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Vimeo to shut down all of its TV streaming apps later this month by Aditya Tiwari The video hosting service Vimeo announced that its TV apps will be discontinued later this month on June 27. Vimeo said it will shut down its streaming apps across all supported platforms, including Android TV, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV. These apps will be removed from the respective app stores and Vimeo will no longer push any security updates or provide technical support for its TV apps. According to a support document spotted by Engadget, the latest change doesn't apply to "branded apps available to Vimeo OTT enterprise sellers." Vimeo is displaying on-screen notifications on users' TV screens informing them about the upcoming shutdown. Vimeo's streaming apps for TV were launched back in 2016, around the time when the company positioned itself as a rival to YouTube. But over the years, Vimeo transformed itself into a business-focused streaming platform. "Today, Vimeo is much more than a viewing destination. It's an all-in-one video experience platform giving creative professionals, businesses, and organizations everything they need to make and market amazing, impactful videos," Vimeo said explaining why it's pulling the plug on its TV apps. Nevertheless, the shutdown of the Vimeo TV apps isn't the end of the road. Users can still cast their Vimeo content on the big screen with the help of its Android and iPhone apps. Vimeo said it retires legacy products that are no longer in line with its standards, adding that casting via its mobile apps can provide a "better ongoing experience" to the viewers. To cast their favorite videos on compatible TVs, users can simply look for the Chromecast or AirPlay icon in the Vimeo apps for Android and iOS. As of now, Vimeo doesn't support casting videos from a Chrome web browser but users can AirPlay Vimeo content from the Safari browser on Apple devices. Via Engadget

Vimeo improves page load times with support for AVIF images by Usama Jawad While video-hosting service Vimeo isn't quite as popular as YouTube, it still has hundreds of millions of users. Over the past few years, the company has been regularly updating its service to entice more customers. The firm has announced that it now supports AVIF images which means an automatic improvement in page load times and bandwidth consumption too. Image via Vimeo For those unaware, AVIF is an acronym for "AV1 Image File Format" and is essentially an AV1 format for still images. Both these specifications have been getting a lot of traction recently. AVIF is getting official support in Android 12 and has been supported in Cloudflare since October 2020 as well. Vimeo has stated that with support for AVIF images, page load times will increase as the format preserves comparable image quality to JPEG and WebP, while maintaining a smaller file size. Although a potential downside is that encoding takes longer, the firm says that this will not be an issue because this will be a one-time operation after which AVIF images will be cached. Moving forward, Vimeo says that its image server will deliver image formats depending upon the HTTP headers of a web request and the properties of the source image. All browsers that explicitly support the AVIF format will automatically receive images in the format, while browsers which don't will receive WebP images. JPEG and PNG will only be kept as fallback options and for compatibility with those on outdated configurations. Vimeo has highlighted that if you use Firefox and have AVIF enabled manually, you should keep in mind that colors will not appear accurate because the browser lacks proper color space support.

Dropbox Extensions aims to make users more productive by Paul Hill Image via Dropbox Dropbox has announced that on November 27 users will get a productivity boost thanks to Dropbox Extensions. The file hosting service has built partnerships with firms including Adobe, Autodesk, Vimeo, and Pixlr, to provide additional abilities to users when it comes to managing their documents. Dropbox Extensions will enable you to carry out more tasks from within Dropbox, including annotating videos and editing images, working through drafts of a PDF and getting it signed, and digitally faxing documents to their destination right from the Dropbox file. Quentin Clark, SVP Engineering, Product and Design at Dropbox said: “Dropbox is home to hundreds of billions of PDF, DWG, and multimedia files, so we’re in a perfect position to connect partners to our users based on the content they’re engaging with. By making it easy for users to find the right tools for the task at hand, everyone wins.” The full list of partners so far includes Adobe, Autodesk, DocuSign, Vimeo, airSlate, HelloSign, Nitro, Smallpdf, and Pixlr. The firm also stated that it will expand the list over time to increase the capabilities at users’ fingertips but these are the planned partners that will deliver integrations at launch towards the end of the month. Dropbox has two major aims in mind with Extensions, the first one, they say, is to make users more productive as they’ll no longer have to switch between services and potentially get distracted, the other aim is to provide users with better tools rather than having them restricted to a smaller selection from one provider.

