Fujifilm Has a Speedy Instant Photo Printer for Smartphones

Fujifilm has found a nice niche with their own take on instant photography — mobile photo printers made for use with smartphones. Their Instax line is growing today with the release of the Instax Share Smartphone Printer SP-2, a slight redesign of the SP-1.

Slight's no slight, though — the SP-2 is a worthwhile upgrade. In addition to being a bit narrower and more travel-friendly, the printer itself has gotten some nice upgrades. Both versions print roughly credit card-sized photos on Fujifilm's photo paper, but the SP-2 prints at 320 dpi compared to 254 dpi on the SP-1, resulting in more detailed pictures. It's also much faster, spitting out photos 10 seconds after hitting the print button on the companion app (compared to 16 seconds on the SP-1).

Speaking of the companion app, that Instax Share app has a few basic editing features, like filters and color saturation, brightness, and contrast adjustment. It's also possible to create collages or separate one photo into multiple photos to better suit the smaller size of the prints. Photos can be shared to Facebook and Instagram from the app, too.

There's still room for printed photos — digital photos are nice, but they tend to just sit unloved on hard drives after they've been taken. Printed photos at least have a chance of making it onto a wall somewhere. Looks like enough people have found value in them for Fujifilm to go ahead with an updated model, so that speaks volumes, too. It helps that those into instant photography tend to be very passionate about it — I'm thinking about a couple friends in particular who have gotten a lot of use out of their smartphone printers over the years.

The Instax Share SP-2 will be available in July for $200 with silver on white or gold on white colorways. Fujifilm's photo paper costs $20 for a pack of 20.

Source: Fujifilm Has a Speedy Instant Photo Printer for Smartphones

Huawei Will Debut New Smartphones On September 1: Here's What To Expect

Huawei is poised to announce its new smartphones on Sept. 1. As expected, rumors are already starting to emerge speculating on what exactly the company could reveal in the special event.  ( Sean Gallup | Getty Images )

Huawei will take the wraps off its new smartphones on Sept. 1, and speculations are already starting to show up as to what diehard fans should expect in the company's special unveiling.

With the rumor mill continuously swirling on the web regarding the imminent launching of Apple's next flagship device, the iPhone 7, and Samsung's much-awaited phablet, Galaxy Note 7, it is not surprising that Huawei is also baking its own device (or devices).

Android Headlines reports that Huawei recently sent out media invites for an event in which the company will unwrap at least one new handset. The world's number three phone maker, though, is tight-lipped on the upcoming event's specifics.

GSMArena.com adds that this event will take place in Berlin, specifically on the eve of IFA 2016, which will run starting Sept. 2 through Sept. 7.

What Fans Should Expect

The event will kick off almost two months from today but rumors are already beginning to pop up as to which devices Huawei is presently cooking.

It is likely that the company will soon unveil the successor of the Huawei Mate 8, which it launched late last year. There is a chance that Huawei wants to introduce the Mate 9 a few weeks before the iPhone 7 is announced. This way, the device could at least enjoy the spotlight alone for several weeks before Apple's new device steps in.

"[T]he timing would be just so to keep the Mate 9 from getting lost in the din of shiny new toys from Samsung and Apple," says Android Headlines.

A possibility also exists that the Chinese company could also reveal its new Honor smartphone, though, we have yet to know what tier it will be in. Will it be in the lower, mid-range or high mid-range category?

What's unlikely, though, is that Huawei will lift the wraps off the successor for the P9 flagship phone as the handset was just released a few months ago.

At any rate, we will probably see more leaks and rumors in the next weeks or months with regard to the smartphones Huawei will introduce in September. We will keep you in the loop as soon as they surface.

Huawei P9

In April, Huawei debuted its P9, deemed "the best smartphone for mobile photography."

The phone packs in a few impressive specs and features. What's interesting with the phone is its dual-camera sensors that rock 12 MP each. The phone's rear snapper also does not have bumps, which is actually one of its selling points.

Another interesting thing about P9 is its battery life, which experts are regarding as "excellent." Apart from boasting a 3,000 mAh battery, it is said to house power-saving features as well. On top of that, the handset has a Level 4 fingerprint scanner that is considered better as opposed to the Level 3 scanners fitted within other phones at this day and age.

In any case, we might expect the next Huawei phones to feature some handy features that could make them headturners, too.

© 2016 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Huawei Will Debut New Smartphones On September 1: Here's What To Expect

Fujifilm Has a Speedy Instant Photo Printer for Smartphones

Fujifilm has found a nice niche with their own take on instant photography — mobile photo printers made for use with smartphones. Their Instax line is growing today with the release of the Instax Share Smartphone Printer SP-2, a slight redesign of the SP-1.

Slight's no slight, though — the SP-2 is a worthwhile upgrade. In addition to being a bit narrower and more travel-friendly, the printer itself has gotten some nice upgrades. Both versions print roughly credit card-sized photos on Fujifilm's photo paper, but the SP-2 prints at 320 dpi compared to 254 dpi on the SP-1, resulting in more detailed pictures. It's also much faster, spitting out photos 10 seconds after hitting the print button on the companion app (compared to 16 seconds on the SP-1).

Speaking of the companion app, that Instax Share app has a few basic editing features, like filters and color saturation, brightness, and contrast adjustment. It's also possible to create collages or separate one photo into multiple photos to better suit the smaller size of the prints. Photos can be shared to Facebook and Instagram from the app, too.

There's still room for printed photos — digital photos are nice, but they tend to just sit unloved on hard drives after they've been taken. Printed photos at least have a chance of making it onto a wall somewhere. Looks like enough people have found value in them for Fujifilm to go ahead with an updated model, so that speaks volumes, too. It helps that those into instant photography tend to be very passionate about it — I'm thinking about a couple friends in particular who have gotten a lot of use out of their smartphone printers over the years.

The Instax Share SP-2 will be available in July for $200 with silver on white or gold on white colorways. Fujifilm's photo paper costs $20 for a pack of 20.

Source: Fujifilm Has a Speedy Instant Photo Printer for Smartphones

“I love it when people call me ‘hilarious’”

June 29, 2016 10:27 AM ,Republica

With over 67,000 followers on Instagram, 18-year-old Lhakyila is InstaFamous. If you follow her on the mobile photo/video sharing app, or if you've watched even couple of her videos, you will know why she is so popular.

She basically posts short, funny videos on various subject matters. She mimics people and accents, makes comparisons between Asian parents with those in the West, shows how youngsters are obsessed with Snapchat, and even vents her frustration at seeing people upload photos of them with perfect makeup and eyebrows "on fleek." She also uploads song covers, which receive lots of positive comments, too.

But her journey into fame wasn't all planned. "I posted my first Instagram video just to make my sisters' friends laugh. They encouraged me to make more videos. Since then there's no stopping at all," she says.

 In a tête-à-tête with Republica's Arun Budhathoki, Lhakyila talks about her love for making people laugh, why it's important to do what you love doing, and why she loves it when people call her 'hilarious.'

Excerpts  

How does it feel to be popular on social media? What is the best compliment you've received? It feels great to have a lot of people who love and appreciate what you do. I absolutely love it when people call me 'humorous' and 'hilarious.' People don't call me 'gorgeous' much; I think they should!On the other hand, there are those who berate you just because they can. I just ignore judgmental comments and reactions. I press the block button only when it starts really getting in my nerves. 

Tell us about your posts. Do you plan and rehearse for them? Is there a specific time you shoot your videos? I never plan my videos because when I do, it ends up not being so funny. It's just spontaneous and I shoot as and when an idea pops up my mind. My videos are usually the reflection of my experiences and that of those around me, that's why so many people can relate to it. I usually use IG video feature that allows you to pause the shooting and resume again when you're shooting. So I don't really edit my videos, either. But when I must, I use this really easy to use video editing app called InShot.  

Has being popular on social media served you in any other way? I get called in for interviews, like you did today. (Smiles) I have also received couple of offers from different shops and brands to feature their products in my posts…things like that. Of course I would love it if this would be my full time job but then I don't like to have high expectations because it usually leads to disappointments.

What's your take on Nepali youth using social media at the moment? I feel that most young people today simply try to copycat and blindly follow whatever is trending. They see a bunch of youngsters dancing on YouTube and try to do the same here without even realizing that they can't even dance. They need to identify what they're good at and then find the right social media platform where they can best showcase their talent. My only advice is, follow your heart instead of following the trend.

