sfotware
Latest
Periscope broadcasts are now permanently saved by default
Earlier this month, Twitter's live-streaming app Periscope began testing saving broadcasts for more than 24 hours. During that beta phase, you had to include #save to trigger the feature. Permanent saves are now available for everyone by default, and you won't need to use that hashtag to make it work. Likes and comments are saved along with the video footage, so you'll be able to gauge reactions afterwards as well.
SoundHound adds voice search to its music discovery app
Last June, SoundHound revealed its plan to provide answers to more than just your music queries. It did just that with a universal search app called Hound, software with a feature that aimed to take on the likes of Siri and Google: voice commands. However, that handy tool didn't hadn't made the leap to the company's flagship app, but that changes today. The SoundHound software that finds music answers will now let you ask those questions with your voice.
Google Photos saves space by deleting images you've already backed up
Google Photos is a handy way to backup and organize images, and starting today, Android users are getting new features to help with the task. First, a "Free Up Space" option in the Settings menu will automatically delete photos stored on your mobile device that have already been backed up in the cloud. To make sure that you don't delete any copies that you might need on your phone or tablet, you'll have to confirm the action before it happens. You'll also be able to nix any photos stored on your device's SD card from inside the app so they won't continue to be visible there. On the web, you can opt for the smaller "High quality" setting after photos have been uploaded in "Original quality." Doing so not only saves space with smaller files, but those files won't count against the storage cap like the full resolution images do. The new features are hitting the app today on Android devices, so you should see the changes soon.
Bing Maps adds trip-planning tools and easy access to reviews
If you prefer Bing Maps as your go-to navigation tool, the software's preview version received a big redesign. Focused primarily on helping you plan trips, a load of new features aim to make it easier to search, view and share multiple destinations easily. Bing Maps Preview will pull in reviews and photos from Yelp in its search results, so you'll have quick access to suggestions when traveling in an unfamiliar locale. When it comes to planning an evening out, for example, there's a new card-based format to keep each stop a few taps away. For those entries, hours, useful details and similar options nearby are all included. Bing also employs predictive routing to help you determine the best time to head, showing you what traffic would be like for a specific time of day.
Beats Music iOS update provides a transition to Apple Music
Now that Apple Music has arrived, Beats Music is on its way out. To help with the transition from the old to the new, the Beats Music iOS app was updated to lend a hand. Subscribers can take playlists and any saved music over to the new service without having to reconfigure everything after the switch. As you might expect, making the change can't be reversed as Beats Music credentials turn into new Apple Music accounts. If you've been paying for Dr. Dre's streaming service, you'll be privy to the same three-month free trial as the masses, and you'll receive iTunes credit for any remaining balance you may have already paid. Once the three months are up, the regular $10/month or $15/month plans will kick back in. Of course, some of the features from Beats were held over for Apple's new release, so you should feel somewhat at home. If you've yet to make the jump, the update that'll help make the swap smooth is available in iTunes now.