UK Home Office AI tackles extremist propaganda [Update] by Paul Hill The UK Home Office has announced a new software tool that uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect terrorist content on platforms online, and ideally, remove them before they’re uploaded. The Government plans to distribute the software to smaller companies in order to tackle, more widely, the problem of extremist content propagated by terrorists and their supporters. In the announcement, the Home Office said: “Tests have shown this new tool can automatically detect 94% of Daesh propaganda with 99.995% accuracy. It has an extremely high degree of accuracy, for instance if it analyses one million randomly selected videos, only 60 would require additional human review. The tool can be used by any platform, and integrated into the upload process, so that the majority of video propaganda is stopped before it ever reaches the internet.” The software was developed in collaboration between the Home Office and ASI Data Science. It uses advanced machine learning in order to analyse the audio and visual data from content uploaded to the net and determines whether it could be ISIS propaganda. The technology is similar to that which the major tech companies already employ; with the software that the Government has developed, small companies, who don’t have the resources, will also be able to block propaganda. The UK Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said: “The purpose of these videos is to incite violence in our communities, recruit people to their cause, and attempt to spread fear in our society. We know that automatic technology like this, can heavily disrupt the terrorists’ actions, as well as prevent people from ever being exposed to these horrific images.” Several companies identified that could benefit from the newly developed software include Vimeo; Telegram’s publication platform, Telegra.ph; and pCloud. Update: Andrey Yanakov, Partner Program Manager and Lead Marketing Strategist at pCloud reached out to us with the following statement: "At pCloud, we do our utmost best to prevent the use of our services for illegal, abusive, obscene and harmful purposes. This includes extremism content, and in particular - Daesh propaganda. In fact, we have not received any major reports of such content being transmitted via the pCloud services. We have implemented solutions, which detect such content and remove it from the platform. If we find out that someone is using the pCloud services to transmit such content, we immediately undertake the appropriate measures to stop it. This may also include cooperating with law enforcement authorities in prosecuting users who breach our Terms and Conditions." Source: UK Home Office via The Guardian

HDR content now supported up to 8K on Vimeo by Timi Cantisano Although YouTube has become one of the more dominant online hubs to host user-created content, Vimeo hasn't thrown in the towel yet, improving its offerings, making way for new features and services. Now, the firm is touting that its service can support high dynamic range (HDR) content, giving its users more options. HDR has been slowly building up, with it becoming more mainstream, which can be found on a variety of different televisions, monitors, and in games. There is also a growing library of user-created content, which Vimeo can now fully support on its site, that can be enjoyed to its full benefit thanks to supported devices like Apple's iPhone X, its 4K TV streaming box, and the iPad Pro. This is something exclusive to the service, according to the company, with it also supporting 10-bit video, meaning things should look sharp and the quality of colors impeccable. The firm is also proud that it can offer its users a platform that supports 5K, 6K, and even 8K videos, meaning you can share your work in the way it was meant to be. Source: Vimeo 1, 2 via The Verge

Vimeo introduces support for 360-degree content, supports up to 8K resolution by Timi Cantisano While 360-degree videos have started to become more mainstream, the quality isn't quite there yet when it comes to consumer or even professional offerings. YouTube has been the go-to platform since 2015, but it now it appears that Vimeo is finally updating its service with support for the 360-degree video format. Vimeo has been around for a little over a decade and is a bit different from its YouTube counterpart. The streaming service is geared more towards professionals and offers plans that can be purchased to host content on the site. While it was a bit late to the party, it's good to see the firm once again evolve its services by offer 360-degree video support and a wide variety of tools for content creators. In terms of features, Vimeo is touting the following: Unmatched quality: Upload in up to 8K, stream in high quality, and host, manage, and publish your 360 videos — all in one place. Customizable settings: You deserve control over your videos. So go on and customize your field of view, outro, and more. 360 Video School: Whether you’re a 360 pro or newcomer, we’re continuously adding lessons to further your journey. Sell your videos: Earn more on the first major marketplace for selling 360 videos, all with your PRO or Business membership. Powerful integrations: Upload directly from places like Adobe Premiere Pro and Sony Vegas, and watch from our app with Zeiss, GearVR, and Daydream headsets. Find inspiration: Discover today’s best 360 filmmakers by following our brand-new curated channel. Watch offline: Are you underground or up in the air? Download a 360 video on your phone to stream offline and enjoy at your command. One interesting tidbit that comes when watching 360-degree content on Vimeo is that there is a directional guide on the bottom right-hand corner. This will allow you to track where you are exactly in the space of the video and is a nice touch. Be sure to check out the clip above for an example of the 360 experience. Source: Vimeo via Ubergizmo

