Facebook Turns Messenger Into a Platform, Allows Third-Party iOS App Integration
At today’s F8 Facebook Developer Conference, Facebook debuted its new Messenger Platform, a major update to the Messenger service that allows users to send content like GIFs, photos, videos, and more from third-party apps within the Facebook Messenger app for iOS.
Beginning today, iOS app developers can build Facebook Messenger support into their apps, making them directly accessible within the Facebook Messenger app. Facebook has already worked with more than 40 developers, so apps with Messenger support are already available in the iOS App Store.
Apps can be accessed in the Facebook Messenger app for iOS when the “More” icon is tapped within a conversation. This opens up a list of available apps that can be installed, and when tapping install, you’ll be taken to the app’s install page in the iOS App Store.
The way third-party apps work with Messenger on iOS is a bit convoluted. Apps are installed independently, but those that support the Messenger Platform will send their content via Messenger. For example, if you install GIF app Giphy on your iPhone (which is one of the new apps that supports the Messenger Platform), tapping on it from within the Messenger app will open the separate iOS app to let you choose and send a GIF.
In the Giphy app, you will see a list of all your Messenger friends, and once you tap to send a GIF to one of them, you will be returned to the Messenger app and your original Messenger conversation. From there, you can continue on the conversation, send additional GIFs, or send other content from other third-party apps. Content can be viewed in the Facebook desktop app, but sending it can only be done from an iOS device.
There are a wealth of third-party apps available in Facebook Messenger for iOS right now. Apps include GIF apps like Giphy, emoji apps, sticker apps, video apps, collage apps, and more. All of the apps are being released today in the iOS App Store and have been specially developed for use with the Facebook Messenger app.
While most of the apps have been developed by third parties, Facebook has released its own apps for Messenger, including Stickered, Selfied, and Shout. Third-party apps include ClipDis, Giphy, Bitmoji, ESPN, Camoji, Talking Tom, and Emu.
Facebook has faced some criticism for the way it’s handled its iOS apps, most notably removing messages access from the main Facebook app and forcing users to download Facebook Messenger, but today’s update with expanded content for the iOS app may change public opinion and could draw in users who have been reluctant to download the Messenger app for iOS.
Facebook Messenger for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Motorola ruled to have infringed on Intellectual Ventures patent
A US Jury in Delaware has found Motorola guilty of infringing on one of Intellectual Venture’s patents, while clearing the company of a second potential infringement. The infringed patent in question deals with multimedia text messaging, while the non-infringing patent dealt with wireless bandwidth. Damages will be figured up later.
Intellectual Ventures probably isn’t a company that you’re familiar with as a consumer, as they deal mostly with licensing out patents to other companies. The company says they’re not like other patent trolls as they don’t file frivolous lawsuits, but they do have a pretty good track record with lawsuits that they do file. Either way, it’s still hard not to see these kinds of patent disputes hurting innovation and consumer devices.
source: Reuters
Come comment on this article: Motorola ruled to have infringed on Intellectual Ventures patent
Android 5.1.0_r3 factory images (LMY47I) arrive for Nexus 5 and Nexus 6
Factory images have just gone up for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6, bearing the build name LMY47I. So what’s new here exactly? What we’re looking at is Android 5.1.0_r3, which appears to contain a few minor bug fixes.
While one would hope that the bug fixes ould be focused on some of the bigger lingering Lollipop issues (such as the notorious memory leak), from the sounds of it the fixes here are almost all related to addressing bugs that deal with SIM card handling. There might be a few other small tweaks and fixes here, but nothing too exciting.
To grab the latest images, you’ll want to click on your device from the list below:
We’ll be sure to update you if and when build LMY47I makes its way to any other members of the Nexus family.
Google Keep version 3.1 update brings recurring reminders and label support
If you’ve been wanting a little more functionality out of Google Keep, this may be your lucky day. In an update to version 3.1, Google Keep is getting support for recurring reminders and labels to keep you more organized.
