Instagram is becoming an OpenTable for hair appointments and more

Instagram doesn’t want to just be a photo-sharing app anymore.

The Facebook-owned app told Bloomberg it will soon let people make appointments with businesses, just like you can with other appointment-booking services like OpenTable or Yelp. You will be able to book a haircut by going to a salon’s Instagram account and clicking a schedule button. This change, expected to roll out in the “next couple months”, is all part of an effort to expand Instagram’s consumer uses.

It will also primarily give Instagram’s advertisers another way to measure the impact of accounts. There are currently about eight million businesses with accounts on Instagram, and 80 per cent of Instagram’s users follow at least one of those business accounts. There’s also whispers about Instagram adding other tools, such as the ability to add a review in between liking photos of cats and food porn.

• Instagram tips and tricks: How to master the app and post amazing pics
• Instagram now notifies you if someone takes a screenshot

The whole idea does seem really cool. It’d be neat to use Instagram as a one-stop shop for OOTD inspiration and making an appointment to get new spark plugs for your Mini. Next, we’d like to see buy buttons so we can purchase stuff while we swipe through pics.

New Samsung Galaxy S8 leaks show phone colours, packaging, and more

Yes, we know everything about the Galaxy S8, but nevertheless, here’s the upcoming device in black, gold, and grey.

Reliable leakster Evan Blass has posted more promotional materials for Samsung’s next flagship, which is set to be unveiled on 29 March. He previously revealed the front of the phone and that it would be available in black sky, orchid grey, and arctic silver colours, but now we can see what the colours look like on the back. In pictures from earlier this week, we could only see the front, and it was mostly black.

…and finally: Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus (left to right) in Black Sky, Orchid Grey, and Arctic Silver (top to bottom). pic.twitter.com/pIUJskyFbK

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) March 21, 2017

Honestly, there isn’t much we don’t know about the Galaxy S8, as it’s been fully revealed by reports, rumours, and analysts. And these pictures don’t reveal any surprises about the design. Once again, we see minimal bezels, no physical home button, a fingerprint sensor on the back, etc. What’s new is the colours that Samsung is expected to offer. But that’s not all: Another leak shows off the phone’s packaging.

• When is Galaxy Unpacked 2017 and can you watch it online?

Android Police

This separate leak from Android Police shows the retail packaging, and from the box, we can see that the Galaxy S8 Plus, a larger model of the phone, will be available with 64GB of storage. And finally, a third leak posted to Twitter has revealed the phone should offer three options for screen resolution: HD+ (1480×720), FHD+ (2220×1080), and QHD+ (2960×1440). The default resolution is QHD+, as rumored. 

Galaxy S8 Change screen resolution pic.twitter.com/IBpfPEofPa

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) March 21, 2017

We’ll know all the official details and specs soon. Samsung is slated to confirm everything at its Galaxy Unpacked event next month. When Samsung formally announces the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, we will bring you the news as it happens. In the mean time, check out Pocket-lint’s round-up of rumours for more speculation and leaks.

‘Super Mario Run’ lands on Android a day early

Nintendo notoriously resisted making any of its games available on mobile platforms, a significant move for a company that’s been making handheld titles for almost three decades. Then, with almost no notice, it released Super Mario Run for iOS back in December to cacophonous fanfare and promised an Android version in March. Originally planned to come out on March 23rd, the floodgates have opened a bit early: Super Mario Run is live in the Google Play store.

We’ve released #SuperMarioRun on Android a bit early! Download it now on Google Play: https://t.co/u4H9bycTyr pic.twitter.com/4nHnPWD9de

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) March 22, 2017

The Android version is identical to its iOS predecessor — namely, the app is free to download but you’ll need to fork over $10 to get every level past the first three stages. It’s launching at version 2.0, so it should have features like Easy Mode included in the last few iOS updates. And sure, opening the game up to Android is going to please a lot of device owners, but it’ll probably also make Nintendo a mint: After just over a month, its iOS version had raked in $53 million worldwide.

