No, your Instagram account wasn’t hacked earlier today
A host of Instagram users were logged out of the app earlier today, causing varying degrees of panic that their accounts had been hacked. Fret not! It turns out that no one was hacked, but rather a bug was the culprit. Users reported being logged out of the app with the error message that their password had been changed. Yes, cue panic. Instagram says that the app “experienced a bug” that triggered the action and inaccurate error notification. If you were affected by the glitch, you should be able to log back in, but it make take a bit longer than usual to do so. Instagram also confirmed that no passwords were actually changed as a result of the hiccup. Whew.
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Via: Recode
Source: Instagram (Twitter)
More and more people are using Instagram filter names as baby names
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I’ve yet to have a child, so I don’t fully understand the trials and tribulations that parents go through to choose a name for their newborn baby, but it never occurred to me that Instagram could be a place for inspiration. As a recent survey of 340,000 parents revealed, some people are starting to use Instagram filter names as baby names, with the highest gainer since last year being baby boys given the name “Lux”, jumping 75%.
Other popular boys names include familiar names like Ludwig, Amaro, Reyes, Hudson and Kelvin (though that last one is legitimately a pretty common name), whereas little ladies have seen an increase in the names Juno, Valencia and Willow. The statistics were part of BabyCenter.com‘s unofficial list of popular names from 2015 – other fun fact, despite the security debacle at Ashley Madison earlier this year, “Madison” is still a top 10 girls name this year.
If nothing else, this is just yet another indication of how much the social media revolution has started to infiltrate every facet of our lives. It kind of makes you wonder what parents will think of next to use as name inspiration – if anyone names their child “Yolo”, I’m out.
What do you think of Instagram filter names as baby names? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: TIME via TechCrunch
The post More and more people are using Instagram filter names as baby names appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Instababies: People are naming kids after Instagram filters
When it comes to deciding on a baby name, you could go with a family name. Or, like several couples did in 2015, you could look to your cellphone photography habit for inspiration. According to BabyCenter, some of the hottest trends in baby names shared monikers with Instagram filters. Yes, really. The site says that names of the photo-sharing apps presets were extremely popular this year for newborns, with Lux being the top choice. Additionally, Ludwig, Amaro, Reyes, Hudson and Kelvin all rose up the popularity rankings for boys while Juno, Valencia and Willow were routinely picked for girls. The site says it gathered its name popularity and trend data from 340,000 parents from around the world to compile the stats. Here’s to hoping the trend continues in 2016 with babies named Lo-Fi, Inkwell and Nashville, because the internet.
[Image credit: Shutterstock]
Via: Time
Source: BabyCenter
Instagram finally testing multiple account support!
Do you have multiple Instagram accounts? Those of you who do can attest to the annoyance that it can be to switch between accounts. So far the only way to do this has been to sign in and out of separate accounts manually. Now we know this is something Instagram is definitely working on, and some of you are already lucky enough to have access to this feature.
The ability to log into multiple accounts and switch around is currently in beta, so you will either have to download the APK file or sign up for the Instagram Beta Program. The trick here is that it’s not just a matter of having the right app version (which would be 7.12.0). It seems the feature is going through a cloud-based rollout, so you have to get lucky too.
It will be easy to find out if you can use multiple Instagram accounts with the Android app. All you have to do to check is go into the settings and scroll all the way down. The option would read “Add Account”, and it would be located right under the button used to clear the search history.
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From the “Add Account” section you can go ahead and choose whether you want to sign in or create a whole new account. After you have logged into more than one account, a selector will show up where the nickname usually goes. Tap on it and you will be presented with the option to switch. A green notification will reassure you that the switch has gone through, if you opt to enter the other account.
I, for one, am glad to see that Instagram is working on this. Plenty of people need to use multiple accounts, whether it’s for work/media reasons or you just want to have a secret life. Is the multiple account option showing up for any of you? Please hit the comments and let us know!
Instagram adding multi-account support to Android app
Instagram users who need to manage multiple accounts will be happy to hear that the social network platform is finally adding the ability to switch between multiple accounts without first logging out. The update is included in a new version, number 7.12.0 that is starting to rollout to some users, although the new feature is not showing up for everyone with this update, so a server side change may also be necessary.
The initial addition of an account is achieved via a new menu entry on the Settings page of the app, where users can access a menu to either add an existing account or create a new one from scratch. Once a second account is added, users can switch between the accounts by tapping on the username and using a drop down selector accessed on the profile page. Testing indicates Instagram displays a toast message to let users know they have successfully switched accounts.
