November 29,2017ByDAVID VEGA

Snapchat Unveils Redesigned App Aimed at Separating Your Best Friends From Brand Content

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Following an op-ed shared on Axios earlier this morning by CEO Evan Spiegel, Snapchat has now unveiled its radical redesign with the goal of creating a personalized user experience that’s easier to navigate, particularly for new users (via TechCrunch). The app’s update will start to roll out to iOS and Android users on Friday, and will be introduced to everyone “within a few weeks.” The update aggregates both Stories and direct messages into one place, to the left of the main camera section of the app, and an algorithm sorts and prioritizes this section by “who you talk to and view most.” This personalized content is now separate from premium publishers, celebrity Snapchatters, and aggregated Story events in “Discover” to the right of the camera, where Stories were located previously. Images via TechCrunch According to Spiegel, this is an attempt to “separate the social from the media” and ensure that it’s simpler to keep up with your real friends and not be inundated with things you might not care about created by brands and influencers. With the upcoming redesign of Snapchat, we are separating the social from the media, and taking an important step forward towards strengthening our relationships with our friends and our relationships with the media. This will provide a better way for publishers to distribute and monetize their Stories, and a more personal way for friends to communicate and find the content they want to watch. The Discover area is curated by Snapchat employees but is also affected by an algorithm that will sort content based on your past viewing behavior, which Spiegel stated is inspired by Netflix’s recommendation algorithms. Spiegel said that research has shown “your past behavior is a far better predictor of what you’re interested in than anything your friends are doing,” referencing rival companies like Facebook and Twitter. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx1R-eHSkfM?rel=0] All of this borders the camera section of the app, which you’ll still see first when you open Snapchat. Navigation is made simpler thanks to icons that push you to specific sections of the app from this launch menu, including more obvious buttons for My Story, adding friends, Snap Map, and more. The biggest change comes on the Friends page and its combination of Stories and direct messages. When you come to this area of Snapchat, you’ll first see new Snaps and messages at the top, then Stories from close friends (who you watch and chat with the most), and then last will be other Stories from friends you don’t interact with as much. Auto-advancing is back but with a new quality of life fix that provides a brief title screen that pops up with the name of the next friend in the queue, which you can easily swipe to skip. Snapchat has been facing intense competition from Instagram and its own Stories feature, which it launched in August 2016. The Facebook-owned company’s version of Stories quickly caught on with users and eventually managed to capture more daily active users than Snapchat in less than a year. Author: Mitchel Broussard...

November 29,2017ByDAVID VEGA

LGBT fans warned holding hands at Russia World Cup will be dangerous

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LGBT fans will be warned about holding hands in public and other outward displays of affection when in Russia for the World Cup 2018 next summer. A cautionary guide will be produced by Fare (Football Against Racism in Europe) a pressure group that campaigns for equality in football/soccer. The guide will advise gay people to be cautious in any place which is not seen to be welcoming to the LGBT community,” FARE executive director Piara Powar FARE has written to FIFA to ask if it would be possible for fans to hold LGBTQ rainbow flags in the stadium. While FIFA doesn’t allow for political flags, nothing in the regulations clearly state something like a rainbow flag would be banned. Warnings also apply to black and ethnic minority fans, due to long-held concerns about the presence of nationalist groups in the country. Being gay is not illegal in Russia but the country has a law banning teaching about homosexuality in schools and there are numerous cases where gay people from foreign countries have been attacked because of their sexuality. A FIFA spokesman said football’s world governing body could not comment “on this planned guide on such short notice” but it “has a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination”. Note: FIFA will place anti-discrimination observers in stadiums to spot incidents, something which was first tested at the Confederations Cup this year. The draw for Russia 2018 takes place in Moscow on Friday, with the tournament starting on June 14, 2018. Author: David Vega...

