Kinoma Notes

A special treat for you today — we’re going to share three magic URL secrets that work with Kinoma Play’s excellent YouTube app, and make it even cooler and more useful.

Secret #1: Auto page-to-video linking

We’ll start with the secret you’re most likely to know: If you enter the URL to the web page of a YouTube video, Kinoma Play will automagically find the video’s URL from there.

For example, here’s the URL I see in my PC’s browser for a video I want to play on my phone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbvKrH-GC4&feature=feedlik

The important bit in red uniquely identifies the video. Use Kinoma Play’s Home > Open URL feature, enter the full URL, then touch Open to play it on your phone. Plus, you can easily add it to your Kinoma Play Favorites as you do.

But that’s not all! First, you don’t need to enter the ampersand (&) or anything after, making it much easier to type.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERbvKrH-GC4

And even better, since you know the video’s unique ID, you can use YouTube’s own URL shortener to shrink the URL further:

http://youtu.be/ERbvKrH-GC4

Amazing, right? Now we’re typing just 27 characters instead of the original 58.

Secret #2: Channel URLs

You can also use Open URL for entire YouTube Channels, by using a special Kinoma Play-only URL.

When you’re on a YouTube Channel page, the URL looks something like this: (Again, the important bit is in red.)

http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic?blend=1&ob=5

To open a list of videos in this channel with Kinoma Play, use the URL format below. Substitute the part in red with the name of the YouTube Channel you want to open:

x-id://youtube.com/getChannel?user=PomplamooseMusic

Note that this list is automatically updated with the YouTube Channel it’s linked to, making it perfect for saving as a Kinoma Play Favorite.

Secret #3: Playlist URLs

For even finer-grained control, you can Open URL a specific YouTube playlist. For reference, playlists look like this in YouTube’s search results:

When you click a playlist link from a search on the YouTube site, the URL will look something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYXJlfcfFKU&playnext=1&list=PLC26DAFD1CFA8A840

Note that it might look a bit different if you select a playlist from a YouTube channel, but the important part — the YouTube playlist ID — still appears at the end:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SesameStreet?blend=1&ob=5#p/c/PLC26DAFD1CFA8A840

Now you can open the playlist in Kinoma Play using the URL format below. Substitute the part in red with the name of the YouTube Channel you want to open:

x-id://youtube.com/getPlaylist?id=PLC26DAFD1CFA8A840

Enjoy

With these secrets, we hope that using Kinoma Play’s YouTube app is a bit more magical. As always, please use this knowledge only for good — and thank you for using Kinoma Play!

We’re big fans of great design. Specifically, we love design that gets out of the way, and not just in the context of software.

“In anything at all, perfection is finally attained
not when there is no longer anything to add,
but when there is no longer anything
to take away.” – Antoine de Saint Exupéry

One measure of great design is that it’s mostly “invisible”, and the 99% Invisible show is about the invisible design, architecture and activity that shapes our world.

If you’re into design, you’ll love how this show explores the design of both the very common and the very odd that you may never have thought about. And if you’re not, this “peek behind the curtain” may be all the more amazing.

Cul-de-sacs. Language. Monuments. The beeps and bloops of gadgets. The Periodic Table. Toothbrushes. These are all things that are designed, and all which have their rich stories told in recent episodes of 99% Invisible.

Seems interesting! Where do I find it?

You can find it in Kinoma Guide at Arts & Culture > Design, or just search the guide.

Enjoy!

Are we missing other cool internet content? Please take a few seconds to let us know! Just send links and short descriptions to content@kinoma.com and we’ll add them to Kinoma Guide for everyone to enjoy.

CNET’s been a favorite destination for tech news and reviews for as long as I can remember. And since it was born, Kinoma Play has been a great way to find and play CNET podcasts.

Today we’ve got a great update for CNET fans — Kinoma Guide now includes CNET’s latest show lineup, including video whenever possible!

Nice! What do we have?

In additional to the individual show categories, there’s also a couple convenience categories with the latest audio and video podcasts in reverse chronological order.

Tip: Depending on the speed and quality of your phone’s data connection, your playback experience may be better if you (1) use Wi-Fi or (2) using the Media > Download feature to downloading video podcasts before you play them.

