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  • WWDC 2020 Part 2: iPadOS Blurs the Computing Line Even More

    WWDC 2020 Part 2: iPadOS Blurs the Computing Line Even More

    Apple unveiled a number of welcome improvements to iPadOS, further blurring the line between tablet and computer.

    Widgets, Search and Interface

    Like iOS 14, iPadOS 14 gains improved widgets to help users get more from their Home Screen.

    In addition, Search has been completely revamped to make it much more powerful on the iPad. The new Universal Search can much more effectively act as an app launcher.

    Universal Search
    Universal Search

    Siri also gains the more streamlined interface that it receives on the iPhone. Similarly, FaceTime calls no longer take up the entire screen, blocking access to other apps. Instead, the incoming call appears in a small notification box at the top of the screen. This feature is also being implemented on iOS for the iPhone.

    iOS and iPadOS Incoming Calls
    iOS and iPadOS Incoming Calls

    Handwriting

    Apple is significantly improving the handwriting recognition on the iPad, closing the gap between handwriting and text input. The new handwriting engine, Scribble, can automatically clean up shapes drawn on the screen.

    Scribble
    Scribble

    What’s more, Scribble makes it possible to use the Apple Pencil for input in any text field. When writing with the Pencil, text can be selected using the same tap gestures for manipulating traditional text.

    Scribble Handwriting
    Scribble Handwriting

    More significantly, iPadOS will be able to recognize email addresses and phone numbers in handwriting and interact with them accordingly.

    Default Apps

    One of the biggest complaints about the iPad is the inability to change default apps for web browsing and email. It appears that iPadOS finally rectifies this. This will be a big improvement, especially in the enterprise, where many users prefer Outlook.

    Stay tuned for Part 3: The Mac

  • Investors Betting On Teams Over Slack

    Investors Betting On Teams Over Slack

    As the battle for corporate messaging clients heats up, investors and traders are beginning to choose whom they believe will be the winner.

    Slack helped revolutionize the corporate messaging market and is still considered the market leader, in terms of features and maturity. In recent years, however, Microsoft Teams has gained ground, even surpassing Slack in overall users.

    Despite Teams’ gains, Slack continues to be heavily used and has racked up contract after contract with some of the biggest names in tech. In spite of that, investors are worried about Slack’s long-term ability to successfully compete with Microsoft.

    According to TheStreet, Goldman Sachs analyst Heather Bellini downgraded Slack from neutral to sell based on these concerns.

    “While we continue to view Slack as a best-in-class team messaging offering that is favored by the technical community, we expect Microsoft Teams to continue to try and leverage its packaging within Office 365 to drive increased adoption, thus creating the potential for a more competitive environment,” wrote Bellini.

    Another factor in the equation is Slack’s existing customer base. Because it appeals to small and medium-sized companies, Bellini believes it is more vulnerable to coronavirus-related economic issues. Despite downgrading Slack, she maintains her target price of $30.

    Microsoft has a long history of entering a market with what is widely considered to be an inferior product, when compared with the market leader. Leveraging the power of their operating system and business-class software, however, Microsoft is usually able to make significant headway while improving their initial offering.

    Only time will tell if Slack is able to succeed where so many other companies have fallen to the juggernaut from Redmond. If not, it may lend weight to Amazon’s rumored interest in buying the company.

  • Comcast Hotspots Free to All Through 2020

    Comcast Hotspots Free to All Through 2020

    Comcast has announced that its Xfinity WiFi hotspots will remain free and open to anyone through the rest of 2020.

    As the pandemic gripped the nation, internet and wireless carriers pledged to do their part to help people stay connected. As part of that effort, Comcast made all of its 1.5 million Xfinity hotspots available to anyone, not just customers.

    As a result, the company saw unprecedented usage of its WiFi network, with hundreds of thousands of non-customers logging on. Based on that popularity, Comcast made the decision to extend the arrangement through the rest of 2020.

    “We saw a huge jump in usage after we opened up our public hotspots, and we’re excited to keep them open through the end of the year as the nation begins taking steps to reopen,” said Dana Strong, President of Xfinity Consumer Services. “We’re pleased to see so many families and individuals take advantage of our 60 days of free home Internet through Internet Essentials, and the free access to public Xfinity WiFi hotspots to get online during this time when connectivity is so important.”