November 27,2017ByDAVID VEGA

You can now request to join someone’s Instagram live stream

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Instagram just rolled out a neat feature for its live product. Users can now request to join a live stream that they’re watching and, if accepted, can start broadcasting live as the host’s guest. To request to join a live video a viewer can tap a request button in the comments section. Hosts see the request pop up in real time and can accept or deny, and also have access to a list of pending requests in case a bunch of different people are trying to join in. Instagram had already let anyone streaming live invite a friend to join them, but by adding a request feature the possibilities for collaboration are greatly expanded. Imagine a celebrity “taking calls” from fans. With the ability to see all pending requests, a host could pick a fan to join them live at random, or even selectively pick someone who just made an insightful comment in the chat. Of course, there’s the worry that someone says something inappropriate when they join, but that’s not necessarily any riskier than allowing random people to comment on your posts. In an ideal world, Instagram would build in a feature like a 2- or 3-second delay that would let the host boot the guest if they said anything inappropriate, but for now it seems like hosts will just have to selectively screen their guests. The feature also should be helpful among friends. It shifts the burden for collaboration from host to guest, meaning a lot more people should try to participate, which results in a happier host and better overall content. Author: Fitz Tepper...

November 17,2017ByDAVID VEGA

Instagram Stories adds no-frills photo-only posting from mobile web

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Snap Chat Dead? Instagram Stories adds no-frills photo-only posting from the mobile web, as Instagram really wants the developing world to start using Storytelling with Brand Development. IG Users won’t be able to use Instagram’s augmented reality masks or share videos, but starting today (Nov. 16th, 2017) mobile web users can post to Instagram Stories. Previously, mobile web users could only view Stories, which have to be created in Instagram’s native apps. But now users can snap photos, overlay text captions, and share them with friends from mobile web, as well as Save posts they find in the feed and want to revisit later. Releasing soon in stages, everyone in the next few weeks will see a camera icon in the top left corner they can tap to shoot or upload a photo of their Story. Captions in different colors can then be laid on top. But videos and the rest of Instagram’s creative tools like doodling, stickers, location tags, polls, and more are still just in the native apps. Instagram says it plans to keep improving the creative tool offering on mobile web but it has nothing more to share right now. If Instagram can get its Stories institutionalized worldwide before Snapchat gets there, it could lock in a long-standing audience and be the end of the Ghost. Featured Image: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch...

November 14,2017ByDAVID VEGA

Microsoft unveils special Skype version for freelancers and small business

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Microsoft is creating a unique version of Skype for small business owners and freelancers. This is particularly useful for freelancers that might use Skype to provide tutorials, training, or consulting. “Skype Professional Account gives you the power to do all that from one app for free during the preview. From French tutors to yoga instructors, you’ll be able to book lessons, accept payments, and give lessons all from one place, seamlessly. Plus, we’ve added an enhanced profile page to help improve your online presence and a dedicated website for your small business right in Skype. Your contacts will be able to see pertinent info about your hours and business offerings.” – Skype Blog The new Skype version will let small business owners and freelancers book meetings and accept payments all within the same tool, instead of third-party alternatives. It’s not clear if Microsoft intends to run this as a free service once the preview is finished, but testers can sign-up to try it out over at Microsoft’s Skype homepage. All the features work together. For example, a payment request can be sent along with a booking. You’ll also be able to see all your notes without leaving the app. In addition, you’ll be able to easily port your contacts over to the Skype Professional Account Preview desktop client while your customers and clients continue to use their familiar Skype app to work with you. As for your customers, in addition to searching for friends and groups they want on Skype, they’ll be able to find businesses as well. That means they can now look for the kind of professional they want to work with. ...

November 9,2017ByDAVID VEGA

6 Noteworthy Reasons to Outsource Web Development

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In this article, we take a look at six noteworthy reasons you should outsource web development and why the advantage goes beyond cost. @tridence...

