disney and Apple as its biggest upcoming competition, but instead of fearing the two companies’ platforms, Netflix swears its actually excited about the competition.

Disney+ streaming service will almost certainly support Apple TV

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Disney+ streaming service
Disney+ launches in the U.S. this November.
Photo: Disney

Disney’s new streaming service, officially announced for the first time on Thursday, will likely make its way to Apple TV.

That’s according to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who explained a Disney+ app will eventually be available through traditional distributors. You will also be able to enjoy it on Smart TVs and consoles.

Apple’s newest services lack ‘depth,’ analysts warn

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Apple TV+ could have 26 million paying subs by 2025; 2.6 million currently
Apple TV+ could have 26 million paying subs by 2025; 2.6 million currently
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest services don’t deliver the “depth” investors want to see as iPhone sales fall for the Cupertino company.

Some analysts are particularly disappointed with the upcoming Apple TV+ video streaming service. They don’t believe Apple has any hope of competing with Netflix.

Bag a free Apple TV 4K when you subscribe to DirecTV Now

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Apple TV Siri Remote
Sound sync woes will be a thing of the past.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Sign up for DirecTV Now and you’ll receive a brand new Apple TV 4K to enjoy it on.

Those who prepay for four months of service will receive Apple’s latest set-top box absolutely free. The offer is only available to new subscribers who join before April 30, 2019.