    Kudos to Comcast for stepping to help individuals when they need it most. It’s a safe bet the company will gain quite a bit of consumer goodwill over this latest announcement.

  • Apple Changes Trade-In Policy, Now Accepts Macs In-Store

    Apple Changes Trade-In Policy, Now Accepts Macs In-Store

    Apple has changed its trade-in policy to accept in-person Mac trade-ins at the Apple Store.

    Prior to the change, Apple excluded Macs from in-person trade-ins, forcing owners to use the website option instead. Alternately, users could opt to sell their Mac via Craigslist, Facebook or some other platform.

    The company’s site promises a competitive trade-in value, saying: “Just answer a few questions about your device. Based on what you tell us, we’ll offer you a competitive trade-in estimate for an Apple Store Gift Card or instant credit at an Apple Store. Or you’ll have the option to recycle it for free.”

    This change is a welcome one for users who want a hassle-free option for applying the value of their existing Mac toward a new purchase.

  • Majority of Enterprise Will Keep Work-From-Home Options

    Majority of Enterprise Will Keep Work-From-Home Options

    Work-from-home is one of the biggest impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, and it appears its a change that is here to stay.

    As the pandemic swept the globe, companies big and small sent workers home to telecommute. Some even went so far as to provide budgets for their employees to buy what they needed for their home offices. Even as restrictions have eased up, many companies have decided to make work-from-home options a permanent option.

    According to a new S&P Global Market Intelligence survey, 67% of enterprises expect their work-from-home policies to extend permanently, or at least for the long-term. S&P Global surveyed 575 IT decision-makers across a range of industries.

    “As organizations are heading back to the office in the wake of COVID-19, it is important to quantify what changes materialized during these past few months as a potential indication for the future of work,” said Liam Eagle, Head of Voice of the Enterprise Research at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence. “Leveraging timely data from our flash survey capabilities can help us better understand these changes and overall market sentiment, while enabling organizations to make informed business decisions during times of uncertainty.”

    The survey found that only 19% of organizations intend to bring back employees as soon as possible, 25% in a month or more and 24% have no planned timeline. Not surprisingly, 79% see social distancing as the single biggest impediment to returning to normal office operations.

    An interesting side effect is an expected reduction in office space. Some 47% of companies said they are likely to reduce their physical office space as a result of the pandemic and the changing work landscape, with at least 20% planning to reduce their office space by as much as 25%.

    The survey is an interesting look at the long-term issues facing companies, and a barometer of just how much the pandemic has permanently changed the workplace.

  • Verizon Now Offering 5G Home Internet In Detroit

    Verizon Now Offering 5G Home Internet In Detroit

    Verizon has expanded its 5G Home Internet service to Detroit, the sixth city in which it offers the service.

    5G is a revolutionary wireless upgrade, promising speed in the gigabit range. As a result, companies like Verizon are looking to 5G for applications beyond traditional wireless service. Home internet is one such example, giving wireless companies a way to compete against traditional internet providers.

    Now Verizon customers in Detroit will be able to take advantage of the new technology, via the company’s 5G Home Internet service.

    “Detroit customers now have access to the next generation of lightning fast home broadband internet service,” said Frank Boulben, SVP consumer marketing and products at Verizon. “5G Home Internet on Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband Network will provide customers with flexibility, freedom and choice that enables a whole new world of experiences in the comfort of the home, something more useful now than perhaps ever before.”

    This is good news for Detroit-based Verizon customers and will provide a nice alternative to traditional internet services and plans.

  • Cox Punishes Entire Neighborhoods For Heavy Internet Users

    Cox Punishes Entire Neighborhoods For Heavy Internet Users

    In an era when many internet and wireless providers are suspending data limits, Cox Communications is throttling entire neighborhoods over a single heavy user.

    As unprecedented numbers of individuals have been forced to work from home as a result of the pandemic, many internet and wireless companies have signed on to the FCC’s “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” agreeing not to terminate services for customers impacted by the current economic climate.

    At least one internet service provider is taking it even further, completely ending data caps permanently. Antietam Broadband made the decision based on the information it gathered about usage trends during the pandemic, ensuring its customers have the access they need, regardless of the circumstances.