October 31,2017ByDAVID VEGA

Instagram adds mid-feed preview tiles for Stories, tests new stop-motion camera feature

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Getting tired of the same old Instagram Stories? Get ready for stop motion, the newest feature in Instagram’s story camera. The tool allows you to take a series of photos, string them together into a short stop-motion video and post them to your story. You can edit the videos with filters, stickers, and texts, just like any other post to Stories. The Stop Motion feature is available inside the Story camera alongside other options like Boomerang and the recently released Superzoom tool. Stop Motion is not available for all users at the current time, but Instagram has confirmed it’s in testing. Over a year ago, Instagram rolled out its clone of Snapchat’s popular Stories feature and has since said that its version of Stories reaches over 250 million daily users. Now, Instagram is making a change to its iOS app that makes Stories even more prominent. While before, Stories were limited to a bar along the top of the app, Instagram is now placing much larger “preview tiles” of Stories in a user’s main feed. You’ll see the new tiles while scrolling throughout the feed, under a “Recent Stories” heading. You’ll see three rather large tiles next one another, with each one offering a quick preview of another user’s story and the option to tap to view the whole story....

October 11,2017ByDAVID VEGA

Snapchat’s new context cards let you read reviews, book reservations, and more.

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Snapchat today is introducing context cards, which add contextual information to geotagged photos and images shared in public stories. Snaps added to the regional Our Story feature, or those sent with the white-text, venue-specific geo filter, will include the cards automatically. Users can swipe up on any snap that displays the word “more” and they’ll see an interactive card pop up with contextual information about the place in question. Partners supplying information for the cards include Foursquare, OpenTable, TripAdvisor, and Lyft, and will grow over time, Snaps says. If you’ve used Google Maps, you’ve seen cards like these. They offer basic details about a venue including the address, phone number, website, and hours. Scroll down and you’ll see crowdsourced reviews from Snap’s partners. You can reserve a table using OpenTable, Resy, or Bookatable, or order rides to venues using Lyft and Uber. Some context cards will also have public stories integrated into the card, along with images contributed by the venue. The move comes about four months after the introduction of Snap Maps, which allows you to see your friends’ locations in real time, alongside a heat map of public snaps. Maps are viewed internally as a promising new area of investment for Snap; contributions to public stories are up 40 percent since they were introduced, Axios reported last week. Context cards will help Snap build out an infrastructure for its future efforts in local products, while also likely creating new revenue opportunities down the line. Let’s get to some of your frequently asked questions about context cards. Are context cards good or bad? They seem relatively good. They do not appear to be actively bad. What’s so good about them? They teach teenagers about important concepts, such as the importance of making reservations or checking to see whether a business is open before making their mom drive them all the way there in this traffic. What is the worst context card I can expect to see? Definitely the Goop cards. Goop is one of the nine launch partners, and now there will be unsolicited Goop in your snaps. What does Elise Loehnen, chief content officer of Goop, have to say about context cards, in the promotional materials that were distributed for context cards? “Travel is one of our most popular verticals, and a natural extension of Gwyneth’s impetus for starting Goop: to create a place where readers can find recommendations from a trusted friend, not from an anonymous, crowdsourced engine.” Won’t context cards primarily show recommendations from anonymous, crowdsourced engines? That is our understanding, yes. How can I protect my teenager from Goop recommendations? Slather them in Goop’s most hated enemies: processed cheese and Mountain Dew. Great. Where are context cards available? You’ll see them on both iOS and Android, assuming you live in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, or New Zealand. Author: Casey Newton...

October 10,2017ByDAVID VEGA

How to Change Google Assistant to a Male Voice.

