Tag Archives: beta

What the Tech?! Periscope App

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Periscope App

Quick Summary

  • Yapp explains Periscope and why live-streaming apps were gaining attention at the time.
  • The post offers a simple overview of a trending tech product in an easy-to-read format.
  • Readers who want quick takes on emerging consumer apps will benefit most from this piece.

Periscope App, n;

Live video app recently acquired by Twitter. Periscope, like the recently-popular Meerkat, streams live video from your phone to Twitter, where anyone can join in and watch.

Though Meerkat and Periscope are identical in their mission to create communities around live-streamed video, the apps function slightly differently. On Periscope, viewers can engage with the person filming by tapping to like, commenting, or catching a video within 24 hours of creation. Videos sync smoothly with Twitter feeds for easy discovery; Twitter made it more difficult for Meerkat videos to stream within a Twitter feed.

Periscope also has an in-app community that feels similar to that of YouTube stars. One user, Amanda Oleander, was featured in New York Magazine for her huge presence on Periscope. The app has the feel of Twitter, where followers and quick messages are touted above all.

We wrote about what a great tool Meerkat would be for events, and think Periscope could serve the same purpose. These apps are ushering in an interesting new way to share what’s happening; they’re also introducing some interesting piracy questions, as many users are streaming gated content like HBO’s Game of Thrones or last week’s big-dollar Pay-Per-View boxing match.
Both apps are only available for iOS, but Meerkat has an Android app in beta.

Private Beta

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Quick Summary

  • Yapp announces or reflects on a private beta stage in the product’s early launch journey.
  • The post marks an important step in turning the platform into a usable product for real audiences.
  • Readers interested in Yapp’s product beginnings and startup milestones will benefit most from this piece.

Today, we opened our first product, Yapp Events, to users in a private beta.  Yapp Events allows anyone to create a mobile application for their wedding, conference, book club, reunion, team, club, and…(well, that is what we are excited to find out!).

What does launching a private beta mean, anyhow? It means something different for every new service.  For us, we invited a small number of users from our beta list to try the product. We couldn’t let everyone in (yet).  We are a small team and need time to give to our early users the love and attention they deserve.

Previously, I wrote a blog post about the viral sign up craze.  We decided to prioritize our list based on who we thought — from our “Mad Libs” style sign up form — might most benefit from the current version of Yapp Events.  (If we missed you, send me a note at maria@yapp.us).  We could have certainly increased our list by using some social mechanics like offering invites to those folks who Liked Us on FB or Followed Us on Twitter, before they even saw or tried the service.

But that’s not how we roll.

We have worked hard to build what we think is a great product —  one we hope is worthy of the special and professional events in your life.  And, we have just begun!

We hope that in time, we will have a community of passionate users whose events and lives Yapp has enriched.  Then those Likes and Follows will mean something.

Please join us by signing up at http://yapp.us

—Maria