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Facebook updates iOS app with features from standalone Messenger and Camera apps
It’s not folding all of its apps back into one, but Facebook has now rolled out an updated version of its main iOS app that incorporates some features first seen in its standalone apps. That includes the ability to swipe left anywhere in the app to see who’s available to send a message to, as well as the ability to add the friends you message the most to the top of your favorites — both features drawn from Messenger. You’ll also get the new “upload flow” from Facebook’s Camera app that promises to let you share multiple photos faster, and the ability to send Facebook Gifts directly from the app (although that remains a US-only feature).
Camera Awesome App Launches On The iPad
If you are one of the 7 million users that use the Camera Awesome iPhone application or are looking for a more customisable camera application for your iPad.
You might be interested to learn that SmugMug the developers of Camera Awesome iPhone app have now released a dedicated iPad version of their camera app, allowing you to use the app on the larger iPads screen natively.
Developers SmugMug CEO Don McAskill explained in an interview with Tech Crunch:
“Six months ago when we shipped Camera Awesome, I hadn’t thought that we would work on an iPad version at all, because I thought that iPads were terrible, awkward devices to take photos on,”-“But we have over 7 million Camera Awesome users, and they, in overwhelming numbers, asked us for an iPad version, and as a company that’s been fuelled by customer feedback its entire life, we thought that we should at least take a look.”
The camera Awesome iPad application is now available to download from the iTunes App Store for free, with plenty of extra features available via in-app purchases.
Source: Tech Crunch
Camera+ iOS App Update Adds iPhone 5 Low Light Photography Mode Support
TapTapTap has rolled out a new update this week for its awesome Camera+ iOS application, which its creators say is one of the first applications, if not the first app to support the iPhone 5′s new low light photography mode.
The new updated Camera+ app also now support higher resolution images when you are sharing them with your friends and family via Facebook.
Scott Meinzer of TapTapTap explains how the new low light mode on iPhone 5 works.
“Apple has added the ability for the sensor in the iPhone 5 to take pictures at 4 times the sensitivity. If you’re a camera buff this means the ISO can go from a limit of 800 before, up to 3200 now!
We’re excited to announce that Camera+ 3.5.1 supports extended low-light shooting on the iPhone 5! To show you exactly what this means we’ve taken a comparison photo with Camera+ on the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and iPhone 5 with new low-light mode. It adds some additional noise, as you can see in the 100% zoom, but it also enables you to take photos you wouldn’t have been able to take otherwise.”
The latest Camera+ iOS app update also include a number of bug fixes for iOS 6 and tweaks for permission errors, it also now available to download from the iTunes app store.
Source: TNW
Google makes Gesture Search compatible with Nexus 7, improves app’s overall performance
Earlier this morning, Google did the iOS crowd a generous favor by flipping the switch on its Street View service to help alleviate some of those Maps troubles, so it’s only natural to take care of the Android faithful as well. With that in mind, Google has updated its Gesture Search to be fully compatible with the ASUS-built Nexus 7, as well as improving the application’s UI, boosting search performance, adding support for more languages and allowing contacts without digits to now be searchable. The new version of Gesture Search can be downloaded now via Google Play, straight from your device or by simply using the link down below.
Microsoft announces updates for Windows 8 built-in apps, just in time for October 26th launch
All signs point toward the impending general availability of Windows 8, what with the upcoming OS launch event, the Surface RT finally hitting the FCC, and Paul Allen letting the world knows what he thinks of it. In light of this, the Redmond company has announced a final update push to the built-in apps you’ll find in Windows 8. The Bing update will be first out the gate tomorrow — it promises richer search results for local content — with the rest rolling out through October 26th. Also of note is Music, which touts “expanded music services” as an update (Xbox Music, anyone?). If you’re itching to know what built-in apps will be updated, you can get the full and extensive list after the break.