If you want to check for the availability of this new feature, you can download the apk below and hope that your account is one of the accounts that Instagram added this new function to.
APK Mirror download
source: AndroidPolice
Come comment on this article: Instagram adding multi-account support to Android app
Instagram tests multiple account support on Android
The Instagram team appears to be readying an Android update that will introduce one of its most highly requested features: multiple account support. For the average user this probably isn’t a big deal, but for professional photographers, social media managers and small business owners, this addition would make life much simpler. As Android Police reports, Instagram is testing the feature on Google’s mobile OS right now — you can gain access by joining the Instagram beta program, or by grabbing the latest APK from APK Mirror. Once you’ve got the right version installed, just dive into your settings and scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll see the new option “Add Account.” From there, you can switch between the two by tapping the drop-down menu on your profile page.
Source: Android Police, APK Mirror
Day One Apps: The first apps we install on every new Android (Volume 3)
As someone who has gone through his fair share of Android phones and tablets over the years, I’ve also installed and reviewed countless apps and games. As such, there some titles out there that I simply must have on my Android – and as soon as possible. We like to term these as “Day One Apps” because, well, we install them on day one.
What follows are the day one apps that I look for almost as soon as I get connected to Wi-Fi. Be sure to check out Volume 1 and Volume 2 to see what my fellow writers are loading on their respective devices.
Google Keyboard
The first thing I do on any smartphone or tablet is install Google Keyboard. In some cases this comes preloaded with the phone, however many manufacturers choose to go their own route with a third party keyboard. To me, there is nothing easier to learn or set up. It’s easy, intuitive, and I like some of the customization settings. Yes, I know that there are more feature-rich keyboards out there, and some will save me more keystrokes over time, however I love the universal feel that this Google client provides. I don’t even want to mess with email, text, or installing other apps until I’ve had this one in place.
Internet Movie Database (IMdb)
I am a big movie fan so I am always quick to install the IMDB application. It is one of the more polished looking Android apps you’ll find and is always among the first to adopt Google’s latest design principles. I love looking at trivia, movie trailers, and just tripping down the rabbit hole. I like the app so much that I prefer this experience over the web version now and I’m often found skimming this app when watching older films. It’s also the first one I break out when I leave the theater so I can check out trivia.
Movies by Flixster
Staying with the theme of films, I install Flixster right away so that I can see what is showing at the local box office. Whether you’re traveling or staying close to home, the app does a great job of showing what is available at what time. Of course this one provides phone numbers, addresses of theaters, but it also hands off to turn-by-turn navigation. Although the color scheme is getting a little dated in my opinion, it is a simple to use application and ties into your Facebook or Google profiles for quick login.
Nova Launcher Prime
Nova Launcher Prime ensures that my smartphone looks exactly the way I wanted to. It is not necessarily that I have a problem with stock Android or some of the custom UIs out there, it’s more that I love to hand select every little facet. The experience has gotten incrementally better over time and new features are introduced on a semi-regular basis. If you are looking to set up your phone with gestures, custom icons, or want to have your new phone mirror the exact user interface as your last device, this is the first one you should consider. Yes, there’s a free version, but do yourself a favor and spring for the Prime version as it unlocks all sorts of wonderful things for the money.
BaconReader for Reddit
I am a reddit junkie so I install Baconreader right away; Reddit is the way that I pick up most of my headlines and participate in discussion. Moreover, it’s also a great way for me to unwind and waste time with various subreddits and irreverent, fun stuff. Baconreader recently picked up a new design that implements Google’s latest guidelines and looks fantastic. I would like to see more themes, however, I am content with the experience. I’ve dabbled another reddit applications, but always come home to this one.
ESPN
ESPN is a must-have application for me because I follow a variety of sports and have loyalties to teams in multiple leagues. I love being able to pop in and check at-a-glance as to how my teams are doing. I appreciate that I can toggle notifications for alerts and I am sure to get scores as they happen. This one has gotten more refined overtime and really uses some of Googles Material Design cues. In addition to scores, you can pull up news as it happens in just about any league; the “Now” column brings up a steady stream of tweets and updates from a whole host of sources. Plus, it’s always nice to hop in and watch a quick replay of your team ripping off a 75 yard touchdown run. Things get even better with the counterpart app, WatchESPN.
Snapseed
Although I do have quite a few photo editing tools, Snapseed is the one that I currently love the most. I’ve installed this on day one for the last year or two and simply love the editing tools. As cameras get better with time, the pictures look even cooler when you run them through quick clean up, filters, minor and major tweaks, or add a border. I also love that this one is easy to work with and it doesn’t hurt that it is owned by Google.
