Attend Virtual YouTube Viewing Parties Via Uptime App

Google is bringing some of the fun and interactivity of watching a live stream to YouTube videos.

The web behemothic's Expanse 120 startup incubator over the weekend launched a new app called Uptime, which lets you attend virtual YouTube viewing parties. You'll exist able to watch YouTube videos together with friends while chatting information technology up from the same screen.

Uptime app Engage with videos by doling out hearts, stickers, and sparkles. Tap in the watch screen, for case, to create sparkles where your finger touches. Comments are overlaid on the video, and disappear once they have moved off the screen.

"When yous enter a video post, your watch will exist shown in real time with anyone in the video," according to a FAQ page. "All your engagements in the video will also be visible to others. Anyone can join the video as you are watching information technology and he/she will be able to see your watches and engagements."

You can search for videos inside the app, or input a YouTube URL in the search box to find something specific. To add a video to the Uptime Domicile feed, merely click on it, write a annotate (this step is mandatory), and click "Share." One time y'all do that, the video will appear in your followers' feeds.

On your own home Home screen, you'll run across daily video recommendations from friends and people you follow. That includes videos your friends have specifically shared or liked.

At this point, the app is simply available for iOS devices, by invitation only. If yous're interested, the Uptime team has been tweeting invite codes. To apply the app, yous'll need to log in with your Google Account credentials.

Nigh Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo is PCMag'due south expert on fitness and smart dwelling house products. Educational activity yoga for nearly x years has helped her in evaluating a range of connected health products including fitness trackers, center rate monitors, rowers, smart scales, stationary bikes, strength training machines, treadmills, and more. Angela too tests smart home devices from her ranch in Florida, including air purifiers, kitchen appliances, and robot vacuums, just to name a few.