    Then there’s Cox Communications. According to Ars Technica, the company recently sent out an email to one of its customers saying that upload speeds for the entire neighborhood would be reduced from 35 to 10Mbps—as a result of that one individual’s usage.

    While the customer in question is admittedly a heavy internet user, accounting for anywhere from 8 to 12TB of data a month, his usage has been steady for the past four years. Cox only started making an issue of it in mid-May, however, going so far as to threaten service termination. As someone who works from home, the individual was paying $50 a month extra specifically to have “unlimited data.” What’s more, he intentionally has his scheduled backups and information sharing, which accounts for the vast majority of his usage, scheduled to occur between 1AM and 8AM, a time when most networks experience far less traffic.

    It’s safe to say, unlike Antietam Broadband and many other providers, Cox isn’t likely to win any customer loyalty or customer service awards with these tactics.

  • Signal Now Allows Chat History Transfer on iOS

    Signal Now Allows Chat History Transfer on iOS

    Secure messaging app Signal has added the ability to transfer one’s chat history on iOS devices.

    Signal is a popular messaging app that is widely considered to be the most secure messaging platform available. It is used by Edward Snowden, and even Senate staff are encouraged to use it.

    One glaring issues on iOS has been the inability to transfer your chat history to a new device. Instead, moving to a new device meant leaving behind all your Signal threads (this writer can personally attest to how frustrating it was). Now, however, it seems Signal has finally brought this feature to iOS.

    “Signal iOS now includes a new feature that makes it possible to switch to a brand-new iPhone or iPad while securely transferring Signal information from your existing iOS device,” writes Nora Trapp on Signal’s blog. “As with every new Signal feature, the process is end-to-end encrypted and designed to protect your privacy. Transfers also occur over a local connection (similar to AirDrop), so even large migrations can be completed quickly.”

    The only caveat is the transfer process requires access to the old phone, so it won’t work if it has been sold, lost or stolen. As long as you still have the old phone, however, simply install Signal on the new phone and go through the registration process. After entering your number, the app will ask if you want to transfer your messages from your old device. If you opt to migrate, your old phone will provide a migration prompt, while the new phone will generate a QR code. Scan the QR code on the new phone with the old one and the transfer will begin.

    This is excellent news for Signal fans and eliminates one of the few pain points associated with having the most secure communication possible.

    Image Credit: Signal

  • Apple to Announce ARM-Based Macs at WWDC

    Apple to Announce ARM-Based Macs at WWDC

    Apple is preparing to announce its decision to move to ARM chips for its Macs at the upcoming WWDC.

    Apple has long been rumored to be moving to ARM chips like the ones it uses in the iPhone and iPad. The company has been relying on Intel to power its line of computers since 2006, when it switched from the PowerPC architecture.

    ARM chips are based on designs by Arm Holdings. Unlike Intel or AMD, Arm does not manufacture its own chips, but licenses the designs to other companies. Companies can even customize elements of the chipsets to better suit their needs.

    Arm was originally founded as a joint venture between Apple and Acorn and, not surprisingly, Apple has the Architecture License, the broadest license available. This gives Apple the ability to modify Arm designs however they see fit to best work with their products.

    Analysts have been expecting Apple to move Macs to ARM chips for multiple reasons. First, Intel has been struggling to keep up with demand for its processors and is starting to fall behind rival AMD in performance. Given the premium it charges for its Macs, any inability to deliver the fastest machines possible is far worse for Apple than many of its rivals. In contrast, current iPad Pros are faster than the vast majority of PC laptops on the market and, even more impressive, they deliver that performance without any fans thanks to the power-efficient nature of ARM chips.

    The second factor motivating the change is Apple’s penchant for controlling the “whole widget.” In other words, Apple is at its best when it controls both the software and the hardware that runs it. This approach is one of the reasons the iPhone and iPads consistently outperform Android competitors by a wide margin.

    A move to ARM for the Mac lineup would likely result in machines that are faster than current models, get better battery life and run cooler, while still running the more powerful macOS.

    According to Bloomberg, internal testing at Apple has “shown sizable improvements over Intel-powered versions, specifically in graphics performance and apps using artificial intelligence, the people said. Apple’s processors are also more power-efficient than Intel’s, which may mean thinner and lighter Mac laptops in the future.”