What inspires you? Do you have a role model? My inspiration is my dad, as he is one of the few persons I know who can make people laugh without trying too hard. I wouldn't call him a funny person, but that is why he inspires me. I've learned from him that I can make people laugh by simply being me. Both of my older sisters are very supportive of my endeavors, too, and they always encourage me to focus on what I am doing right now.  

What do you do when you're not making videos?I've been taking swimming classes these days. If not swimming, then I'm somewhere enjoying food.

Your future plans?I am planning to get back on my YouTube channel. I'm also looking forward to studying Communication in a good Asian university.

Any message for our readers?Don't hesitate to eat. (Laughs) On a serious note, do what you love doing with all your heart and someday, somehow it will definitely pay you back. 

Source: "I love it when people call me 'hilarious'"

iPhone brings out the best in pro photographer

Accomplished photographers tend to bristle when asked to talk about equipment. It's not the camera that makes the picture, it's the photographer.

Acclaimed photographer Richard Koci Hernandez would tend to agree, but he's likely to gush about his camera anyway. That's because some of the most interesting and satisfying work of his career has come from shooting with his iPhone.

The kind of gear that once helped Hernandez garner Pulitzer Prize nominations now rests idly in a camera bag.

Hernandez will find a composition of intriguing lines and light. Then he waits.Photo: Richard Koci Hernandez An enthusiastic convert "I fell in love with it [the iPhone camera] so quickly, I disavowed myself from every professional camera, boxed them up and have never gone back," says Hernandez, a former San Jose Mercury News shooter who now teaches multimedia journalism at UC Berkeley. "It literally changed my life."

Hernandez's words hint at the seismic disruption smartphone cameras, especially the iPhone, have had on the world of photography. Conventional camera sales have been in a free fall as Apple has brought greater sophistication to the camera with each generation of iPhone.

Combined with social media apps like Instagram and Facebook, people document and share their lives like never before. The photo-sharing platform, Flickr, reported last year that the iPhone became the single-most-used camera among its 10 million users.

Hernandez loves a good hat, especially a fedora.Photo: Richard Koci Hernandez A social platform

And while a sizable percentage of the quarter billion photos created daily across the world are selfies, iPhones have been used to create work hung in major photography exhibitions, video and stills for major ad campaigns, and even motion pictures winning praise at film festivals.

"Social is the key component of this when talking about mobile photography," says Jason Farman, associate professor of American Studies at University of Maryland-College Park. "The way the iPhone camera links out to the broader world, they're not simply photographs. It's the expression of identity and how people craft their social world."

Cyclists and walkers share a public space in Hanoi.Photo: Richard Koci Hernandez Shoot, edit, send in one device

Hernandez, 46, remembers being on breaking news assignments with editors breathing down his neck on deadline to file his pictures ASAP. That photographers could shoot digital images and transmit them from a laptop was a photographic advancement to behold. But the iPhone was still quicker and Hernandez found himself shooting and sending with his iPhone to sate editors looking to post quickly to the newspaper's website.

The quality of early iPhone cameras could not match images made with film or digital SLR cameras. But Hernandez saw the potential.

"It's not only a creative tool because the phone is tied to the internet. Now you have a distribution platform," Hernandez says. "It was a darkroom in my hand and it became a way to distribute. Photography had never seen that before. Now I could do all these things in the palm of my hand with apps that used to take me hours in the darkroom and years and years of training."

Hernandez is a prime example of what Farman says about connecting with a broader world with the iPhone. Hernandez has more than 252,000 followers on Instagram from around the world, reaching much farther than the newspaper readerships he was used to.

Hernandez last year deleted his popular Instagram feed so that he could start fresh.Photo: Richard Koci Hernandez Street shooter

His street photography, finished mostly in black and white, are magical marriages of the human element with striking light, sharp shadows, and bold compositions, which naturally occur in Hernandez's San Francisco. He admits to being drawn to silhouetted figures, especially when there is a structured hat involved, but nothing about his work seems derivative. The view is dreamy, at times haunting, and uniquely his.

His street shooting caught the eye of Pierre Le Govic, who runs a publishing house in France called Out of the Phone, devoted exclusively to publishing mobile photography works. Hernandez's 2014 Downtown includes 84 photographs and was one of the first books published by Out of the Phone.

Hernandez says the iPhone brought him back to the basics of photography – light, composition, the moment and click.Photo: Richard Koci Hernandez

That same year, Hernandez deleted his photos from Instagram out of a desire to start fresh. After a brief break, his shadowy street scenes returned. He is energized by the often immediate feedback he receives from followers.

That kind of connection with newspaper readers was almost nonexistent "because it was an arduous process for someone to take the time to actually write a letter, and finding my work was always hard," he says. "In 20 years, I got about 12 letters and maybe two dozen emails. So for me, there is really no comparison to the immediate feedback loop that social media created for responses to my work."

Source: iPhone brings out the best in pro photographer

Prisma becomes top mobile photo app for Russia, hopes to repeat success of Masquerade

Prisma, an art filter app launched by a Russian programmer, Alexey Moiseenkov, is leading Apple's App Store ranking in Russia and several neighboring countries – including Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine and Uzbekistan – ahead of Whatsapp, VK, Instagram, Viber, Aliexpress and other traditional leaders in the region. The app has been number one in these countries everyday since June 20 (just a week after launch) according to AppAnnie data reviewed by East-West Digital News. An Android version is scheduled for release in July 2016.

Prisma invites its users to add stunning artistic effects to their photos by combining them with works of art. A photo of your cat can look like a Picasso painting, with the cat as the source for content and Picasso artwork the source for style. The transformation is made instantly.

A Chicago view redesigned by the Prisma app. (Photo credit: EWDN)

Even Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has started using Prisma on his Instagram account.

To create such images, Prisma's algorithm uses convolutional neural networks. The approach is not new: it is roughly the same as those of DeepArt.io, based in Germany, and Ostagram, a Russian project created by Sergey Morugin.

The key differences lie in speed and availability for the mobile format, Moiseenkov told East-West Digital News. "That really matters because you get the result right here, right now. You can capture every moment in just a few seconds — and this right in your pocket."

When asked why Prisma hasn't won traction beyond Russian-speaking countries thus far, Moiseenkov said: "I think because it's our pet market. We didn't do any marketing or PR activity here. It just went viral. I believe it will be the same in other countries but a little bit later. Of course we have some cool features ready to match cultural fit."

Moiseenkov adds that "there are a lot of ways to monetize the app while keeping it free for users."

A new acquisition target for Silicon Valley giants?

Prisma's success on the App Store has been enough to trigger Mail.ru Group, a leading LSE-listed Russian Internet group, to invest in the project, with participation from Gagarin Capital, a California-based fund with Russian roots, and XBT, an international Internet hosting company.

Moiseenkov was product manager at Mail.ru Group before he launched Prisma. He declined to disclose any details about this previous occupation.

Mail.ru Group's investment went through My.com, its Silicon Valley-based subsidiary launched in 2013. The details of the deal, announced last week, have not been disclosed, but Russian business daily Vedomosti heard from unnamed sources that the range of Mail.ru Group's investment was comprised between $1 million and $2 million in exchange for a 10 to 25% stake.

"Artificial intelligence and neural networks will bring a lot of change in all types of media content and we are happy to support such startups. We will continue to invest in this perspective trend further", said Dmitry Grishin, Chairman of the Board of Mail.Ru Group.

Gagarin Capital has not been involved in the Prisma deal by chance. Co-founded by Nicholas Davydov, a prominent Russian VC who now lives in Silicon Valley, Gagarin Capital had backed Masquerade last year. This Belorussian startup had developed a filtering app for selfies before being acquired, in March 2016, by Facebook.

Mobile photo and video apps started gaining traction with the acquisition of Looksery, a startup with Ukrainian roots, by Snapchat, in September 2015. Snapchat reportedly had spent $150 million to enable its users to have fun with a variety of face effects while taking selfies.

