Messages App Store Launches Ahead of Tomorrow’s iOS 10 Release
Ahead of the public launch of iOS 10 coming tomorrow, Apple today made the Messages App Store live, aggregating all of the apps, games, and sticker packs that can be used in the Messages app and making them available for download.
The Messages App Store looks almost identical to the iOS App Store, so the interface will be immediately familiar to iOS 10 users. There are featured apps and stickers displayed at the top of the store, along with editorial picks like “10 iMessage Apps We Love” and “Games in Messages? Sweet!”
Apps for the Messages App Store are already available, including titles like Games With Friends, Tic Tac Toe, Star Walk, Carrot Weather, Yelp, IMDB, OpenTable, Zen Brush 2, and more.
A number of sticker packs are also available from well-known app developers, including Pac-Man, Star Wars, Angry Birds, Hello Kitty, Crossy Road, and more. iOS 10 sticker packs and apps started rolling out earlier today.
On devices running iOS 10, the Messages App Store and apps compatible with iOS 10 are immediately available. The Messages App Store is accessible by following these steps:
– Open the Messages app
– Tap the App Store icon to open the app interface
– Tap the icon at the bottom that looks like four circles
– Tap the “+” button to open the Messages App Store
The Messages App Store is a little bit sparse right now because apps are still being released, but when iOS 10 becomes available tomorrow, there will be dozens if not hundreds of apps and sticker packs ready to download.
iOS 10 is expected to debut at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 13.
Related Roundup: iOS 10
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The PlayStation VR demo disc has 17 games in North America
Last week Sony outlined the eight demos that will be bundled with PlayStation VR for European customers. Now, the company has revealed a bigger lineup of free games that’ll be included on the VR demo disc in the US and Canada.
Like the European bundle, there are demos for Battlezone, Driveclub VR, RIGS: Mechanized Combat League, EVE: Valkyrie, Tumble VR, Wayward Sky, Headmaster. PlayStation VR Worlds is also part of the package, and that includes a few full games, like London Heist.
Additional demos exclusive to the North American bundle are Job Simulator, Harmonix Music VR, Rez Infinite, Within, Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, Thumper, Here They Lie, Resident Evil 7, Gnog, and Allumette, an animated VR film.
The big difference between both bundles is strange, and it seems Europe is getting stiffed. But if you are angry with the discrepancies remember: Everyone will still be able try out several free VR experiences.
Source: PS Blog
Save 60% on these great Android games right now!
For a limited time, you can score 60% off on a variety of awesome games at Google Play. From Hitman GO to Goat Simulator, Rayman Classic and more, there are a bunch of titles here that you will want to pick up at the discounted price if you don’t already own it. All of the games include in this sale are less than $3, and most of them come in at the $2 price which is awesome.
Some of the included titles for this 60% savings are:
- Hitman Go – $0.99
- Goat Simulator – $1.99
- The Room Three – $1.99
- Rayman Classic – $0.99
- DuckTales Remastered – $1.99
There are a bunch of other great apps in this sale as well, so be sure to hit the link below to check them all out. Once you’ve saved your money and made your purchases, be sure to head into the comments and let us know which ones you picked up!
See at Google Play
Instagram now lets anyone moderate comments: Here’s how it works
Instagram lets celebrities moderate their comments on photos and videos, and now it’s giving everyone else the same filtering tool.
The Facebook-owned photo-sharing app initially released the ability to hide offensive and inappropriate comments to high-volume accounts, such as model Chrissy Teigen, who was notably very excited about the change, but it’s finally giving all its 500 million users the same opportunity.
In a blog post, CEO Kevin Systrom said, “All different types of people – from diverse backgrounds, races, genders, sexual orientations, abilities and more – call Instagram home, but sometimes the comments on their posts can be unkind … So, today, we’re taking the next step to ensure Instagram remains a positive place to express yourself. The first feature we’re introducing is a keyword moderation tool that anyone can use.”
Here’s everything we know about how Instagram’s new keyword moderation tool works.
When did Instagram start letting celebs moderate comments?
It’s unclear, but as you can see from Teigen’s tweet, she’s been allowed to moderate comments since at least early August 2016.
thank you, @instagram. pic.twitter.com/bp6dCNZHvi
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) August 2, 2016
Why is Instagram now letting all users moderate comments?
According to Systrom, Instagram is working toward making the photo-sharing app “a safe place for self-expression”, so it is committed to building features that safeguard the community, though he admitted tools aren’t “the only solution for this complex problem”.
How can you moderate comments on Instagram?
In order to moderate comments on your Instagram posts, follow these steps:Mobile app
- Tap the gear icon on your profile.
