Tag Archives: Youtube

Generative AI Coming to YouTube Creator Tools

September 22, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

YouTube has revealed a bevvy of features and a new app that is being introduced to simplify the process for creators. However, the new features and apps are not just focused on simplifying but also assisting creators when it comes to ideation and even getting the most from their analytics.

Dream Screen for Shorts

YouTube Shorts has become a stronghold for viewership and engagement since its introduction in 2020. The spontaneous ideas and artistic takes on content have grown to over 70 billion daily views with more than 2 billion monthly active users. To elevate this creative ecosystem, YouTube is introducing some game-changing tools.

One such tool is the experimental “Dream Screen,” set to debut later this year. Dream Screen leverages AI to allow creators to conjure video or image backgrounds simply by typing a concept into a prompt. Fancy filming in outer space, wandering through an enchanted forest, or envisioning your pug driving you to school? Dream Screen can bring these imaginative settings to life, limited only by the creator’s imagination.

AI-Powered Insights and Beyond

Video creation involves much more than just editing and production. However, the data-heavy side of content creation needs far more time than creators can allocate to it. So, they are harnessing AI to offer creators more efficient tools for generating ideas and reaching broader audiences.

AI-Powered Insights: YouTube Studio will soon leverage generative AI to spark video ideas and draft outlines, helping creators brainstorm content that resonates with their audience.
Assistive Search in Creator Music: Finding the perfect soundtrack for your video will become effortless with assistive search in Creator Music. Simply describe your content, and AI will suggest suitable music options.
Automatic Dubbing with Aloud: To expand their audience reach globally, creators often need to dub their content into multiple languages. YouTube introduces “Aloud,” an AI-powered dubbing tool designed to help creators bridge language barriers and connect with diverse audiences.

YouTube AI Insights.width 800.format webp

In addition to these AI-powered features, YouTube is launching the YouTube Create app. The app is currently in beta for Android users in select markets. This app offers a range of video editing tools and access to a library of royalty-free music. It aims to simplify video production, enabling creators to focus on their creative vision.

News, Social Media

YouTube Create Here to Simplify Content Creation

September 22, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Google has introduced a potentially game-changing tool for budding creators – the YouTube Create app. This week, Google unveiled the beta version of YouTube Create, an Android app aimed at simplifying and enhancing the video editing and production process. While it’s still in its beta phase, this app is generating significant interest and is currently available for Android users in select markets.

YouTube Create boasts a range of features designed to make video editing more accessible and efficient. Of note are features like automatic captioning, which can help creators make more accessible content by taking over the time-consuming task of manually adding captions to videos. Another feature of the app – voiceover – allows creators to add professional-grade narration to their videos easily. The app also provides access to a vast library of royalty-free music, addressing copyright concerns that content creators often encounter. Additionally, it offers a variety of effects and video transitions to help enhance the visual appeal of videos.

YouTube Create is part of a broader AI-driven initiative by YouTube. Beyond the editing app, YouTube is working on several AI-powered features set to impact content creation. One of these features is the Dream Screen, which allows users to generate AI-driven video or image backgrounds for their Shorts. This feature, expected to roll out later this year, could significantly impact content creation.

YouTube is also planning to introduce AI-generated insights and outline drafting next year. The new AI-generated insights aim to streamline the content creation process and provide creators with valuable insights and assistance. Furthermore, an AI-powered dubbing tool is in development, although details about its release are still unknown.

The app is available on the Play Store for those eager to explore YouTube Create. However, it’s important to note that it’s currently only available in specific regions.

Lifestyle, News

YouTube Is Going to Have Fewer Ad Breaks on TVs But They’ll Be Longer

September 13, 2023 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

For avid YouTube users, the platform’s abundance of ads during video playback, especially on smart TVs, can sometimes be more than a minor annoyance. YouTube appears to be listening to its viewers and is testing a new approach to ad delivery that could provide a more seamless watching experience, albeit with longer ad breaks.

couple love sitting evening — Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Less Frequent, Longer Ads

YouTube is recognizing that how we watch content is evolving. With more viewers enjoying longer videos on their smart TVs, the current frequency of ad interruptions might not align with the viewing experience. In response, YouTube is experimenting with reducing the number of ads shown but extending their duration.

christian wiediger usWE9pOuTfE unsplash — Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

For many viewers of long-form content on TV screens, having ads scattered throughout a video can be disruptive. Google’s research reveals that 79% of viewers prefer ads that are grouped together rather than spread out in smaller interruptions. To cater to this preference, YouTube is exploring options to provide fewer but longer ad breaks, creating a more seamless viewing experience on larger screens.