AI. Messaging. Bots. Arm yourself for the next paradigm shift at MobileBeat 2016. July 12-13 at The Village in San Francisco. Reserve your place here.
Source: Prisma becomes top mobile photo app for Russia, hopes to repeat success of Masquerade

WD My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi Mobile Storage Device Announced

Provide Fast, Reliable Back-up and Transfer While on a Remote Shoot or in the Studio

IRVINE, Calif. – June 21, 2016 – Western Digital Corporation ("Western Digital") (NASDAQ: WDC), a global storage technology and solutions leader, today introduced the WD Pro Series: My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi mobile storage and My Cloud Pro Series network attached storage (NAS). Designed specifically for the creative community, the WD Pro Series enables seamless transfer of content between devices, with classic WD reliability and speed, regardless of whether users are on a remote shoot, in the studio or editing at home. The products use the My Cloud mobile app – the new version of the app will be launched with the My Passport Wireless Pro and My Cloud Pro Series and be compatible with the Adobe Creative Cloud.  In addition, both the My Passport Wireless Pro and My Cloud Pro Series devices are also compatible with the Plex Media Server and My Cloud OS 3 software for easy editing, streaming and sharing of content.

"Portability, reliability, capacity, speed and interoperability are crucial for creative professionals, whose very livelihoods rely on the strength of the technology they use to store their life's work," said Sven Rathjen, vice president of marketing for content solutions at WD. "We created the WD Pro Series as a comprehensive, feature-rich storage solution designed to fit seamlessly into their workflow, regardless of where the work actually happens, so storage, transfer, back-up, editing and even streaming options are readily available."

My Passport Wireless Pro

My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi mobile storage lets creative professionals and enthusiasts leave the laptop behind when on a shoot. Using the direct Wi-Fi connection, creators can automatically backup files from compatible cameras, as well as save, edit and transfer work seamlessly from up to eight other devices connected to the drive. Tethered connections are also available for faster transfers and include a built-in SD card reader as well as a USB 3.0 port.

Available in capacities up to 3TB, the My Passport Wireless Pro device also features up to 10 hours of battery life* and a built-in battery pack that can even be used to charge phones and other devices like digital or video cameras.

To ensure creative professionals can continue to work while in the field, My Passport Wireless Pro devices include compatibility with Adobe's Creative Cloud for mobile photo and video editing, as well as compatibility with Plex Media Server, which is capable of playing up to four streams of content while on-the-go.

My Cloud Pro Series network attached storage

When the shoot is over and it's time for editing or studio work, the My Cloud Pro Series NAS device takes the reins seamlessly. Offering up to 32TB of storage, the My Cloud Pro Series NAS are optimized to import from cameras/memory card readers and other USB storage with a simple one touch backup button. Simply connect your cameras and compatible USB storage devices, press a button, and your new files are easily backed up/imported.

In addition to giving creative professionals and enthusiasts a reliable place to store their files, this fast, high capacity drive features a hardware accelerated video processor. Its powerful transcoding capabilities mean the My Cloud Pro Series NAS can ingest, edit, store and stream content to and from popular formats, including 4K video. These capabilities compliment a robust, integrated application suite, which includes compatibility with Plex Media Server for storing and optimizing media libraries and compatibility with Adobe's Creative Cloud for editing and finalizing them.

The My Cloud Pro Series NAS gives the creative community significantly more control while they are away from their workstation, using WD's My Cloud app and MyCloud.com remote access, and despite its professional caliber, is still easy to set up and use.

Pricing and Availability

     My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi mobile storage is available today in the WD store at wdstore.com and at select retailers, including Amazon.com and distributors. My Passport Wireless Pro storage has a Manufacturer's Suggest Retail Price (MSRP) ranging from $229.99 up to $249.99 depending on capacity. The My Passport Wireless Pro storage will offer a 2-year limited warranty. Terms and conditions of WD's limited warranty may be found on the WD website.

My Cloud Pro Series NAS devices are also available at Amazon.com, B&H and the WD Store. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) begins at $399.99 up to $1,649.99 depending on configuration and capacity. The My Cloud Pro Series will also offer a 2-year limited warranty for diskless models and 3-year limited warranty for populated models. Terms and conditions of WD's limited warranty may be found on the WD website.

About Western Digital

      Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ: WDC) is an industry-leading provider of storage technologies and solutions that enable people to create, leverage, experience and preserve data. The company addresses ever-changing market needs by providing a full portfolio of compelling, high-quality storage solutions with customer-focused innovation, high efficiency, flexibility and speed. Our products are marketed under the HGST, SanDisk and WD brands to OEMs, distributors, resellers, cloud infrastructure providers and consumers.

*Based on streaming HD 720p, 3 Mbps video to one device over Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz single band only. Actual battery life depends on file size, type, format, bitrate, devices connected, Wi-Fi connectivity, settings and other factors.

Source: WD My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi Mobile Storage Device Announced

OCD opens disaster resiliency mobile photo contest for students

BAGUIO CITY, June 24 (PIA) - - How good are you in capturing moments using your smart phones? Show your best shot in the Office of Civil Defense – Cordillera's first "disaster resiliency" mobile phone photography contest.

The contest is open to all Filipino students aged 16 years old and above and currently enrolled in high school or college (except for anyone related to OCD officials and employees).

Photo entries must depict the contest theme, which refers to Filipinos' ability to adapt and recover from hazards and emergencies including the various programs, activities and projects that deal on disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response or rehabilitation, and recovery.

Each participant is allowed to submit a maximum of three entries and digital photos taken from January 1, 2016 up to July 20; must be in full color and landscape orientation with no watermarks or identifying marks, not previously been entered in a contest, not edited and no image of elected officials.

Photo entries should come with a corresponding title and caption that must include the place where the image was taken and the accurate description of what the photo is about.

Participants must register at the official website of Office of Civil Defense www.ocd.gov.ph and fill - out the online registration form. OCD will only accept entries submitted until 5 p.m. of July 20.

Entries will be judged based on adherence to the theme, composition, photographic quality and visual impact. Prizes await the top 12 finalists.

The top 12 entries will also be subjected to online popularity contest and  entry with the most likes will  get  a prize of P30, 000.

For more details about the contest, visit the OCD Cordillera Regional Office facebook @ OCD – CAR CRDRRMC or call (074) 444 – 5298.

The photo contest is an activity in observance of National Disaster Consciousness Month this July. (JDP/CCD/S. Venzon & CJ Viduya –PIA CAR/ UP Interns)

Source: OCD opens disaster resiliency mobile photo contest for students

Kool Tools: ExoLens with Optics

Teeny Titans - A Teen Titans Go! Figure...

Teeny Titans - A Teen Titans Go! Figure Battling Game 1.0.0 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $3.99, Version: 1.0.0 (iTunes) Description: Teeny Titans, GO! Join Robin for a figure battling RPG of epic proportions!TEENY COMBAT | Read more »

NinjAwesome: Tips and tricks to be a mor...

Sorry about that headline, but I'm going to go ahead and assume that GameResort would not have named its game NinjAwesome without expecting some of that. It is, in fact, pretty awesome the way it combines an endless runner and old school arcade style action, so the adjective is properly used here. [Read more] | Read more »

Into Mirror (Games)

Into Mirror 1.0 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $1.99, Version: 1.0 (iTunes) Description: "Is all that we see or seem, but a dream within a dream?"- Edgar Allan PoeNew game by Lemon Jam Studio, the team behind Pursuit of Light.The year 2076.Mirror - a virtual world , has completed public beta , and officially entered... | Read more »

Perchang (Games)

Perchang 1.0 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $1.99, Version: 1.0 (iTunes) Description: Welcome to Perchang! A test of skill and puzzle solving across 60 stunning levels. | Read more »

BusyCal (Productivity)

BusyCal 3.0 Device: iOS Universal Category: Productivity Price: $4.99, Version: 3.0 (iTunes) Description: BusyCal is a powerful, flexible calendar app for managing busy schedules, events and to dos. | Read more »

Hyperburner (Games)

Hyperburner 1.0 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $2.99, Version: 1.0 (iTunes) Description: Hyperburner is a high-speed space flier set in a distant colonial solar system. Take your ship through increasingly dangerous courses, unlocking endless-mode leaderboards as you go. Built for mobile with smooth and responsive free... | Read more »

Win over $300 worth of prizes simply by...

Our partners at Pocket Gamer are giving away some spectacular prizes in partnership with Paradox Interactive and Knights of Pen and Paper. [Read more] | Read more »

Top apps to help with summer road trips

Benjamin Franklin once famously said that the only certainties in life were death and taxes. During the summer, you can add another thing to that list: lots of people are going to be hitting the road for their vacations. [Read more] | Read more »

How to show off your green thumb in Viri...

