Facebook adds nearly everything Snapchat does to its main app

Facebook’s quest to mimic Snapchat is undeniable at this point. In just the last few months, Instagram, Whatsapp and Messenger have all integrated some form of Stories — a disappearing slideshow format that Snapchat is famous for — while Facebook Live dabbled in Snapchat-esque selfie filters. Now, after months of experiments and tests, it’s time for the main Facebook app to get in on the action too. Today, the company is officially rolling out three new Snapchat-inspired features to its core app: a brand new in-app camera that’s chockful of filters, effects and masks; Facebook’s very own Stories; and Direct, which lets you share photos and videos with specific people for a set period of time.

As soon as you launch the updated Facebook app, you’ll see the new Stories navigation bar prominently featured at the top. On the far left is a shortcut for Direct sharing, the second bubble is for Your Story (you can tap it to add to it), while the rest are Stories of your closest friends. Each Story interface is almost identical to that of Instagram’s version — you can move back and forth through the slideshow by tapping left or right, and if it’s your own Story, you’ll be able to see the number of views as well as the names of the people who saw it. Additionally, you’ll be able to leave direct replies on other people’s Stories, which then appear on top of the content. The replies only live as long as the content, however, so once the photo is gone, the comment’s gone too.

“We’ve been very text-centric in the past,” says Connor Hayes, a Facebook product manager. “But what we’ve been seeing is that the way people create content is changing, from text to photos and videos. […] We’re trying to upgrade the app to be more centered around the way people are behaving and creating the content in social apps. And that starts with the camera.”

Which explains why the new camera is much easier to access. Before, the fastest way to launch the camera in the Facebook app was to tap “Photos” and then select the camera icon. Now, that camera icon is located to the left of the search field, and is visible the moment you launch the app. Alternately, you can swipe right from the home screen, and that’ll bring up the camera function as well.

The camera interface is completely different from before too. On the left side of the screen are little navigation dots, which correspond to different filters that the app has pre-selected for you. Simply swipe up or down to scroll through them, and you’ll see the filter take effect on the main screen. These pre-selected filters are chosen based on an algorithm that susses out whether you’ll like them, and also on your location. So if you’re in London, you probably won’t see a San Francisco themed filter, for example.

But if none of those filters strike your fancy, no worries, because you can tap an option that will reveal as many as 70 other options (that number will change depending on your region). You can choose anything from selfie masks to Prisma-esque style effects to simple frames. In a brief demo, I saw filters that showed animated pizza slices flying out of my mouth, round glasses superimposed on my face and a “I Miss You” message scrawled in front of me. Other options include a mirroring effect, one that shows a lazy sloth on top of your head, a mustache, a pride rainbow, a glitter beard and even an effect that makes you look like a minion from Despicable Me.

Indeed, Facebook not only partnered with different film studios for licensed content, it also commissioned two artists — Hattie Stewart from the UK and Doug Coupland from Canada — to come up with special artistic filter effects. One of Coupland’s filters, for example, shows concentric colors radiating from your head. Open your mouth, and the circles now form in your mouth and on your forehead.

Kristen Spilman, the director for Art and Animation in charge of the camera effects, says that she hopes these filters help people express themselves. “Our new camera puts visual content at the heart of the Facebook experience,” she says. “While we want our effects to be fun to use, it’s more important that they’re thoughtful and relevant in enhancing relationships.”

What I found particularly intriguing is that Spilman’s small team of effects artists took pains to really make sure that the filters resonate with the local culture. For example, when the team tested visual text filters like “OMG” and “LOL” in Ireland, they found that they weren’t really all that popular. But what did work were more regional examples like “Gas” (which translates to “astonishing”) and “Some Craic” (which means to have a good time).

After you’ve chosen your filter, you can write text on top of it or doodle on it with your choice of brush. Then, you can save it to your camera roll and do nothing with your creation, or you can choose to share it. You can post it to Newsfeed if you want your photo to live on forever, or you can post it to Your Story if you just want it up for the next 24 hours, or you can share it directly with your friends via the new Direct feature. If you do send your photo or video directly, note that your friends will only be able to view it once and replay it once. Once it’s over, it’s gone.

“Stories has become the format for people to create photos and videos and share them with one another immersively across social apps,” says Hayes. “This is something that Snapchat’s really pioneered. Our take is that Stories has become a format for people to share and consume photos and videos across all social apps.” When asked why someone would use Facebook Stories over Instagram Stories or vice versa, Hayes says that different people use the apps differently. “It depends on how they use each app, and who their network is on each app,” he says, pointing out that oftentimes the two have different audiences.

