Instagram Direct is fast becoming the end-all-be-all messaging app, and it just added some incredibly convenient features that should make it a bit more practical. These new additions have a clear purpose: To help Instagram Direct grow its base and take on more feature-rich messengers like Snapchat or WhatsApp.
While filters were technically available in Mail for iOS previously, you would have to hit "Edit" on the main Mailboxes view and add them as folders, which made your already crowded main screen even more crowded.
Instead of the still image we've been accustomed to since the inception of Facebook, you also have the option to apply a seven-second video as your profile image, which definitely mixes things up a bit with GIF-like animations. Best of all, this can be done straight from your iPhone or Android device.
Apple's implementation of blurred backgrounds was met with mixed reception in concurrence with iOS 7's release. Some viewed the design as rather dull and headache-inducing, while others like myself enjoyed it because the translucency created a more focused and noticeable foreground.
Let's be honest, some days call for a new wallpaper to match your mood. If I'm upset, I could use a nice, uplifting wallpaper to alleviate my low spirits. Even in a day and age where everything is literally at our fingertips, I get too lazy to deal with going in and selecting a new wallpaper, cropping it, and setting it (pathetic, I know).
American Horror Story might just be the craziest TV shows out there, with its absurd plot twists, creepy, over-the-top characters, and wicked storyline. It's gained a cult following ever since the first season, Murder House, and has even earned some Emmys along the way.
Photobombing, the act of covert sabotage on a photographer and unsuspecting subject, can be a terror. This malicious and disingenuous art form has steadily grown since it first received significant coverage in 2009.
So you've learned all of the dance moves to Gangnam Style and made your very own papercraft version of PSY that dances whenever you want him to. Now it's time to take your obsession a step further—by making yourself the star of the Gangnam Style music video. JibJab, the custom e-card site, has created a free tool that lets you use any photo to replace PSY's face with yours (or whoever you choose), then share the video with your friends.
Steampunk scientists, there's a new spectrometer for your workshop, and it's called the iPhotometer 5.
A rocket stove is a "rocket" combustion approach to preparing meals, which provides high combustion efficiency and efficient heat transfer to the cooking pot. Research suggests (through practical experience) that by using a rocket stove, you could save at least 50% of fuelwood, which is a significant savings for anyone's financial situation.
Learn how to pronounce the OUGH sound in American English. This video language lesson from Rachel's English provides a basic guide for pronunciations for ESL students. Say "ough".
So you've added Google insiders, celebrities, and authors to your circles, but you want to know who you can reach out to for help when it comes to Google overall. Luckily for you, there seems to be a Community Manager for almost every Google product. If you've got an issue with your Google Account, just contact them via their Google+ profile!
Here's an update to the "How Do I Garden?" portion of the Gardening explanation. There's a few extra pictures to explain it all.How do I Plant?
Barn Buddy is a Facebook game that allows you to work with friends to grow farms! Get Barn Buddy hacks, cheats, tricks and tips! Watch this video tutorial to learn how to hack EXP on Barn Buddy (07/26/09). You will need another account or a friend for this tip. You get 84 EXP if you have 7 tiles with bugs and weeds.
Victoria Moore, drink writer for the Guardian in the UK, shows us how to make a Campari, blood orange and Cava cocktail. She explains that Campari has a love-hate relationship with the public - some people adoring it, others being repelled by its taste. However, Campari mixed with blood orange makes for a well-liked fruity drink, not too alcoholic & refreshing- Perfect for a summertime day drink with friends! Make a Campari, blood orange & Cava cocktail.
Usually, the camera adds 10 pounds, but with a new augmented reality effect in Like's mobile app, the camera can actually make you look slimmer.
Drama seems to follow red smartphones. The internet nearly blew a gasket when Apple released a red iPhone 7 with a white front, and now OnePlus is taking some heat. The new Lava Red 5T comes with black bezels, not repeating Apple's mistake, so why are people mad at the Shenzhen-based company? Because Lava Red is only available in China.
This week, Samsung officially kicked off the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ in North America and several other markets. The full list of changes is quite substantial, so we'll be running through them in a series of posts detailing what's new. First up, the Galaxy phones inherit notification channels from Android 8.0.
Within the last week, there have been at least three times when someone asked me to play a good playlist. This is always a tough call. What if I play something that nobody likes? I probably will.
From Instagram bot farms in China all the way to vending machines in Moscow that promise to sell you fake followers — the Facebook-owned empire is attracting the attention of the world around. When it comes to Russia especially, the country seems to be developing a little crush on the glorious IG queen.
The iPhone has a feature that lets you see how much juice is left in your Bluetooth headphones, but most Android phones are lacking this ability. Thankfully, there's a simple app that'll close this gap in functionality.