Most mobile games demand your attention. They either want you playing them as often as possible in the hopes of getting you to spend some money on in-app purchases, ask you to watch video ads while you are playing, or request permission to send you notifications so you'll log back in again. [Read more] | Read more »

Best replacements for default iOS apps

When iOS 10 arrives in earnest this fall, it will bring with it a feature that has been long requested by Apple users: the ability to delete the default apps that come pre-installed on your iPhone or iPad. [Read more] | Read more »

Source: Kool Tools: ExoLens with Optics

Tour T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas: A Puck Daddy Photo Blog

LAS VEGAS -- T-Mobile Arena sits on the Las Vegas strip surrounded by hotels. For now it's hosting special events like WWE this past weekend, MMA fights, concerts and is on the verge of getting a brand new tennant.

Since we're in town for the NHL Awards, we figured we'd take the opportunity to check out the brand new arena. We walked skeptical and walked away absolutely stunned - in a good way - and down right jealous of the new digs in Vegas.

Our tour guide was Director of Event Marketing and Communications for T-Mobile Arena Gina Rotolo. Whenever we brought up hockey, she coyly mentioned, "As of right now, we don't have a team."

Here's a couple photo collages of the many, many picture we took of the inside of the area. We'll point out some of what we learned and what everything is.

Spoiler alert: nothing hockey related are in these pictures. Which is so curious as to why the NHL wouldn't want those kind of photos taken because as Rotolo said Vegas doesn't have a hockey team. We weren't even allowed to see anything related to a hypothetical hockey team's operations.

OUTSIDE ARENA

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

It was approximately 234980 degrees fahrenheit outside in Las Vegas on Tuesday, so we didn't spent too much time outside. 

The top two pictures are of the space in front of the arena where they can hold a large amount of fans for rallies and events. The second picture on the right is some interesting naked lady artwork out in front of the arena with picnic tables for people to hang out when the temperature isn't borderline surface of the sun.

The rest of the pictures are lounge areas accessible from inside the arena. 

ENTRANCE & MAIN CONCOURSE

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

 The first and second picture on in the right column are what greets visitors at the main entrance. From there people can go around the arena or up the various ramps, stairs, escalators and elevators to the many bars, lounges, and other spots in the arena. 

The middle picture on the third row is the BIGGEST escalator we've ever seen and the picture cuts it off. Rotolo hasn't gotten confirmation, but she believes it's not the largest indoor straight up and down escalator in at least North America.

Since T-Mobile is the named sponsor of the magenta color of the brand is seen throughout the entire arena. There are also charging stations for all phones throughout the arena and in every suite. 

The concourse walkways are HUGE so it won't feel like a cattle call while everyone rushes to get their beers during intermission (of a team that doesn't exist).

ARENA FLOOR

T-Mobile Arena Floor | Puck Daddy

Here are a bunch of shots of different views of the arena. We took most of the pictures from the floor or up on the second level. The crew seen here is cleaning up from the weekend's WWE festivities.

The middle picture is the jumbotron from the floor. It's a good sized score board. Definitely not huge but it fits the more intimate feeling arena. If the rink is set up for hockey it can hold 16,500 to 17,000. That doesn't include standing room only tickets sold for the various bars and party suites that can hold up to 100 guests.

PATRON CLUB

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

 Here's one of the many alcohol brand sponsored bars in the arena. They don't just serve Patron here. They serve all kinds of booze while you charge your phone!

(It was dark in the room, but the bar looked pretty cool.)

PRIVATE SUITE

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

 T-Mobile Arena has 44 suites like this one which hold 12 people. The center ring in the first picture on the left are the other suites. According to Rotolo, all suites are sold out for next season and are on multiyear agreements.

Walking past the food and drinks out towards the seats, fans will find a unique padded bench to sit on. They were quite comfy. Built in to the back of each bench are cubbies so you can put your drinks and small purses in without having to risk people stepping on them. 

The view of the arena floor is from the suite we were taking photos in.

STELLA ARTOIS BAR

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

If you noticed in the pictures from the arena floor, you probably saw two purplish Aggro Crag looking things sticking out of the top of the left and the right of the arena. They're actually bars.

The first one we went to was the Stella Artois bar. You can sit at tables or on stools along the glass to watch a game. The first picture of the arena floor was taken from the seat at the very front of the V-shaped bar. The picture below it was from off to the side.

GRAY GOOSE BAR & JACK DANIELS LOUNGE

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

The other Aggro Crag bar is brought to you by Grey Goose. It wasn't lit up, so the only picture we got it the first one one the left hand side.

The rest of the photos are from a darkened Jack Daniel lounge. Fans can grab a bit to eat, hang out at the bar and watch the game. The bottom right picture is the arena floor from the bar.

HYDE LOUNGE

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

This was sold to us as the best place to watch a game. Of course we were skeptical until we got inside.

Hyde is a super lounge for all that does all its booking separate from the arena itself. It's setup to party before, during and after the game. There are winged back chairs in corners of the room facing the ice. There are couch seats and a full service part. It's at the far end of the arena between the two Aggro Crag bar setups, and you can see the entire arena floor.

There is a deejay booth for private parties and post game fun. The curtains in the back can be pulled to block out the sun.

Our favorite part of the whole thing was the eccentric decor. There were lamps that looked like they'd come out of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. And curiously, there were knights' helmets and knights from chess boards around the bar. 

HMMMMM....WHAT COULD THAT POSSIBLY MEAN?!

MISCELLANEOUS 

T-Mobile Arena | Puck Daddy

These are pictures we didn't really know what to do with.

Top left: On one end of the arena at the very top, the Las Vegas skyline is on the wall. It gets light up for events.

Top right: That's our very own Josh Cooper. He asked Rotolo to take us to what could be the worst seat in the house or one that might be obstructed by the Aggro Crags. She brought us here to a seat we agreed would be our favor seat. It's one chair in a row. Josh is sitting in it taking a picture.

Second row right: That's the picture Josh took from our new favorite seat of the arena floor.

Second row left: There is a fancy French word for this hallway that we forgot to write down. Either way, it's cool and it's for VIPs. It's copper inside matches the copper around the back half of the building.

Third row pictures: This is called a 'bunker suit'. Basically, it's under the stands and really nice. Attendees can go there during the game and at intermission. Attached to the suite is a walkway that takes them directly to their seats in the lower tier without having to deal with all the riffraff that can't afford these luxuries.

*Josh Cooper contributed to this post.

**We took all these photos on our iPhones. We're writers, not photographers.

- - - - - - -

Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @MsJenNeale_PD.

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY:

Sports & Recreation

Ice Hockey

Source: Tour T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas: A Puck Daddy Photo Blog

Where to Take an Affordable Headshot in NYC

Photo Source: Courtesy the Headshot Truck

The world's first mobile photography studio is coming to New York City! Founded in Los Angeles in 2014, the Headshot Truck is hitting the road and bound for the East Coast.

A fun, affordable alternative to a stationary studio, the Truck arrives July 15 and will service all five boroughs; Long Island, New York; Fairfield County, Connecticut; and North New Jersey. The truck, which is Wifi enabled and comes with its own photographer, makeup team, preview monitor, and green screen, can come to you or you can go to it!

To celebrate the Big Apple arrival, founders William Harper and Adam Hendershott are offering pre-booked headshot sessions for 25 percent off until July 14. No need to provide a date, either. Your purchase is good for up to a year!

"It might seem a little weird at first, but people step in and their first impression is usually being super impressed at how professional it looks," Hendershott told Backstage last year. "Clients forget that they're even in a truck and start having fun taking photos with our staff. Plus, being in the controlled environment of the truck allows us to shoot day or night, rain or shine!" Check out their video below to learn more!

Looking for jobs to submit your résumé and headshot to? Check out our New York City audition listings!

Source: Where to Take an Affordable Headshot in NYC

Lightroom plugin allows for instant upload straight to Instagram

Instagram is a name that has become synonymous with mobile photography. But the app that began as a miniaturized social network for friends to share images captured with their smartphones has quickly grown into a full-blown platform for photographers of all types. And as Instagram continues to make itself more appealing to brands and businesses, the idea of being able to upload images only via a mobile device is no longer novel. In fact, it's completely outmoded. That's where a new plugin called LR/Instagram comes in.