Improved Transparency

In addition to fewer, longer ad breaks, YouTube is considering enhancing the transparency of its ad experience. This may include providing viewers with better information about the duration of ad breaks, allowing users to prepare for more extended interruptions.

While these changes are currently experimental, YouTube tends to introduce them if they prove successful and enhance the viewer experience. So, if you’re a regular YouTube viewer on a smart TV, you can look forward to a potentially improved ad experience in the near future. However, if longer ad breaks are not your preference, YouTube Premium remains an ad-free alternative worth considering.

YouTube’s efforts to strike a balance between ads and content are in response to evolving viewer habits. As the platform continues to lead in streaming watch time on connected TVs, it aims to provide an experience that aligns better with the expectations of its audience.

Lifestyle, News

YouTube in Combat of Ad Blockers – Three Strikes and You’re Out

June 30, 2023 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

We love YouTube, and we love using YouTube for all kinds of things. The amount of content you get from YouTube is so vast that you could technically learn everything you need to learn in the modern world on the video sharing platform. With everything we love about YouTube, there is something we also despise about YouTube – ads. While it started out as a simple played out ad at the beginning of whatever videos you want to watch, ads on YouTube have grown to become an irritation.

There is the argument that the number of ads that are being served to us on YouTube is necessary. The ads pay for the platform and help YouTube not just profit, but also pay its various creators for their contents. The ads also help keep the platform free to use for the billions of the world. As much as we hate ads being served to us, it is a necessary evil and quite inevitable to keep the platform from charging us for contents. Except, they sort of do.

There is such a thing called YouTube Premium, a paid membership to YouTube. What that offers you is things like picture-in-picture mode, and open access to YouTube Music, regarded to be one of the biggest official music libraries you can find anywhere. You also pay for the omission of ads when you consume your contents on the platform.

If you still want the free experience on YouTube but without the ads, the only way around them is through using ad blockers. There are several tools and third-party programs that skips and blocks ads on YouTube unless they are baked into the video itself. That means that you are getting a YouTube Premium-esque experience, but without paying for it, which is frowned upon by YouTube, obviously.

youtube cracking down on if youre not paying them to block v0 m8q0ljxlyl8b1 — Source: Reddit

In the most recent attempt to battle ad blockers, YouTube is giving users three strikes before completely blocking a user from using YouTube. There are no mentions on whether blocked users will be blocked indefinitely, but the wording leads us to believe that you can be unblocked just by disabling your ad blocker app or algorithm. Obviously if you choose to pay for YouTube Premium, you will immediately be unblocked and given fuss free experience with YouTube amongst other things.

The new measure was spotted by a user on Reddit, interestingly enough. YouTube has not commented on their new measure, but the new measure does make a lot of sense for a company that relies mostly on ads to survive. While it is somewhat aggressive, it could be a necessary step for Google to protect their platform and ensure that it is still profitable.

Android, iOS, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

YouTube ‘Add to Queue’ Button Coming Soon on Your Smartphone App

December 16, 2022 Darwin Sucipto Leave a comment

One of the best features that your streaming apps have added into their interface is the ‘Add to Queue’ function. It is also one of the most underrated and one of those functions you tend to take for granted because the function seems too sensible and natural not to have. You can create your own instantaneous playlist without going through the hassle of curating and naming an entire playlist just for that one moment; why would you not have the button? Your YouTube app on your Android and Apple devices does not have it though.

Do not get us wrong, YouTube has an ‘Add to Queue’ function when you go on YouTube on your PC. If you are accessing YouTube via your smartphones or tablet, you do not get that functionality for reasons we cannot understand. You cannot even access that function if you access YouTube via your smartphone’s web browser unless you switch it to desktop browsing mode. For some time now, we have been quite frustrated with the limitation because, if you think about it, most of your YouTube consumption will be on your smartphone or tablet devices via the app itself. It is probably one of the most quietly demanded functions on the YouTube app too, we think.