For most Android phones, the system clock is set using a protocol called NITZ, which relies on a connection with your carrier to ensure that the time stays in sync. The trouble here is that this feature won't work when you're outside of cellular range, and a lot of times, the carriers themselves have technical difficulties that can result in your phone's clock being minutes or even hours out of sync.
Customization helps your device stand out from the rest, and that sentiment is no different when it comes to the Apple Watch. Unlike every other Apple device before it, the Watch allows you to customize the information that appears on the UI—without the need for any jailbreaking.
Resources for finding new music are at our disposal in all corners of the internet; the only problem is deciding which one is the best for you. Spotify, Pandora, and Rdio all have options to discover new music on your smartphone, but they tend to expose mostly established artists, making the process of finding lesser-known but good music a game of trial and error.
Most people's fascination with social media these days is the instant gratification that can come with it. Whether you post an image on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter, a minute or two later your phone will receive a notification informing you of a buddy or two who liked it.
Without much notice, Spotify launched Desktop Open Beta a few weeks ago, a program that allows anyone to download, test out, and provide feedback on the latest beta version of their desktop application for Mac and Windows.
When I stumble upon a new song that I'm really into, I don't just listen to it repeatedly—I share it with family and friends that I think might enjoy it just as much as I do. Now, thanks to a new iOS app called Craaave, sharing those tunes are a cinch, no matter if I'm using Spotify, SoundCloud, or any other music streaming app on my iPhone.
When Google first introduced Android 4.4, the most glaring user-facing change was a new trend towards transparency. The stock launcher, originally exclusive to the Nexus 5, had transparent status and navigation bars and its app drawer added a touch of transparency.
When we take pictures with our smartphones, it’s safe to assume we’re taking more than one. We're either trying to capture the right light, look, or expression… or maybe a slight nod to the right to show off your good side.
A redstone clock is a pretty easy mechanism to make. A digital readout for that redstone clock is a little harder, and that's what Lesnoydude has made that won him the staff choice award.
In this video from TheCurrentCustom she teaches how to enhance your breasts. First she says you need to measure your breasts to figure out the right kind of bra for you. Take the measuring tape below your bust, and wrap around back, and then measure right above your bust. Round down to the nearest even number if you get an odd number. Then measure your bust size by wrapping the tape measure around the largest part of your bust, typically where your nipples are. Then subtract the bust size fro...
First, you will need a gallon of milk that's about a quarter full. It's best if you empty out the contents, but make sure to save it though because you will be needing it later.
There are a lot of things out there in the design world that people have seen and liked, but didn't know how to make. LIke vector lights. Watch this Illustrator video tutorial to take a look at those cool glowing, color changing, fading, bright, neon-like, fanning spread of glowing colors. Maybe there's no specific name for them, but for now, refer to them as 3D Light Ribs. You can use these in photographs, illustrations, composites, print work, web design, and maybe even a logo or two! You w...
It can get annoying to always have to create new borders to fit around different sized images when working in Photoshop CS3 or Illustrator CS3. But, if you were to create border effects with smart objects, you wouldn't have that problem.
The wall spin is similar to a palm spin, but is done on the flat side of a wall rather than the top. The athlete approaches the object, takes off with both feet, places both hands on the wall, and rotates around them. This can be used to get over the likes of rails and walls, and also to just add a bit of flair to the run. Do a Parkour wall spin.
Happy Monday to all of you out there, thankfully the Consumer Electronics Show is now behind us. It feels quite possible that a cold was caught by yours truly simply by reading the numerous reports of germs being spread from booth to booth on the show floor. I'll do my best to soldier on, in the meantime if you haven't already, you can experience the convention vicariously by reading my 'Best of CES' post here.
Mike from the SubStream's "Film Lab" have some tips regarding a few in-camera trick shots, specifically... the dolly zoom.
Stories are everywhere in social media today, but that wasn't always the case. In 2013, Snapchat introduced the world to these temporary windows into our daily lives. Since then, stories have infiltrated other popular apps. However, to stand out, you can't solely rely on the app where the story will be posted. Instead, you need a suite of apps that can turn your story into something special.
Steampunk is a tremendously interesting phenomenon because of its reliance on science fiction, and fiction in general. Steampunk can arguably be broken down into two categories: the fiction, and the aesthetic. Sometimes these categories cross over, but they're often more distinct than most people suspect; that said, the aesthetic is firmly based in works of fiction.
Varmints can sometimes show up during your FrontierVille game and threaten your crop production. You'll have to clobber them, which can get you food and money but costs energy. Here's a few tips to clobber varmints and protect your farm!