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Did you know? The Google Assistant can now be changed to sound like a male, and this is how to do it. Changing Assistant voices on your phone Hold down on your home button to prompt the Google Assistant Tap the circular blue icon near the upper-right Touch the overflow icon in the top-right and go to Settings Go to Preferences -> Assistant voice Changing Assistant voices on Google Home Open the Google Home app Go to More settings from the hamburger menu Preferences -> Assistant voice Once you’re at the Assistant voice section, Voice I is the female voice and Voice II is the male one. Tapping the blue speaker icon next to each one will play a preview for how it sounds, and touching anywhere else on either voice option will select it as your new default. The male voice doesn’t change anything about how the Google Assistant works, but it is nice to have some added customization over how Google’s AI sounds when interacting with it. That’s it. It’s super easy to change (and super easy to change back) if you want to try something new. A heads up: The feature isn’t available everywhere just yet, so if you’re outside the United States you might have to wait a bit before it will become available for your device....

September 19,2017ByDAVID VEGA

How to clear your iPhone’s storage space for iOS 11

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iOS 11, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, is rolling out on Tuesday, and it’s bringing with it a bunch of new and improved features. There you are, pent up with anticipation of upgrading to the new iOS 11 when BAM! You’re hit with a “Not enough storage” notification on your iPhone or iPad. A full iPhone is less common these days than it used to be when Apple offered iPhones with a pathetic 16GB of storage. But even if you have a 32, 64, 128, or even a 256GB iPhone, those apps and photos/4K videos can sure pile up pretty fast. If you get the infamous “Not enough storage” notification when you’re trying to upgrade to iOS 11, check out what you can do to free up some space: 1. Try upgrading to iOS 11 by connecting your iPhone to your computer and using iTunes. Using iTunes to upgrade to the new iOS uses up less space than installing it straight from your iPhone. Open iTunes > click the small iPhone symbol towards the top left > then click Check for Update. If the update is available, go ahead and update to iOS 11. 2. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to free up space on your iPhone. See which apps are using up the most space and decide which ones you can delete. 3. If you haven’t already, download Google Photos to store all your photos in the cloud, then delete them all from your phone. Google This is a must for anyone who often runs out of space on their iPhones. Google Photos offers free and unlimited storage of all your photos and videos taken with your iPhone. Once you upload all your photos to Google Photos, you can delete all those that are in your iPhone’s storage by tapping the settings button (three horizontal lines on the top left of the app), then tapping “Free up space.” Don’t worry, all your photos will be available from the cloud as long as you have a data connection, and you can access them from any device where you can log in to your Google account. 4. Delete social media apps that are taking up a bunch of storage space, then re-install them (and sign back in). Social media apps like Facebook and Snapchat pile up a bunch of extra data over time that doesn’t really affect the app’s experience or performance. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of that extra data is by deleting the app altogether, then re-installing the app and signing back in. 5. People who like to store their music on their phones won’t like it, but they may have to consider a music streaming service if their iPhone storage keeps filling up. Apple Those who store music files on their phones are pretty stubborn. Yet, the reality is that you’ll have to at least consider a music streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music if your iPhone keeps running out of storage. 6. Delete messages in your messaging apps. Messages in your various messaging apps can take up a surprising amount of space if they contain a lot of GIFs, photos, audio recording, or videos. Go through your messages and start deleting those you don’t mind getting rid of. You can save photos or videos by saving them to your iPhone’s Photo Gallery, then opening the Google Photos app to upload them to Google Photos. 7. Make your iPhone delete messages automatically after 30 days. iPhones are set to keep your messages forever, and they can also take up a lot of space with photos and videos. You can make your iPhone delete messages 30 days after the last message was sent or received automatically by going into Settings > Messages > Keep Messages > set to 30 days. 8. Try some weird tricks we found that help clear up storage space on your iPhone. You can try the iPhone backup and restore method with iTunes to free up some random storage space on your iPhone that you didn’t know you had. I freed up six gigabytes of storage using this method. One note about this method: I’ve had some trouble using this method recently, as iTunes keeps telling me my computer doesn’t have enough storage to restore my iPhone’s backup. That seems highly unlikely, as I have over 250GB of free storage on my computer. Perhaps you’ll have better luck with this method. Author: Antonio Villas-Boas ...