Vine to shut down app ‘in the coming months’
Vine is nearing its final loop.
Twitter-owned video sharing app Vine has announced it will be shutting down “in the coming months.” The social network built entirely on sharing and viewing auto-looping 6-second videos has been around since 2013, coming in and out of popularity independently of Twitter.
The Vine app has over 50 million installs on Google Play, but of course that doesn’t always translate to a sustainable number of active users. Twitter never really integrated Vine into the core Twitter experience, and has even actively worked in parallel with more robust video features than Vine offered itself. Some creative users took full advantage of Vine to grow massive audiences, but the average Vine user wasn’t regularly engaging with the service.
End of the line for Vine.
At the same time, people have continued to flock toward more interesting picture and video sharing apps like Instagram and Snapchat, which have more interaction, far more users and more tools to share what’s happening in your life. When you look at the landscape for mobile video, it’s clear that Vine wasn’t long for this world.
Right now we don’t have an exact timeline for when the Vine apps will be shut down, but Vine does say that you’ll have ample time to download your Vines and continue to view videos on the Vine website.
Drop Dead is the golden standard for FPS games on Gear VR!
This is what the Gear VR was missing.
Good shooters in VR are hard to come by, for a couple of reasons. First, unless you have motion controllers, it’s usually not as immersive. Second, running around in the less capable phone-based VR is usually a good way to become ill. Most of the time you find stationary shooters in mobile VR, and while that’s fun for a while it’s usually pretty repetitive. The folks at Pixel Toys have just released their answer to these lacking experiences with a zombie shooter with more than enough immersion to keep you busy for a while. It’s called Drop Dead, and based on our early hands on you’re probably going to want to install it on your Gear VR right now.
Read more on VR Heads
Apple unveils all new MacBook Pro
It was under the scrutiny of several leaks leading up to the launch, but Apple has finally unveiled a new MacBook Pro, on the 25th anniversary of the company’s very first notebook. The new MacBook Pro will come in 13in and 15in variants in space grey and silver finishes and is lighter and thinner than ever before.
Apple has fitted a new Force Touch trackpad which is twice the size of the trackpad in the previous MacBook Pro and the keyboard has been switched out for a new one with a second generation butterfly mechanism that debuted in the MacBook.
As was previously rumoured, the function keys have been ditched and in their place is a new OLED touch panel, which Apple is calling Touch Bar. You can still do all the same functions as you could with the previous keys, such as changing brightness or volume, but it’s aware of what app you’re in and changes functions appropriately. For example in Safari, it will show up a website search bar and a back button, or in photos you can instantly adjust photos.
And for all the emoji fans out there, the Touch Bar supports them and lets you insert them into messages and emails.
Touch ID has made an appearance on the MacBook for the very first time, letting you log in to your laptop with your fingerprint. If more than one user is registered to the MacBook Pro, if they register their fingerprint you can instantly switch between profiles. You can also use it to make Apple Pay purchases through compatible websites, just like you would on the iPhone.
The screen of the new 15in MacBook Pro is 67 percent brighter than before and has a 67 percent higher contrast ratio.
Inside every 15in model is an Intel Core i7 processor with up to 4GB VRAM and graphics that are 2.3 times faster than the previous model. There’s a new, up to 50 percent faster SSD too which can be specced up to 2TB and can transfer data at up to 3.31Gbps.
The speakers have been given some attention too and now boast improved dynamic range over the old model.
The 13in gets different options, either an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor and Intel Iris graphics, but it too gets the new faster SSD. Apple says the new model is 103 percent faster with gaming than before.
Both models get four Thunderbolt 3 ports, which you can use to connect almost any device or monitor via an array of other connections, you will of course need adapters and dongles. But the cool thing is you can charge the MacBook Pro up using any of the four ports.
This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates
Apple unveils a thinner MacBook Pro with an OLED ‘Touch Bar’
Apple’s long-awaited MacBook Pro refresh is finally here and it’s… well, pretty much what we expected. That’s Apple’s fault, partially, after a recent macOS update revealed details about the laptop’s OLED touch strip — now known as the “Touch Bar” — and Touch ID. Instead of having the usual function and hardware control keys at the top of the keyboard, the Touch Bar will offer contextual options depending on what you’re doing. As usual, the new MacBook Pros will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch options, and they’re both thinner and lighter than the previous generation.
While the overall design of both laptops looks similar to what came before, there’s some significant refinement here. The new 13-inch MacBook Pro is 14.9mm thin (17 percent skinnier than before), has 23 percent less volume and comes in at just 3 pounds. The 15-inch model is 15.5mm thin (14 percent less than before) and has reduced its volume by 20 percent. Overall, that bigger version is just four pounds.
