Rumor: Instagram bites Vine's style, plans to implement videos
Facebook is playing catch up lately, first implementing hashtags on the popular social network last week. Now, rumors are spreading that they will announce a Vine-like video feature for Instagram, the photo-sharing app that Facebook acquired last April. With Vine itself having multiplied its user base with its release on Android two weeks ago, Facebook is doing its best to stay on the same playing field.
Tech Crunch cites an unnamed source pointing at a "Video Instagram" app to be announced on June 20th. Whether it will function within the Instagram app or be its own app is yet to be determined. However, the source claims that the video clips will run for five to 10 seconds, surpassing Vine's maximum allotment of six seconds. Given that this is rumored to be an Instagram-branded application, fans of the X-Pro II, Sierra, Walden, and other filters of its ilk should be implemented with the new service. Finally, aspiring camera phone photographers can break into the video business.
[via Tech Crunch]
Facebook bites Twitter's style, plans to implement hashtags
What bugs me more than anything is seeing people using hashtags on Facebook. For those who don't know, hashtag links, most commonly and visibly utilized on Twitter, are a series of metadata tags that grouped together common tweets, posts, etc. Again, for the non-tweeters out there, somebody could write a tweet about the Blackhawks, then add a "#Blackhawks" tag, which is then grouped together with all other tweets that also incorporate "#Blackhawks. The problem with hashtags is that Facebook doesn't incorporate them in their system, so when non-privy people post their statuses with stupid hashtags, they don't really lead to anything, thus making that user look like an idiot.
That's all set to change over the coming weeks, as Facebook is doing their part to not only ensure such users will stop looking technologically uneducated, but also help them keep up in a social media expanse that's constantly growing and evolving. Much like MySpace's new attempt at revolutionizing itself, Facebook has taken one huge step in ensuring they don't get left in the dust. The implementation of Facebook hashtags will also help artists and businesses alike as they finally have access at grouping together their content for individuals with common interests, allowing them to grow their social media presence on Facebook the same way they would on Twitter. Some users have access to functioning hashtags, while others will be included in the updates as Facebook begins their roll-out of wave updates through the next few weeks.
Welcome to #2009, Facebook.
[via Facebook Newsroom]
[Video] New Myspace Commercial Featuring Chance The Rapper, Pharrell, Mac Miller & More
Yesterday, Myspace --who's been scheming towards a full-on comeback--released a new commercial unveiling the remodeling of the site's interference and concept to a national audience as it was played various times on TV yesterday. High-profile artists such as Pharrell, Mac Miller, Schoolboy Q, Ciara all made cameos, but the highlight for many was the appearance by hometown hero, Chance The Rapper, alongside Riff Raff. Check it out below and be sure to hit up Myspace, they have a couple of incredible editorials on there right now.
[myspace id="this-is-myspace-109345530-111986895"]
Sony announces PlayStation 4 will cost $399, drops mic in the process
"$399."
And just like that, the PlayStation 4 made the first official move to combat Microsoft's once-feared domination in the video game industry. Whereas the Xbox One E3 conference was full of generic FPS and sports games, not to mention the ridiculous $499 price tag, Sony's keynote featured a variety of games. Eschewing this current generation's abundance of shooting games, the PS4 keynote put the spotlight on games that were not only brighter and more vibrant in an aesthetic way, but also from a variety of genres from action/adventure to platformers to, yes, FPS and shooters.
While the PlayStation 4 was officially announced a few months ago, the system itself was still under wraps for whatever reason; Sony must have wanted to build up as much hype as they could possible, as they unveiled the console's new look to moderate fanfare. Honestly, it looks like a mix between an Xbox One and a black Wii or two PS2s glued together, but hey, gaming consoles are meant for playing games, not winning design awards, right? Oh, the games...
Sony highlighted a few exclusive games, such as inFamous: Second Son and Killzone: Shadowfall. However, the biggest reveal for Sony's conference was the announcement that the long-awaited game, Final Fantasy Versus XIII has been re-buffed and re-titled to the more appropriate Final Fantasy XV. As if the surprise wasn't enough, a proper sequel to the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Kingdom Hearts III, was announced, ending Square-Enix's absurd practice of blasphemous title practices for the Disney-partnered franchise.
However, one of the biggest questions Sony faced going into their E3 keynote was how they would handle the uproar Microsoft caused with their DRM-friendly, anti-consumer used games policy. (For those that are in the dark, the upcoming Xbox One registers discs to individual profiles, meaning users can't simply share games with their friends; instead, they must wipe the game from their profile to allow their friends to play, who themselves must pay a fee just to access the game. Furthermore, the Xbox One mandates owners to connect online at least once a day to update and authenticate their games. While this might not mean much to most, it's a terrible move for gamers in rural areas or military bases who don't have easy access to internet.) Sony easily brushed aside any concerns that the PlayStation 4 would follow suit with four simple words: "PS4 supports used games." They then took targeted swipes at Microsoft, also confirming that the PS4 won't have to connect online every day (or at all, if they choose not to), and gamers can choose to do whatever they want with their games, whether it's selling them, trading them, or simply lending them.