    Needless to say, however, a complete architecture change is no small feat. It’s previously been reported that Apple was going to release ARM-powered Macs in 2021. According to Bloomberg, the company plans to make the announcement at the upcoming WWDC to give developers plenty of time to prepare their applications to run on the new chipset.

    This is very similar to how Apple handled the move to Intel in 2005 and 2006. Given that Apple has orchestrated two other major architecture changes in the Mac’s history, it’s a safe bet Apple will do everything necessary to make this transition as smooth as possible.

  • Java Ransomware Spotted In The Wild

    Java Ransomware Spotted In The Wild

    A Java-based ransomware that targets the software market and education sectors has been spotted in the wild by Blackberry.

    The BlackBerry Research and Intelligence Team, working with KPMG’s UK Cyber Response Services, recently discovered the ransomware, dubbed “Tycoon.” The ransomware is written in Java and has been in the wild since at least December 2019.

    According to the researchers, “it is deployed in the form of a Trojanized Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and leverages an obscure Java image format to fly under the radar.”

    Once a computer has been infiltrated, the software encrypts files using an AES-256 algorithm. To make matters worse, the ransomware overwrites deleted files in each encryption path, ensuring they cannot be recovered without the decryption key.

    There are two spots of good news, however. First, it does not appear that the ransomware is widespread, leading the researchers to believe “the malware may be highly targeted.”

    Even better, it appears the hackers used the same encryption key repeatedly. As a result, some have had success using a deception key purchased by one of the other victims.

    “Because of the use of asymmetric RSA algorithm to encrypt the securely generated AES keys, the file decryption requires obtaining the attacker’s private RSA key,” the researchers write. “Factoring a 1024-bit RSA key, although theoretically possible, has not been achieved yet and would require extraordinary computational power.

    “However, one of the victims seeking help on the BleepingComputer forum posted a private RSA key presumably coming from a decryptor the victim purchased from the attackers. This key has proven to be successful in decryption of some of the files affected by the earliest version of Tycoon ransomware that added the .redrum extension to the encrypted files.”

    Unfortunately, later versions of the malware use “.grinch” and “.thanos” as the file extensions, and the reused key does not work on those files.

  • Small ISP Permanently Ends Data Caps

    Small ISP Permanently Ends Data Caps

    Antietam Broadband, based in Maryland, has boldly gone where big ISPs fear to tread: It has removed data caps permanently.

    Many ISPs have data caps, but have temporarily waived them as more people are working and learning from home during the pandemic. Antietam Broadband, however, has decided its time for data caps to go the way of the dodo.

    “These are uncertain times,” said Brian Lynch, President, Antietam Broadband. “We felt a need to give customers as much certainty over their bill as possible. Eliminating data usage caps means that customers will know the exact amount of their broadband bill every month.”

    The company credits what it has learned during the pandemic for its decision to end the caps. As more people have come to rely on their internet service, the company has seen a trend toward people moving toward plans that better matched up with their needs.

    “Since the pandemic began, we have seen as much increase in broadband usage as we generally would see over the course of a year,” continued Lynch.

    Antietam Broadband is to be commended for putting its customers’ interests and needs first. Here’s to hoping some of the bigger ISPs will follow suit.

  • Messaging App Signal Adds Blur Tool

    Messaging App Signal Adds Blur Tool

    Popular messaging app Signal has added blur tools to help protect the identities and privacy of people in photos.

    Signal is widely to considered to be the most secure messaging platform on the planet. It uses end-to-end encryption and is open-source software. It is so secure that Edward Snowden uses it and the US Senate has urged senators and their aides to use it.

    Now the company is taking the next step, adding blur tools to help protect the identity of people in photos.

    “The latest version of Signal for Android and iOS introduces a new blur feature in the image editor that can help protect the privacy of the people in the photos you share,” writes Moxie Marlinspike, Signal’s creator and CEO. “Now it’s easy to give every face a hiding place, or draw a fuzzy trace over something you want to erase. Simply tap on the new blur tool icon to get started.”

