Billboard: YouTube building an on-demand music streaming service with free and paid tiers

The rumor mill's been churning out tales of a forthcoming YouTube music streaming service for months now, and today Billboard published a new story with a startling amount of detail about it. According to unnamed sources, YouTube's working on an on-demand music service with both free and paid tiers. Apparently, the ad-supported free version will provide unlimited, on-demand access to a whole host of tracks on any device, thanks to the licensing agreements Google struck for its Google Play All Access music service. Aside from the obvious -- removing ads from the equation -- it's unclear what folks will get for their money should they choose to opt for the paid version.

This new rumor is lended credence when considered in light of last month's revelation that YouTube will be offering offline access to content next month -- a feature that'll likely be expected from consumers who have grown accustomed to such things from the likes of Spotify, Rhapsody and other subscription music services. According to Billboard, YouTube's service has yet to receive a release date, and given how long these rumors have been floating around, it seems reasonable to expect that we won't see the new service anytime soon. For its part, when we contacted YouTube for comment on this story, we, quite naturally, got the same reply as Billboard did:

We're always working on new and better ways for people to enjoy YouTube content across all screens, and on giving partners more opportunities to reach their fans. However, we have nothing to announce at this time.

Source: Billboard

Google hints at Chromecast expansion as its apps go international

With all of the focus on the imminent unveiling of a certain next-generation Nexus smartphone, another of Google's bestselling products could soon be set for a wider launch of its own. The company has begun lifting restrictions on the official Chromecast apps and is now allowing iOS and Android users outside of the US to download them for the first time. We've successfully installed the apps on our devices in the UK and Canada, while additional reports lend credibility to complete international rollout. The Chromecast still finds itself geographically challenged, but those who jumped on Amazon's offer of international shipping will welcome Google's decision to extend the availability of the apps. While we're expecting to see the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat launch before the end of the month, we wouldn't be surprised if Google has a Chromecast surprise up its sleeve too.

Via: Android Central
Source: Chromecast (Google Play), Chromecast (App Store)

Gogo Vision teams up with Magnolia Pictures to offer films in-flight before theatrical release

High speed web browsing and airborne streaming make Gogo an essential element of any tech obsessed traveler's itinerary, but the company thinks it can offer a little more. Today the firm announced a deal with Magnolia Pictures that will put select films on its Gogo Vision VOD service before they hit theaters. Starting next month, passengers will be able to rent The Last Days On Mars and Best Man Down for the usual $3.99 fee, the former of which will be available a full month ahead of its theatrical release. While these inaugural films probably won't break any box office records, the influx of fresh, early access content will certainly be a boon for fliers who forgot to bring a book. So, flying anywhere next month? Skip past the break for a peek at your November viewing options.