Crackle signs up 50 Cent for two original series

Perennial Engadget CES interview Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has found new pastures for his foray into movies. Instead of just making direct-to-video projects with Val Kilmer and Bruce Willis, his G-Unit Film and Television is working on a few shows with Sony’s ad-supported streaming service Crackle. The Oath (no, not the Verizon/Yahoo amalgam) is a scripted series focusing on gang subcultures while RPM is about a used-car salesman who’s a getaway driver by night. Variety reports that those are working titles, but there’s little else to share at this point.

With Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee moving to Netflix, Crackle is looking to fill the gaps Jerry Seinfeld left in its lineup. The service is also working on original videos as a partnership with Mashable and A.V. Club publisher Fusion Media Group. But even then, whether or not the new programming can set Crackle apart from other services with seemingly endless pockets is up in the air, despite how many big names may be involved. If it doesn’t end up working out for 50, he always his headphone empire to fall back on. As for Crackle, the Dead Rising universe is ripe for more stories.

Via: Tubefilter

Source: Variety

Elago’s New M4 Stand Turns Your iPhone 7, 6s, or 6 Into The Original Macintosh

Back in January, accessory maker Elago launched the W3 Charging Stand for Apple Watch, which housed Apple’s modern wearable within a silicone shell that looked just like the Macintosh computer from 1984. This week, Elago is launching another nostalgic accessory, this time allowing users to turn their iPhone 7, 6s, or 6 into an old Mac.

Called the M4 Stand for iPhone, the charging stand functions exactly like the Apple Watch version: users slide their iPhone into the side of the silicone housing, and there’s a pass-through rail underneath the stand for Lightning cable organization. In terms of size, the M4 Stand is about 5.8 inches long, 4.3 inches wide, and 5 inches tall.

View your iPhone through a blast from the past. Your iPhone fits perfectly into the stand and transforms it into an old Apple monitor.

The M4 Stand is made with scratch-free silicone to prevent damage to your iPhone and cable; the material’s unique properties allow the stand to feel soft to the touch and provide weight to plant your stand on any flat surface.

The M4 isn’t compatible with any Plus versions of the iPhone, nor will it work with an iPhone that’s in any sort of protective case. Elago did mention, however, that the company’s line of “Slim Fit” cases are compatible with the M4 Stand.

The M4 Stand for iPhone is available in Black and Classic White on Elago’s website for $29.49. Elago is also selling both the Black and Classic White M4 Stand on Amazon at a slightly higher price of $29.99.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Elago
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Apple Music Introduces ‘Up Next’ Feature to Promote New Artists

On its Apple Music Twitter account, Apple today announced a new “Up Next” feature for Apple Music, which is designed to promote “Music’s Next Generation,” highlighting a new artists each month.

For April, Apple is partnering with singer and rapper 6LACK for a range of projects to promote his latest album, FREE 6LACK.

The new “Up Next” Apple Music section in iTunes features a documentary that delves into 6LACK’s upbringing, the Free 6LACK album, a live performance, an interview with Zane Lowe, and several Apple Music playlists.

Both Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe and 6LACK will also be on the Late Late Show with James Corden on April 20, presumably to talk about the new project and 6LACK’s work.

.@zanelowe and @6LACK will be on @latelateshow with @JKCorden tonight! Watch on @CBS at 12:37AM ET/PT. https://t.co/TrhFPh1sKI #UpNext pic.twitter.com/FZLE6MBM91

— Beats 1 (@Beats1) April 20, 2017

Apple has done similar wide-ranging promotions for major album releases for well-known artists in the past, but its new Up Next feature gives the company a way to highlight and promote lesser-known artists in a major way.

Tag: Apple Music
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Apple and Nike Launch New Neutral-Toned ‘Apple Watch NikeLab’

Nike today announced that it has teamed up with Apple to create a new version of the Apple Watch Nike+, which pairs a Space Gray Apple Watch Series 2 aluminum case with a black and cream Nike band.

Called the Apple Watch NikeLab, the new device is limited edition and designed to be “the ultimate style companion” for those who love to run.

The limited edition, neutral-toned Apple Watch NikeLab maintains the beloved features of its predecessor: deep integration with the Nike+ Run Club app, exclusive Siri commands, GPS, a two-times-brighter display and water resistance to 50 meters*, all made possible by a powerful dual-core processor and watchOS 3. ​

Apple Watch NikeLab will be available starting on April 27 from Nike.com, at NikeLab locations, and at the Apple Tokyo pop-up store at the Isetan department store. It will not be sold in Apple Stores or from the Apple website, a first for an Apple Watch.