New York Times releases ‘experimental’ HTML5 iPad app, puts Twitter trends front and center
The New York Times isn’t beyond a little “experimentation” — not when it comes to iPad apps, at least. The old gray lady today is showing off its “experimental” iPad web app, an HTML5-powered reading experience available to digital subscribers with its Web + Tablet and All Digital Access packages. The app’s got four ways to consume all the news that’s fit to digitize, including the Trending format, which offers up the past hour’s top 25 trending stories on Twitter and the more traditional Today’s Paper, which recalls those days when people used to get their news from dead trees. More info can be found in the press release after the break, and if you’re on an iPad, you can access the site via the source link below.
Connected To The Case to use Facebook for crowd-sourced crime solving
Ready the spandex and decide on a name for your alter ego, because come October 16th, you’ll have the chance to fight crime from the comfort of your computer. On that date, the “Connected To The Case” website goes live with the aim of crowd-sourcing tips from its users to help the cops solve active investigations. You’ll use your Facebook login for access, as the service pulls data from your profile to prioritize cases with which you might have a connection. Morgan Wright, CEO and Chief Crime Fighter of Crowd Sourced Investigations, told us its system looks at five key areas when digging for pertinent triggers: “date, location, time, relation and demographics.” It then uses that data to tailor notifications of unsolved crimes based on — for example — proximity to your school, or where you used to work. Rest assured that you control the privacy settings, and if you’ve got useful info to share, you can do so anonymously.
Law enforcement agencies can register to include their cases from today, with the initial roll-out targeting the US. The plan is to expand first to other English-speaking countries, with foreign language support in the future to build a global network of internet do-gooders. Including data from other social networks is also in the pipeline, starting with Twitter and later, Foursquare and Pinterest. A smartphone app is also on the agenda, so get your detective devices ready — we can be heroes, if just for one click.
YouTube for Android update brings preloading to Froyo and Gingerbread, YouTube TV queuing
Just because your Android hardware hasn’t been upgraded to the most recent (or, next to the most recent) version of the OS doesn’t mean you have to miss new features. Google has shipped a new version of its YouTube app that brings the preloading feature we saw arrive on ICS and above devices back in June to Gingerbread and Froyo. You’ll still have to be online to watch preloaded videos from your subscriptions or watch later list, but they precache while you’re on WiFi and plugged in so you don’t have to wait through buffering to show someone Gangnam Style at the bus stop. Otherwise, the initial Watch page has changed slightly, there are more channels in the Channel Store and you can also queue up videos to play later on any YouTube-enabled TV (Google TV, PS3 etc.) device you’ve paired with your mobile.
Google updates Chrome app for iOS 6, makes it friendly with the iPhone 5
Over the next few weeks, we can surely expect iOS developers from all over the globe to start pushing out updates to make their applications better interact with Apple’s iOS 6 and that all-new screen found on the iPhone 5. And, because we know some of you choose Chrome over Cupertino’s built-in Safari browser, we thought we’d single out the fact that Google has outed a new version of the app which makes it friendly with the new iPhone’s larger display as well as the most recent variant of iOS. Aside from the iPhone 5 / iOS 6 compatibility, though, Mountain View also bundled in some undisclosed stability and security improvements in version 21.0.1180.82 (!) of the web browsing application. As is usually the case, you’ll find the updated Chrome goods in the App Store — link for that is just down below.
Facebook trialling automatic Photo Syncing for Android app
It might not be the biggest Facebook-photo news of late, but if you like to share your life with the network’s Android app, there’s word of a new feature on trial just for you — photo syncing. Sound familiar? Sure, that’s because you might already be doing something similar with the Google+ app with your very same phone. But, if Facebook is more your jam, then it looks like you might soon be able to shuffle those food pictures up to your profile “automagically.” If you’re worried that you might accidentally share something a little more private, be assured that photos sent to Facebook won’t be public until you decide to share. Also, much like Google’s implementation, you can decide whether to use mobile data or WiFi for uploading, with images that are shared over cellular being crunched down to a smaller size. It seems that this is still in trial though, so don’t despair if you can’t see the option — or perhaps that’s just how you like it. More info at the source.