To be fair, standalone third-party solutions have existed for a while, allowing users to upload photos to Instagram from their computers, but LR/Instagram takes this a step further: it lets users share images straight from within Adobe Lightroom, without having to export the files first.

As detailed in Resource Magazine, the plugin is fairly straightforward. It can be downloaded for free from LR/Instagram's homepage and installed like any other Lightroom plugin through the Plugin Manager. After that, LR/Instagram will show up as a new publish service. Click "set up" and enter your Instagram credentials, then simply drag photos onto it to share them to Instagram. Captions and hashtags can be added, and users have the option to maintain the original aspect ratio by automatically adding white borders to images, or to force the image to conform to one of Instagram's accepted crops. Multiple accounts are also supported, with each new account showing up as its own publish service.

Related: Likes, Comments on Instagram Have Dropped by a Third in Past 12 Months

While most users report the plugin to work as advertised, there is currently one issue preventing a limited number of people from being able to log in to their accounts (including this writer). A query to the plugin author about the problem was returned almost immediately, and while it appears it is a known issue, there is currently no fix. The plugin is still stable and safe to try, but not all users may be able to use it at this time.

LR/Instagram is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS running Lightroom 3.3 or later. It's licensed on a shareware basis, and is completely free to download and try, with a $10 suggested donation for those who find it useful.

Source: Lightroom plugin allows for instant upload straight to Instagram

PicsArt Launches New Mobile Photo Editor to Make Your Images Into Amazing Works of Art and Share Them With the World

San Francisco, CA, United States – WEBWIRE – Monday, June 20, 2016

PicsArt, a popular photo editing, collage and drawing app with a growing creative community, announced a new version today that's redesigned to make it faster and easier to create amazing images and share them with the world. PicsArt is free and available on iOS and Android.

"We believe there's creativity inside everyone and that people want to do more than add filters before sharing their photos online," said Argam DerHartunian, vice president of product at PicsArt. "PicsArt offers every creativity tool you could wish for, in a simple and easy-to-use interface that makes sharing your creativity fun and easy."

The new PicsArt offers a cleaner and intuitive photo editing interface. It gives you the space you need to spread your creative wings, while making the thousands of editing tools in PicsArt more accessible and easier to use.

Sign in to PicsArt and join a fast-growing community of creatives from around the world. Explore a universe of imagery to find your inspirations. Choose any image from the hundreds of thousands freely available with the #FreeToEdit hashtag, and remix it with others. The new "remix galleries" feature enables you to see how the community has edited the same image, creating a new way to learn and find inspiration in the creativity of others.

About PicsArt

PicsArt has 300 million installs and, with 75 million monthly active users, is quickly becoming the most popular mobile creativity apps in the world. PicsArt is a new kind of photo editing experience that combines thousands of powerful photo editing, collage and drawing tools with a vibrant creative community where you can find inspiration, discover creative trends, collaborate and learn. PicsArt was named one of the top 5 "Hottest Startups of 2015" by Forbes and Google Play ranked PicsArt as one of the "Best Apps of 2015." For more information, please visit www.picsart.com or download the free app from the App Store, Google Play or the Windows Store.

Related Links An all-in-one photo photo editing, collage and drawing app with a creative community.

WebWireID203921

  mobile photo editor mobile photos photo editing Contact Information Nathan Tyler Director, Marketing and Communications PicsArt/Nathan Tyler nate@picsart.com

This news content may be integrated into any legitimate news gathering and publishing effort. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.

Source: PicsArt Launches New Mobile Photo Editor to Make Your Images Into Amazing Works of Art and Share Them With the World

DxO ONE redefines mobile photography with v1.4 update

DxO has added an update that includes copyright/author and watermarking to the DxO ONE miniaturized pro quality camera for iPhone and iPad, the company said.

Version 1.4 updates help protect photos from unauthorized use. In addition to performance enhancements, the update also features an improved user experience that puts capture and application settings in their own menus.

As controls have been added to the DxO ONE iOS app, the design team in Paris determined that access to these controls could be even more efficient. The resulting version 1.4 update sports a streamlined user interface that provides one-tap access to capture settings, all of which are now logically grouped in a consolidated design. In addition, application settings, such as the message center and online support, can now be accessed with one tap from the gallery view.

DxO develops advanced image processing technologies, which have enabled over 300 million devices to capture high quality images. DxO´s OpticsPro software lets photographers of every level quickly and easily make their best photos look even better, and DxO has redefined mobile photography with its miniaturized DxO ONE camera that pairs perfectly with iPhone and iPad to capture DSLR quality images that are instantly available.

Source: DxO ONE redefines mobile photography with v1.4 update

IOS 10 paves the way for advanced mobile photo editing

However, users can still right-click on unsigned apps or those not from identified developers to run them anyway.

The Apple Maps parking reminder will be treading on the territory of the myriad existing parking reminder/car locator apps already in the App Store, as is often the case with new Apple features.

This will basically let you control all of your home's "smart" appliances and systems (like heating, lighting, security and others) through one app rather than a hodge-podge or individual apps scattered around different phone screens. Apple will soon introduce the tech that gets your voice message and transcribes into a text message for you. Numerous Reddit users claim that with iOS 10, their 128GB iDevices have had their user-accessible storage increased - from around 113GB on the latest official iOS version (iOS 9.3.2) to roughly 122 gigs.

Everyone else with a supported device will have to wait for iOS 10 to roll out later this year. Now, users only need to pick up their iPhone to wake it up and view notifications without ever touching the Home or power button.

Daily Star Online has put together a list of all the devices that are capable of running the next-generation mobile operating system from Apple, here. Widgets have been upgraded and 3D touch on the homescreen provides more information for selected apps.

Are you an Apple Maps advocate? Basically, Apple is aware that the Messages app is the most used app on iOS, so they simply wanted to "make a difference in how people experience iOS, it's Messages".

While Apple's iOS 10 update won't be officially out till autumn of 2016, one of iOS 10's features is making a splash with the data-conscious user base: the ability to delete iOS' built-in applications.

The good news is that even if you're not an app developer, you can still download the macOS Sierra Developer Preview. Apple's virtual assistant has been opened up to developers, so you'll be able to ask her to work with specific apps.

Source: IOS 10 paves the way for advanced mobile photo editing

Here's What Happened To All 53 of Marissa Mayer's Yahoo Acquisitions

Image: Getty

Yahoo, the once-vaunted internet giant, is in shambles. Its revenue is in decline. Its shareholders are crying foul. Its prized public faces are scrambling for an exit, and the company has laid off 15 percent of its workforce. Its core business—internet search and advertising—is negatively valued. Looming over all of this is a prospective sale of the company's core assets, bids for which have reportedly reached more than $5 billion.

That potential sale is in stark contrast to the four years CEO Marissa Mayer led Yahoo through an acquisition binge, snapping up 53 companies for a total of $2.3 billion, according to a company spokesperson. (Other estimates put that number closer to $2.8 billion.)

As CEO, Mayer has had the unpleasant honor of leading a company that seemed destined to fail, but that wasn't always the case. When she took over in mid-2012, employees were so enthusiastic about her arrival that one even photoshopped her face on Obama-style "hope" posters and hung them up around the company's headquarters. Mayer did her best to live up to lofty expectations. She deployed quick fixes to solve Yahoo's morale problems, including expanding parental leave and hiring high-profile celebrities to run the company's media division.

Advertisement

But there was a riskier, more aggressive side to Mayer's strategy that's ripe for examination now that Yahoo's sale is all but certain. Part of Mayer's rescue plan was an emphasis on growing its "MaVeNS" businesses—an odd acronym for mobile, video, native advertising, and social. Mayer's acquisition binge was key to this expansion: it was seen as an easy way to add talent and technology the company desperately needed. Mayer has been vocal about the strategy, and it's clear that the company believes in its success. "If broken out on their own as a company, [the MaVeNS businesses] would undoubtedly be one of the fastest growing startups in the world," she said during a 2015 earnings call.

The reasons for Yahoo's decline are complex. But what's clear is that the MaVeNS and acquisitions rescue strategy hasn't been able to save the company from itself, despite Mayer's protestations that it was successful. It's worth looking, then, at exactly why these deals were made, and what has happened since. In an effort to track the technology and talent that came aboard, as well as track the receipts for the pricey acquisitions, we've put together a list of the 53 companies Yahoo gobbled up under Mayer's watch.

