Bits & Bytes

A collection of the latest U2 news and announcements posted by our staff.

U2 releases augmented reality app for Experience + Innocence tour

With opening night just nine days away, U2's plans to incorporate augmented reality into the Experience + Innocence tour are becoming clearer. Tonight the band announced the availability of a new mobile app called U2 Experience that's available free for both iOS and Android devices. A U2.com email promoting the app offers the most detailed explanation of how the app will work:

#U2eiTour will see a specially curated AR scene-setter -- triggered by the 100-foot-long LED wall running the length of the arena floor -- herald the band's arrival on stage. Then check out the opening song... for a live show experience you can share with all your friends, as well as thousands of other fans at the show.

Once downloaded, the app asks for access to your device's camera and invites you to test it out by pointing the camera at any image of the Songs Of Experience album cover. When you do that, Bono's image appears as if he's coming out of the album cover and he sings a short bit of "Love Is All We Have Left." (see image above)

The band's plans to use AR on the tour first came to light a month ago when tour director Willie Williams mentioned it to Rolling Stone magazine in a brief tour preview.

Bono accepts Bush Award for Distinguished Leadership

Bono took a break from U2's tour rehearsals in Montreal to accept the first George W. Bush Medal for Distinguished Leadership at an event Thursday night in Dallas, Texas. As part of the ceremonies, Bono and Bush sat down for an almost hour-long conversation that largely covered their work together on the fight against AIDS during Bush's presidency. (Earlier in the day, the pair also did a brief live video chat on YouTube.)

The Dallas Morning News has a good writeup of the event, and there's also full video on YouTube (and embedded below). Bono accepts the award at about the 5:00 mark, and the conversation begins roughly in the 8:00 to 8:30 range.

U2 Nominated for 4 Billboard Music Awards

U2 have been nominated for four 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

They're in the running for Top Duo/Group (along with The Chainsmokers, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and Migos); Top Touring Artist (along with Coldplay, Guns N' Roses, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran); Top Rock Tour (along with Coldplay and Guns N' Roses); and Top Rock Album (along with Imagine Dragons, Linkin Park, Panic! At the Disco and Portugal. The Man).

According to Billboard, "finalists are based on key interactions with music fans, as well as album and digital songs sales, radio airplay, streaming, touring and social engagement."

The Billboard Music Awards will take place May 20 in Las Vegas and air on NBC.

Join Us May 1 On The Eve Of Experience

We'll be just 24 hours from Tulsa's kickoff of the Experience + Innocence Tour, so why not talk about the Lights Of (Okla)hom(a) with other U2 fans from around the world? It's a casual night of innocence before our opening night experience. We hope to make it look so good (little more better) with some trivia and prizes as well. We can't wait to see you there!

Where: McNellie's Pub - 409 E. 1st St., Tulsa  (Phone: 918-382-7468)
When: Tuesday, May 1 - 9pm - 11pm
Cost: No cover
McNellie's will have its full menu available from 9pm - 11pm, and the bar won't close 'til late.

The rehearsals for U2's E+I tour have started in Canada

Less than a month before the Experience + Innocence tour kicks off in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U2 are already rehearsing in Laval, Canada. Fans and local media spotted the band’s trucks with equipment outside the Place Bell.

The CBC confirmed that U2 will be there for two weeks. But confidential agreements have been signed, so not a lot of information or photos are available now. If you don't mind spoilers, U2songs.com has posted a few recaps of what's been heard outside the arena.

The band is staying at a hotel in Montreal. Today, Bono visited the exhibition Une brèche en toute chose dedicated to Leonard Cohen at the Museum of Contemporary Art. "He was very moved, and said that the concert room was magnificent," said John Zeppetelli, MAC director.

We’ll be updating here if we have more news. It’s also good to keep an eye on and follow us on social media for new tour info.

LISTEN: @U2 Podcast #79 - I've Caught Myself a Bono Instead of a Pokemon

We're back with the first @U2 podcast in a couple months, and there's plenty of U2 news to catch up on: Augmented reality? Tour rehearsals underway? A new U2.com members gift? Join Becky Myers, Sherry Lawrence, Chris Enns and myself as we discuss all of that and more.