    The new feature relies on the underlying libraries in iOS and Android. As a result, all of the processing is done on-device, ensuring absolute privacy. In the event the underlying libraries don’t detect a face and blur it automatically, the new tool can also be used to manually blur an area with the blur brush.

    This is an excellent upgrade to an already stellar application, and will surely see widespread use.

  • Kitty Hawk Flyer Grounded As Company Shuts Down Flying Car Project

    Kitty Hawk Flyer Grounded As Company Shuts Down Flying Car Project

    Bad news for flying car fans, as Kitty Hawk has announced it is shutting down its Flyer project.

    First launched in 2015, the Flyer project was Kitty Hawk’s attempt to build a flying car. The company made quite a bit of headway, building and flying some 111 individual craft. Over 75 people flew the Flyer and the company logged some 25,000 successful flights. Even more impressive, the Flyer came in at a mere 250lbs empty, putting it in the ultra lightweight class that doesn’t require a license.

    In spite of the project’s success, Kitty Hawk has decided to end it.

    “Today, we are winding down the Flyer project,” write Alex Roetter, President of Flyer and Sebastian Thrun, CEO, on a company blog post. “We have learned what we needed from it — things like vehicle design and testing, manufacturing aircraft, and most of all, how humans would experience eVTOL. We are proud to have built the first electrically-powered VTOL aircraft in the world flown by non-pilots. Just as with our earlier Cora aircraft, Flyer is clearly a milestone in the history of Kitty Hawk and eVTOL vehicles.”

    It appears the company will put all of its efforts toward its Heaviside plane, a high-performance electric VTOL vehicle that is up to 100 times quieter than a helicopter.

    “Since Flyer began, more powerful eVTOL vehicles have been invented, such as our own Heaviside plane, which has a range of 100 miles, speeds of up to 180 mph, and the ability to fly over cities,” continues the blog post. “Going forward, we are doubling down on Heaviside as our primary platform. But we would never have gotten here without launching and learning from Flyer, and the amazing team of people who built and operated it.

    “We are incredibly proud of the Flyer team and what it has accomplished. Flyer stands out as one of our most ambitious bets. While the vehicles themselves will now retire, the Flyer legacy will live on as we continue on our quest to free the world from traffic!”

    Hopefully the company can make a success of the Heaviside, as it looks like an innovative take on aerial travel.

  • The Case For Paid Zoom Plans: Free Plans Don’t Have End-to-End Encryption

    The Case For Paid Zoom Plans: Free Plans Don’t Have End-to-End Encryption

    Following Zoom’s addition of end-to-end encryption, the company’s CEO made it clear that only paying customers benefit from it.

    Zoom has become one of the dominant video communication platforms during the coronavirus pandemic, going from 10 million daily users to well over 200 million, and hitting 300 million at times. In spite of its dominance, Zoom has faced significant criticism for weak security. The company was forced to put a 90-day moratorium on new features, as it pivoted to security fixes.

    One of the biggest criticisms was the type of encryption Zoom used, with its marketing giving the impression it was end-to-end when, in fact, it was not. Zoom quickly moved to address the issue and offer true end-to-end encryption.

    In spite of that, not everyone will benefit from the upgrade. According to Bloomberg, in a call with analysts, CEO Eric Yuan indicated free users are out in the cold.

    “Free users for sure we don’t want to give that because we also want to work together with FBI, with local law enforcement in case some people use Zoom for a bad purpose,” said Yuan.

    The move is already receiving criticism and it will be interesting to see if Zoom sticks to its guns or upgrades free users as well.

  • Bing Webmaster Tools Provides Backlink Data On Similar Sites

    Bing Webmaster Tools Provides Backlink Data On Similar Sites

    Bing has unveiled a new feature that gives users competitive backlink data for similar and recommended sites.

    The announcement was made via the Bing Webmaster Team Twitter account:

    Backlinks is back in the new Bing Webmaster Tools https://bing.com/webmasters/backlinks… ! Backlinks not only for your site but also for other sites (tab Similar sites), including for sites we suggest. Have a look and give us feedback on this beta tool.

    Bing Webmaster Team (@BingWMC) June 1, 2020

    The feature will be a big hit with webmasters, as it will give them valuable competitive insight into other websites, while also giving Bing a significant competitive advantage over Google.