Sponsored

While not every company profile is exhaustive, we've done our best to track their whereabouts. Above all else, we wanted to understand why Mayer chose the companies she did, and what value, if any, they added to the company. After all, $2.3 billion is a lot of money—especially when the spending doesn't appear to have paid off the way Mayer had hoped.

Shut downs: Companies that were gutted for talent and tech

According to Yahoo, many of the 53 companies were talent and technology acquisitions, so it should come as no surprise that most promptly shut down post-acquisition. It's difficult to estimate to what degree each company's technology was incorporated into Yahoo or its products (if at all), but we've made note of it where we found evidence.

As far as the talent acquisition was concerned, Yahoo took what an insider close to the process called a "prescriptive" approach.

"The whole point was, 'Hey, your company isn't working, therefore we're bringing you on for the talent. We're not interested in the product and service you have in market," the insider told Gizmodo. These deals were done to bring people into areas that badly needed growth—particularly mobile, which Mayer has said had roughly 50 employees working on it when she joined. The tech acquisitions, on the other hand, were made largely to improve the company's offerings and consumer products.

Advertisement

1. October 2012: Stamped

This social recommendation app

shut down, and according to a company blog post, the team went on to work on Yahoo's mobile side. They knew Mayer from Google, a connection she would continue to mine with later acquisitions.

2. December 2012: OnTheAir

Like Stamped, this video chat app shut down, and its team was brought on to work on Yahoo's mobile side,

according to the company.

3. January 2013: Snip.it

Snip.it, whose website

now redirects to Yahoo's tech vertical, was described as a "Pinterest-like site for article curation." It shut down soon after, and most of its team was reported to have joined Yahoo's ranks.

4. February 2013: Alike

Alike was an app designed for location-based recommendations. Both the web and mobile versions of the app were

discontinued, and the team joined with Yahoo's mobile unit.

5. March 2013: Jybe

Co-founder Arnab Bhattacharjee

told TechCrunch that the recommendation app's technology would be folded into Yahoo products, but the service itself shut down. The team joined Yahoo, where they had all worked before.

6. March 2013: Summly

The news-reading app

famous for having teenager Nick D'Aloisio as its founder, who shut it down post-acquisition. He worked at Yahoo until October 2015, and helped create the Yahoo News Digest app. Gizmodo also made him cry once. Nick D'Aloisio, circa 2012. (Image: Getty)

7. May 2013: Astrid

The productivity app

alluded to a shut down in its initial blog post, but it didn't bury Astrid until August 2013. The whole team reportedly joined Yahoo's mobile division; its founder, Tim Su, still works there, according to his LinkedIn page.

8. & 9. May 2013: GoPollGo and Milewise

The teams of both companies—a real-time polling service and a travel website, respectively—joined the Yahoo mobile team at the same time,

according to a statement provided to TechCrunch at the time. Both also shut down.

10. June 2013: Rondee

The conference calling service

stopped accepting new users when it was acquired, and stopped giving users access to old data in August 2013. It also noted the team would be joining Yahoo's small business team.

11. July 2013: Qwiki

Yahoo let the video creation app live for a little over a year, but then

shut it down in November 2014. The team, Yahoo said then, "[would] continue to innovate on new digital media experiences for Yahoo users."

12. July 2013: Xobni

Email services company Xobni—"inbox" spelled backwards—

shut down in July 2014. Yahoo insisted then that it had injected "many Xobni-like features into Yahoo Mail." In 2013, the team said it was joining Yahoo in California.

13. July 2013: Ztelic

The Beijing-based social data analysis company announced its acquisition and shutdown in a (translated) homepage

note. The company's founder, Hao Zheng, was a former Yahoo employee; he and eight other team members joined the company.

14. August 2013: RockMelt

RockMelt was a web browser built for sharing social content, then a news aggregator, but

shut down after acquisition. Yahoo said it planned to use the tech, and two co-founders joined Yahoo, according to their LinkedIn profiles. Image: RockMelt

15. August 2013: IQ Engines

According to a

post on its website, IQ Engines, an image recognition startup, shut down to work with Flickr. (In retrospect, that may not have been the best move.) Both co-founders went to work for Yahoo, per their LinkedIn profiles.

16. October 2013: LookFlow

LookFlow was working on image recognition technology, which Yahoo then

injected into Flickr. According to the company, LookFlow—as well as IQ Engines—helped develop the deep learning system for Flickr's auto-tagging feature.

17. October 2013: Bread

The advertising/link shortening company

shut down its services in November 2013, and according to a statement by Yahoo at the time, six of its team members joined the company's ad tech team.

18. December 2013: Ptch

The

DreamWorks Animation mobile video startup shut down in January 2014. Business Insider reported that Ptch was supposed to merge with Qwiki, another Yahoo purchase, but those talks fell apart, and Mayer bought them separately. Early employees who had equity reportedly didn't get much in the deal, either.

19. December 2013: EvntLive

The online concert streaming company

shut down and said it would be joining Yahoo's video team. But based on their LinkedIn profiles, it appears that none of the company's co-founders actually went to work for Yahoo.

20. December 2013: Quik.io

The media sharing app

described itself as the "FedEx of media files." It shut down, and three of its team members joined Yahoo's video team, according to a company spokesperson.

21. December 2013: SkyPhrase

SkyPhrase focused on natural language processing technology. Its CEO, who is

now Yahoo's Director of Sciences, once claimed the technology yielded more accurate results than that of Siri or Wolfram Alpha. The team joined Yahoo Labs.

22. December 2013: PeerCDN

PeerCDN promised to lower bandwidth costs with its peer-to-peer content delivery system. Yahoo confirmed the shut down, and said the team joined the video department. Two of the three co-founders no longer

appear to work there. The three PeerCDN co-founders: John Hiesey, Feross Aboukhadijeh, and Abimanyu Raja. (Image: Hassan Aboukhadijeh)

23. January 2014: Sparq

The mobile marketing company's services

shut down after the acquisition, and according to his LinkedIn page, founder Jesse Chor went to work on Yahoo's mobile monetization team.

24. January 2014: Cloud Party

The browser-based virtual game world

confirmed its services would shut down. A Yahoo spokesperson said the company was "excited to merge [Cloud Party's] unique perspective and experience" with its own.

25. January 2014: Incredible Labs

The startup's personal assistant app Donna was shut down and discontinued, according to a

blog post by Incredible Labs. Much of the team itself went to work for Yahoo, according to a company representative.

26. February 2014: Distill

Distill aimed to make technical recruiting easier, but a Yahoo spokesperson

told Business Insider that it was actually acquired for the team's previous work with TapJoy, a mobile ad platform. Distill said that its services would cease in March.

27. March 2014: Vizify

Vizify took data from a user's social media feed and turned it into a pretty visualization. The team

said it would shut down its services, and a Yahoo spokesperson said they would join Yahoo's "media product organization."

28. May 2014: Blink

The Snapchat-esque self-destructing messaging app announced news of its acquisition and shut down in a

blog post. A Yahoo spokesperson said the seven-person team would join Yahoo to work on its "smart communication products."

29. August 2014: ClarityRay

ClarityRay was working on ad blocking technology; according to Yahoo, when its tech and team came aboard, they began working on improving advertisement fraud detection. After the deal closed, ClarityRay's services shut down.

Image: Getty

30. August 2014: Zofari

The recommendation app isn't in the App Store or Google Play Store, and its website is

dead. (Though at the time, TechCrunch reported that the product would stay afloat.) The team went to work on Yahoo's vertical search side.

31. September 2014: Luminate

Luminate

was described as "AdSense for images," and was shut down fully that October. At least one team member, co-founder James Everingham, went to work for Yahoo, according to his LinkedIn profile.

32. September 2014: Bookpad

Bookpad made Docspad, a Google Docs-like service that let users to collaborate on documents within an app. Docspad was

discontinued that October, and a Yahoo spokesperson said the team would work on Yahoo Mail.

33. October 2014: MessageMe

The messaging app, which was also reportedly being

pursued by Snapchat, announced its acquisition and shutdown on October 3rd. It said it would "focus on helping build the best mobile communications products for Yahoo users." Companies with multiple apps that were shut down

While most of the above companies or apps were single products, some of Mayer's acquisitions were software makers or app makers, and had more than one product. The following products were shut down or discontinued as a result of the acquisitions.

