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.