As the year is coming to a close, there is some good news from Google. YouTube is now testing the ‘Add to Queue’ function on both Apple and Android devices. At this time, the test looks like it will go on only for a limited time. We can only hope that after the limited time the function will go on as a default feature on the YouTube app on both Android and Apple devices.

Currently the tested feature is only available to YouTube Premium users on both platforms. If you are a YouTube Premium user and have not seen the function, you might want to try to get into your Profile settings and turn on ‘Try New Features’ to not only test that one function, but other functions they might bring to the YouTube app in the future. To see if you have the function available to you, you simply have to click on the three dots that appear on the top right of your video and click ‘Add to Queue’. You will have full control over your video playlist with a display menu at the bottom of the screen after enabling the ‘Add to Queue’ function and creating a temporary playlist.

According to sources, the test will only last until the 28^th of January 2023. Keep in mind that the function does not extend to adding YouTube Shorts into the playlist. There is no clear indication on whether or not the function will officially be available for YouTube app users in the wider scheme of things, but we are betting that it would be not too long after testing period.

Source: 9To5Google

News

Stay on top of the FIFA World Cup with Google Search

November 23, 2022 Thina Hareesh Leave a comment

With the FIFA World Cup finally kicking off, Google offers new features in the Search Android app to stay up to date on every kick of the game!

Stay ahead with notifications, statistics and live scores with the Google Search app

Get notifications from your favorite teams and in-depth stats with Google Search

To get started, search “FIFA World Cup” on the Google Search app to find a list of tournament matches for the day. Tap on the bell icon to bring up a list of the 32 participating teams and select your favorite team to receive notifications. If you’re an avid fan, tap on a match to see in depth statistics and even win probabilities of the competing teams. You can even pin the live scores of ongoing matches to your home screen so you do not miss any goals. Simply tap on the match you want to track and drag it anywhere on your home screen.

Relive all the action with recap videos and YouTube

If you’ve missed any of the action live, you can catch up using Search for daily recap videos from FIFA+ and official broadcasters on YouTube. You can even react to your favorite moments from the tournament using the Remix feature in Shorts. Don’t forget to follow #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and use the hashtag to share your content with World Cup fans.

Interact with fans around the world with player ratings

Any players in the tournament caught your eye? You can use Search to learn about their stories and accomplishments. You can also rate players on how you think they will perform and see how other World Cup fans rate them too.

If you want a little more action, join other fans around the world in the Mini Cup game! Once a real-live match is live, pick your team and work together with other fans to score the most virtual goals.

Score virtual goals with other fans for your favorite team

While scoring virtual goals may be fun, nothing beats the atmosphere of a live venue. Search has new labels for businesses to help fans find venues that broadcast the World Cup. Simply search for “Where to watch the world cup near me” to find a spot to meet up with other fans to enjoy the games.

Don’t miss another match with Wear OS Countdown

Never miss another World Cup match if you have a Wear OS watch. You can set match viewing plans on your calendar in the Agenda app. You can also ask Google to set reminders for upcoming matches. Wear OS watches can also channel useful information before matches such as team-lineups and player profiles. If your team scores, you can find a fun little animation to celebrate the goal with you!

News, Social Media

YouTube Removes Public Dislike Count Visibility

November 11, 2021 Nur Jeevan 1 Comment

A big change is coming to YouTube – one that has seemingly broken the internet. The Google owned streaming platform has announced a change that may just change how we interact with videos on the platform. Starting 10 November 2021, the public dislike count will be going away. Yep- it looks like dislike bombing may not be a thing anymore. However, the dislike button is here to stay.

youtube hidden dislikes — Source: YouTube (Twitter)

YouTube is looking to make the platform a little less toxic and a little more empowering – particularly for new content creators. They highlight that they have realised over the past year that dislikes were essentially being weaponised by bad actors to bully and put down content creators. Swathes of users and bots would target dislike buttons not because of the content being put out; but rather due to the stances that creators take and, in other cases, simply because they don’t like the creator.