For starters, label support is a small way to keep your notes more organized. To add labels to a specific note, simply press the overflow menu and click Add label. A few default labels are included, but you can add your own if you’d like. After you’ve added labels to your notes, you can search for a specific tag from the main overview screen.
Recurring reminders have also been added, which will likely be a welcome addition for most Google Keep users. You can now set daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or custom reminders and have each one occur over a period of time. Reminders in Keep have been around for awhile now, but the ability to make them repeat is a new feature.
None of these new enhancements are particularly innovative, but we’re sure everyone is happy that one of the best note taking apps is getting a little more functional. Version 3.1 is now rolling out in the Google Play Store, so follow the link below to check for the update.
Every UK House of Commons member is getting an iPad
When the UK’s Members of Parliament get down to work following the election in May, they’ll have more than just a new government on their hands — they’ll have a tablet, too. The Parliamentary tech team is handing out cellular-equipped iPad Air 2 units to all 650 House of Commons MPs so that they have a secure way to do business wherever they are. While 209 of them already had iPads, this move makes them standard issue.
The effort could do a lot to advance technology in the House, but it’s also receiving a lot of flak. Cost is probably the big issue: while the committee decided that iPads were “competitively priced” given the goals (cellular data, security and a long lifespan), the plan will cost £1 million (roughly $1.5 million) over five years. It should theoretically save money versus printing hundreds of copies of paper documents, but the savings could be larger with lower-cost hardware. Also, Shadow Cabinet Office minister Chi Onwurah isn’t happy with the focus on iOS — Apple’s platform is already part of the House’s practices, but Onwurah would prefer a device-independent approach. Like it or not, though, Britain (and really, the world) is about to find out how well the iPad works as a common legislative tool.
Via: TechCrunch, The Telegraph
Source: Computerworld UK
Former Beats Execs Jimmy Iovine and Trent Reznor Leading Development of Apple’s New Music Service
Rumors about a revamped Apple-branded Beats streaming music service have been circulating since September of last year, but as the launch of the service draws nearer, information on pricing and content has been leaking out.
In a detailed report on the upcoming service published today, The New York Times confirms some previously known information and adds new details on the roles Trent Reznor and Jimmy Iovine are playing in the development of the music service. The report also divulges some information on Apple’s interest in exclusive album releases and the company’s work on an iTunes Radio revamp.
Apple’s upcoming streaming music service is said to take on many of the characteristics of the existing Beats Music service, with a focus on curated playlists and a “vivid visual appeal” that also fits into Apple’s minimal design aesthetic. It’s unlikely to retain the “Beats Music” moniker, and it is being tested as a part of iOS 9.
As previously rumored, while Apple hoped to price its new service at $7.99, undercutting the prices of competing services like Spotify and Rdio, it saw significant resistance from record companies. As a result, the service will likely be priced similarly to those other services, at $9.99 per month, but it will have no free tier.
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, who was the Chief Creative Officer at Beats before it was acquired by Apple, is “playing a major role” in the redesign of the music streaming app. Jimmy Iovine, Beats co-founder, is also said to be playing an important role furthering Apple’s music ambitions.
Mr. Iovine has set the tone of the transformation of Apple’s music plans, according to music executives. Mr. Iovine, who reports to Eddy Cue, Apple’s head of software and Internet services, has been leading aggressive talks to secure prominent album releases that will be exclusive to Apple, akin to what Beyoncé did when she released her self-titled album on iTunes in December 2013. One music executive involved in the negotiations described this part of the new iTunes as “Spotify with Jimmy juice.”
Along with a revamped music service, Apple is said to be planning to debut an enhanced version of iTunes Radio, which will be more tailored to listeners in regional markets and more like a traditional radio station. Recent hire Zane Lowe, a former BBC radio DJ has joined the iTunes Radio team as part of this effort.
Rumors have suggested that Apple’s revamped music service will debut at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which is also when we’ll see the first unveiling of iOS 9. If the music service is built into iOS 9, it’ll see an official release in the fall when the operating system debuts.
