Getting verified on Instagram just got a little bit easier. The social photo sharing app revealed today that it will now let users apply to get a little blue check by their profile so followers know if you are really a public figure, celebrity or global brand.
Striking up a conversation on Instagram just became as easy as slapping a sticker on your Story.
Instagram revealed today that it has added a new feature called Question Stickers that gives users a new way to ask and receive questions from followers so you can get more acquainted with each other.
There are tons of social networks to choose from. Some help you stay up-to-date with news, while others are focused on friends or family. Instagram is the social network for seeing the world and keeping up with your interests through images. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, Instagram lets photos do the majority of the talking.
Getting perfect Portrait Mode photos no longer requires an iPhone with two camera lenses.
Instagram revealed a new feature today that mimics the blurry depth of field on Portrait Mode photos, only it works on older iPhones and even Android smartphones.
A major redesign of Twitter’s mobile app is rumored to be underway and it could spell bad news for Snapchat.
Rumors of Twitter’s camera-focused redesign have been swirling for months, but according to a new report, the redesign will also steal one of Snapchat’s best location-based features.
Instagram users may soon get a second app dedicated solely to messaging other people on Instagram.
The new direct messaging app is called Direct and could be Instagram’s first move towards removing messaging from the main photo-sharing app.
Apple’s new app Clips finally arrived on the App Store today, bringing iPhone and iPad owners an all-new way to make fun and silly videos that are perfect for social networks.
Clips lets users combine video clips, photos and music into short videos that can be up to an hour long. You can also add flair to your videos by adding filters, emoji, stickers, captions and more. But according to some early reviews, navigating the simple app can be a bit complex.
(Update: We’ve got a tip sheet for making the most of Apple’s new video app: How to make your videos more amazing with Clips.)
The days of sharing one image at a time on Instagram are finally coming to an end.
Instagram revealed that starting today everyone can now post up to 10 photos and videos in a single post, giving users an all-new way to tell stories and share experiences.
In an attempt to crack down on confusion and protect its intellectual property rights, Apple has acquired the website iCloud.net, previously the home of a small Chinese social network.
The web address now displays a message revealing that the site as it currently exists will be closing at the end of the month, and that all existing user data will be destroyed.
Apple’s next big venture could be to go head-to-head with Snapchat and similar content-sharing services. The company is expected to integrate new video features into iOS that would be developed by the engineers behind Final Cut and iMovie.
But is this a good idea? Apple failed miserably when it tried to take on social networks before, and some would argue that many of its products already suffer as a result of its expansion into new areas.
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple is wasting its time trying to fight Snapchat.
Having apparently caught up with its rivals on artificial intelligence, Apple is now looking to catch up on social networks, too — with a new report claiming that Apple is in the process of developing its own Snapchat rival.
Facebook is planning to roll out its new “Reactions” icons in the next few weeks, making it possible for us all to react a bit more subtly and carefully to our friends and family on Facebook.
The app that has become famous around college campuses is now ready to show itself in a different form: as a desktop website. The creators have been testing a web version of Yik Yak in private beta for a while now, but as of today the site is open for public use.
Say goodbye to the 140-character limit that made Twitter famous and say hello to something much longer. According to a report, Twitter is getting ready to launch a new feature that will let users include as many as 10,000 characters in one tweet — 9,860 more than before.
Twitter finally resurrected its Mac app with just about everything its users have been asking for over the past several… well, for a really long time. The update at long last looks much like the Twitter you’re familiar with on your smartphone or desktop browser. It’s complete with highly requested features like GIF support and group direct messages with up to 50 people, plus a dark theme for power users and more.
“Don’t call it a comeback!” Twitter wrote in the update description. “Twitter for Mac is getting the update you’ve been asking for.”
Look, we know you’ve taken your iPhone into the bathroom with you for number two. Everyone has. That doesn’t mean you should tell people about it. But a new app, charmingly called Pooductive, is for just that. It’s dedicated to facilitating meaningful, anonymous conversation on the toilet about… you can guess the topic.
Twitter managed to create a swarm of disgruntled developers over the past few years. It worked tirelessly to break down many of the third-party apps that made the social network successful. Now, as Twitter discovers what it really is as a service, it’s working to repair relationships with developers and elevate the platform. This ought to be a win-win for everyone.
Apple could introduce its own iOS-exclusive social network, according to a patent application published today.
Described broadly as “Lifestyle-Based Social Groups,” the application may be used to set up real-world childcare groups, lift-sharing, dining clubs etc., by automatically determining your interests and then pointing you toward similar people.
Recently launched free app WerYoo takes on Instagram — combining a photo app with a social network — by allowing users to place their photos and hashtags on a map, which they can then share with friends.
WerYoo lets you show off your photos to people in your immediate proximity, and pings you whenever a new nearby photo is added — thereby letting you both keep up to date with friends and connect with new people.
Do you ever worry that federal agencies might be hacking into your smartphone to read your text messages and listen to your calls? Then you’re probably up to no good, but you can sleep easy if all of your dirty business deals are carried out through iMessage on your iOS device.
Apple’s iMessage encryption is so good, not even federal agencies are able to crack it.
Social media iOS app, Path, updated today to version 3.0.1, adding some new features to the purported all-in-one personal social network’s iOS app. The update adds private messaging along with photo filters and stickers designed by a small group of indie artists for the app.
If you haven’t heard of App.net yet, it’s a cloud platform that’s kind of like Twitter, except it’s ad-free, so you have to pay a monthly fee to use the social network.
Starting today you can setup your own App.net account for free. It comes with some limitations on what you can do, and the only way to get the free account is via an invite from a paid member, but if you’re curious about the platform, the free account might be a hell of a deal.
So, here’s an interesting new idea. Take a little bit of Instagram, with it’s ability to snap quick pictures and apply fun visual filters, and combine that with a push-to-record feature that lets you add audio commentary, music, whatever you like, to the picture itself. Digisocial aims to be the next big social thing, obviously, with a well-designed, free app that’s easy and fun to use.
The problem is, of course, a matter of scale.
We’re all concerned about online privacy issues in some form or another. Some of us are obsessive about it while others are a bit more cavalier. Regardless of how you feel about online privacy, there are tons of websites that have your personal information.
Why? Because of data brokers.
Data brokers collect your personal information and sell it online for background checks and marketing. Even social networks can expose sensitive details about your life that you thought you were only sharing with friends and family – and many of them can because of what their terms of service allow.
With today’s Cult of Mac Deals offer, you can finally fight back – with a one year subscription of Safe Shepherd for just $29!
Microsoft confirmed yesterday that it plans to purchase Yammer, a four-year old company that specializes in providing enterprise social networks. The move, which has been rumored for months, offers Microsoft a chance to develop business collaborative systems that go well beyond the company’s Sharepoint service.
The move is an interesting one that could be significant in the enterprise space. The success of public social networks has led a number of organizations to attempt to bring the social concept into the workplace. The rate of success has varied with NASA’s Spacebook project being one of the more notable failures (and one lampooned by Stephen Colbert).