While we’ve been hearing about a potential OLED strip for months now, the Touch Bar actually looks pretty compelling in person. In Safari, it shows you a list of your bookmarks. Perhaps most useful for texting addicts, there’s a slew of commonly used emojis when using the Messages app. And in Mail, you’ve got buttons for creating a new message, replying, deleting and — wait for it — an escape key.
Plenty of Apple fans were annoyed by Apple’s removal of the physical escape key, so it’s nice to see the functionality is still around in some form. And if you need the traditional function keys, you just need to hold down the single function key, which is still at the bottom left corner of the keyboard.
You’ll also be able to customize the Touch Bar for individual apps. And, in a neat touch, you can do so just by dragging new options from the settings window down from your screen, and into the Touch Bar itself. Try doing that with your old function and hardware keys. Apple has added Touch Bar support to most of its apps — heck, it’s even in Terminal.
The new MacBook Pro’s screen is 67 percent brighter, offers 67 percent higher contrast and sports 25 percent more colors than the last generation. Apple claims it’s just as thin as the 12-inch MacBook’s display. Under the hood, the 15-inch model is powered by a quad-core Intel i7 processor, 2,133Mhz RAM and Radeon Pro (Polaris) graphics, which is 2.3-times faster than before and can hold up to 4GB of video memory. The 13-inch version, on the other hand, will include dual-core i5 and i7 processors and Intel Iris Pro graphics, which Apple claims is twice as fast as the last model.
One major change? Apple is doubling-down on USB-C with this computer — you’ve got four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports on the side (each of which can handle power), along with the headphone jack. That’s a shame for anyone who still relies on traditional USB devices, or who needs an integrated SD card reader (like us tech reporters). Sure, you can get adapters and other peripherals to make up for that, and USB-C is powerful enough to drive high-resolution displays and faster storage drives. But the lack of port flexibility also seems strange for a “Pro” device. It makes sense on something like the MacBook, which aims for extreme portability, but less so in a flagship laptop.
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “Hello again” event.
Developing…
Meet the MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar with TouchID
Apple has announced its newest line of MacBook Pro notebooks, and true to the leaks, it comes with an OLED strip instead of function keys. As the company’s Phil Schiller notes, function keys are a decades-old technology that shouldn’t really have a place in a laptop from 2016. In its place, the company is adding a retina display touchscreen (with multitouch) that it’s calling the Touch Bar. As well as contextual menus that change depending on what app you’re in, the power button on the far right now doubles as a TouchID sensor.
These contextual menus will alter depending on what software you’re using, so when you’re inside Mail, you’ll get dedicated send buttons in the strip. In photo editing, you’ll get basic tools including a rotation slider for making minor adjustments. Of course, should you still require the old-fashioned function keys, that’s still possible too — you just have to hold down the Function key. In the demo so far, it looks as if the escape key will remain a fixture on the top left, which will be handy for those would mourn its passing.
Users will also be able to customize their Touch Bar with specific shortcut keys that relate to specific features. For instance, if you wanted to have a screenshot capability right in the keyboard, you can simply by clicking and dragging that icon to the bar. In many ways, the Touch Bar cribs from iOS, since it offers similar buttons that you will have found on the iPhone and iPad — like FaceTime answer controls.
Apple is also talking about how this new technology will make your computer (and, by extension, your personal information) safer. After all, you can now unlock your MacBook Pro with your fingerprint, which is held in a piece of hardware called the T1 chip. That’s the iPhone-esque secure enclave that, the company promises, will keep your identity and payment details safe from nefarious attackers. TouchID will also enable multiple users to keep their partitions on the device separated, useful for budget-conscious businesses.
This is a developing story. Please press refresh to learn more.
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “Hello again” event.
Apple Announces Universal TV App for ‘Unified TV Experience’
Apple announced a new universal Apple TV app called ‘TV’ at its “Hello again” event today.
The TV app is a “unified TV experience” works across Apple TV and iOS devices, and provides an easy-to-use hub for TV shows and movies that “will change how we watch television”, says Apple.
The app features category tabs across its main screen. The first, Watch Now, lists TV episodes and movies you are currently watching, as well as any you’ve queued up to watch next. It includes series you might be binging on, as well as new episodes of series you follow.
There’s also a “What to Watch” Store category with curated content lists across TV series and movies available in iTunes, while subscribing to third-party apps like Starz also feeds in channel-specific information.