Via: Nintendo (Twitter)

Source: Google Play

Three years later, ‘Diablo III’ Seasons mode heads to consoles

It might be time to rekindle your love for the loot-fest of Diablo III. A big new patch with a ton of tweaks for the hack and slash dungeon crawler will land on March 31st. The update finally brings the popular Seasons mode to Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Seasons has been available to PC players since 2014 and now console players will finally get to join in the fun. We’ve asked Blizzard why it took so long to bring Seasons to consoles and will update if we receive a response.

For the uninitiated, Seasons lets you experience Diablo III just like a new player would with a level one character. You’ll level up and upgrade your gear faster than with a higher level character, which can be fun for veteran players who have to grind a lot more to see gains. It can also be a great way to take a friend through the game for the first time, since you’ll both get to play with a clean slate at the same difficulty level. You can either create a new character or “rebirth” a current one, reverting it to level one and classifying it as Seasonal.

Seasons also includes leaderboards and mission-like tasks in the Season Journey, as well as more difficult Conquest challenges — both only available to new characters created for this game mode. Characters revert to regular status when the Season ends, but you’ll get to keep all the loot you gather, some of which will apply to all your Diablo III characters.

In addition, update 2.5.0 brings several rewards, cosmetic upgrades and user interface tweaks, creating a similar experience across all platforms. Though, players are still sequestered to their own platform-specific servers.

The patch itself is available now, so pick up your controller and get ready to smash your way through waves of demons when Seasons goes live on March 31.

Via: Kotaku

Source: Blizzard

Google lets sports teams and artists post on its search pages

Remember how Google let American political candidates post content directly to search results last year? You’re about to see a lot more of that. As of now, web searchers in the US and Brazil will see content directly posted by people and organizations when looking for movies, museums, sports teams, sports leagues and (currently only in Brazil) musicians. It may be a while before you see many of these updates given that sign-ups have only just begun, but they’re likely to be commonplace before long. Other experiments with this format are underway, too.

The emphasis, as with many of Google’s search cards, is on highlighting the info you’re likely looking for. Search for a movie and you may see production updates from the studio, while a sports team may drum up hype for its next game. There is a chance that this could clutter sometimes busy search pages, but look at it this way: if you’d rather not hunt down a Facebook or Twitter account just to get timely updates, you might be spared the hassle.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google

Apple Acquires Popular Automation App Workflow

Apple has acquired well-known and popular automation app Workflow, reports TechCrunch. The deal was reportedly finalized today for an unspecified sum.

Workflow, first released in 2014, is an automation tool that can essentially do anything. It allows users to create a variety of workflows to accomplish tasks like creating GIFs from a series of photos, pulling images from a web page, translating an article, posting photos to multiple social networks at once, calculating a tip, and tons more.

It is equipped with a built-in Gallery, which allows people to quickly find and use a wide range of automation tasks, and it can be used to create custom automations.

Apple is purchasing the Workflow app and the Workflow team, including Ari Weinstein, Conrad Kramer, and Nick Frey, will be joining the company.

“We are thrilled to be joining Apple,” said Weinstein in a statement. “We’ve worked closely with Apple from the very beginning, from kickstarting our company as students attending WWDC to developing and launching Workflow and seeing its amazing success on the App Store. We can’t wait to take our work to the next level at Apple and contribute to products that touch people across the world.

Apple confirmed the acquisition of Workflow, which notably received an Apple Design Award in 2015 for its excellent accessibility features, likely one of the reasons behind the purchase.

Typically apps acquired from Apple disappear from the App Store, but Workflow will remain available and will be made free starting later today. The Gallery will continue to be updated on a regular basis, as will app integrations.

Beyond the app, it is not clear what Apple will do with Workflow in the future, and whether it will be built into future versions of iOS and macOS, but it is definitely a possibility. TechCrunch speculates that it could be used alongside Siri in the future, or perhaps be the backbone of powerful automation tools for the iPad.

