Uncrowned Guard

Twitch has maintained a policy of exclusivity on their platform for their streaming partners that restricted them from live streaming on any other platform. Those terms appear to be loosening but are not completely gone. An email was sent to partners stating that Twitch Partners will now be allowed to stream to other services including Twitch competitors like YouTube and Facebook, but there are some major terms to this move. TL:DR: Twitch now allows partners to stream off-site Partners can fully simulcast to mobile apps (TikTok) Partners can do a limited streams on web apps (YouTube, Facebook) Details of the limits are a bit “grey” to say the least The policy of complete exclusively ended as soon as partners received their email, but the terms of the partnership still limit how those streamers can stream to other platforms. Mobile-focused platforms like TikTok and Instagram have no limits to how the streamers can use them and fully allow simulcasting their streams to these apps. However, web-focused platforms like YouTube and Facebook do not allow simulcasting a stream for ‘an extended time”. What is an “extended amount of time”? Well, no one knows as that is exactly how it is detailed in the new FAQ and that means it will likely be enforced on a per-case basis. Steamers can jump to a second platform with their stream and then stream limitlessly on that platform if they are not also streaming to Twitch at the same time. Twitch says these terms are solely to help creators build a stronger community as simulcasting “leads to sub-optimal experiences for your community”, but only on platforms that directly compete with Twitch. View full article

The new YouTube Podcast page is far from advanced and offers little in terms of suggested or curated content, but it is likely a major blow to competitors like Apple and Spotify who, according to some recent studies, are already losing the podcast war to YouTube. The page is currently only available in the US and does not offer any podcasts that are not already on the platform. TL;DR: YouTube now has a Podcast homepage (US only) The new page is fairly basic and lacks curation May show the platform wants to push podcasting YouTube’s video podcast format has been a major success for content creators and has led to many podcasts already having millions of followers. The page can be found at youtube.com/podcasts and has a major focus on popular podcasts already on the platform. Overall, YouTube’s success in the podcast market is mostly due to the simple and convenient nature that video podcasts offer users. The platform has done little to push podcasts on their platform, but this new page may be a sign of changing times. View full article

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That is actually a good question and I am not sure going by the different stories. It LOOKS like the stream will be free to watch, but require paid tiers to interact with and so far streamers appear to just be hand selected, but I have no info on how that will be done in the future, I can't imagine all will be chosen by hand.

It feels like July should be coming up soon lol

The ability to sit down and simply have a conversation with someone without any issues or needing to watch what each other say.

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Like actually singing them?

According to TechRadar, Discord is currently offering a Nitro Basic plan in the UK for $2.99 a month starting today. The plan is currently limited to UK users and is only offered on the desktop app. Discord appears to be planning to bring the plan to iOS next but overall we do not have any released windows. TL:DR: Currently only in the UK and planned for iOS next. Costs $2.99 a month (at least for now). Gives users custom and animated emojis. Also provides increased upload size, special stickers, and a special badge. The plan is geared towards daily users of Discord who do not want to spend the $9.99 a month for their full range of features and perks. The will increase a user's upload limit to 20MB per file along with allowing users to use custom and animated emoji across servers. It also offers a special Nitro Basic badge and special stickers. These features are actually very practical and useful for those who use Discord on a regular basis but are not involved enough to want server boosts and the suite of other perks offered by the full plan. The timing of this plan may have to do with the addition of Xbox and PlayStation Discord apps and the massive user base that should provide the service. Overall, $2.99 a month would be much more appealing to users not wanting to drop over $100 a year into a free chat service. However, nothing of this new service is confirmed to be the final global release of Nitro Basic. View full article

Not the fruit itself, but I have been seeing the processed sugar substitute in some of our local stores. It isn't exactly cheap, but it is slowly showing up. I always try to maintain a logic that diets help when you feel they will help. Being the proper weight is great, but feeling healthier from eating better can really change your daily life.

It does very much feel like it is has lost the small creator side of the platform. And sadly that does not make it anymore appealing to me as the push for big media means I get more recommended videos about things that are on TV or in other media outlets instead of new content.

Moderation is a major concern. It is actually the biggest reason that I would not consider making an Uncrowned Kids website or anything of the sort. The moderation would have to be both super invasive and massive in numbers to keep it safe for the kids and even then terrible things can still happen. Odds are AI will be needed for it to work correctly and I can't say that AI moderation is ready for a major product like this.

It is amazing how popular Lego is. Not only did it thrive post internet, but there are entire parts of the internet dedicated to it at this point. Even the movies, shows, etc. show just how well Lego has done in world where tech has killed off a lot of toy products.

It really feels like bragging via music. I have never found this concept appealing either.

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The tree fell on a road during Christmas Eve and

Agreed, however we have no idea how/if it will be integrated into their other services. Pushing the streams into people's FB streams and such can really affect the viewer totals very fast.

Ya, humidity is the worst. Is it rough being next to the lakes during this weather?

According to Business Insider, Meta is testing a new livestreaming platform for influencers called “Super,”. Influencers can earn money, chat with fans, and broadcast using the platform. In exchange for using Super for 30 minutes, Meta reportedly paid influencers between $200 and $3,000. Super is currently being developed by Meta's New Product Experimentation team. It has been in development since late 2020. According to Meta, Super is an experiment being built by New Product Experimentation (NPE) and tested with a limited number of creators. It is currently being tested with a small number of creators. Meta recently reached out to multiple creators, according to Business Insider, asking them to try out the new project. The platform, which looks to have the same functionality as Twitch, is currently being tested with less than 100 creators, including tech influencer Andru Edwards and TikTok star Vienna Skye. Creators keep 100% of the tips and revenue generated through their stream and the livestream platform is operating on a tiered system where users pay to access higher levels of features. According to the report, viewers pay for features included in the stream and can tip the streamer. Although take note that revenue sharing and fees will likely be an ever-changing situation and may differ vastly from this trial. Meta quietly tested the service for about two years, according to Business Insider. Currently, the service is web only and no details seem to exist of mobile apps but it would be safe to assume they will come with time. Meta has begun testing Super prior to Facebook shutting down its live shopping feature on October 1 to focus on Reels. View full article

On a recent conference call, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealed that HBO Max will be terminated in the summer of 2023, and be replaced by a new service. Zaslav was much more diplomatic than most would be when describing HBO Max, which regularly has performance and customer issues. He described the app as having a competitive feature set but also having performance and customer issues. Zaslav then announced that Discovery Plus has a more advanced tech stack and will become the foundation of a new service that will combine HBO Max content with Discovery Plus' content and technology. After assuring listeners that the company would not be canceling a flurry of HBO Max-focused products, Zaslav said during the call that he believes the product will be outstanding. This information comes after a week of frustration for users. Early in the week, the company announced that Batgirl would not be released as planned and would be sent to the vault. HBO Max films that were available only on the service were also removed. Things reportedly look grim for HBO Max and its creative development teams as reported by The Wrap. Zaslav attempted to allay those concerns during the call and guaranteed that HBO Max's content was excellent and supported by the corporation as a whole. During the Q&A portion, Zaslav stated that HBO Max had begun to develop into a distinct brand—one especially associated with quality—as a result of the new service. It is unknown what Warner Brothers Discovery will name the newly merged service, but we can anticipate more from Zaslav as he consolidates his company even more in the coming year. View full article