“Over the coming months, we plan to introduce new ways for the Facebook community to create their own frames and effects that can be used on any photo or video created with the new Facebook camera,” said Facebook in a statement. “Our goal is for the camera to be a home to hundreds of dynamic and fun effects that give you new ways to connect with friends, family, and your community.”

Facebook’s new camera, Stories and Direct sharing will be rolling out to all users on both Android and iOS throughout this week.

Questionable Rumor Claims Siri iCloud Integration and Contextual Learning Coming in iOS 11

Siri is set to gain contextual learning abilities and deep integration with iMessage and iCloud in iOS 11, according to an unverified rumor shared by Israeli site The Verifier.

Citing information “received directly from the development teams based in Israel and the U.S.”, the site says Siri’s AI codebase will receive a major update that will enable it to learn a user’s usage habits, similar to abilities claimed by Samsung for its new virtual assistant Bixby.

The upgrade is said to extend Siri’s capabilities beyond its current limited command pool by stacking multiple queries and offering different actions depending on the context. For example, Siri’s integration into iMessage means it will be able to offer suggestions relevant to the ongoing conversation, such as where to dine out, how to get there, and one-step Uber taxi booking.

In addition, the claim is that Siri’s integration with iCloud will enable it to identify meaningful connections between the various devices associated with an Apple ID account and offer practicable actions that crisscross Mac and iOS systems.

Moreover, Apple will embed Siri deeper into the Apple TV and Apple Watch experience, with significant updates to tvOS and watchOS. Advanced Siri abilities are also said to extend to a “smart clock” feature, although no other details were given.

The Verifier does not have an established track record for accurate rumors, making it unclear how reliable the information is, while the iMessage features described above can already be found in published Apple patents. Previously the site said that group FaceTime calls will be introduced in iOS 11, but so far we’ve been unable to corroborate the claim.

Details of what’s in store for iOS 11 have been scant in general, but it is expected to be released with new iPhones in the fall of 2017, while a preview of the new software could come at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2017 held in June.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: Siri
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Samsung to Sell Refurbished Note7 Phones ‘to Minimize Environmental Impact’ of Recall

Samsung announced on Monday that it will sell refurbished versions of its Galaxy Note7 smartphones, the model it officially discontinued last year because of fire-prone batteries.

Samsung’s Note 7 devices were permanently scrapped in October and recalled globally, after multiple reports of some phones self-combusting. A highly publicized in-depth investigation by the company discovered that batteries supplied by two different companies were to blame. No other faults were discovered in the components or parts.

The news surprised some analysts, coming just days before Samsung officially announces its Galaxy S8, which is generally regarded as the firm’s comeback mobile device and “iPhone 8” rival. Samsung said the refurbished Note7 phones will be equipped with new batteries that have gone through new safety checks.

“Regarding the Galaxy Note 7 devices as refurbished phones or rental phones, applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand,” Samsung said in a statement. “The product details including the name, technical specification and price range will be announced when the device is available. Samsung will not be offering refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices for rent or sale in the US.”

The move should allow Samsung to recoup some of the $2.3 billion in losses it suffered because of the ill-fated phone, but the company told The Verge that the main objective of introducing the refurbished devices was “solely to reduce and minimize any environmental impact”.

Last month, Greenpeace protestors interrupted the company’s Mobile World Congress keynote and demanded to know what the company’s plans were for its 4.3 million recalled devices, so it’s possible Samsung’s latest announcement is timed to avoid a repeat incident overshadowing its S8 launch on Wednesday. “Samsung’s announcement is the first step to show its effort to set a new path for recycling smartphones starting with Note 7s,” Greenpeace wrote in a blog post.

Samsung told Reuters the company has not set specifics on refurbished sales plans, including which markets they will be sold in and when they will go on sale. However, it noted that the phones will not be sold in India, as some media mistakenly reported earlier this year.

Tags: Samsung, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S8
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Amazon is buying the ‘Amazon of the Middle East’

Amazon wants to be a one-stop shop for the entire world, but has struggled to get a foothold in the Middle East. After months of deliberations, the company has finally purchased Souq.com, the “Amazon of the Middle East.” Russ Grandinetti, Amazon VP, says that the deal is a no-brainer, since both sites “share the same DNA,” adding that the pair will now “work hard to provide the best possible service” in the region.

