Instagram introduces Layout, a separate app for creating photo collages (coming soon to Android)

One can argue that Instagram is largely responsible for this boom of photo collage applications found in app stores like Google Play. The fact that Instagram never felt the need to build this kind of functionality into their app — or allowed users to share more than a single photo at a time — meant hardcore IG’ers had to search elsewhere.

There’s a huge business built around it too. Perform a quick search and you’re sure to find endless pages of apps. While a few get the job done, most feel like a hack job with a user interface that’s clunky, and output quality that can be lacking.

Rather than build this functionality inside Instagram (like many of their users have been clamoring for), Instagram is introducing a completely separate app. It’s called “Layout from Instagram” and it allows users to compile photo collages for easy sharing to the photos-only social network.

The app is painfully easy to use. You can either snap photos on the spot using Layout’s photo booth feature, or you can select from the most recent photos in your gallery. Photos from your gallery are grouped in separate tabs: all, faces (which only chooses photos with people in them), or recents (photos you’ve recently used in an collage).

After you’ve selected the photos you’d like to compile, you can choose the layout that suits your photos best and then adjust them accordingly. You can drag and drop to reorganize, tap a photo to bring up the handles and resize, or mirror and flip to mix things up. After you’re satisfied with the way your photos look, you can share to Instagram, Facebook, or anywhere else.

Instagram says ‘Layout from Instagram’ will be hitting Android devices in the coming months, with iOS availability right now.

Samsung introduces new version of the Gear VR fit for Samsung Galaxy S6 + Edge

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 owners won’t be the only ones who can get in on the virtual reality fun. Samsung announced a new edition of the Samsung Gear VR made especially for the newly-announced Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

It’s the same headset, essentially — you put it on your face, drop your phone in and take in a horde of content in virtual reality — but this one will hold the company’s latest flagships instead of yesteryear’s phablet. Pricing is expected to be similar so try to set aside 0 if you’re interested. If that’s too rich for you, well, it should still work perfectly fine inside of something like Google Cardboard.

Facebook introduces Hello dialer app with caller ID, business search, and more

After introducing the ability to place voice calls over Messenger just a little over a year ago, Facebook is now introducing a completely dedicated dialer app called “Hello.” The app looks to make your dialer smarter by being able to see who’s calling with intelligent caller ID, the ability to easily block or mute callers, and search for people and businesses all from within the dialer.

Information is grabbed from Facebook where it is continuously synced with the Hello app. Should Hello pull up someone that doesn’t have a number tied to their Facebook account — or you’d simply like to make a call for free using your data connection — you also have the option to place a call using Messenger, also linked inside the app.

The caller ID benefits are clear. There’s nothing worse than receiving a call from an unknown person. The problem is you wont see any info on these callers unless their info is linked to their Facebook account and/or shared with their friends. I found a good majority of the contacts pooled from Facebook didn’t have any phone numbers attached.

But the auto-blocking feature — which blocks calls other Facebookers have blocked — is a nice touch, along with profile pictures and birthdays. So it’s definitely got some things going for it. Download for free via the link below.

Download on Google Play: Hello — Caller ID & Blocking

Samsung introduces Arduino-like open development platform named ARTIK

Samsung has introduced a new compact development board system for developers interested in making products for the booming “Internet of Things” category. It’s called Artik, and it’s essentially an Arduino-like platform that’ll equip developers with the sensors and tools needed to prototype internet-connected devices.

Artik isn’t very special in that regard, save for the fact that it’s an open platform with no proprietary bits holding you back. Samsung Artik also emphasizes the use of wireless communication sensors where many Arduino boards don’t.

Samsung will have three different modules available at launch depending on what you’re yearning for:

• ARTIK 1, the smallest IoT module currently available in the industry at 12mm-by-12mm combines Bluetooth/BLE connectivity and a nine-axis sensor with best-in-class compute capabilities and power consumption. It is specifically designed for low-power, small form- factor IoT applications.


• ARTIK 5 delivers an outstanding balance of size, power and price-performance and is ideal for home hubs, drones and high-end wearables. It incorporates a 1GHz dual-core processor and on-board DRAM and flash memory.


• ARTIK 10 delivers advanced capabilities and high-performance to IoT with an eight-core processor, full 1080p video decoding/encoding, 5.1 audio and 2GB DRAM along with 16GB flash memory. The Samsung ARTIK 10 includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth/BLE and ZigBee connectivity and is designed for use with home servers, media applications, and in industrial settings.