As if that wasn't clear enough, Sony released a tongue-in-cheek jab at Microsoft by releasing an Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video. Take a look:
[youtube id="kWSIFh8ICaA"]
However, there was one big misstep that went temporarily unnoticed: When announcing that pre-existing PlayStation Plus memberships would carry over for the PS4, as well as news that only one subscription would suffice for full PS3, PS4, and PS Vita support, it was also slipped that online multiplayer for the PS4 would come at a price. PS+ members won't have to worry about this price, but considering the PlayStation Network was free, some gamers might feel a bit slighted at Sony's acceptance of a pay model for online play. Still, if at roughly $5 a month, the PS+ membership is worth it, especially with the amount of free games and discounts Sony offers on a monthly basis. It essentially pays itself within the first month of enrollment.
With the PlayStation 4 officially coming out this Holiday 2013, the next generation of console gaming is set to begin. Sony did everything Microsoft didn't do; Sony also didn't do everything Microsoft did. That, in and of itself, was enough for Sony to demand a huge first step in the so-called "console war." If you're ready to officially take sides, the PlayStation 4 is already on pre-order on Amazon, while in-store pre-orders at Best Buy, GameStop, and other similar stores will begin filling their lists tomorrow.
Apple announces iTunes Radio, iOS 7, OS X Mavericks, new Mac Pros at WWDC
This week is a big week for tech with both Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) and Apples Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) taking place. Apple just finished their own keynote conference, revealing a plethora of new software and hardware for the upcoming year. iPhone, MacBook, and iPad fanatics, take note, because there are a lot of changes being made this year.
iOS 7 will update mobile devices much more dramatically than previous updates, both visually and systematically. The entire visual appearance of iOS devices have been overhauled for iOS 7. Now, the OS works in layers, with idle apps simply thrown to the background. It's a simple aesthetic change, but one that helps make upcoming mobile Apple devices more modern and contemporary looking. There will also be a Control Center that will give easy access to stock applications, such Music, Camera, Settings, etc. with just an upward swipe rather than having to go to the home screen to access everything. Sharing files between friends is also made easier with AirDrop. For example, to share photos amongst friends, you can just tap the photos you want to send, the people's names, and which means to send them (text, email, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Simplicity is a common theme with the new iOS, as they've also added better bluetooth functionality with cars, as well as an upgraded Siri, which will make hands-free driving even more hands-free. You can see a list of compatible devices here.
Apple also announced iTunes Radio, which will serve as a direct competition with Pandora. Much like the aforementioned service, iTunes Radio will serve as a music discovery application that will stream music online based off of your preferences. It will be free with an iTunes Match subscription or with advertisements. It hasn't been announced which engine will power the service, but will definitely be interesting to see how the parameters will work.
A new version of Apple's desktop OS was announced. OS X Mavericks will be a huge upgrade for Mac users, as the operation system is made to help boost performance. A notable upgrade includes full use of multiple monitor display, meaning users who are using both a Macbook and iMac can easily switch from monitor to monitor, as well as pull up the dock on either monitor as opposed to the "primary" screen. Mavericks will also utilize a technology called Time Coalescing that will smooth the transition between active and passing states, which will allow CPU usage to run smoother as opposed to from one state to the other. Mavericks is also going to run up to 1.5x faster than the current OS X, Mountain Lion, which should help people like me who have multiple, performance heavy programs open all the time. You can read more about Mavericks here.
The biggest surprise to come out of today's conference is Apple's return to Mac Pros. The Mac Pros were constructed with a modern aesthetic, as they come in a cylinder shape, which takes up considerably less space than the large, rectangular boxes previous Mac Pros came in. The new Mac Pros also pack an enormous amount of power with up to 12 cores of processing power, 40 GB/s of PCIe bandwidth, 60GB /s of memory bandwidth, 7 teraflops of GPU performance, next generation PCIe flash storage (which is actually kind of sad, but should mean faster access to files/programs), and more hardware options. The new Mac Pros will be a beast of a machine when they come out later this year. You can read more about them here.
A lot of news was unleashed today by Apple. To summarize: New Mac Pros, new iOS 7, new OS X Mavericks, iTunes Radio, and a new line of MacBook Airs, all coming later this year.Read more
Xbox One release date, price announced at E3
Microsoft's Xbox E3 Keynote conference has just ended, and they divulged a little more information on the upcoming console. While the initial Xbox One reveal was focused on the system's hardware capabilities, Microsoft's E3 conference was focused on some of the games coming to the console. A few notable Xbox One-exclusive games include a new Killer Instinct game, which hasn't been seen on consoles since the Nintendo 64's 1996 release, Killer Instinct: Gold, Forza Motorsport 5, and Capcom's Dead Rising 3.
However, the most important information to come out of the E3 conference was the set date and price for the console. Xbox One has been confirmed for a worldwide release this November at a $499/€499/£429 price tag. This might come as terrible news, as $500 for a console in this age is ridiculously pricey. Especially considering Microsoft's absolutism when it comes to its DRM and used games policy (in a nutshell: sharing games will come at a literal cost and the games you buy aren't necessarily the games you "own),$499 is a steep price.
With Sony's Playstation conference set for 8pm CST tonight, all they would have to do is announce a price tag lower than $499 to take a huge lead in this next generation of console gaming. Stay tuned, gamers.