Update: Workflow can now be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tags: Apple acquisition, Workflow
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Nintendo’s Super Mario Run Game Updated With New Characters, More Free Content

Nintendo today released version 2.0 of Super Mario Run, its popular Mario-themed platform game for iOS devices. Today’s update adds a host of new features, including new playable characters, an easy mode, additional free content, and more.

Starting today, players can get different colored Yoshis in Super Mario Run. Using a Yoshi of a particular color to play Toad Rally will result in more Toads of that color when a rally is won.

For customers who have not purchased the full Super Mario Run game, Nintendo is adding more free content, in the form of Bowser’s Challenges. Completing one of Bowser’s challenges will unlock the previous locked 1-4 course. Clearing 1-4 will then unlock new courses to play in Toad Rally, new Toad colors, and new Shop buildings.

For tough challenges and for players who aren’t as skilled, an Easy Mode has been added to the game that can be selected when using World Tour mode. This will make the basic Mario levels easier to complete.

Nintendo has also made adjustments to the tutorial to make it easier to understand special actions, pink coins, and more, and there have also been tweaks to the number of Rally Tickets received from the ? Block and it’s now easier to get some of the buildings in the shop.

For Toad Rally, the appearance rates of various Toads have been adjusted, making it easier to get Toads to purchase buildings.

In the future, Nintendo also plans to add additional buildings that will be unlocked by an event.

Super Mario Run can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but it will cost $9.99 to unlock the full game. [Direct Link]

Tags: Nintendo, Super Mario Run
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple’s iPhone 6s was most popular smartphone of 2016 — and it wasn’t close

Why it matters to you

If it seems like everyone around you has an iPhone, that’s probably because they do. New research suggests Apple’s iPhone 6s smartphone was the most popular of 2016.

Love your iPhone? You’re not alone. Far from it, in fact — you’re in the majority. According to the latest results from research firm IHS Markit, the iPhone was the most popular smartphone in the world last year when it came to global shipment numbers. In 2016, the iPhone 6s became the most-shipped smartphone in the world, followed by the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 6s Plus. This puts the iEmpire’s hardware well ahead of the other 350 or so smartphone models IHS Markit tracked as part of its research.

More: Apple has finally taken the wraps off the new ruby red ‘iPhone (RED)’

While IHS Markit hasn’t released exact shipment numbers, it looks as though the iPhone 6s shipped around 60 million units, whereas most others in the top 10 averaged around 25 million. These results support previous findings from research firm Strategy Analytics, who also reported that the iPhone 6s was the world’s most popular phone throughout the first half of last year.

While overall may be more popular as an operating system than Apple overall, it’s clear that when it comes to individual phones, Steve Jobs’ legacy reigns supreme. The iPhone 6s shipped more than double the number of units than its closest non-Apple competitor — the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. That said, it looks like the battle dominance is really just playing out between Apple and Samsung — aside from the S7 Edge, the Samsung Galaxy J3, J5, S7, and J7 also made the top 10 list. The only non-Apple or Samsung device to join the mix was the Oppo A53.

This isn’t particularly surprising, given that Apple and Samsung are the two largest smartphone makers. Huawei, which currently claims about 10 percent market share, was notably absent from the list (as was the ill-fated Samsung Galaxy Note 7). The Oppo A53, however, managed to make its way to the No. 7 spot thanks to its popularity in China and India, two of the largest emerging smartphone markets. Indeed, a number of larger device makers are including the Asian countries in their broader business goals — Google, for example, is partnering with Indian cellphone service provider Jio to make an affordable 4G smartphone.

But for the time being, everyone is playing catch up to Apple.

Logitech’s MK850 Performance is the full-size keyboard and mouse combo for all your devices

Why it matters to you

If you’ve been searching for a full-size keyboard and mouse combo that supports all of your devices, then the Logitech MK850 Performance just might be the perfect combo for you.

Even with the growing intelligence of voice input and the cool factor of virtual reality, the old-school keyboard and mouse remain the dominant PC input accessories. And while gaming gear sometimes gets the most attention, solid productivity options remain a goal for anyone who needs to get work done efficiently and comfortably.