If you've subscribed to the podcast via iTunes or your favorite RSS reader, you'll get the download automatically. You can also listen on the web:

@U2 Podcast #79: I've Caught Myself a Bono Instead of a Pokemon

We have a couple hashtags you can use to contribute to the podcast going forward:

• #askatu2 — if you have a response to something you hear on the podcast, or just want to ask a question or suggest future topics
• #atu2podcast — send a photo of yourself listening to the podcast!

Thanks for listening! You can watch a recorded version of the live video stream below.

New: Get @U2 news via Amazon Echo, Google Home and Siri devices

We're proud to announce that @U2 news is now available in an audio format that you can access via Amazon Alexa devices, Google Home devices and Apple's Siri. In addition to the news that you get here on our website, on our social feeds and via our longform podcasts, we're now producing the @U2 News Brief, a short audio update covering the latest U2 news and information. Full instructions for each type of device are below, but first let's explain what we're doing.

How often will we publish news briefs?

As often as needed -- every day when the band is active and making news, or less often when there's less news to share. If you don't hear a new news brief for several days, don't be alarmed; it just means there hasn't been much news to share.

How long are they?

In our testing over the past few weeks, each news brief has run about 90 seconds. When there's more news to report, they might run longer. We don't foresee them ever running more than 3-4 minutes long.

Who records these?

During testing, it's been me writing and recording each news brief. But going forward, other @U2 staffers will join me in writing and recording them -- just like the news you get here on our website, it'll be a mix of U2 fans.

Where are these available?

If we've done everything correctly, they should be available wherever each device is being sold. For example, with Amazon, we've created a separate skill for the US, Canada, UK, Australia and India -- those are the current English-language distribution options for developers. We'll continue to use the Amazon, Google and Apple developer tools to make the audio available to new countries as soon as they can.

How do I hear the news briefs?

It works slightly differently depending on what devices you have, so here are instructions for each.

Amazon (Echo, Dot, Show, etc.): In your Alexa app, go to the "Skills" section and do a search for "U2." One of the results should be @U2 News Brief. Select that skill and then click the "Enable" button. (Alternately, you can use this web page to enable the skill if logged in to your Amazon account.) Once the skill is enabled, it'll play as part of your "Flash Briefing." If you already have multiple news sources enabled, you can use the Settings to have ours play first or last or in whatever order you want. Once you're all set up, just ask "Alexa, what's my Flash briefing?" and our news brief should play.

Google (Home, Home Max, Home Mini): Just say, "Hey Google, play the podcast @U2 News Brief." Note: In testing, we've found this can be difficult to access. When Google hears "U2," it often mistakes it for "YouTube." Ergo, some testers have been totally unable to access the news brief. Other testers have found that Google might instead plays our longform podcast. This is out of our control. Our best advice is to speak slowly, enunciate as best you can and keep trying until it learns your voice.

Apple (HomePod, iPhone, iPad): Just say, "Hey Siri, play the podcast @U2 News Brief." Your device should open up the Podcasts app and begin to play the latest news brief. But see the disclaimers above for Google devices -- they all apply here, too.

So there ya go. This is as new to us as it is to you. We welcome your feedback and constructive criticism, and we ask for your patience and understanding if you have trouble accessing the news briefs -- we'll do our best, but there may be little we can do to help.

Now available: New @U2 Android app

We're proud to let you know that @U2's new Android app is now available and can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store.

@U2 has had an Android app for several years, but for several reasons we've been unable to update that original version. That original app is now gone; it's been replaced by a new app that staff developer Braden Farmer built from the ground up. It offers all of our original U2 news and features, plus content from our blog and social channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. (If you happen to still have the old/original app, please delete it and grab the newer version.)

Download the @U2 Android app from Google Play

(BTW, we also have an iOS app with our original news and features, content from our social channels, etc. Learn more about both apps here.)