The Apple Watch NikeLab will likely be priced at $369 for the 38mm model and $399 for the 42mm model, the same price as the rest of the Apple Watch Nike+ lineup.

Apple and Nike first teamed up in September of 2016 for the Nike+ Apple Watch that launched alongside Apple’s own set of Series 2 Apple Watch devices. Apple offers two Apple Watch Nike+ models in Silver and Space Gray aluminum along with standalone Apple Watch Nike+ bands.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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AI app knows when couples are fighting, may someday predict (and prevent) conflict

Why it matters to you

By detecting conflict, AI may someday be able to predict — and prevent — bickering between couples.

Bickering isn’t abnormal, but it’s (usually) unproductive, so most people want to avoid petty fights with their partner if possible. Some day soon a smartphone app may help.

Researchers at the University of California (USC), Los Angeles, have used an artificial intelligence system to analyze language patterns and physiological signs in order to detect conflict in couples. The work, which the team published in the journal IEEE Computer, demonstrates the first time such monitoring has been shown to work outside of a psychology lab.

Led by USC’s Adela Timmons, the researchers used smartphones and wearables on 34 couples in the comfort of their homes. The devices were equipped with machine learning algorithms that could pick up on patterns in speech and physiology, such as an increased heart rate and skin conductance level, two signs that previous studies have shown to be associated with conflict. The red flag language would be all too familiar to anyone who has ever argued with a significant other, including more use of words like “you,” “always,” and “never.”

During the day-long trial, a sensor on each partner’s chest measured heart rate, a wrist band measured skin conductance level (think, electrical activity), and a smartphone collected audio recordings while tracking the participants by GPS. The smartphone would ask the couples to confirm if a conflict had occurred when one was detected — which surely made things worse but, hey, it’s for science.

All things considered, the system was able to accurately detect conflict 79.3 percent of the time. With language cues alone, the accuracy rate was a less impressive 62.3 percent. However, the system’s ability to detect conflict doesn’t yet amount to predicting — and even preventing — altercations. Timmons plans to investigate that next.

“Our next steps are to predict conflict before it occurs and to develop adaptive, real-time intervention systems,” Timmons told Digital Trends. “This might involve sending warnings or alerts that conflict is likely, prompting relaxation exercises or breaks, or helping couples re-initiate positive contact or reflect about what happened after an argument occurs.”

NASA has developed a futuristic 3D-printed ‘space fabric’

Why it matters to you

NASA’s new futuristic space textile could be used for everything from spaceship insulation to cutting-edge astronaut space suits.

Never an organization to knowingly fall behind in the world of cutting-edge tech, NASA has taken 3D printing to the next level by developing chainmail-style “4D” printed metal fabrics for use in future space missions.

“We call it ‘4-D printing’ because we can print both the geometry and the function of these materials,” Raul Polit-Casillas, a systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, who helped lead the research team, said in a press release. “If 20th-century manufacturing was driven by mass production, then this is the mass production of functions.”

One side of the new space material is designed to reflect light, while the other side absorbs it — thereby allowing it to function as a thermal control for passive heat management. It can also fold in many different ways, and adapt to different shapes. Most exciting of all, however, is the fact that NASA is working to “program” in new abilities all the time.

“I can program new functions into the material I’m printing,” Casillas said. “That also reduces the amount of time spent on integration and testing. You can print, test, and destroy material as many times as you want.”

Because of its versatility, NASA thinks its new wonder material could be used for future space suits for astronauts, for large antennas and other deployable devices, for capturing objects on the surface of other planets, or for insulating future spacecraft. One interesting use case involves using it to fold over uneven terrain on something like Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, so that it could form “‘feet’ that won’t melt the ice” beneath astronauts.

Another big requirement being taken into consideration is the ability to not only have materials that can be 3D printed as and when needed, but also ones which can be broken down and reused when no longer required.

We’re still a way off from this particular material being used in space, but it’s certainly fascinating to see how seriously NASA is taking the additive manufacturing revolution.

Plus, we’d be lying if we said that the thought of future chainmail-wearing space knights doesn’t fill us with excitement!