(This is not: My Project, advertising, or endorsement) Just Something I found: "The FreedomCase allows you to customize your viewing angle through a unique folding mechanism. The low profile, lightweight, and durable case integrates with your Surface?s kickstand and works seamlessly with or without your Touch and Type covers. A built-in stylus holder allows you to secure your stylus while charging." " Why choose the FreedomCase? Adjusts to the way you use your tablet: multiple viewing angles and easy one-handed operation allows your Surface to adapt to the way you work, allowing you to use your Surface in any situation or configuration. It eases the strain on your upper neck and back, since you can properly adjust the angle based on how you?re using your Surface. Functional and sleek: low profile with enhanced functionality, the FreedomCase won?t get in the way when you?re ready to pack up your Surface and go. Adding minimal bulk at less than 3 mm (1/10th of an inch) thick and weighing less than 10 ounces, you won?t notice it in your bag. It doesn?t cover up your ventilation ports or screen bezel, so you don?t have to worry about overheating or framing your screen with an unprofessional, unsightly bulge." http://vimeo.com/85510314 Website Kickstarter " Add stability: the FreedomCase creates a more stable platform, allowing you to use it more effectively while on uneven surfaces (such as your lap). Better protection for peace of mind: the FreedomCase wraps around your Surface while not in use and closes securely with hidden rare earth magnets. Impact protection is provided by ABS panels and a durable polyurethane exterior. The interior is microfiber suede, so it is gentle on your Surface and prevents scratches. Secure your stylus and charge: an elastic loop allows you to secure your stylus while the charger is connected. Works with your keyboard covers: the unique design integrates with the Surface kickstand. It works with or without a keyboard cover (both Touch and Type, all generations). You can use it with the keyboard cover deployed or folded behind the Surface for use in tablet mode. Designed for Surface: the FreedomCase has been approved by Microsoft to be fully compatible with your Surface. We designed this with the Surface as our single priority, so you can be confident you will be receiving a premium product. How was the FreedomCase created and how has it evolved? Chris first had the idea for the FreedomCase (then called the Smart Surface Case) in May 2013 when he bought his Surface Pro. He discovered that the available cases had major shortcomings: too bulky, limited functionality, didn?t play well with the kickstand, wasn?t compatible with keyboard covers, covered up ports, etc. So, he set out to create a better solution. Drawing from his background as an engineer, Chris started sketching out prototypes and purchasing raw materials to build his first case. Testing magnet placement for the case was also important as certain magnet placements had the potential to affect the Surface in undesired ways (namely, putting it to sleep). In September 2013, he presented early prototypes to the Surface community to get feedback. He received an overwhelmingly positive response and continued to improve the case. Through December of 2013, and the creation of many different iterations of prototypes, we?ve arrived at something that is unique and refined. What the Microsoft Surface community has been saying about the FreedomCase: ?I am most impressed with the stunning new angles incorporated in the FreedomCase? especially love how I can use my Surface on my lap or even when I am lying in bed.? ? Elly C. ?That is amazing. Fits the keyboard, has magnetic clasps? THIN! Need. Now. I need it.? ? John G. ?This version looks much easier to utilize the different viewing angles. Simple design, but incredible versatility.? ? Neeraj A. ?The 82 degree angle will be wonderful for note taking. Just take my money!? ? Derek M. Which Surface models is it compatible with?All Surface models will be able to use the FreedomCase. It will come in two variations: one for the Surface RT/Surface 2 and another for the Surface Pro/Surface Pro 2. How can I buy one?We are launching the FreedomCase on Kickstarter in early February 2014. Our goal is to raise enough funds to bring the case to full production. By backing our Kickstarter project, you will receive one of the first production FreedomCases in April of 2014. Kickstarter is a crowd funding platform where people like you can help make projects a reality (and often get something in return?like this case). Be sure to check out all the amazing projects on their website, Kickstarter.com."