If there is one thing we all can agree on, it is that Facebook just wasn't big enough before.
Well, thanks to new functionality that lets you stream Facebook video directly to your TV, we won't be able to say that anymore. Now, we'll all be able to watch Facebook videos as they were meant to be seen -- on the big(ger) screen.
In IT Blogwatch, we make some popcorn.
So what exactly is happening? Elyse Betters has the background:
Facebook...has been really pushing video these last couple years...bulking [up] its video platform and live-streaming capabilities. Now, as part of that strategy, you can send any Facebook video to your nearby Apple TV or Chromecast. The functionality works from web browsers and iOS devices...support for Chromecast (no support for Apple TV) will soon arrive for Android too.
How exactly does it work, though? Chris Davies has the details:
Given the increasing controversy over the U.S. election...plenty of those videos might [have] to do with Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. Still, there should be a fair number of cat clips...or the short cookery tutorials that...have taken Facebook by storm.
...
When...watching a video...there’ll be a TV symbol in the top right corner. Tapping that will bring up a list of devices that support casting; picking one will automatically connect with it...the selected video should resume on your TV. It supports both prerecorded clips and Facebook Live videos.
But can you still use your phone will it is casting to the TV? Brent Ayrey, product director at Facebook, fills us in:
While you’re watching a Facebook video on your TV, you can...scroll through News Feed on the device you’re streaming from, so you can catch up on other stories while your video keeps playing...Or you can find more videos to watch by choosing a new one from places like News Feed or your Saved tab.
Facebook isn't the only social network with a TV-centric video strategy. Jake Smith has the background on another:
Social networks have been making a big video push...Twitter recently released a dedicated video app for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox One.
No comments:
Post a Comment