Up-and-coming live-streaming app Periscope is now available on Android after launching on iOS a month ago to the day. The Android variant is very similar to what you'll find when using it on an Apple device although there are a few subtle differences worth pointing out.
When launching Periscope for Android, the app will suggest you follow all of the people and brands you currently follow on Twitter. The home screen shows a list of current and recent broadcasts for your followers and if nothing is going on at that very moment, you can swipe right to see other broadcasts from around the world.
The third screen (or tab) shows the top Periscope users based on the number of hearts they have received. That's not exactly the best metric to determine popularity as some have already no doubt gamed the system, but it's a start. You can also search for other users on this screen.
As The Verge notes, the biggest difference between the two platforms is how you start a broadcast. In Android, you'll see a big red button on the broadcast screen, a design element that fits into Google's Material Design aesthetic which was first introduced in Android 5.0 Lollipop.
Elsewhere, Android users will find that push notifications are a bit more granular and it's easier to jump back into viewing a broadcast after fielding a call or completing some other task that interrupted your broadcast. Just tap the Return to Broadcasts notification on the Android home screen to rejoin the action.
Periscope is Twitter's answer to Meerkat, a similar live-streaming app that's also quite popular. The former got off to a hot start with one million users having tried it in the first 10 days. The app is proving incredibly popular among celebrities and other public figures and has the potential to revolutionize live news reporting. Inevitably, it has also been used to pirate live TV and pay-per-view events such as the recent boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Periscope for Android is available as of writing in the Google Play Store.