Facebook revamps Messenger for Android with friendlier chats, teases core app update soon (update 2: iOS refresh as well)
Facebook has already been making its mea culpas for the state of its main Android app, and it’s showing further atonement through an Android-first update to its Facebook Messenger companion release. The new app is imbued with a “more conversational” (if fairly familiar-looking) bubble-driven layout for chats. Likewise, it’s easier to see if a conversation is needed in the first place: a friend status list is always available with a swipe, while fresh support for texting directly from Messenger can keep the discussion flowing when SMS comes into play. Android users can get the Messenger upgrade today, with promise of an iOS equivalent soon. The regular Android app is getting an update as well, although we wouldn’t cry with joy just yet: it’s more of a parallel to the Messenger update than the speed-up that some of us crave.
Update: The company’s Christian Legnitto has posted a lengthy explanation that the Messenger rework and the core Facebook update (already available) are part of a new strategy that brings Android and iOS updates at regular intervals, rather than waiting solely for major features. If all goes well, the social network can provide speed upgrades and bug fixes at a much quicker pace.
Update 2: And the hits just keep on coming — although today is mostly about Android, Facebook has tweaked its main app’s iOS version (App Store) for iPhone 5 and iOS 6 support.
Twitter revamps its iPad app for expanded content, adds header photos and image streams
Twitter’s iPad app is sometimes the neglected stepchild of its mobile app family: newer features usually come to the Android and iPhone versions first and are handed down to the iPad later, if they come at all. The company is making amends for that in style with a major update to the iPad version as of today. Whether you like them or not, expanded tweets are now baked in and will optionally show some photos, videos and web links within the timeline rather than disrupting the entire experience. The Connect, Discover and Me sections we’ve seen elsewhere also come to the tablet-tuned app, albeit at the expense of more quickly finding direct messages and lists.
You’ll soon notice a much more visual spin on people’s profiles, regardless of whether or not Apple’s slate factors into the daily routine. Both the Twitter site as well as the official Android and iOS apps now show a header photo behind the bio to provide a little more color than avatars and background pictures can manage. If you’re on one of the mobile platforms, you’ll also see a photo stream in the profile that will help relive memories without hunting down individual tweets. The phone and tablet makeovers require an update to shine, so hit the relevant source link if you’re ready for a prettier (if not always more functional) social experience.
Microsoft opens Windows Store app submissions to individuals, welcomes devs from 82 new markets
The march to the launch of Windows 8 soldiers on, as Microsoft has now opened the Windows Store for submissions from individuals in anticipation of the grand OS launch on October 26th. Previously, only those with company accounts were able to submit their applications for consideration in the Windows Store. The big news doesn’t end there, however, as Microsoft has also added 82 new markets for app submission, which means that in total, developers from 120 markets may now publish their applications to the Windows Store.
In additional news, Microsoft has also revealed that many MSDN subscribers will receive a free, one-year developer account to the Windows Store — eligible subscription levels include Visual Studio Professional, Test Professional, Premium, Ultimate, and BizSpark. Similarly, students that take part in Microsoft’s DreamSpark program will have their subscription fees waived. As it stands, both Windows 8 apps and traditional applications may be submitted for inclusion in the Windows Store, however in the case of applications for the desktop environment, purchasers will be re-routed to individual developer sites to make their purchase and grab the download.
Google Drive mobile app updated, brings editing to iOS
The mobile Google Drive app just keeps getting better and better. Are we ready to ditch the desktop web app for its iOS and Android package? Hardly, but with ever decimal point upgrade the disparity between the two keeps getting smaller. The latest round of updates finally delivers document editing to your iPad and iPhone, including the ability to format text and see live changes made by your collaborators. You can also now view presentations, including speaker notes. The Android version also got a few nice tweaks today, most notable being the ability to see and reply to comments on docs. Google is also promising that real-time updates will be coming to spreadsheets very soon — which should excite on-the-go number crunchers. Check out the video after the break.