The price hasn’t been disclosed, but rumors from the back-end of 2016 claimed that Souq’s founders were looking for a cool $1 billion. TechCrunch believes that the price was haggled down during negotiations, and thinks that the final fee was closer to $650 million. For that chunk of change, Amazon will now have a strong presence in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE with plenty of the knotty issues of doing business in the Middle East already fixed.

For example, credit cards aren’t ubiquitous in the area, so Souq developed a prepayment card where users top up in retail stores before ordering goods online. There’s also no unified logistics platform in many locations, or addresses, so Souq had to build a network of local couriers who knows where people live.

There’s no word on if Amazon will look to rebrand Souq with its own logo, although it’s not that likely given its normal procedure. After all, Zappos, Twitch, and IMDb aren’t called Amazon Shoes, Amazon Game Videos or Amazon Movie Database for nothing. Then again, the fact that the site is gaining a foothold in a new region, there may be a temptation to bring everything under the classic brand.

Source: Amazon (BusinessWire)

Google Home Arriving in the U.K. on April 6, Priced at £129

Google has revealed that its Amazon Echo rival, Google Home, will arrive in the United Kingdom on April 6. The announcement was made on Tuesday at an event in London, where it was also revealed that the British version of the connected smart speaker will deliver news briefings from several U.K. media outlets including The Guardian and the BBC.

Rollout of Google Home beyond American shores has lagged behind its main rival. The Echo range of speakers was released in Germany and the U.K. back in September 2016, allowing Amazon to gain an early foothold in the British market over the holiday period.

Google’s voice-activated speaker has also recently been dogged by accusations that its virtual Google Assistant responds to some questions with dubious answers because of flaws in the way its online search algorithm operates.

Google Home will cost £129 when it arrives in the U.K. next month and will be available from the Google Store, Argos, Dixons, John Lewis, and Maplins. Google is also launching colored bases, costing £18 for fabric and £36 for metal versions.

Tag: Google Home
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Natilus’s flying machine is drone delivery on a massive scale

Why it matters to you

It’s not exactly Prime Air, but improved efficiency in the global movement of freight could potentially benefit us all.

Moving freight around the globe is a complicated affair. If cost is the priority, goods are more likely to end up in containers packed onto giant cargo ships for slow journeys across several seas. If speed is critical, cargo planes will do the work, transporting stuff in super-quick time but at a higher cost.

But what if there was a middle way, a sweet spot that was cheaper than a plane but faster than a ship?

Natilus, a startup based in Richmond, California, says it’s come up with a design that could transform the way goods are moved around the world using an autonomous, and amphibious, jumbo-jet-sized drone capable of carrying up to 200,000 pounds of cargo.

The team is planning to run FAA-approved tests as early as this summer, with a near-term ambition to send a prototype machine on 30-hour test flights between Los Angeles and Hawaii with up to 700 pounds of cargo, Natilus CEO Aleksey Matyushev told Fast Company.

The proposed autonomous aircraft, which is about the size of a Boeing 777 jet, is designed to use turboprop and turbofan engines and regular jet fuel, and fly at an altitude of around 20,000 feet. To reduce the chances of falling foul of flight regulations, the drone would avoid flying over land and dock in sea ports for loading and unloading procedures.

Natilus says its drone would travel 17 times faster than a standard cargo ship. Operational costs, meanwhile, would be half that of a Boeing 747 cargo plane, achieved by making more efficient use of fuel and savings on pilot costs.

Offering an example, the team says that moving 200,000 pounds of cargo from LA to Shanghai takes a cargo ship 504 hours at a cost of $61,00o. A Boeing 747 takes 11 hours at a cost of cost $260,00o. Its drone, however, would take 30 hours and cost $130,000, speeding up delivery time over cargo ships while slashing operational costs for air transport.

More: Walmart is considering an in-store drone system

Assuming the project receives further funding, Natilus says it wants to build a full-scale drone by 2020. After testing, it envisages selling the machine to shipping giants like FedEx and UPS, as well as smaller firms. The plan clearly has a long way to go before it has any hope of becoming a reality, but in an industry constantly looking for cost savings and efficiency improvements, Natilus seems determined that its enormous autonomous flying machine will one day take to the skies.

The Gladius submersible drone lets you explore the ocean without getting wet

Why it matters to you

Affordable underwater camera drones present a new opportunity for photography enthusiasts curious about the deep blue sea.

If you were at all inspired by the quality of the winning shots in the 2017 Underwater Photographer of the Year contest, you might be itching to try out the genre for yourself.