- Tap Comments. You’ll then see a screen with a new Comments tool. It lets you list words you consider offensive or inappropriate. Comments with these words will be hidden from your posts. You can choose your own list of words or use default words Instagram has provided.
- Enable the Hide Inappropriate Comments option to hide keywords often reported as inappropriate.
- Alternatively, under the Custom Keywords section, manually enter words you consider offensive or inappropriate.
Web
- On your profile from the web, click Edit Profile.
- Click Comments. You’ll then see a screen with a new Comments tool. It lets you list words you consider offensive or inappropriate. Comments with these words will be hidden from your posts. You can choose your own list of words or use default words Instagram has provided.
- Enable the Hide Inappropriate Comments option to hide keywords often reported as inappropriate.
- Alternatively, under the Custom Keywords section, manually enter words you consider offensive or inappropriate.
- Click Submit when finished.
What happens when you moderate comments?
After you’ve used Instagram’s keyword moderation tool, you and your followers will no longer be able to see comments (on your own posts) that contain language you’ve deemed (or Instagram has deemed) offensive or inappropriate.
Want to know more?
Check out Instagram’s blog post for more details.
Google Cardboard Camera app for iOS lets you take VR pics with sound
Google has been going after virtual reality, with the latest example being that Cardboard Camera is now available for iOS.
Google’s new camera app, originally launched for Android last December, works specifically with Google Cardboard-certified viewers. The idea is that – with Cardboard Camera – your iPhone can turn into a VR camera. Cardboard Camera captures something called “VR photos”, which are basically three-dimensional panoramas with slightly different views for each eye.
You can even record sound, adding another layer of dimension to the whole immersive experience. Afterward, slot your iPhone into a Cardboard-certified viewer to see your new VR photo. The headset basically lets you explore this new type of image in all directions. Also, starting Monday, you can also share your VR photos with friends and family on both iPhone and Android devices.
All you have to do is select multiple photos to create a virtual photo album, then tap the share icon, and Cardboard Camera will generate a link that can be emailed, messaged, or posted in apps and on the web, according to Google. Of course, your friends will need a Cardboard-certified VR viewer like Google Cardboard to actually see your VR photos.
Check out Pocket-lint’s Cardboard Camera guide for more information about how the app works. Cardboard Camera is free to download and use.
Also, here’s a list of all the Cardboard-certified viewers available. Pocket-lint has this round-up of all the best Cardboard rivals available, as well.
Ozobot’s Evo is a smarter, more social coding robot
Ozobot’s Bit impressed us a few years ago with its simply take on programming education: kids just need to draw lines on a piece of paper or mobile device to program the tiny robot. As they get more comfortable, they can start to program on mobile devices and computers. Now Ozobot is taking a major step forward with the $100 Evo, a new robot that has sensors to interact with its environment, lights, a speaker and social capabilities. Basically, it’s like a tiny Star Wars droid that you can program on your own.
While Ozobot’s previous devices were aimed directly at kids, it’s hoping that Evo can break through to high schoolers and even college students, according to founder and CEO Nader Hamda. The new bot has a shot of appealing to older students simply because it can do a lot more than before. It can also explore autonomously and react to changes in the environment — for example, if you blocked it with your hand or picked it up — with a personality of its own, thanks to the addition of lights and sounds.
You can remotely control Evo from a new Ozobot app, which is also where you can program it and interact with other Evo owners. The social capabilities are particularly interesting: You can team up with a friend anywhere in the world and mirror your bots movements. You can also build on Evo routines with others, allowing you to go back and forth to design something like an elaborate dance sequence. The company is also trying to build up a small social network of its own by allowing you to chat with friends from its app.
In addition to the basic line-based programming that Ozobot originally popularized, you can record actions using the mobile app. You can also program Evo with the OzoBlockly language (based on Google’s Blockly), which lets you build commands with a block-like interface. It’s based on Javascript, so you can think of it as training wheels for proper coding.
It’s a better time than ever to get kids into programming; the hard part is figuring out which of the many solutions out there are worth your time. Based on my brief experience with the Evo, it seems more polished than most of the competition. Mostly, that’s because Ozobot has spent the past few years building a name for itself among educators. The company says its previous bots are now in around 2,000 schools, reaching nearly 500,000 kids globally.
The Ozobot Evo will be hitting stores on November 1st for $100. It’ll come in white and black variants, and you can also add covers to give them a bit more style.
Twitter can tell you when friends and celebs start livestreaming
Twitter is all about live content on this fine Monday morning. First up, Twitter has added a new notification option that alerts users when someone they follow shares live video in a tweet. To enable the function on mobile, navigate to the page of someone you follow and tap the new notification icon next to the follow icon. Then select the final option, “Only tweets with live video,” and you’re all set. The next time that account goes live, a red alert bar will pop up along the bottom of your feed, allowing you to tap and start watching.