Here’s the full list of categories:

• All Audio Podcasts [Audio] — A feed of all CNET audio podcasts.
• All Video Podcasts [Video] — A feed of all CNET video podcasts.
• The 404 [Audio, Video] — The 404 is where…well…you won’t find much of anything to help you stay connected to the latest news. You will, however, find hosts obsessed with talking about music, movies, games, and anything else in pop culture that uses technology.
• Android Atlas Weekly [Audio, Video] — From phones to tablets to set top boxes, if it runs Android, Android Atlas Weekly will cover it. AAW also reviews the hot app of the week and covers a special tip that should help you get even more use out of your Android device.
• The Apple Byte [Video] — The Apple Byte covers the fact, the fiction, and everything inside the world of Apple including the latest Apple announcements, the rumors, and the good and bad of Apple with an edgy style.
• Best of Buzz Out Loud [Audio, Video] — The Best of Buzz Out Loud brings you BOL’s unique take on the top news of the week in a weekly digest format.
• Buzz Out Loud [Audio, Video] — Buzz Out Loud features CNET’s top tech experts reviewing the day’s tech news. Each episode, five times a week, the crew analyzes, interprets, and argues about what all this technology means and what it’s doing to us.
• Buzz Report [Video] — A fresh and funny perspective on the latest in consumer electronic products to hit the market, as well as ruthless analysis and commentary on the most buzz-worthy technology news.
• Car Tech Live [Audio, Video] — Every Friday, the latest news in the ever-evolving integration between cars and technology. The hosts also drive the newest car in the CNET barn, going over its cabin tech with a fine-toothed comb, checking out off-the-line acceleration and trying not to crash.
• Car Tech [Video] — A car nut and tech afficianado takes you for an inside look at a new car and it’s cabin tech, as well as the technology that lies underneath the hood.
• CNET Conversations [Video] — You ask the questions, CNET gets the answers. CNET Conversations is a series of video interviews with tech luminaries, with CNET users submitting the questions.
• CNET News [Video] — From industry news to techy trends to newsmaker interviews, no technology angle is too small or obscure to explore. Our reporters take you there in this video series that aims to bring you even closer to the tech news you find daily on CNET News.
• CNET Tech Review [Video] — CNET Tech Review rounds up the hottest new videos from CNET TV each week. From First Looks of big products, to Prizefights, to How-To videos, we bring you the good, the bad and the bottom line as well as what’s happening in the tech world.
• CNET to the Rescue [Audio, Video] — You deserve to get the most out of the technology you use. The CNET to the Rescue podcast gives you the tips and tricks to master the products you own and get the best deals on new technology. Every Wednesday, your hosts take on new topics and answer your emailed and live phone questions.
• CNET’s Top 5 [Video] — Check out the best and worst of technology as counted down by your host, from the hottest gadgets to the worst downloads and much more. Watch each week to find out what’s No. 1.
• Crave [Video] — The name says it all: Crave covers the coolest, hottest and sexiest digital gadgetry that you *must* have. Whether its the thinnest phone, the latest iPod or the first billion-pixel camera, your hosts will talk about it on Crave.
• Dialed In [Audio, Video] — Whether it’s for just making calls or for cramming your entire life into one device, the ubiquitous cell phone continues to evolve. Each Wednesday your hosts meet to discuss the latest cell phone news and answer your questions about what’s in, what’s out, and what’s coming next.
• Digital City [Audio, Video] — Live from New York, your hosts explore the impact of new technology on city life and urban environments, from municipal Wi-Fi, to high-tech crime, to tricks for cutting the line at the Apple Store.
• The Digital Home [Audio] — A no-nonsense discussion on what really is going on with all the tech topics related to your Digital Home.
• First Look [Video] — Get the first look at the hottest products from our expert CNET editors. They’ll dive in deep and cover all of the hot features, as well as the flaws, of the latest tech gadgets across every product category.
• For The Record [Audio] — Talks with tech insiders about products and issues ranging from an inside look at the newest tech products to a critical analysis of tech policy issues. Drawing on company reps, analysts, CNET beat reporters and other experts, your hosts gets the answers you need to hear.
• The Green Show [Video] — The latest in green technology, covering news, consumer electronics, and tips focused on energy efficiency. Your host gives you insight into being environmentally responsible and gathers the latest results of CNET’s lab testing.
• Hacks [Video] — If technology doesn’t do what you want, then hack it. CNET hacks gets under the hood of your favorite gadgets and tech to show you how to do things you might not have thought possible.
• How To [Video] — See all the steps for solving tech problems or just getting more out of What you’re using. Whether it’s a computer tip, tweaks and tricks for your DVR, or ways to get more out of your smartphone, you’ll find it in CNET How To. Each video is helpfully rated easy, medium, difficult or supergeek.
• Indecent Exposure [Audio] — Kick back and listen to this weekly chat about what’s new, interesting, useful — and occasionally irritating — in the world of digital photography and imaging.
• Inside CNET Labs [Audio] — Take a look inside CNET’s editorial process from a performance testing perspective, offering a glimpse of the good, the bad, and the ugly. You’ll also go inside the heads of CNET Labs as they offer opinionated discussion on subjects ranging from personal insecurities to whether the existence of time can be proven.
• Loaded [Video] — Start your day with CNET’s daily technology news video show. Your host discusses the day’s news hot off the Interwebs and takes technology to the streets of New York City to see it at work.
• preGAME [Video] — The week’s gaming news and highlights you care about. Your hosts bring you live in-house demos of the hottest games a week before they’re released and give you a sneak peek at what’s to come with live commentary, reactions, and interviews with the people behind the games.
• Prizefight [Video] — It’s the ultimate face-off between tech’s top dogs in this five-round, winner-takes-all bout. Watch every blow-by-blow, where you’ll find the hottest cell phones, digital audio players, cameras, and more, battling it out for Prizefight supremacy.
• Reporters’ Roundtable [Audio, Video] — Each week, CNET News and Reviews editors discuss in detail the biggest tech issues of the week, and predict the outcomes of ongoing technology market battles.
• Tap That App [Video] — Tap That App focuses on all the hottest mobile applications for all platforms. But the most important question is, “Will you tap that?”