While there are a slew of cameras and housings already on the market offering a route to crisp and colorful imagery from the deep, a growing number of drone cameras have been splashing into the water recently to give photographers and filmmakers even more options.

The Gladius is one of the latest drone cameras to offer high-quality pictures and video, and is so new it hasn’t even launched yet. Currently an Indiegogo project, the drone’s promising spec sheet helped its LA-based creator smash through its funding target within just 24 hours of going live on the site.

The remote controlled submersible can capture Ultra HD 1080P/4K video and 16-megapixel photos, saving content directly to internal storage or live-streaming it at 720P. The Gladius comes in three flavors — Standard, Advanced, and Pro.

The Standard Gladius incorporates a 1080P camera and a tether that lets you operate the drone to a depth of 30 meters, while the Advanced version comes with a 4K camera, the same 30-meter tether and also a wireless buoy offering a horizontal range of 500 meters. The Pro kit, meanwhile, lets you sink Gladius to depths of up to 100 meters (328 feet), with the same horizontal range as the Advanced model.

Four thrusters on the machine allow for flexible maneuverability via a gaming-like smartphone controller, with software designed for iOS and Android devices.

Bright LEDs located either side of the camera offer a 135-degree illumination angle to light the way for your underwater adventure as well as illuminate any aquatic creatures that you stumble upon, while two batteries keep the device powered for between three and four hours on a single charge.

Gladius

A bonus is the drone’s relatively small size (16.9×10.6×3.7 inches) and light weight (6.6 pounds), making it easy to transport in the provided case.

“Whether you’re a scuba diver, underwater photographer, commercial diver, oceanographer or just want to have fun, we’ve intelligently engineered Gladius with features to fit a wide range of uses,” the team says on its Indiegogo page.

More: iBubble, an autonomous drone camera, takes users under the sea

Early-bird deals are still available so you can secure the Standard Gladius with a $599 pledge, marking an $800 saving on the expected retail price. The Advanced kit costs $799 — that’s $900 off the final sale price — while the Pro version requires a $1,025 pledge, saving you a generous $1,200. The Gladius will ship worldwide with the first deliveries set to arrive in June 2017.

Payment problems mean Amazon Go isn’t quite ready to go

Why it matters to you

Its “early 2017” launch target did seem rather ambitious, and now we learn that an apparent technical glitch means Amazon does indeed have to delay the opening of its first public Go store.

If you walked into your local grocery store, grabbed whatever took your fancy, and walked straight out again, you’d probably get arrested for shoplifting.

In Amazon’s Go store, the system will be the same, but without the bothersome run-in with the law. That’s because Amazon’s system ditches checkouts and instead uses technical wizardry to automatically extract the total cost of your items from your bank account the moment you step outside. Brilliant.

Except that the company is reportedly having difficulties with the all-important payment system at its test store in Seattle. This means that Amazon’s targeted “early 2017” date for a wider rollout of Go appears to have become more of a case of, “We’ll see when we can get it properly sorted and let you know.”

The technology that tracks customers as they make their way around the store is having trouble keeping tabs on more than 20 shoppers at a time, according to a Wall Street Journal report this week.

Additionally, the system is having difficulties tracking items that are moved from their original spot, an issue likely caused by those who suddenly decide they don’t want something and discreetly ditch it on a random shelf because they can’t be bothered to return it to its proper place. Of course you never do that.

The test store has been open to Amazon employees since December last year, but the Journal says that another problem is that the technology in its current form can only track customers if they’re moving around the premises very slowly — an issue that we hope doesn’t lead to speed limit signs appearing along every aisle.

More: Amazon retail stores could use AR to sell furniture, appliances

Well, no one ever said that such a futuristic concept was going to be easy to nail, though Amazon will likely be frustrated at having to postpone the rollout of Go to locations across the country.

If you’d like to see how Amazon envisages a perfect Go store where it can reliably charge people as they walk out of the door with a bagful of groceries, check out the video above.

You can now use Truecaller to make Google Duo video calls, block spam

Why it matters to you

Can’t be bothered to download Google’s Duo app? Fret no more — Truecaller is here to save you the trouble.

Unwanted calls from telemarketers are pretty much unavoidable these days. Some industry analysts peg the number of unsolicited marketing calls at 35 percent of all calls placed in the U.S., or between three to four for every 10 calls. Luckily, apps like Truecaller are fighting the good fight against malicious telemarketers with caller ID and spam blocking. Now, it’s going further.