Unfortunately the platform isn’t quite ready for general availability just yet, though developers interested in trying it out in the early going can apply for Samsung’s Alpha Developer Kit right here.

[via Samsung Artik]

 

Google introduces cross-platform goo.gl URLs for deep linking inside of apps

Google is supercharging their goo.gl short URLs with the ability to deep link into apps. Developers that have taken advantage of Google’s new App Indexing — available on both Android and iOS — can create goo.gl URLs that take users to specific places inside their app, or by default, their website.

For instance, clicking on one of these new goo.gl URLs will auto-detect the specific platform (either Android or iOS) and whether or not they have a specific app installed. If the app is installed, the app will open directly to the content. If the app isn’t installed, the user will simply be directed to the website. Simple.

Google says the new feature actually works retroactively, so any old goo.gl URLs will still work by linking users to an app. To get started, developers will need to integrate Google’s new URL Shortener API into their app’s share flow. Here’s are the steps needed to set everything up.

Set up app deep linking on goo.gl:

1. Complete the necessary steps to participate in App Indexing for Android and iOS at g.co/AppIndexing. Note that goo.gl deep links are open to all iOS developers, unlike deep links from Search currently. After this step, existing goo.gl short links will start deep linking to your app.


2. Optionally integrate the URL Shortener API with your app’s share flow, your email campaigns, etc. to programmatically generate links that will deep link directly back to your app.

When opened, the link auto-detects the user’s platform and if they have Maps installed. If the user has the app installed, the short link opens the content directly in the Android or iOS Maps app. If the user doesn’t have the app installed or is on desktop, the short link opens the page on the Maps website.

[Google]

Android M introduces black status icons for light colored themes

Android M will have a lot of cool new features, but one of the smaller ones Google didn’t mention was for app developers. Roman Nurik has revealed a new windowLightStatusBar flag that will tell the system to make icons and text in the status bar a translucent black color instead of the usual white.

This flag will be useful for apps which use light-colored tint for their status bar where white icons might be hard to read. It’s small, but developers who remain mindful of these small details tend to earn loyal userbases, so be sure to use it if your app needs it!

[via Google+]

Nest introduces next generation Protect Smoke + CO Detector for $99.99

Alongside a new IP camera, Nest today released a 2nd generation version of their Protect Smoke + CO Detector. So what’s new over the previous model? For starters, battery life is extended from a cool 7 years to a whopping 10+ years. Most people recommend changing fire alarm batteries at least once per year to be on the safe side so we’re not sure , but it’s nice to know that the Nest can last much longer.

The new Protect also adds a split-spectrum humidity sensor to better differentiate between steam and fire smoke (because nothing is more annoying than your fire alarm going off just because you decided to stir fry some vegetables). Protect can also be silenced from your phone with the new app, which could prove to be a nice convenience feature for those moments when you can’t quite get to the smoke detector (and hopefully not because there’s a massive fire blocking the way).

That function can be accessed through Nest’s latest app that acts as a hub to control all their products. Beyond all that, it’s gotten a touch of refinement in its chassis, and still maintains the same .99 price tag.

No reason not to go with this one if you don’t already have the previous model. For everyone else? It’s up to you to decide whether the battery and sensor improvements are worth buying 2015’s rendition. It’s up for order right now on Google Play.

Google introduces YouTube Gaming, Twitch doesn’t seem too worried about it

Rumors of Google creating a Twitch competitor have finally been confirmed today. YouTube Gaming is Google’s latest app/website that will focus purely on streaming video game related content. The service — which is set to go live this summer in both the US and UK — will be separate from YouTube in that it’s dedicated to games and nothing else. That means searching for something like “Call” will immediately pull up results for “Call of Duty” and not the hit single “Call Me Maybe” or some other viral video.

Google says that over 25,000 games will get their own page, highlighting streams related to that specific title. While uploading pre-recorded videos is still doable, it’s YouTube gaming’s live streaming capabilities that is likely what we’ll be seeing content creators focusing on. Even though Twitch has a huge head start, with 60fps video recently creeping its way into YouTube, we think YouTube Gaming could have a fighting chance. Twitch’s response? They don’t seem to be too worried about it.

. @YouTubeGaming Welcome Player 2. Add me on Google+. #kappa

— Twitch (@Twitch) June 12, 2015

You can sign up to be notified about YouTube Gaming when it launches this summer via the link down below.

[YouTube Gaming]