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Weekly Update - May 19, 2018: YouTube Music, Google One, Blogger Spring Clearning

This week some of the new product features announced at Google I/O are starting to roll out. But not to be outdone, there were big updates from YouTube, Google Drive and Blogger. Read on for details.
  • YouTube announced two new subscription services that replace YouTube Red: a new improved YouTube Music (which was originally launched in 2015) and the new YouTube Premium. Currently a YouTube Red subscription gets you both Google Play Music, plus ad-free, background and offline video watching and YouTube Originals. Under the new plans a Google Play Music or YouTube Music Premium subscription will get you organized and personalized music, plus the revamped YouTube Music app and website. A YouTube Premium subscription will cost $2 more per month, and will additionally include access to the ad free and offline videos and YouTube Originalis. Availability will expand from the five countries where YouTube Red is currently available to 19 countries.

    Note that if you are a current Google Play Music subscriber with YouTube Red or YouTube Red subscriber, nothing will change. You will pay the same price for YouTube Premium that you are paying now, with all the same features.
  • YouTube also launched two new music-related features. There are new improved music charts (charts.youtube.com) in 44 countries and artist, songwriter, label and publisher credits are being added automatically to videos with recorded music.
  • Blogger announced there will be “Spring Cleaning” - retirement of some features - to “make room for some exciting updates” that will be coming soon. A major change is that Blogger will no longer redirect blog visitors from outside the US to a country-specific blogspot domain. Instead you will be served the country service based on your location at blogspot.com. Also, using an OpenID identity to comment will no longer be supported, and all comments that used OpenID will be anonymized. Plus there are a number of features being retired: third party gadgets will no longer be available in the gadget library, Google+ widgets will be converted to HTML widgets, the Poll gadget will be completely retired, and several other changes. 
  • Google One is a new program that comes with paid storage. Instead of simply getting more Google Drive space or more room for your original quality photos, the new plans include 1:1 support from Google Experts for most of Google’s consumer products, shared family plans, and perks like Google Play credits or deals on hotels found in Google Search. If you currently have paid Google Drive storage, your account will eventually be upgraded automatically. Sign up to be notified when Google One is available in your area (one.google.com/getupdates).
  • New AI-driven product features announced at Google I/O are starting to roll out, including Gmail "Smart Compose" and automated reply reminders, plus the new Google News app.
  • What’s your Klout score? After May 25th it no longer matters (if it ever mattered at all), because Klout is shutting down. Lithium Technologies, which purchased Klout in 2014 for $200 million, says it will use Klout’s “AI” and machine learning capabilities in it’s “customer care” services. Alas, my own mediocre Klout score of 62 will never improve and people will never know I have expertise in “Adult Swim” and “Craigslist” (must be clever AI to link those topics that I never post about to me). If you’re curious about your Klout score, better check now.
Read on for more tips and updates for YouTubers, webmasters, Google Plussers, business owners, and more.

Image: Guitar on a Table by Juan Gris, 1915 (Public Domain)

Upcoming

YouTube and Video Creation

  • Introducing the new YouTube Music and YouTube Premium (goodbye YouTube Red) (YouTube Blog)
  • ‘Cobra Kai’ is YouTube Red’s first big hit (Variety)
  • YouTube launches new improved music charts in 44 countries (YouTube Artist blog)
  • YouTube adds artist, songwriter, label and publisher credits to videos with recorded music (YouTube Artists blog)
  • YouTube will be retiring the private direct messaging system (Creator Insider)

Go Live

  • Learn to speak Twitch emote (Polygon)

Google+

  • How to create an engaging Google+ post by telling a story (Lisa Watson)
  • Make your Google+ Community stand out with a clear name, tagline and cover image (Madeline DeRome)

Other social media

Google for businesses

Bloggers and Webmasters

Hangouts and Messaging

Made by Google, Android, Project Fi

Productivity

Privacy and Security

More around the web

Updated in March 2019 to remove Google+ links
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Comments

  1. Thiago Santos de MoraesMay 24, 2018 at 11:36 AM

    Are not you going to do any posting deepening the aftermath of this Blogger Spring Cleanup?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peggy KMay 24, 2018 at 4:05 PM

      I will be posting more, as the changes start to roll out. That way I'll be get into more specific details.

      Delete
  2. amir rezaJuly 19, 2018 at 2:19 AM

    Good job!
    Thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  3. junDecember 22, 2018 at 1:37 PM

    Thank you very much for your site

    ReplyDelete

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Spam and personal attacks are not allowed. Any comment may be removed at my own discretion ~ Peggy