How to clean your computer monitor without destroying it

There are a few certainties in life: Death, taxes, and dirty computer screens. That’s just an unavoidable fact of life, as dust, fingerprints, and assorted detritus gathers on your monitor. While all that grime on your screen might not cause damage, it can certainly be an eyesore, filtering your movies, games, and other media through a layer of grime. We’ve got you covered with some pointers on how to keep your screen clean.

Some words of warning

While it may be tempting to reach for a bottle of Windex or some other general cleaning product, don’t! Harsh chemicals may be fine for windows or countertops, but they can wreak havoc on computer monitors, wearing away coatings. There are many cleaning fluids on the market geared specifically toward computer monitors, and while these products certainly work, you don’t need to spend the money on them if you don’t want to; distilled water should work for most monitor cleaning, and you can mix in some white vinegar for tougher grime.

Additionally, avoid paper towels, rags, old t-shirts, or many of the usual materials you use to wipe down surfaces in your home. Monitors are more delicate than they look, and these fabrics — even paper towels — are abrasive enough to scratch your screen, particularly if you have used them for other jobs where they might have accumulated grit. A microfiber cloth, the kind you might use to clean your glasses or vinyl records, is the safest choice, and make sure it’s free of any dirt or grime before swiping across your display.

Step 1: Turn Off the Monitor

First of all, it’s easier to see smudges and stuff on a black screen, so turning off your monitor makes it easier to see what you are doing. It’s also safer for you and for your computer. Cleaning your monitor while it’s on and the pixels are all fired up could damage your screen or potentially give you an unpleasant electrical jolt. So turn it off!

Step 2: Wipe Monitor with Cloth

If dust is the only thing defiling your screen, a quick wiping should be enough to clean it. Take a microfiber cloth and gently brush the screen in long motions. We cannot stress enough that you should be gentle; pressing too hard on the screen could damage the pixels within.

If the offending filth is tougher than dust — maybe some dried mucus from a sudden sneeze, or mysterious gunk from who-knows-what — then you can use some sort of safe fluid. You can use gentle cleaning fluid designed for monitors, but as mentioned earlier, water should suffice. It is best to use filtered or distilled water, as tap water may contain minerals or other substances that can harm the screen or leave annoying streaks. Add distilled white vinegar to the water if the grime is tough.

Whatever fluid you use, do not spray it directly on the monitor, as it may trickled down to the edge of the screen. If this happens, it could seep into the monitor and damage the electronic components within. Spray or dab the liquid onto the cloth, wringing out excess fluid, and gently wipe the monitor with broad strokes.

Step 3: Let It Dry

Gently dry your monitor with a microfiber cloth or let nature do the work for you. To avoid any moisture or electrical damage, make sure your screen is completely dry before turning your computer back on.

Updated 4-19-2017 by Will Nicol: Updated to provide safer tips.

Dell shows stunning new HDR10 display alongside a release date for its Surface Studio competitor

Why it matters to you

Dell’s new HDR10 display may be your next monitor if you’re a professional content creator.

On Thursday during the National Association of Broadcasters conference, Dell introduced three new monitors for professionals: the UltraSharp 27 4K HDR Monitor (UP2718Q), the UltraSharp 27 4K Monitor (U2718Q), and the UltraSharp 25 Monitor (U2518D). Dell lists the UP2718Q as the company’s first HDR10 display with UHD Alliance Premium Certification. It also supports a wide number of color spaces to fit the needs of every digital artist, photographer, and ad designer.

HDR10 is essentially the latest version of the High Dynamic Range standard. HDR10 is based on the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space and a 10-bit color depth to provide rich colors, bright whites, and deep blacks. HDR10 began to make its way into 4K HDTVs during 2015 in units such as the Sony X930C, the LG OLED E6, the Samsung KS9800, and more. HDR10 monitors are still very rare. LG’s 32UD99 is the only other monitor we know of to support HDR10. Sold at $1,000, LG’s monitor is less expensive, but doesn’t make strong claims about support for professional content creation.

