14 DAY TRIAL // Qplay is launching an all-new version of its free iPhone app today to include content from curators Vanity Fair, Digg, Reddit, Vice, College Humor, Funny or Die, and the New York Times, all via public feeds.
A new entertainment solution from TiVo founders Mike Ramsay and Jim Barton, Qplay, lets users create streams of Internet video on TV and mobile devices. In other words, Qplay gives users a TV-like interface for video scattered across the Internet.
The app’s specialty is the ability to creates Qs, or channels, using videos found by users through social discovery by seeing what their friends are sharing, essentially building a growing community of curated video.
New videos sources include Digg, Reddit, Funny or Die, and NY Times, with more on the way, according to the developers. In addition to offering major performance improvements and new video sources, Qplay 1.30 lets users share videos with friends via Facebook, Twitter, email, and Qplay Friends. With the Qplay TV Adapter (sold separately), you can put your Qs on the big screen.
The service is completely free, there are no membership fees, no ads, and the TV Adapter isn’t even required to enjoy Qplay on your iDevice, according to the developers.
“Anyone who wants to use Qplay on an iPad can download the app from the Apple App Store for free, TV Adapter purchase no longer required,” the company says.
Following a successful Early Adopter release, co-founders Mike Ramsay and Jim Barton announced general availability of the Qplay service today.
Ramsay said, “When we announced Qplay we defined a new paradigm of Internet video entertainment. Our goal for the Early Adopter release was to see how people used the service. What we found was they fully embraced Qplay - making and watching Qs, sharing with friends, and watching video on the TV and the iPad. As of today, we’re now offering a general release of the Qplay application and service.”
CTO Jim Barton added, “We’re continuing to develop the Qplay service at a rapid pace. We’re enabling the curation of more Qs, on the fly, by combining videos from multiple sources in real time, making the experience faster, easier and more fun.”
Supported languages include English, German, Northern Sami, and Spanish. iOS 7.0 is required and a compatible iPad: iPad second generation, iPad third generation, iPad fourth generation, iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad mini with Retina display.