👍👎 In response to creator feedback around well-being and targeted dislike campaigns, we're testing a few new designs that don't show the public dislike count. If you're part of this small experiment, you might spot one of these designs in the coming weeks (example below!). pic.twitter.com/aemrIcnrbx
— YouTube (@YouTube) March 30, 2021

That said, the dislike button isn’t going anywhere. In fact, the number of dislikes isn’t going away either. It simply will not be shown publicly. Creators will still see the metric in their creator studio dashboard and analytics. However, YouTube believes that this will allow them to not feel publicly shamed when a piece of content doesn’t resonate or garners more dislikes than likes. In addition, the dislike button will also help optimise YouTube’s algorithm to surface more of the content that you like.

That said, the company is saying that they are staying true to their mission of giving everyone a voice with the change. They say the change will help empower more small creators and allow a healthy, continued discourse on their platform.

https://youtu.be/kxOuG8jMIgI

Lifestyle, Mobile, News

YouTube Premium Lite Subscription Appears In Europe

August 6, 2021 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Ads can be a pain especially when they interrupt your content. Of course, this was undoubtedly one of the reasons behind the introduction of YouTube Premium. The service launched in Malaysia a few years back but it looks like YouTube might be making that ad-free experience a little more accessible with a lower-priced tier.

YouTube Premium Lite, as the new tier is called, seems to be a scaled-back version of YouTube Premium. The Premium Lite plan does away with a lot of the added features you get with YouTube Premium. “Scaled back” back be a little bit of an understatement. The Premium Lite plan does one thing and one thing only – remove ads.

ResetEra jelmerjt YouTube Premium Lite — Source: jelmerjt on ResetEra

The plan has been seen in certain countries in Europe. It was initially reported by a user on ResetEra. YouTube has since confirmed the plan in a statement to TheVerge in which the company. The plan is currently available “In Nordics and Benelux (except Iceland)” and “costs €6.99/month (or local equivalent per month)”.

Keep in mind that YouTube Premium also brings along features such as background play, access to YouTube Music in addition to ad-free playback. Subscribers are also able to access YouTube Premium content which includes originals and exclusive Premium only events. Most recently, YouTube Premium subscribers were invited to a post-premiere party with Andy Grammer following the release of his latest single “Lease on Life”. YouTube Premium costs €11.99 a month in Europe and is available for MYR17.90 a month in Malaysia.

There’s no word just yet on whether the new YouTube Premium Lite plan will be rolling out to other regions. However, based on the pricing in Europe, we expect that pricing in Malaysia will be about MYR10.90 to MYR11.90 if it rolls out in Malaysia.

News

It’s Not Just You… Google Services are down! [Update: Issue Seems to be Resolved]

December 14, 2020 Nur Jeevan Leave a comment

Update 8:46pm: Google services seem to be coming back online. Sites like YouTube and Gmail are back. Google Play is still down, however. Discord is also back – it seems like the outage was unrelated.

Update 9:03pm: Pokemon GO is back online. No comment yet from Google. However, they have noted on their dashboard that, “service has already been restored for some users, and we expect a resolution for all users in the near future. Please note this time frame is an estimate and may change.”

Update 9:08pm: The Google Play Store is back online. It seems like the issue has been resolved.

If you’ve been trying to get into Gmail and other Google services like YouTube and failing, you’re not alone; while pretty rare, it seems like Google is experiencing a worldwide disruption of nearly all their services. Outages have been reported since 7:23 pm Malaysian time.

The disruption seems pretty extensive this time with services like GSuite for Business and Education also being affected in addition to Google’s new game streaming service, Stadia. YouTube is also down. If you’re on Android, the Google Play Store is also facing the same predicament. It seems like the outage is affecting more than just Google’s in-house apps. Apps like Pokemon GO and Discord have also been affected by the outage.

Reports are coming in are indicating that the outage may be more extensive with countries such as South Africa, the United Kingdom, India, the United States, Egypt, New Zealand, Romania, Russia and Thailand and Turkey also reporting the same.

The issue seems to be with account authentication as users are reporting that sites such as YouTube are accessible when accessed via an incognito window. YouTube Music is apparently still accessible on browsers at the time of writing. However, if you try to access the service through its app, you will only be able to access your downloaded content.

We will be updating this article as the situation develops.

techENT