34. May 2013: Loki Studios

The mobile gaming studio's primary app Geomon, which incorporated a player's location, was

shut down, according to both Yahoo and the app itself. The Loki Studios team joined Yahoo's mobile team.

35. June 2013: Ghostbird Software

The mobile photography app maker joined Yahoo to

work on Flickr, and announced it would stop updating its apps KitCam and PhotoForge2. The apps were also removed for download from the App Store.

36. July 2013: Bignoggins Productions

Bignoggins'

sole full-time employee, founder Jerry Shen, was brought in to work on Yahoo Fantasy. His two fantasy sports apps were taken down, but he said in a blog post that "the technology driving those apps will be integrated into Yahoo's own offerings." Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case for long: Shen was fired from Yahoo in 2015, allegedly because he opened a company email with, "Wuddup my n*****, Ice Cube here," apparently in reference to the movie Straight Outta Compton.

37. October 2013: Hitpost

The team of sports mobile app maker Hitpost

joined Yahoo Sports and shut down its services at the same time it announced the acquisition. It also said its team of seven would be joining Yahoo Sports in California.

38. January 2014: Tomfoolery

The mobile app lab's products, Anchor and Action, were

discontinued. Some of its employees, including its CEO, Kakul Srivastava, were former Yahoos, and at least some of the team returned to the purple company's halls.

39. June 2014: Photoful and PhotoDrive

PhotoSocial and PhotoDrive came from

Jeff Bargmann, who was targeted in what looked to be a straight talent grab. He came on to work for Flickr—his apps focused on photo sharing and storage—and he shut down both projects.

40. July 2014: RayV

Mayer

reportedly acquired the online video streaming startup in part to compete with YouTube. The tech was integrated into Yahoo's video delivery network while its platform shut down. Most of its team joined Yahoo in Israel.

41. November 2014: Cooliris

Upon acquisition, Cooliris—maker of the photo apps Cooliris for Mobile and BeamIt—

said its services would continue. However, while BeamIt is still available for download, it no longer appears to work for new users; Cooliris for Mobile carries a similar message. Yahoo said it was "excited" to welcome 17 employees. Companies that continued in existing divisions

Not all of Yahoo's acquisitions were simple talent or product grabs. Some of the companies that came aboard were allowed to continue to varying degrees, whether that meant rebranding under Yahoo's name or continuing as subsidiaries. Some of them, like BrightRoll and Flurry, were what Yahoo terms strategic acquisitions—marquee buys that designed to be "

transformational."

42. July 2013: Lexity

Lexity's path at Yahoo has been somewhat muddled. When it was acquired, the e-commerce app company

said it would eventually adopt Yahoo branding. In 2015, that division rebranded and became Luminate, which in turn was part of Aabaco Small Business. That company was supposed to be spun off from Yahoo as part of the Alibaba spin off, but Yahoo reversed that decision in December. Lexity CEO Amit Kumar joined Yahoo Small Business in the original deal, but he left the company in 2014.

43. January 2014: Aviate

Yahoo turned Aviate, the smart homescreen app for Android, into

Yahoo Aviate Launcher. At the time, Aviate said its tech and product would stay the same, but would "get better, faster." Yahoo noted that Aviate's team would join its own.

44. July 2014: Flurry

Yahoo made a big—

if late—splash with the mobile analytics company purchase. Yahoo said Flurry's products would "continue to operate and innovate." The app and homepage now carry Yahoo's branding.

45. November 2014: BrightRoll

Yahoo bought the video advertising platform for

$640 million in cold, hard cash, but the jury is still out on whether that was a success. BrightRoll was allowed to continue, albeit with some new Yahoo branding.

46. December 2014: Media Group One

Yahoo purchased Germany's Media Group One to improve advertising growth in Europe. According to a

press release, the company was "expected to continue to operate its business as usual in the short term," though it's since been folded in. Still Kicking!

A couple of Mayer's acquisitions, including Tumblr, her crown jewel, are still doing their own thing.

Image: Getty

47. May 2013: Tumblr

Even if you're not intimately familiar with Yahoo's purchases, you likely know that Tumblr was Yahoo's prized acquisition. It spent just over a

billion dollars on it less than a year after Mayer took over, and promised—in the very next sentence after announcing the deal—"not to screw it up." It's still going, although some have questioned whether or not Yahoo has killed its vibe. Also, Katie Couric sucks at it.

48. July 2015: Polyvore

The CEO and team joined Yahoo, but months later, some critics weren't pleased. "It's not acceptable to pay $230 million for zombie companies run by former APM [Mayer's program at Google] members," one hedge fund manager

said in December. Miscellaneous acquisitions

Some acquisitions don't fit into the above categories: Some didn't have products yet, while others' assets were divvied up at a later date. In other cases, we weren't able to explicitly confirm a shut down, but we'll update if that changes.

49. May 2013: PlayerScale

PlayerScale—a software developer for cross-platform gaming—

promised users it would "continue to support the same great games that you love playing today." But in mid-May of this year, Yahoo announced it was shutting down its Games division, of which PlayerScale was a part. According to Yahoo, the company still owns the technology code licenses; the back end services were transferred to The Games Platform Company.

50. July 2013: AdMovate

According to Yahoo, the company hadn't launched any products when it was acquired, but its mobile ad tech went into Yahoo's own ad tech. In a

blog post, Yahoo said the firm's engineers would be working with its display ad team.

51. February 2014: Wander

Wander, which focused on content creation habits,

said that its Days app would live, but both it and Wander's websites are dark, and Days is nowhere to be found. Wander said its team was going to work on Yahoo's mobile and emerging products.

52. October 2013: Tocata Mobile

There's not much information about the Tocata acquisition out there, and it appears it wasn't reported on at the time. According to Yahoo, the team went to work on real-time analytics. The mobile commerce company's website is currently up for sale, and its operations appear to have ceased.

53. July 2014: Leaf SR

Two of the security consulting firm's employees joined Yahoo and developed the basis of its New York security team, according to the company. Leaf SR's website is now dark, save for an

announcement of the departures.

Source: Here's What Happened To All 53 of Marissa Mayer's Yahoo Acquisitions

LG G5 ranked behind the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Sony Xperia Z5 in DxOMark

We all know that the LG G5 is one of the biggest winners in the mobile game this year. The South Korean tech giant has proven itself once again in making great innovations to the smartphone. The modular phone with its "Friends" have received dozens of awards at the Mobile World Congress earlier this 2016 but it's only now that the device landed on DxOMark.

The latest LG premium flagship device was finally reviewed and the verdict was very positive. It didn't beat the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and HTC 10 in first place but the LG G5 did rank behind the Sony Xperia Z5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ tied at second place.

The LG G5 is now No. 3 together with the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge. Obviously, it scored better than last year's LG G4 but only by three points (86, 83). Interestingly, it scored higher than the iPhone 6S Plus, Nexus 6P, Moto G Plus, and the Moto Droid Turbo 2.

The new smartphone from LG has impressed the judges after some series of industry-standard benchmark tests. LG joins its closest rival Samsung in the top ranks, scoring 86 like the two phones from last year—the S6 edge and Note 5. According to DxOMark, the LG G5 received consistent scores in all photo categories. It has proven its performance in mobile photography after a thorough evaluation of exposure, autofocus, and color among others even under low-light or outdoor conditions.

The phone camera is accurate and fast while autofocus is very strong. If you often take landscape photos, you can benefit from the HDR mode, wide-angle lens, and a 16MP sensor. Specifically, the wide dynamic range and target exposure are good. Detail preservation in low-light conditions is important and the LG G5 camera doesn't compromise quality.

DxOMark also noted the fine luminance of noise in all conditions, as well as, accurate white and good detail preservation with flash. You may notice some color shading in low-light situations or an occasional blue cast in photos taken outdoors. There may be visible ringing in all conditions.

Mobile Photo score is 88 while Mobile Video score is only 82. When it comes to recording videos, there's fast autofocus, good exposure, good stabilization in bright light, and good detail preservation in bright light. As with the photos, noise is visible in low-light conditions and frame shifts and high-frequency motions are visible. Loss of details are also noticeable especially in low light.