Great, how do I find them?

You can find them in Kinoma Guide at Providers > CNET.com, or just search the guide for the specific show you’re interested in.

Enjoy!

Are we missing other cool internet content? Please take a few seconds to let us know! Just send links and short descriptions to content@kinoma.com and we’ll add them to Kinoma Guide for everyone to enjoy.

For over 60 years, the Reith Lectures have been given by a distinguished group of scientists, diplomats, artists, philosophers and other international figures. Named after Lord Reith, the first Director General of the BBC, they started in 1948 and continue to this day.

The goal? To advance public understanding of the important issues of their day. The result? “A journey through the great names and thinkers of the last 60 years”, as put by Andrew Caspari, the BBC’s head of Speech Radio Interactive.

BBC Radio 4 just made more than 240 of these lectures available to the public. Today we’re happy to announce that they’re now at your fingertips with Kinoma Play.

So — irrelevant, boring lectures by dull academics, right? Not if you’re into history, or hearing amazing people talk about issues that still resonate decades later.

For example, a 1952 lecture by historian Arnold Toynbee examines the impact of westernisation in Muslim countries. And even in 1969, lectures by ecologist Frank Fraser Darling helped establish the debate surrounding the protection of the environment as he warned of the onset of global climate change.

Great, how do I find them?

You can find them in Kinoma Guide at Providers > BBC > Reith Lectures Archive, or just search the guide for “reith”.

(The “Reith Lectures 2011-” category currently just has a welcome message from the BBC, but this year’s 5 lectures will appear here as they become available.)

Enjoy!

Are we missing other cool internet content? Please take a few seconds to let us know! Just send links and short descriptions to content@kinoma.com and we’ll add them to Kinoma Guide for everyone to enjoy.

Kinoma Play puts an amazing amount of great content at your fingertips. Even if you stick to Kinoma Guide, you can enjoy something new every day and never play the same thing twice.

But what if you want to play something that isn’t in Kinoma Guide or Kinoma Play’s other apps? Open URL to the rescue!

To use Open URL, just open the menu from the Home screen and choose Home > Open URL.

Supported formats

The powerful-but-unassuming Open URL feature allows you to open links in any format supported by Kinoma Play. And there’s a lot of them…

• Video — Kinoma Play supports MPEG-4 Video SP, AVC/H.264 BP (Baseline Profile) and MP (Main profile) video, 3GPP (same as MPEG-4), Flash Video (Sorenson Spark codec), QuickTime Movie (same as MPEG-4) and Windows Media 9 (WMV9 codec) video formats. For streaming, Kinoma Play supports HTTP, RTSP, and MMS streaming.

• Audio — Kinoma Play supports MP3, AAC (iTunes), aacPlus, Flash Video (MP3 in an FLV), Windows Media Audio 9, and Audible audio, plus FLAC lossless audio and uncompressed WAV. For streaming, Kinoma Play supports HTTP, RTSP, MMS and Audible streaming. It also supports all popular playlist formats, including ASX (Windows Media), M3U, PLS, PVX and XSPF.

• Pictures & Images — Kinoma Play supports JPEG, PNG and BMP image formats, plus QuickTime VR panoramas, either standalone or in RSS photostreams.

• Playlists — Kinoma Play supports all popular playlist formats, including M3U playlists (.m3u), Playlists (.pls), Windows Media playlists (.asx), RSS and OPML.

As you can see, that covers almost every popular format used on the web today.

Tips and tricks

• Use a URL shortener like goo.gl or bit.ly to make a short URL that’s easy to enter on your phone.

• Or avoid typing altogether. Copy a link from your email client or browser, then use Open URL — its “clipboard auto-paste” feature will enter it for you.

• Create playlists in the cloud to make personal lists of links, then use Open URL to add them to your Favorites (and from there to your Home screen, etc). Both Box.net (upgraded accounts only) and Dropbox let you get direct links to files that can be used with Open URL, and are perfect places to store your custom playlists.

We hope this enhances your enjoyment of Kinoma Play! And if you have any questions or comments, please let us know in our forum.