HootSuite
Managing social media for myself personally as well as the AndroidGuys brand, I need a tool that gives me flexibility and a robust set of options. To me, HootSuite, is one that does the best job of this. Not only can you add multiple streams, for social media accounts, but it looks great on a tablet. If you stay active on social media, then you will want to consider this one.
Audible
I don’t get to spend as much time reading books as I would like to, so I take every advantage of listening to audiobooks. Audible is the first name in audiobooks, and, conveniently, it’s tied directly to Amazon. I love that I can log in on any device and resume where I left off. Depending on the book, I will also adjust the playback speed so that I can get through it quicker. This varies, of course, from book to book and reader to reader, but it’s a great way to take him books while riding a bike, mowing the grass, or on longer car rides. Speaking of which, Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks
Timely
I love Timely particularly because of the cloud sync. I have a number of alarms that go off throughout the day and week to keep me on task, and the cloud synchronization here makes sure that I don’t miss a beat. Indeed, you can set alarms on any of your devices and make it so that the alarms you set on your first phone carry over to your latest phone. You can toggle this stuff on and off at a per-device level and it super easy easy to manage. I don’t spend much time inside of the application, but it is among the prettiest clocks, stopwatch, timer, countdown apps you’ll find.
I count myself among the 400 million active Instagram users so of course I will use their mobile app. Although the app was a little stale for a while, I have come to appreciate the new filters that have been at it over time. And, thanks to the video feature, it easy to share longer moments, too. The mobile application, to me, works better than the desktop version. While we’re on the topic, be sure to follow AndroidGuys on Instagram.
PayPal
Sending and receiving money is something I deal with on a weekly, if not daily, basis. The first name in this space, for most people, is PayPal. The mobile app has gotten exponentially better in the last year or so and I love the ability to add to balances at various locations. The mobile client is a no frills experience, but when dealing with mobile payments, it doesn’t have to be gorgeous or feature-rich. I find the app to be intuitive and pleasing to the eye.
Sonos
We have a Sonos music set up in our house so I am always quick to install this app. Whether I am listening to music in one room, or grouping music across the household, I I’m a big fan of this app. Content providers and developers are always adding new features and services to the client. I will admit that a few years ago this was an ugly app and not something I enjoyed dealing with. But, the stuff we have today not only looks great, but it is easy to use.
WeatherBug
Whereas most devices come pre-installed with a weather client or ties to a weather service, I love WeatherBug so much that I install it on day one. I don’t spend too much time interfacing directly with the app itself, however when I do, this one is sharp, customizable, and as accurate as anything else. I know that there are other apps out there that provide more detailed weather or forecasts, but I think WeatherBug does a great job of putting together a hassle free and easy to use weather app.
Dunkin’ Donuts
I install a number of restaurant and food-related applications on my Android phone on day one. Among the first loaded up is the Dunkin Donuts application. I live dangerously close to a Dunkin’ Donuts location so I am often found at the drive thru.
Not only can you use the app to pay for your food, but you can also keep an eye on your rewards, and manage your gift cards. If you are the type of person who likes to be alerted to new promotions, then you may enjoy this one as well. Just about once a day or so I will get an alert on my phone for some limited-time deal or savings that can be had.
Starbucks
Although it may be viewed as someone of a competitor to the aforementioned title, I love the Starbucks app. Again, managing my account and adding to my balance is easy and can be done directly from the application. A recent update also makes it possible for me to order my drink or food ahead of time and pay for it. The app, of course also provides location based help and can direct you to the nearest store. As someone known to rush out the door without his wallet, it’s nice to know my phone will pay for my drink.
Taco Bell
If you ask my wife, she’ll tell you that I eat Taco Bell way more than I should. OK, maybe I do. I love the Taco Bell application as it is one of the most gorgeous food apps you’ll find, especially for a fast food chain. You can view the menu, place orders, and even pre pay for your food to be picked up. I like that I can customize my order with little add-ons or make adjustments and not feel awkward standing at the cash register with these changes. This one looks way better than it needs to for the money.
Slack
Our team uses Slack for internal communication and collaboration. We’ve been employing its services for roughly a year now and I really enjoy the mobile counterpart. If you’ve seen the desktop version, you’ll find this looks exactly the way you would expect it would. Do you have a group or are you part of a team that needs to work together on a regular basis? This is one you will definitely want to check out. You can share directly to this app from your Android phone in just about any scenario. Want to upload an image? Easy. Want to share a web link with a specific set of users? Presto. I don’t know how these guys monetize, and I won’t question it, but we really love Slack and the way it helps our organization.