On Tuesday, Truecaller unveiled a “complete redesign” of its Android app that adds four key features to the anti-spam app’s suite. The first, SMS filtering, is aimed at combating the 1.2 trillion spam messages which account for 15 percent of all SMS messages sent globally. When you receive a text message, Truecaller now applies filters that identify the offending messages. From a user perspective, it’s completely automatic — it’s as if nothing happened.

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

Another new feature, Flash Messaging, can send pre-defined messages to any contact — you can let them know you’re on your way, for example, or if you’ve reached home. Another, Truecaller Payments, lets Android users in India send and receive money securely over the phone.

But one of the most significant newcomers to Truecaller app is integration with Google Duo, Google’s video calling app for Android and iOS. In the coming months, Duo will arrive as a permission-based service within the Truecaller app — you will be able to initiate and receive Duo calls in Truecaller, and message other contacts who have set up Duo on their devices.

“From the very beginning we have worked relentlessly to build a product that helps simplify communications for consumers across the globe, and help them address important needs such knowing the identity of those calling, and blocking unwanted numbers,” Alan Mamedi, co-founder and CEO of Truecaller, said in a statement. “With valuable partners like Google, we are excited to take the next step in our journey, bringing all your mobile communications and transactions under one roof and giving you the safest, most efficient, and most convenient experience possible without having to switch back and forth between providers or download multiple apps for each service.”

More: Truecaller patches exploit that left millions of Android users vulnerable

It’s too early to say for certain, but the “strategic agreement” between Truecaller and Duo could signal the latter’s gradual transition from a siloed app to a cross-platform service. The Duo app has struggled to maintain momentum, plummeting in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store rankings mere days after its launch. Integration with apps like Truecaller, which boasts more than 250 million users globally, could turn that trend around.

“Video calling should work for everybody, regardless of what platform they are on,” Amit Fulay, head of Duo at Google, said. “With this Truecaller integration, we’re able to bring a better video calling experience to millions of new users.”

Norway wants to build a ‘canal with a roof’ to make its ships safer

Why it matters to you

While some folks with steady legs and a strong stomach rather enjoy a choppy boat ride, it’s likely that Norway’s plan for giant ship tunnel will appeal to many local seafarers.

What do you do if you want to get ships from A to B but in the middle is a huge lump of mountainous rock? Why, build a tunnel, of course. Or a “canal with a roof,” as some have described Norway’s plans for a shipping lane through the Stad peninsula, about 240 miles (385 km) north-west of Oslo.

The Stad Ship Tunnel came a step closer this month when the nation’s government approved funding of around $320 million for the ambitious project. Work could start on what will become the world’s first full-scale ship tunnel as early as next year.

If you’re thinking the idea of the tunnel is to save travel time, think again. The main aim is to enhance ship safety as it would enable vessels to stay in calmer waters and avoid having to navigate part of the sometimes treacherous and exposed North Sea along a route where many lives have been lost over the years.

Overseen by the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA), the tunnel would cut through the narrowest part of the peninsula with a 1.1-mile-long (1.7 km) waterway, 37 meters tall and 26.5 meters wide (121 x 87 feet).

NCA engineer Terje Andreassen told New Atlas that work would first involve drilling horizontally before using explosives to take out the roof part of the tunnel. Bolts and anchors would then be fitted to secure the roof rock before applying shotcrete for further strengthening. “The rest of the tunnel will be done in the same way as in open mining … vertical drilling and blasting with explosives down to the level of 12 meters (42 feet) below the sea level,” Andreassen said.

Up to 100 ships could pass through the tunnel each day, though on average the figure is expected to be around 20. “There will be one-way traffic which will alternate every hour,” the engineer explained. “The traffic will be controlled by one of our vessel traffic centers and slot times will be given to all commercial vessels.”

More: Watch in awe as thousands of cargo ships traverse the world’s oceans

It’s expected to take around three or four years to blast through the rock, though it could take at least 10 years before we see any cargo-carrying vessels, passenger ferries, and some cruise ships sailing through it.

Aware that the tunnel could become a major visitor attraction not only for those wanting to sail through it but also for land-based tourists in the area, its designers could include bridges over the tunnel entrances for a close-up view of passing vessels.

Renderings (above) of the final design by architecture firm Snøhetta offer a fascinating view of how the tunnel could look. You can also check out this video (top) posted a couple of years ago during earlier governmental discussions about the grand plan.