Here are the hardware specs for the upcoming UltraSharp 27 4K HDR Monitor:

Model number:
UP2718Q
Screen size:
27 inches
Resolution:
3,840 x 2,160 @ 60Hz
Color depth:
1.07 billion
Color spaces:
Rec. 2020 (76.9 percent)
Adobe RGB (100 percent)
sRGB (100 percent)
REC 709 (100 percent)
DCI-P3 (97.7 percent)
Peak brightness:
1,000 nits
Contrast ratio:
20,000:1
Ports:
2x HDMI  2.0a
1x DisplayPort 1.4
1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4
2x USB 3.1 Gen1 (upstream)
4x USB 3.1 Gen1 (two ports offer charge)
Availability:
May 23
Price:
$2,000

In addition to the monitor listed above, Dell also introduced the UltraSharp 27 4K Monitor (U2718Q) slated for a release in mid-July, for $700. The third panel of the freshly-baked trio is the UltraSharp 25 Monitor (U2518D) for $500, which will arrive during the mid-July window as well. None of these three additional panels support HDR10, though they do boast thin bezels.

The three new UltraSharp panels follow the release of Dell’s UltraSharp 32 8K Monitor (UP3218K), which costs a stunning $5,000 and the Dell Precision 5720 All-in-One workstation, which is$1,700. Some of the 5720’s ingredients include a seventh-generation Intel Core i5-7500 processor, 8GB of DDR4 memory clocked at 2,400MHz, 500GB of storage, a discrete AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150 graphics card, and a 27-inch screen with a touch-capable option.

Dell also plans to release its Canvas 27, a Surface Studio competitor, in early July for a mere $1,800. It’s essentially a PC crammed into a 27-inch tablet form factor that sits flat on the desktop. And while the Canvas 27 has a built-in touch screen (2,560 x 1,440), the device is meant to be connected to a large display so it can pretend it’s a huge digital artboard while shoving the updated images onto the external monitor. The Canvas 27 also includes totem and pen-based input capabilities.

“Adobe has developed totem functionality for intuitive timeline scrubbing in Premiere Pro for a Canvas environment. Dell is now expanding this early evaluation program to work with more partners and customers in preparation for global availability,” the company said on Thursday.

Given that Dell isn’t even rolling out the U2718Q and the U2518D panels until July, a few months may need to pass before Dell spills the beans regarding the hardware details of these just-announced displays. Consider this as a teaser for now until Dell finalizes the hardware details and/or throws open the product pages online.

The best Bluetooth headsets you can buy

Gone are the days when Bluetooth headsets were only for the business elite (or maybe business dorks). They aren’t just there for taking calls — they can also be used as a portal to your digital assistant and provide you with vital information when you need it, without the need to pull out your phone.

There are a ton of things to consider when buying a Bluetooth headset, however, such as battery life and audio quality. If you need your headset available to you all day, for instance, battery life might be the first thing to consider. You’ll also want to keep design and various features in mind. If you’re looking for wireless earbuds for music streaming, check out our list here.

So which Bluetooth headset should you get? With all the options out there, it can be a little difficult to decide. Below are some of our current favorites.

Our pick

Sennheiser Presence-UC

Why should you buy this: With an excellent battery life, great design, and top audio quality, this is the Bluetooth headset to beat.

The best

Sennheiser Presence-UC

The Sennheiser Presence-UC has a top-tier battery life, great audio quality, and a beautiful design.

$136.69 from Amazon

$110.22 from Jet.com

Who’s it for: Those willing to spend a little extra for the best.

How much will it cost: $137

Why we picked the Sennheiser Presence-UC:

When buying an audio product, you might want to consider an established name in the audio world — like Sennheiser. Sennheiser has long been a dominant force in both consumer and pro audio, and for good reason. The Presence is a pretty sleek device, one that is certainly a lot fancier than many of the other options on our list.

The design is a combination of black and silver with a MicroUSB port for charging, and an LED light on the back. It features an ear hook like most Bluetooth headsets, but unlike others, that ear hook can be removed and attached as needed. The device utilizes Bluetooth 4.0 and implements Sennheiser’s “SpeakFocus” tech, which is designed to enhance voice clarity in all scenarios.

It also uses the company’s WindSafe tech, so it eliminates — you guessed it — wind noise. Plus, Sennheiser claims it will last between 8 and 10 hours on a single charge.

The best for the fashion-conscious

Jawbone Era

Why should you buy this: The Jawbone Era is probably the best-looking device on this list.

The best for the fashion-conscious

Jawbone Era

The Jawbone Era may not have the best battery life, but it’s still very functional – and looks great.

$36.95 from Amazon

Who’s it for: Those who care about how they look.