Searching content is supported by Siri. The TV app will be a free software update for all devices by the end of the year.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10, iOS 10
Tag: October 2016 event
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Apple Unveils New 13-Inch and 15-Inch MacBook Pros With Retina ‘Touch Bar’
Apple today announced the all-new MacBook Pro, confirming that the new computer will come in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, in both Silver and Space Grey colorways. The MacBooks are thinner and lighter than their previous generations, and come with a Trackpad that’s two times bigger than the ones on the previous MacBooks.
A second generation butterfly mechanism in the keyboard provides more responsive typing. Apple detailed the bar sitting atop the keyboard as well, which it calls a “Touch Bar,” confirming that it has a retina display and is multi-touch. As previously rumored, Touch Bar is application-specific and adapts to whatever appears on the MacBook screen.
Tag: October 2016 event
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Apple Unveils Touch Bar Features in New MacBook Pros Including Touch ID
Apple announced a new ‘Touch Bar’ replacing the function key strip on the keyboards of its new MacBook Pro notebooks at its “Hello again” event today.
Apple head Craig frederghi showed off the customizable sapphire crystal Touch Bar in action, which can also be used as a traditional Function key set and supports a host of native devices.
Apple says the Touch ID component in the Touch Bar features an Apple T1 chip with a secure enclave for security purposes.
The Touch ID sensor recognizes account holders instantly and also supports account switching. System controls can be used and they also support gestures and swipes for controlling brightness, for example.
Contextual controls in apps are fully supported. For example, the Mail apps gains Touch Bar controls for composing messages, replying, flagging, filing, and formatting options.
When composing, Quick Type options like in iOS appear on the bar, with like Siri predictions. Emojis are also displayed in the Messages app, with browsing emojis, by frequently used or by category with simple swipes.
Naviagation in and between apps is also included. The touch bar can be used to move between tabs, preview, slide for previews. and open new tabs with favorites ready.
Lastly, Movies and Photos are also supported – users can swipe through photo collections, and can use playback controls when viewing and editing videos.
Related Roundups: MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra
Tag: October 2016 event
Buyer’s Guide: Retina MacBook Pro (Don’t Buy)
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Microsoft Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: What’s the difference?
If there’s one message we’re getting from companies, it’s that designing your own hardware and pairing it with your own software is the way to go.
Apple has long known this and doesn’t do anything else, we’ve seen Google embrace this through Pixel devices and Microsoft does the same with Surface, resulting in some top Windows devices.
Microsoft surprised many with the launch of the Surface Studio: we expected an all-in-one, but we didn’t quite expect Studio. At a surface level, it’s a natural competitor for Apple’s champion iMac with Retina display.
Here’s how the Microsoft and Apple square up and yes, one runs Windows 10, the other Mac OS.
Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: Design
- Surface Studio is thinner and more flexible
- Apple iMac has a more minimal footprint
Swathes of glass meet acres of aluminium with these two desktop devices. The new Surface Studio goes for maximum thinness through the display, while Apple aims for minimalism on your desktop.
The Surface Studio measures 637.35 x 438.9 x 11.4mm through the display, with a base that then measures 250 x 220 x 32.20mm. The display is connected via the Zero Gravity Hinge that allows the display to sit at any angle, from flat on the desk, angled like a drafting board and up to vertical like a regular monitor.
The Apple iMac’s design has been in place for a number of years, taking that aluminium unibody and slimming it to the current form, measuring 516 x 650 x 55mm, slimming to 6mm at the edges. The stand then is 203mm deep.
The overall footprint of the iMac is less, but there’s a huge difference in where Microsoft puts the brains in the Studio: the base has more bulk, but that allows positioning flexibility in the display that the iMac simply doesn’t offer.
For what it’s worth, the Surface Studio weight is 9.56kg, the iMac is 9.54kg, how about that?
- Surface Studio: A stunning all-in-one PC that doubles as a drafting table
Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: Display
- Surface Studio: 28-inch, 4500 x 3000, 193ppi, touchscreen
- Apple iMac: 27-inch, 5120 x 2880, 217ppi
Both these devices are all about the display. We’ve talked about Surface Studio offering a much wider range of positioning, so we won’t go back there, as it’s obviously more flexible.
The Surface Studio offers a 28-inch display, so it’s slightly larger than the 27-inch iMac, but the aspect is different. Microsoft opts for a 3:2 aspect, whereas the iMac is 16:9, more like your TV.
The resolution of these all-in-ones is close too: Surface Studio offers 4500 x 3000 pixels on its PixelSense display, resulting in 193 pixels per inch. The iMac has 5120 x 2880 pixels on its Retina display, for 217 pixels per inch.