Video surfaces online showcasing the design of a dummy One M9+
The upscaled version of HTC’s flagship smartphone of 2015, the One (M9), has been the subject of a lot of speculation for a while now. Leaks have been plentiful and, consequently, we’ve learnt quite a bit about the devices specifications from press renders and prematurely published spec sheets.
Now, however, we’re finally getting a first-hand look at the design of the One M9+.
Earlier today, a video appeared on YouTube starring a dummy version of the handset, showing us the adjustments HTC has made to accommodate the new 5.2-inch QHD display.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Now we’ve seen the devices full exterior, lets discuss its internals. If recent AnTuTu benchmarking tests are anything to go by, the M9+ is set to pack a MediaTek MT6795T chipset with an octa-core 64-bit processor, a Power VR 6200 GPU and 3GB of RAM.
Similar to the One (M8), the M9+ feature a secondary camera. This is rumored to work in conjunction with the 20.7-megapixel primary camera in order to produce crystal clear wide-angle images.
Are you looking forward to the release of the HTC One M9+? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section down below.
Come comment on this article: Video surfaces online showcasing the design of a dummy One M9+
Tip: Clear your phone’s cache for more speed and storage
Something every Android owner should do that not everyone knows about is clearing your apps’ cache in your phone’s settings. An app’s cache is basically a temporary storage area for an application while it’s running. It can store things like temporary images downloaded from the internet. Clearing the cache can solve problems you may be experiencing with an app, or simply improve the speed and efficiency of it. Not to mention how much space you’ll be freeing on your phone, as Google+, Facebook and other big apps can store over 1GB of cache over time if not cleared occasionally.
First, go to your phone’ settings, then tap ‘Apps’
You will then be shown a list of your downloaded apps. Tap any one of these apps.
You will see ‘App info’ at the top. Scroll down a bit and you will see the cache section which shows how much temporary files have been stored on your phone.
Tap ‘Clear Cache’
And there you go! You can do this will all the apps on your phone, and you will clear up a lot of space depending on how much you use the app.
The post Tip: Clear your phone’s cache for more speed and storage appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Fotonica is a unique endless runner that lets you travel through an abstract world
If you’re a big fan of the Temple Run series but are getting bored of the graphics, FOTONICA may be just what you need. The game, which has just launched in the Google Play Store, allows you to travel through an abstract geometrical world at insane speeds.
Unlike many other endless runners in the Play Store, FOTONICA boasts incredibly easy one-handed controls. You don’t need to worry about tilting the device side-to-side. All you need to do is hold your finger down to run, release to jump and hold in mid-air to dive and land. The colors and quick animations in this game could easily make someone queasy, so make sure you’re aware of that before you download the game.
Here are all of the features you’ll get if you download FOTONICA:
- 8 Levels to explore and master
- Plus 3 different endless levels to compete for high-scores
- Two-player split-screen multiplayer mode on the same device
- 18 Achievements to unlock plus game stats
- Online rankings
- Beautiful, smooth, and unique vector-style graphics
- Electronic music by Michael Manning, Nicolò Sala, and legendary composer Baiyon
- 2 Difficulty settings to let you play an even faster version of FOTONICA
- Play in landscape or portrait mode
- Record and share replays of your best runs
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This game doesn’t feature any ads or in-app purchases. To celebrate the game’s launch in the Play Store, FOTONICA is being offered for only $.99, which is 66% off its normal price. If you’re interested, head to the Play Store link below.
Five great Lenovo laptops
In love with Lenovo laptops, but not sure what they’re offering these days? We’ve got a few of their best options here.
Lenovo is well-known for its lineup of no-nonsense laptops. Productivity fiends are instantly enamored with the ThinkPad brand, and minus a few missteps, it has delivered. Here you’ll find a healthy mix of consumer-friendly convertible laptops, heavy-duty work machines, and even a dash of high-performance gaming.
AIVAnet 