How much will it cost: $37

Why we picked the Jawbone Era:

The Jawbone Era may be a few years old, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great device. The original Jawbone Era was released back in 2011, but the company re-released and redesigned the device in 2014. The Era is perhaps most notable because of its design — it’s arguably the most stylish Bluetooth headset on the list, thanks to its sleek arm and discreet earpiece. Basically, this headset won’t draw immediate judgment as you walk down the street. It’s also available in four colors (silver, red, bronze, and black) and comes with ear tips that fall within three size categories (small, medium, and large).

The Era features Jawbone’s “Noise Assassination” technology, which is targeted at cutting out as much background noise as possible when you’re on a call. There’s one button on the device, so it may take a few days to learn all the shortcuts. Jawbone claims that the device will last up to 4 hours on a single charge, but thankfully, there is an optional battery case available. Still, if you’re after something to last you through the day, the Era may not be for you. As far as connectivity goes, the Era features Bluetooth 4.0.

Read more here

The best for the price

Plantronics Voyager 5200

Why should you buy this: With an arm for superior audio and a 7 hour battery life, this is an excellent headset for its price.

The best for the price

Plantronics Voyager 5200

The Plantronics Voyager 5200 has a long battery life and a top-tier audio quality for a low price.

$100.00 from Amazon

$129.99 from TechRabbit

Who’s it for: Those who want quality at a low price

How much will it cost: $100

Why we picked the Plantronics Voyager 5200:

Arguably a little less stylish than the Jawbone Era, the Plantronics Voyager 5200 looks a lot more like what you might expect a Bluetooth headset to look like. While it won’t win any awards when it comes to design, it still has a lot going for it. The Voyager 5200 hooks around the ear, so you won’t need to worry too much about it falling off, which is great for those that fast-paced lives. The design is completed by the small microphone arm, which is noticeable, but not overly large.

Plantronics says the device should last up to seven hours on a single charge, though we suggest being a little conservative and estimating around five to six hours. That’s still not bad. Like the Era, the Voyager 5200 also has an optional charging case, which grants the device two extra charges.

The Voyager 5200 offers excellent audio quality, too, and while the noise cancellation may be a little too aggressive for some tastes, it helps mute background noise in spades. The device can even withstand a few raindrops if it needs to, given its IPX4 rating, meaning that splashes of water from any direction shouldn’t harm the device.

The best for the great outdoors

Jabra Steel

Why should you buy this: With a rugged dust, water, and shock resistant design, this is the toughest headset on the list.

The best for the great outdoors

Jabra Motion

The Jabra Steel is tough and dependable.

$102.90 from Amazon

Who’s it for: Those who work outdoors or in noisy or wet environments.

How much will it cost: $103

Why we picked the Jabra Motion:

The Jabra Steel has a very simple, straightforward, ruggedized design. It’s two and a half inches long with an optional ear hook to hold it in place. It scores an IP54 rating, which means it can handle rain and dusty environments, making it ideal for anyone working outdoors. There are extra-large buttons, so you can operate it, even with gloves on, and it supports voice commands for hands-free operation through your phone’s voice assistant.

You’ll find pairing via NFC is an easy option, and you can connect two devices simultaneously. It also boasts aggressive noise cancellation, which is great for loud environments. The audio quality is good, and you get a reasonable 6 hours of talk time when fully charged.

The best for home use

VXi BlueParrott B450-XT

Why should you buy this: With on-ear buttons and a secure, overhead design, this headset will help you manage your business at home.

The best for home use

VXi BlueParrott B450-XT

With a long arm and on-ear buttons, the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT is great for home or office use.

$149.99 from Amazon

$149.99 from VXI

Who’s it for: Those that want a headset for home or office use only.

How much will it cost: $150

Why we picked the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT:

Sometimes you’re not looking for a headset to use on the go – sometimes, you really need something to use at home. That’s what the VXi BlueParrott B450-XT is here for. While a little bulky, the device features call control buttons right on its ear, along with noise cancelling capabilities and an over-head design, keeping the headset securely on your head.

Along with that, the headset has a rather long microphone arm offering great audio quality — allowing the person on the other end of the line tohear you loud and clear. The headset can also be programmed with the Android or iOS apps, and has NFC for easy pairing.

Is now a good time to buy?

Now is as good of a time as any to buy a Bluetooth headset. While it seems like most companies have slowed down a little in releasing headsets, if you’re in the market for one, there’s no reason not to buy one right now.