Technically speaking, the iMac offers the sharper display, although given the size, the difference isn’t huge and won’t make a big difference to the viewing experience. The iMac is also wonderful as a display, something we mention in our review.
Surface Studio is also claiming professional grade visuals and our first impressions are good, but we’ve not had the chance to fully assess the Studio yet in terms of quality and performance.
However, Surface Studio offers 10-point touch, making it a very different proposition to the conventionality of Apple’s huge display. The Surface Studio will support the Surface Pen and the Surface Dial, an innovative tool that will work as an on-display controller, or on the desk.
- Apple iMac with Retina 5K display (2015) review: Pixel-packed powerhouse
Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: Hardware and power
- Surface Studio: Intel Core i5 or i7, 8-32GB RAM, Nvidia GPU
- Apple iMac: Intel Core i5 or i7, 8-32GB RAM, AMD Radeon GPU
- Apple currently offers more configuration options
Both Microsoft and Apple offer various configurations for the hardware for these all-in-one devices.
The Surface Studio is available with a choice of Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, as is the iMac. The iMac, currently, offers more flexibility in choosing your hardware, but as the Studio is currently on pre-order, we’d expect that to change.
There are 1TB and 2TB hybrid drive options on the Surface Studio, with the iMac also offering 1 or 2TB Fusion drives, with further options for 3TB Fusion, or SSD. At the entry-level, the iMac has a 7200rpm 1TB hard drive.
The Surface Studio starts at 8GB RAM, moving through 16GB to 32GB at the top level. The iMac offers 8GB as standard, with options to spec up to 16 or 32GB. Again, Apple offers flexibility at the moment that Microsoft doesn’t.
The iMac offers AMD Radeon R9 GPUs (M380, M390, M395) with 2GB GDDR5 memory, stepping up to the M395X with 4GB GDDR5 RAM at the top level. The Surface Studio counters with Nvidia GeForce GTX 965M (2GB GDDR5) or GTX 980M (4GB GDDR5) GPUs. This is where the biggest hardware difference lies, with each turning a different direction for graphics handling.
Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: Connections and accessories
- Surface Studio: 4x USB 3, Ethernet, SD card, Mini DisplayPort, 3.5mm headphone
- Apple iMac: 4x USB 3, Ethernet, SD card, 2x ThunderBolt 2, 3.5mm headphone
One consideration with this type of computer is how you’ll connect to it. Both devices come with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
Apple places all its connections on the rear of the display, whereas the Surface Studio’s connections are on the rear of the base, which might make a minor aesthetic difference to how tidy each computer looks when all is plugged in. The additional ThunderBolt 2 connection of the Mac means one more connection option, perhaps a third display?
The connectivity is broadly the same, both offering Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support in addition to those physical connections.
Support for Surface Dial and Surface Pen is a benefit of the Studio, the Surface Pen comes in the box.
Surface Studio vs Apple iMac: Price
- Surface Studio: from $2,999
- Apple iMac: from $1,799
The story of these two devices is interesting. While both play in the same space because of the form factor and overall spec in some areas, the Surface Studio naturally has a stronger play toward all types of creatives who want to draw.
The support for touch offered by Windows 10 and the range of movement that the Studio offers makes it more versatile, but perhaps appealing to designers, rather than your average desk worker who just wants a good-looking PC. Studio is about touch interaction rather than just the pure hardware.
The starting price for these devices at $2,999 for the Surface Studio and $1,799 for the iMac doesn’t tell the whole story, but the iMac specced to match (as closely as possible) the entry-level Studio comes in at $1,999.
Step up and that gap narrows a little, but you’re still paying quite a lot for Microsoft’s new Surface Studio compared to the older iMac. If it’s just a fancy big-screened PC you’re looking for, Apple is cheaper. Now how often does that happen?
Twitter just killed video sharing app, Vine
Twitter has just announced it is killing off Vine, the video creation and sharing app it owns. The announcement was made on Medium, another social blog website owned by Twitter.
- What is Vine?
The Vine app will still remain for the next few months so you can still view and download clips, but the mobile app will eventually be killed off too.
Twitter has said a website will still exist to host already created clips, so you can still view them and the company has promised it will announce any changes to the site before they’re made.
Vine was founded in mid-2012 before being taken over by Twitter in October 2012, users were able to record six second video clips and share them to Vine’s global community. The service had around 200 million users a month and around 40 million Vines have been uploaded to the sharing network.
It’s likely Twitter is killing off Vine because of concerns over its overall profitability. The company has also recently announced it will be losing around 9 percent of its workforce, which equates to around 350 employees. Losing Vine should help alleviate the financial problems the social media site is having at the moment.
AIVAnet 