LG G5 DxOMark 1 LG G5 DxOMark 3 LG G5 DxOMark 5 LG G5 DxOMark 7 LG G5 DxOMark 6 LG G5 DxOMark 8 LG G5 DxOMark 10 LG G5 DxOMark 9 LG G5 DxOMark 13 LG G5 DxOMark 12

SOURCE: DXOMARK

Tags: Android, DxOMark, LG, LG G5, smartphone

Source: LG G5 ranked behind the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Sony Xperia Z5 in DxOMark

What’s New in Social Media: Microsoft buys LinkedIn, Snapchat changes Stories, Facebook Moments App

By Amir Ellis & Jade Smith | Jun 15, 2016

It's crucial for property management professionals to find innovative ways to connect with prospects and generate business, and social media is a powerful tool to help. This series was created to keep readers up-to-date on the latest trends and updates in social media. By taking advantage of social media for multifamily, your property management company is better equipped to engage your online audiences.

Microsoft buys LinkedIn for $26.2-Billion

Microsoft is getting into the social network game. The acquisition is the tech giants biggest to date. The purchase is at a great time for Microsoft. Linked in has continually had a growing user base, engagement, and revenue. To date, Linked in has 433 million members (up 19% a year ago) across 200 countries and territories.  This will be an opportunity for Microsoft to boost its own products and connecting users.

"LinkedIn will give Microsoft far bigger reach in terms of social networking services and professional content — developing the early signs of enterprise social networking that it kicked off with its acquisition of Yammer or $1.2 billion in 2012." Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told TechCrunch.

Snapchat Announces Changes to Stories and Ads

Over the past week, Snapchat has announced several big changes. The Discover Channel has a fresh new look that includes a grid of tiles, and the Live Stories page has been redesigned so that non-friend content is combined into two rows. People can easily scroll through these stories, and simply tap and hold to subscribe to specific channels.

Snapchat's Stories page, with the old version on the left and the new version on the right. Image via Tech Crunch.

Additionally, major announcements have been made regarding ads. These include ads between stories, expandable "Snap Ads" visible through an app, new processes for reviewing advertising content, an Ads API, and new partnerships with tech developers, creative agencies and measurement companies. Check out the latest article from Tech Crunch for full details.

Facebook Pushes Photo-Sharing App Moments

Facebook is ready for users to seize the moment. This month, Facebook announced an upcoming change for users of their Photo Sync feature. On July 7th, the site plans to delete all synched user photos, not saved within their latest standalone application, Moments. Users will now need to install the mobile, photo-sharing Moments app to receive the same capabilities.

The social networking site announced back in October the inception of Moments, an app that empowers users to aggregate and streamline online photos. With the success of the Facebook Messenger app, it's hard to say how this forced adoption will affect the sentiment of users.

Wondering if your photos will be affected? All synched photos currently appear on Facebook pages in an album called either Synched (mobile app) or Synched from Phone (desktop). Learn more about photo-syncing and the recent news here.

Amir graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Radio, Television, Film in 2014, and comes to RealPage from Six Flags. He spent most of his life overseas, as his mom used to work for the Department of Defense. Amir was born in Germany and lived in Okinawa, Japan, during high school. His hobbies are attending live performances, trying new foods, and volunteering.

Source: What's New in Social Media: Microsoft buys LinkedIn, Snapchat changes Stories, Facebook Moments App

Zeiss launches powerful new iPhone camera lenses

Stay Connected with Us! Follow TechnoBuffalo

Looking to improve your smartphone photography game? A new iPhone accessory from ExoLens and Zeiss promises to do just that by strapping a professional quality lens over your smartphone's camera.

The ExoLens with Optics by Zeiss is available now for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus. It includes a metal mounting bracket, a wide-angle lens and a carrying pouch for $199.95. The companies also plan to offer swappable macro and telephoto lenses later this year.

The wide-angle and telephoto lenses both feature a spherical design typically reserved for high-end DSLR cameras. Each bracket is machined to perfection with a cool webbed design and an interior lining so it doesn't scratch your smartphone. It also includes a tripod mount and support for other accessories like a microphone or extra lights.

ExoLens already offers a variety of smartphone accessories designed to improve mobile photography. By teaming up with Zeiss the company can bring professional equipment to iPhone users who might not be ready to buy a dedicated camera.

"The collaboration represents a truly pivotal step in the development of accessory lenses for mobile phones," said John E. Fellowes, CEO of ExoLens' parent company Fellowes Brands.

You can grab the new iPhone accessory now from Apple via the source link below or visit a nearby Apple Store to see it for yourself first.

Source: Zeiss launches powerful new iPhone camera lenses

DynaOptics unveils phone camera lens attachments incorporating freeform lens technology

(Image: DynaOptics)

Via a Kickstarter pre-sale fundraising effort, DynaOptics (Palo Alto, CA) aims to enter the mobile photography market with what it calls OOWA, a suite of iPhone lens attachments containing freeform lenses of mass-producible plastic. The company says that its freeform designs enable optical zoom that is not too bulky for a phone, and wide-angle lenses with "lower distortion."

The freeform lenses are optimized only across a cellphone's rectangular image field rather than the conventional circular image field, thus becoming somewhat nonrotationally symmetric. The designs enable zero chromatic aberration and zero vignetting, says Li Han Chan, DynaOptics' CEO and cofounder.

DynaOptics says it provides the software tools that help manufacturers make these lenses, rather than making the lenses itself (translation: it is outsourcing the manufacturing). The pre -order encompasses a 110-degree-diagonal wide-angle and a 2.5X zoom telephoto lens, together with a protective phone case that allows for lens attachment, for the iPhone 6 series. DynaOptics expects the products to ship in November 2016.

The product line name is called OOWA, supposedly referring to the oohs and aahs people make when seeing the images produced by the lenses.

Source: DynaOptics at www.dynoptics.com

Source: DynaOptics unveils phone camera lens attachments incorporating freeform lens technology

Recommended Reading: ‘Photos on iPhone and iPad’

Pocket Gamer is hiring a news writer to...

| Read more »

PES Club Manager Euro 2016 update is now...

It stands to reason that if a game is going to bill itself as the "Official UEFA EURO 2016 mobile phone game" that it should have some kind of event that incorporates the football tournament that is about to cause hysteria among European sports fans over the next month. [Read more] | Read more »

Which of the three slither.io control sc...

Though the focus of the latest update to slither.iowas the new opportunity to match wits against A.I. snakes instead of human opponents, something else even more important was added to the massively popular game too. Two new control schemes made their debut, giving players a choice of three different ways to wriggle their way to the top of the... | Read more »

How to get the most out of the UEFA EURO...

Euro 2016 is underway in France, and is guaranteed to turn the football mad among us into ... well, even more football mad types, probably. While the tournament is getting no lack of television coverage, it's a sad fact of life that we can't be near a flatscreen every waking hour. [Read more] | Read more »

Station Manager (Games)

Station Manager 1.00 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $5.99, Version: 1.00 (iTunes) Description: All aboard this exciting journey to build the world's greatest train station! | Read more »

Why heavy Facebook users need to downloa...

Every time one of Facebook's apps races up the App Store charts, there's usually a reason for it. For Messenger, it was because Facebook disabled the ability to respond to messages within the company's primary app, meaning anyone who wanted to keep in touch with friends and family that way needed the dedicated Messenger app. [Read more] | Read more »

Iron Mission- classic arcade shoot'...

Iron Mission- classic arcade shoot'em up 1.2.1 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $.99, Version: 1.2.1 (iTunes) Description: Iron mission is next-generation side-scrolling shooting tactical game with action-packed gameplay and stunning 3D graphics.In game, collecting various weapons, players are able to make customized... | Read more »

Epic Flail™ (Games)

Epic Flail™ 1.1 Device: iOS Universal Category: Games Price: $1.99, Version: 1.1 (iTunes) Description: Epic Flail is a fast paced 2D brawler with a gladiator theme that mimics the action packed fighting scenes from Japanese anime. Epic Flail has the player trapped in the arena, fighting through different modes and defeating other... | Read more »

Nonstop Knight: How to get coins faster

So you've hit the ongoing trail to adventure in Nonstop Knight. You're getting the hang of when to use skills, how to gear up, and maybe even ascended a few times. Nice work. [Read more] | Read more »

Fly away from reality with astragon's Ta...

Pack your suitcase, kiss your kids goodbye: come June 9th you're set to be jetting off with astragon's new flight simulation release, Take Off - The Flight Simulator. [Read more] | Read more »

Source: Recommended Reading: 'Photos on iPhone and iPad'