Logitech gets that. It offers a full line of keyboards and mice aimed at getting things done, and has now unveiled some new options. The MK850 Performance combo offers a new full-featured keyboard and contoured mouse that works on multiple platforms.

More: Mouse and keyboard support for Microsoft’s Xbox One console may arrive within “months”

The combo’s cross-platform chops come by way of a mix of Logitech’s Unifying USB receiver and Bluetooth support. Both the keyboard and mouse can be paired with up to three different host devices including Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and keyboard functionality is automatically mapped for the host operating system. This makes the MK850 Performance combo one of the first full-size options that offer such solid cross-platform support.

Next up in terms of functionality is DuoLink, which allows the keyboard and mouse to work more closely together. Specifically, holding down a function key on the keyboard changes the mouse buttons and gestures. For example, holding the function key while swiping down on the mouse opens the Windows 10 Start menu, while swiping left and right switches between active applications.

The keyboard has “carefully crafted concave keys” that Logitech promises should offer enhanced comfort, and the mouse offers”hyper-fast” scrolling. The keyboard uses two AAA batteries that last up to 36 months before they need replacing, and the mouse uses a single AA battery that should last for 24 months.

The Logitech MK850 Performance combo is available today for $100. If you’ve been looking for a full-size keyboard and mouse bundle that can support all of your various PCs and gadgets, then this might just be the option you’ve been looking for.

Google announces updates for Duo, Allo, Photos, and Google Search in Brazil

Why it matters to you

Google’s recent moves in this developing market have resulted in the new Duo, Allo, and Photos handling slow internet connections better than before.

In some regions of the world, speedy internet is scarce or inaccessible. That makes high-bandwidth apps like video chat platforms a challenging proposition, but Google is doing its best to work around the developing world’s infrastructure limitations. At an event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, today, the Mountain View, California company announced updates for video chat app Duo, messaging app Allo, Google Photos, and more.

Duo’s big new feature is audio calling. When the app detects a sub-par connection, it will let you switch from a video call to an audio-only one, and once streaming conditions improve, you can switch back with a tap.

More: Google Duo will be pre-installed on the four, upcoming MicroMax phones

Duo already handled weak connections fairly well, but the new Duo goes further. “Duo audio calls work well on all connection speeds and won’t eat up your data,” Google’s vice president of product management, Mario Querioz, said in a blog post. “[In] those moments when video calling isn’t an option — like when you’re about to hop on a crowded bus or you have a poor network connection — you can stay connected with family and friends through audio calling.”

Google Allo, meanwhile, is gaining the ability to share files. The new and improved app will let you attach documents and other files (.pdf, .doc, .apk, .zip, and .mp3) with chat participants. And Allo’s machine-learning-powered Smart Smiley feature, which rolled out to English-speaking countries in November, is launching in Brazil — a tap of the Smart Smiley button surfaces emojis and stickers.

More: Despite mixed reviews, Google Allo has more than a million downloads in 3 days

In tow with the Duo and Allo updates is an upgraded Google Photos app. Now, on low-speed 2G connections, photo albums will back up in a “lightweight preview quality” mode. They’ll be replaced with high-quality versions when a faster connection becomes available, and the same applies to sharing. On slower connections, you can share pictures by sending a low-resolution version that’ll be replaced with a high-resolution version when “connectivity permits.”

Finally, Google is letting select users in Brazil post directly on search results. When you search for museums, sports teams, sports leagues, movies, and musicians in Brazil, you’ll see custom content from participating organizations.

Those developments dovetail with Google’s other Brazil-specific announcements. Google Assistant is rolling out Brazilian Portuguese on Android phones running Marshmallow and higher; Google is giving a $5 million grant to the Lemann Foundation for an education project in Brazil; Google is adding the São Paulo Museum of Art to the Google Arts & Culture app; and it’s planning to roll out Waze Carpool in Brazil.

More: Duo: Google wants its new video-calling app to be a FaceTime killer

The company says that the widespread initiative is the result of research into “mobile-first” developing countries. “[It will] result in great products for everyone, everywhere,” a spokesperson said.