  • 8×8 Partners With GoCardless For Recurring Payments

    8×8 Partners With GoCardless For Recurring Payments

    Communication platform 8×8 has partnered with GoCardless to handle their recurring payments worldwide.

    8×8 is a popular communication platform that has experienced tremendous growth during the pandemic. The company’s monthly user base has hit 20 million, up from a few hundred thousand.

    As companies have turned to 8×8, the company needed to upgrade its recurring payment system to work with multiple banking systems around the world. The goal was to improve its payment success rates, while also increasing the company’s visibility.

    “As a fast-growing technology company, we wanted to provide our customers with a simple and easy-to-use payment method for managing their recurring payments,” said Samuel Wilson, Chief Customer Officer and Managing Director of EMEA at 8×8. “The GoCardless platform allows us to provide a great experience to our customers and enables us to consolidate our paper-based processes and legacy systems into a single payments platform. We are confident that we have the right payment solution in place, which will be deployed globally in the coming months.”

    The deal is a big win for GoCardless and will help 8×8 continue to grow worldwide.

  • Ecommerce Exploded When Everybody Got Their Stimulus Checks

    Ecommerce Exploded When Everybody Got Their Stimulus Checks

    “Ecommerce exploded when everybody got their stimulus checks,” says marketing superstar Gary Vaynerchuk. “It reminded me how much of a materialistic capitalistic country we are. The numbers are through the roof on food and beverage and things of that nature. Obviously, apparel has been hit in certain ways also. But net-net this is a capitalistic materialistic country and people want to buy things so you’re seeing a ton of activity.”

    Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia and host of his own “GaryVee” channel on YouTube with 2.6 million subscribers, discusses how ecommerce is booming in spite of the current pandemic:

    Ecommerce Exploded With The Stimulus Checks

    Ecommerce exploded when everybody got their stimulus checks. It reminded me how much of a materialistic capitalistic country we are. A lot of my businesses are in ecommerce and I was “micro happy.” But I was macro disappointed because I’m hoping that people learn how to save money during this time. With VaynerMedia, my marketing firm, we sit with a lot of Fortune 500 companies that have consumer brands and we’re very involved in a lot of their e-commerce businesses. 

    The numbers are through the roof on food and beverage and things of that nature. Obviously, apparel has been hit in certain ways also. But net-net this is a capitalistic materialistic country and people want to buy things so you’re seeing a ton of activity. Sports cards are a space I pay attention to. I can’t believe how well it’s doing. 

    People Still Think Another Stimulus Check Is Coming

    I actually think the macro conversation is the way this is all playing out. It’s disguising some of the economic vulnerabilities because we’re still in this cocoon. People still think there may be another stimulus check coming for me. As soon as this is over I’m gonna get a job.

    I think the most interesting part of this from a kind of thoughtful economic standpoint it’s kind of that first month to three months or four months after it gets back to normal-ish. I’m really eyeing February, March, and April of next year where I think that you could see a dip because people will say wait a minute we’re in something bad. Right now I think it’s fake to some people.

    Ecommerce Exploded When Everybody Got Their Stimulus Checks
  • If People Can Ride the Subway We Can Open Factories, Says Jason Calacanis

    If People Can Ride the Subway We Can Open Factories, Says Jason Calacanis

    “If people can ride the subway and if people can go to Trader Joe’s and pack into all these different places we can start to open factories,” says legendary tech entrepreneur Jason Calacanis during an interview on CNBC:

    When we look at the issues around reopening it’s very confusing for people running businesses today and I think for Americans generally. We’re not allowed to go to the beach and we’re not allowed to play golf but we can take the subway. This is the incredible failure of our government from the federal level down to the local level to not be able to give basic instructions and to have a clear voice.

    Somehow this has turned into a political issue which is the worst of all outcomes. You’re a Republican right-wing person if you want to go back to work. On the left if you let people go back to work you’re committing murder. It’s ridiculous. We have to take a much more measured thoughtful approach to let people go back to work who want to. I understand people are scared people and they can opt-out of this.

    We’ve got a lot of people who work behind keyboards, some of them in the media, who really want to tell people they can’t go back to work when they have a six-figure job clicking keys on a keyboard. It’s not very realistic. Certainly, if people can ride the subway and if people can go to Trader Joe’s and pack into all these different places we can start to open factories.