Facebook completes acquisition of Instagram, eyes improved mobile experience
The FTC just completed its investigation into Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram late last month, and now the two companies have announced that the billion dollar deal is officially closed. Instagram has also confirmed that its team will be making the move to Facebook’s offices, but it assures folks that the “Instagram app and its features will stay the same one you know and love.” For its part, Facebook reiterated its statement that it is “committed to building and growing Instagram independently,” and that “Instagram will continue to serve its community, and we will help Instagram continue to grow by using Facebook’s strong engineering team and infrastructure.” It also offers a small hint of things to come by noting that “we also can’t wait to work with the talented Instagram team to improve the mobile experience.” In other news, Instagram also took the opportunity to announce that it’s now crossed the five billion photo mark — no word on a breakdown by filters, though.
Nokia and AOL announce Entrance, an entertainment app for Nokia’s Windows Phone devices
In case you didn’t notice, Microsoft and Nokia are holding a pretty major press event right now, and while we’ve mainly been waiting for some shiny new hardware, a few fresh apps never hurt either. Nokia just made a joint announcement with AOL, unveiling an entertainment hub called Entrance, which will be available only on Nokia’s Windows Phone devices. AOL (which happens to be Engadget’s parent company) naturally used the app as a way to highlight its various properties, including Moviefone, AOL Music and Huffington Post Entertainment. So, for example, you might watch trailers or buy tickets on Moviefone, or read news from HuffPo. Like its various Android apps, it includes Shoutcast Radio integration with streaming from over 55,000 radio stations worldwide. Perhaps the most compelling bit, though, is an augmented reality feature with overlays for movie posters and show times. The app’s free and available for download at the source link below, and we’ve also got some screenshots to help give you a sense for the look and feel.
Microsoft SkyDrive for Android app is now available, joins its mobile counterparts for cloud access
Microsoft’s promise to bring a SkyDrive app to Android devices a few days ago has been kept. The folks in Redmond have announced that the aforementioned mobile software is now available for those who fancy Google’s operating system. As you might expect, the list of features follows suit with the existing iOS and Windows Phone applications — including multiple photo or video uploads, file sharing, opening stored files and file management with the ability to sort folders. While the app was built to work best with Android 4.0, it’ll play nice with any handset that runs Gingerbread and above. If you’re ready to install, a few clicks will do just that via the Google Play link below.
Facebook updates iOS app, says it’s ‘rebuilt from the ground up’ to be twice as fast
There’s no visual overhaul as it just did yesterday with Facebook Messages, but Facebook has now announced an update for its iOS app that promises some fairly big improvements of its own. According to the company, the app was “rebuilt from the ground up,” and is now twice as fast as the previous version. That includes a faster opening of the app itself, smoother and faster scrolling, and photos that are said to load “instantly” — changes that are largely due to a switch from the old HTML5 code to iOS’ native programming language. Unfortunately, we’re not able to test those claims ourselves just yet, but Facebook says that the update (version 5.0) will be available later today.
Update: The app is now available to download from the App Store, and it does indeed appear to be quite a bit speedier.
Tencent and TCL unveil Ice Screen: a 26-inch Android-based smart TV
Chinese web titan Tencent and TCL Multimedia have torn the wraps off the Ice Screen, a jointly developed 26-inch smart TV with a 1,366 x 768 display that allows users to browse the web, access videos, music and games through QQ services. Under the hood, the Android-powered television houses a dual-core Cortex A9 1GHz processor, a Mali 400 GPU, 4GB of RAM and support for a memory card of up to 32GB in size. An IR remote and an app for devices sporting version 2.2 or higher of Google’s OS can be used to control the tube, which can sit horizontally or vertically in its stand. On the connectivity front, the panel packs Wi-Fi, a pair of USB ports, HDMI and a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can plunk down ¥1,999 (roughly $315) for an online pre-order before its September 3rd launch. More details await in the press release after the jump.
FTC closes investigation into Facebook’s buyout of Instagram, filtered photo fans rejoice
While the financials for Mark Zuckerberg and his minions hasn’t been the best of late, Facebook got some good news today when the FTC closed its investigation of the social network’s acquisition of Instagram. That means that the merger now has the green light to be completed, and filtered photographs will be joining all those pokes, likes and Spotify songs in Timelines sooner rather than later. You can get the good news straight from the government’s mouth at the source below.