On top of that, there are plenty of options available, even for those who don’t want to spend much money because they don’t think they’ll use a Bluetooth headset all that often. When choosing a headset, you’ll want to consider a number of different metrics – and one that many people forget is design. Keep in mind, this is a device you’re going to wear on your head, so you want it to look decent on top of working well.

In reality, most people don’t need a Bluetooth headset, as wired or wireless earbuds should suffice. but then again you probably wouldn’t be reading this if you hadn’t already decided that a Bluetooth headset was something you might need – either for your personal life or for your business.

How we choose the best Bluetooth headsets

Here at Digital Trends we pride ourselves on being experts in tech, and that includes Bluetooth headsets. Whether it be audio specifications, how Bluetooth works, or why current design trends are in, we know what we’re talking about. For this particular list, we put in the necessary time and research to go through hundreds of different headsets and determine which headsets are best for each category.

That’s not to say they’ll be the best forever – they’ll be overtaken eventually. But for now, we’re confident that these are indeed the best Bluetooth headsets around.

Article originally published 12-21-2016 by Christian de Looper and last updated 4-19-2017 by Simon Hill to add the Jabra Steel.

Zynga’s iMessage game will have you searching for the perfect GIF response

Why it matters to you

Zynga’s newest app is a neat, quick game you can enjoy with friends, centered on the time-honored internet tradition of GIF sharing.

If modern messaging services and social media have taught us one thing, it’s that there is a GIF for every occasion. Zynga seems to think so too, as the longtime mobile developer has based its latest game on that very premise.

It’s called GIFs Against Friends and it works similarly to party games like Cards Against Humanity and Quiplash — with the added hilarity of looping animations. One player selects a prompt or writes their own, and then others anonymously respond with GIFs. The judge selects whichever they deem the best, and then you’re on to the next round.

Zynga was one of the first developers to embrace the iMessage App Store introduced alongside iOS 10 last fall with a new version of Words Against Friends. Since then, the company has released a collection of minigames as well, but GIFs Against Friends looks uniquely well suited for the emerging platform.

“We had been working on the iMessage platform for a few months,” Mark Kantor, general manager at Zynga, told Digital Trends, “and we were thinking about ‘what are the things that people are already doing within messaging?’”

The company noted enthusiasm surrounding GIFs, and set out to build a game that utilized them while also being “inherently social.” The result? Up to 32 friends can join the battle for GIF supremacy in a single iMessage group chat. Unsurprisingly, that can create some pretty hectic exchanges.

“Often times, people in high school and college specifically have really big groups within iMessage,” Kantor said. “[The game] often leads to really funny conversations and obviously if there’s 10, 20, or 30 people in that conversation, then I think things can get pretty exciting.”

To allow GIFs Against Humanity to work as intended, however, Zynga needed to make sure the app was serving up the perfect GIFs in response to players’ search terms. Enter Tenor, a company that specializes in GIF curation and supplies its know-how and insights to various clients, from Facebook to Google, Kik, and Apple. For GIFs Against Humanity, the partnership made perfect sense.

“We’ve tried using a number of different [GIF search] services,” Kantor said. “[Tenor] somehow managed to get the emotions, and hit the nail right on the head.”

Tenor attributes the power of its solution to an understanding of how emotions relate to content in the context of messaging, particularly over mobile devices. To Tenor’s co-founder and CEO, David McIntosh, GIFs are merely another language of communication — albeit one that we usually only encounter when we’re texting a friend or sharing a post.

“Traditionally we’ve been hyper-focused on mobile messaging,” McIntosh said. “This is a really interesting partnership for us because it extends that visual language that we’re building to more of a gaming use case.”

While the iMessage App Store has stumbled a little out the gate — due to what many pundits, developers, and users alike have called a confusing interface that makes it difficult to find the software you’re looking for — Kantor believes there is massive potential for apps that manage to enhance the group chat experience.

“I think that the games that are gonna end up being the best within a messenger, they will probably be different games than the ones that stand alone in the App Store,” Kantor said. “The games that we’re seeing most success are the ones that really fit into the conversation. People don’t necessarily want to spend a minute to have the game load, and then spend ten minutes on a turn. They want something that’s going to be really snappy and not pull them away from the conversation, but actually make the conversation better.”

GIFs Against Friends is available now for free on the iMessage App Store.