    If People Can Ride the Subway We Can Open Factories, Says Jason Calacanis
  • Facebook Acquires Giphy, Adding It to Instagram

    Facebook Acquires Giphy, Adding It to Instagram

    Facebook announced it is acquiring Giphy, with plans to integrate it into the Instagram platform.

    Giphy is a popular service that lets users share short, looped videos, reminiscent of animated GIFs. The service is widely used in text messaging, social media and more. Facebook already uses the Giphy API across its many services, including Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp. The social media giant sees the purchase as a way to increase integration and improve the user experience even more.

    “A lot of people in our community already know and love GIPHY,” writes Vishal Shah, Facebook VP of Product. “In fact, 50% of GIPHY’s traffic comes from the Facebook family of apps, half of that from Instagram alone. By bringing Instagram and GIPHY together, we can make it easier for people to find the perfect GIFs and stickers in Stories and Direct. Both our services are big supporters of the creator and artist community, and that will continue. Together, we can make it easier for anyone to create and share their work with the world.”

    While Facebook did not comment on the particulars of the deal, Axios reported that its sources claimed the deal was worth some $400 million. As Axios points out, however, given the scrutiny Facebook has been under recently for privacy and antitrust concerns, this deal is likely to attract regulatory attention. Even so, Facebook is striking an optimistic tone regarding the acquisition.

    “GIFs and stickers give people meaningful and creative ways to express themselves,” continues Shah. “We see the positivity in how people use GIPHY in our products today, and we know that bringing the GIPHY team’s creativity and talent together with ours will only accelerate how people use visual communication to connect with each other.”

  • Grammarly Makes First-Ever Investment In Docugami

    Grammarly Makes First-Ever Investment In Docugami

    Grammarly has announced its investment in Docugami, a company “developing AI to end document dysfunction.”

    The investment is the first in Grammarly’s 11-year history and was part of Docugami’s $10 million seed funding. The two companies share complimentary goals as Grammarly has increasingly turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to power its writing assistant.

    “Led by an experienced team of proven technology leaders and advisers, Docugami uses an array of AI techniques to help businesses of all sizes create critical business documents with greater precision and efficiency so they can derive greater productivity, compliance, and insight from their documents and business processes,” writes Grammarly CEO Brad Hoover. “Docugami’s technology understands the unique structure of documents and integrates with existing business processes.

    “This is Grammarly’s first investment in another company. We feel strong alignment with Docugami’s team and vision, and we took this step with much thought and deliberation. We’re excited to play a part in their future!”

    The news is another example of the transformative effect of AI on a wide range of industries. Grammarly and Docugami’s businesses obviously complement each other, and the future should hold exciting developments as the companies continue to work together.

  • Notability Maker Releases Twobird Email Client

    Notability Maker Releases Twobird Email Client

    Ginger Labs, the makers of Notability, have released Twobird, a brand-new email client for iOS, macOS, Windows and Android.

    Notability is a well-known note-taking application for both iOS and macOS. The app receives generally good reviews and won Apple’s Editors’ Choice award. One of the reasons for Ginger Labs’ success is its focus on intuitive design, combined with powerful features.

    Now the company is taking that approach to email, with the release of Twobird. The app is designed for modern users, combining email with notes, reminders, lists and more. The app also helps streamline email, hiding things like signatures and formatting that can serve as more of a distraction than useful information.

    In what may be its most innovative addition, Twobird includes live collaboration.

    “Share a Twobird note and transform a shopping list into a party planner,” reads the app’s release notes. “Assign tasks, make edits, leave comments and discuss changes with everyone involved.

    “Shared notes are nested inside your email so you can see everyone’s ideas come together, in real time.”

    The app currently only works with Gmail-powered email, although the company plans on supporting more services in the future. Individuals concerned with privacy will appreciate Twobird’s emphasis on protecting privacy, including actively blocking pixel tracking. The company is also committed to never seeing or sharing users’ personal data.

    With the recent announcement that Newton Mail is back from the dead, and now Ginger Labs’ release of Twobird, this is an excellent time for email programs, and promises continued innovation within the market.