Don’t miss a live moment! Turn on notifications to join in when someone you follow shares live video on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/dddk81GuCH
— Twitter (@twitter) September 12, 2016
Second on Twitter’s totally live Monday to-do list is a partnership with Cheddar, a news network that specializes in live technology and business coverage. Twitter has the live broadcasting rights to Cheddar’s Opening Bell and Closing Bell shows, which are hosted daily from the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ MarketSite. Both shows break down the daily markets and business news, alongside interviews with CEOs and in-depth earnings coverage. Twitter will be the only place to watch these shows live for free.
“Twitter is the fastest way to find out what’s happening in the world and to engage in the live conversation about it,” Twitter CFO Anthony Noto says. “Partnering with Cheddar will give people on Twitter another way to watch and discuss the day’s top stories as they unfold live all on one platform.”
Excited to partner with Twitter on live video @anthonynoto pic.twitter.com/rVS8rtAEhX
— Cheddar (@cheddar) September 12, 2016
Last week, Twitter rolled out an update that makes it harder to creep on your friends’ live Periscope broadcasts and another that essentially turns DMs into a chat app.
Source: @Twitter, PRNewswire
ZTE wants your help bringing crowdsourced ideas to life
When ZTE launched its Project CSX challenge to crowdsource ideas for a mobile device, it was hard not to wonder which of those grandiose visions would make the cut. Well, now we know: ZTE has unveiled the three ideas that made it to phase two of the competition, where people will submit product concepts that translate those ideas to reality. Each of the winners is rather unusual, but just realistic enough that ZTE could put it into production.
One is a self-adhesive smartphone that sticks to most any surface, and uses eye tracking to help you scroll through books without touching the screen. There’s also a Power Glove-style wearable that guides you through high-dexterity tasks like playing the piano or typing. Lastly, an augmented reality diving mask would give you digitally enhanced experiences both underwater and on solid ground.
You have until September 30th to submit a product concept based on these ideas, and voting will run between October 1st and October 10th. The grand prize voting (which decides what ZTE will build) will take place between October 12th and October 19th. You won’t see a physical product until sometime in 2017, but you now have an inkling of what to expect.
Source: ZTE (eye tracking), (glove), (diving mask)
Facebook Messenger chatbots now support payments
The latest version of Facebook Messenger adds a new feature to the 30,000 or so chatbots that currently inhabit its platform. Starting today with version 1.2, those Messenger bots can now accept payments directly in the chat without sending users to an external website.
The feature was announced today at TechCrunch Disrupt by Facebook’s Messenger chief David Marcus, who noted that the payments system will support most credit cards and payment services including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Stripe, PayPal and Braintree. From the consumer side, users will see “Buy Now” links popping up in relevant chats. Tapping the link will bring up a quick payment confirmation tab that automatically defaults to whichever credit card a user has tied to their Facebook or Messenger account. The feature is currently available for certain developers as a closed beta, but businesses and devs can still apply to be included in the test run before it rolls out to all developers.
In addition to the speedy new payment system, the latest version of the Messenger Platform also allows developers to pull in additional UI elements like quick responses, shipping notifications or flight updates, as well as the ability to make Newsfeed ads point directly to Messenger chats. Finally, there are some new share features that allow users to forward individual chat messages or invite friends to start their own thread with a particular bot.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Facebook Newsroom
MSI says its VR backpack computer is the lightest yet
Remember the virtual reality backpack PC design MSI showed off at Computex just a few months ago? It’s already obsolete. MSI has unveiled the finished product, the VR One, and it looks nothing like the prototype you saw in June. There’s a good reason for that, though: the official hardware is billed as the world’s “lightest and thinnest” VR backpack, weighing a more reasonable 7.9 pounds versus the 10 of before. It won’t be quite so noticeable when you’re spinning around the room, in other words. And that’s not the only improvement — MSI has taken concerns over performance and battery life to heart.
The VR One not only gets an upgrade to faster GTX 1070 mobile graphics (on top of an overclocked Core i7 processor), but runs about 50 percent longer than the Computex model at 1.5 hours of VR use. And since there are now dual battery packs, you don’t have to shut down entirely to keep playing. You can hot-swap batteries as much as you like, which is particularly handy if you’re either an avid player or want to share the backpack with others.
MSI hasn’t divulged launch details for the VR One, although it had promised that a back-mounted system would be available by the end of the year. It’s reasonable to say this won’t be cheap given both the higher-end parts and VR-specific requirements, such as those gigantic removable batteries.
Source: MSI (1), (2)
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