Tag Archives: Meerkat

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.

What the Tech?! Meerkat App

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Meerkats - Meerkat App

Quick Summary

  • Yapp explains what the Meerkat app is and why it was getting attention in the tech world.
  • The post gives readers a simple overview of a trending live-streaming platform.
  • Readers interested in fast, approachable tech updates will benefit most from this piece.

Meerkat App, n;

Live streaming mobile app that sends feeds directly to Twitter. Meerkat‘s app lets anyone send a livestream of what’s happening — be it news or every day life — into the Twitter-verse for others to watch and follow. The app is free, but currently only available on iOS.

The videos are true livestreams — once you stop broadcasting, the video disappears forever. Unlike other popular video apps (Vine and Snapchat leading the pack), you can’t save or rebroadcast; the streams live in the moment and on Twitter. Your followers will see the video in a tweet that starts |LIVE NOW| and can easily catch your video and add their comments while watching.

After the app’s launch on Feb. 27, it quickly blew up, gaining almost 30,000 users in a week. It so far has a lot of traction with journalists and news organizations as a great tool for writers. See something happening and need a report ASAP? Snap a Meerkat video and stream it to your followers. But its uses don’t have to be breaking, like news; it could be a great tool for announcements, showcasing events, or promoting your own content.