Todoist
I have toyed with a number of task applications and to-do list clients, however I am really in love with Todoist. It looks very modern, is full of features, and delivers what you would want from a big name developer. The fact that it synchronizes across clients and has real-time updates and notifications is vital to me and my team. It doesn’t take long to learn how to use this one and tap into its potential. Indeed, it is quite the robust app. It is a breeze to add a task, set a date and/or reminder, assign it to somebody and, and leave comments. We use it internally here, however I’ve come to love having it for personal uses too.
Doggcatcher
A mainstay on my phone for the past few years, Doggcatcher is my favorite podcast client. For an app designed for listening you could be forgiven if your app wasn’t quite as polished or refined. Having said that, I like the way this one looks today, and it feels very fresh and modern. It wasn’t the most beautiful podcast app a few iterations back but it’s got Material Design all over it today. I don’t know what will happen Google Play Music begins curating podcasts, however I am not ready to give up on this one yet. Adding, discovering, and sharing podcast is very easy with this client.
The post Day One Apps: The first apps we install on every new Android (Volume 3) appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Instagram won’t let feed-reading apps browse your pics anymore
If you’re one of the few still using a third-party app to browse Instagram feeds, you’ll need to make other arrangements soon. The photo-sharing app is killing support of the feed API that allows outside apps and websites to pull in your feed as part of a larger effort to clean up its platform. With updates to its Platform Policy, Instagram will only let apps that help users share their photos access your collection of snapshots. For example, software that allows to your print your snapshots or use your Instagram photos as a profile picture will still be supported. Instagram will continue to lend a hand to advertisers and allow images and videos to be used on the web via embeds.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Instagram
Instagram Institutes API Changes That Will Kill Off Malicious Third-Party Apps
Following the recent discovery that malicious app InstaAgent was stealing Instagram passwords from users, Instagram has instituted much stricter rules for accessing its API, effectively killing off a large number of apps that read Instagram feeds.
In a notice posted today on its developer site, Instagram explains it will no longer permit apps that access the Instagram feed API, as that API is being shut down. In the future, third-party Instagram apps will have much more limited capabilities.
We’ve updated our Platform Policy to explicitly list the use cases we will support moving forward. These include apps and services that:
Help individuals share their own content with 3rd party apps, such as apps that let you print your photos and import an Instagram photo as a profile picture.
Help brands and advertisers understand and manage their audience, develop their content strategy, and get digital rights to media. Established apps in this space may apply for our newly announced Instagram Partner Program.
Help broadcasters and publishers discover content, get digital rights to media, and share media using web embeds.
Starting today, Instagram is instituting a new review process and preventing new apps from using its APIs until it starts conducting reviews on December 3. Existing apps have until June 1, 2016 to comply with Instagram’s new platform rules, and the users/self/feed and media/popular API endpoints will be available until the end of the review period. Instagram is also launching a new Sandbox Mode to allow developers to privately build and test apps using Instagram’s APIs.
Instagram’s new policy will put an end to dozens of questionable third-party Instagram apps that promised users new followers and the ability to track follows and unfollows. Apps are no longer able to use “like,” “share,” “comment,” or “follower” exchange programs nor can they use follower information for “anything other than analytics” without Instagram’s permission.
Unfortunately, as no apps will be able to access the full Instagram feed, it will also have an impact on legitimate Instagram clients for the iPad and the Mac, where Instagram is not natively available. As TechCrunch points out, this will affect apps like Retro, Flow, Padgram, Webstagram, Instagreat, and more.
With today’s changes, Instagram says it plans to institute a “more sustainable environment built around authentic experiences on the platform” and give users more control over their content.
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Instagram profile tracking app harvests your usernames and passwords
Just because an app has passed iTunes’ verification procedure doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe. Take this Instagram client called “Who Viewed Your Profile — InstaAgent” for example, which was available on both iTunes and Google Play until an iOS developer found out that it harvests usernames and passwords. It’s not very popular in the US, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it, but in a nutshell, it’s an app that monitors your Instagram profile views. Peppersoft developer David L-R took a close look at the app and revealed on Twitter that it’s been sending log-in credentials (unencrypted and in cleartext, to boot) to remote server instagram.zunamedia.com. Despite that address, it’s in no way connected to Instagram itself.
Via: Apple Insider
Source: David L-R (Twitter)
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