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Two high-level Twitter execs leave the company
Something must be brewing over at Twitter, because two of its high-level executives have decided to leave the company. Chief technology officer Adam Messinger and VP of product Josh McFarland today tweeted separately that they would be departing from the social network. Messinger explained that he would be taking some time off, while McFarland is joining venture capital firm Greylock Partners.
Vine will stick around as a camera app
Twitter's October announcement that it would be shutting down its popular Vine feature drew criticism from across the internet -- and apparently that collective outrage worked. The company published a Medium post on Friday stating that while the Vine hosting service would still be going away, the ability to record and save six-second videos would not
Twitter could rescue Vine through a sale
When Twitter decided to kill Vine, there was a common reaction: why didn't the company just sell its looping video service instead of reducing it to a memorial? Well, cooler heads might prevail after all. Sources speaking to our TechCrunch colleagues claim that Twitter is looking at "multiple" bids for Vine that flooded in the moment it put the service on the chopping block. There are no definite suitors, but messaging giant Line is rumored to be in the running.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 13: A Chicken with its Head Cut Off
Editor in chief Michael Gorman and executive editor Christopher Trout are in town this week and stop by to talk Peter Thiel, Vine and online voting with host Terrence O'Brien and reviews editor Cherlynn Low. Then, after they've had their fill of beating up on Thiel, the four will explore how dating and sex have changed in the age of apps. Warning, things get a little NSFW.
Vine co-creators unveil their own take on live streaming
Vine may be on the way out, but two of its original architects are determined to carry the torch for mobile video apps. Co-creators Colin Kroll and Rus Yusupov have launched a livestreaming app, Hype, that aims to do more than just broadcast raw footage. You can slip music, photos and videos into your stream, and customize the layout to suit your presentation. It doesn't just have to be about whatever you capture on-camera, to put it another way -- you can take a back seat. There's also more two-way interaction than you get with the likes of Periscope or Facebook Live, as the audience has direct ways of asking and answering questions, casting votes or getting their comments featured.
The Morning After: Tuesday November 1st 2016
It's the morning after we were reminded that war is hell, sneakers can fit themselves and jingles don't last forever. We also reported on the quiet rise of the high-end tablet and the return of CD piracy. Join us below for everything you might have missed.
Vine's biggest stars asked for money to save the app
Vine's collapse didn't surprise some of the platform's biggest stars. For months, they had seen the views on their videos fall as users left the app for Snapchat, Instagram and YouTube. They considered leaving Vine themselves, but -- as BuzzFeed first reported in March -- decided to give the Twitter-owned team an intriguing one-time offer: money for Vines. Now that Vine is winding down, Mic has published new details about the deal which never came to fruition. Eighteen users reportedly asked for $1.2 million each in exchange for 12 original Vines, per user, every month.
Giphy is giving orphaned Vines a new home
Yesterday, Twitter announced that it will effectively kill off the struggling short-form video platform Vine in the coming months. The news did not go over very well with the service's fanbase, many many of whom took to Twitter to express their outrage. Today, Giphy offered disgruntled Vine users a lifeline: the ability to transfer their existing video content to the animated image site.
Memories of a better Vine
Twitter has its reasons for shuttering Vine, the service that popularized short, looping videos. But from the outpouring on social media, it's clear that many will miss it. While most Engadget editors stopped using Vine a long time ago, there are still some who fire it up almost daily. Even those who don't post regularly still have fond memories of the service. Here, a few editors share their reasons for loving it, hating it, leaving it and sticking with it to the bitter end. And, of course, they've each shared a favorite Vine for good measure.
The Engadget Podcast Ep 12: Surface Envy
Managing editor Dana Wollman and senior editor Devindra Hardawar join host Terrence O'Brien to talk about the value of the Esc key, the Nintendo Switch and the impeding Gilmore Girls resurrection. Then they'll relive Microsoft's big Surface event and dig in on future of Twitter... and whether or not it even has one.
The Morning After: Friday October 28th 2016
Apple's big MacBook event introduced a new family of Pro machines, with nary a mention of the MacBook Air. The company also expelled standard USB 3.0 ports in its new range, replacing them all with (USB-C-shaped) Thunderbolt 3.0 ports -- but hey, at least there's a fancy OLED "Touch Bar." Meanwhile, Turkey's government shut down internet across 11 cities in the Kurdish area of the country, Oh, and Twitter killed Vine.
Twitter's identity crisis killed Vine
Today, Twitter announced that it's effectively killing Vine, its short-form video service. Though you can still download and watch already-posted Vines, you won't be able to upload new six-second clips from now on. It's a shame, but in a way, it's been a long time coming. The platform has been a lot less active than it used to be, with many flocking to Instagram and Snapchat instead for their video-sharing fix. But what really killed Vine is that it no longer fits in Twitter's revamped business strategy: live news.
Twitter is killing Vine
Bad news for fans of the once-popular Vine video-sharing network. Its parent company Twitter announced today that it is killing the service's mobile app, meaning you can no longer create new clips. The website will still exist to showcase already-posted footage, although it's not clear whether you might be able to record new material in future.
Vine's soundboard lets you add audio memes to your loops
Vine is a six-second comedy echo chamber. As soon as someone creates a meme-worthy joke, the punch line phrase, sound effect or editing technique spreads like wildfire. Usually it's mere imitation, but sometimes Viners will remix the snippet into new, equally creative loops. To support this trend, Vine has added a "soundboard" feature that makes it easy for iOS users to import popular and recognizable clips. "LeBron James," "why you always lyin" and "freshavocado" -- to add these and others, just hit the soundwave icon after recording a new video. You'll then have access to the new library, which the company says will be updated over time.
Memes made the presidential debate great again
There's something magical about an inside joke. A good inside joke reminds friends that no matter what happens, you'll always have that moment when you were completely in sync, united by laughter and happy tears. Memes, meanwhile, are inside jokes on a massive scale. Memes remind the people involved of happier times, when an entire country or group of disparate people shared a moment of levity, something to laugh about, something adorable to bond over. Throughout the cutthroat 2016 presidential election, citizens of the United States have been in dire need of a uniting force. And, during last night's second presidential debate, the people found their common ground in an affable, red-sweatered meme named Ken Bone.
Twitter's Olympics coverage includes live Moments and Periscope
Much like Google, Twitter is going all-out to make itself a one-stop shop for summer Olympics coverage... and this year, there's a distinct focus on live action. The social network has revealed that there will be an Olympics-specific Moments section (shown below) that will help you keep track of your home country or individual sports as they happen, one tweet at a time. There will also be an Olympics-oriented Periscope channel -- no, you probably won't see someone broadcasting an event from their phone, but you may just get a feel for Rio de Janeiro from someone who's there.
Vine is a sinking ship but one worth saving
If you haven't checked in on Vine recently, you might find that the six-second video network looks a little less vibrant than it used to. The service has seen most of its high-profile creators move over to other platforms, while executives are quitting en masse. Vine now exists in a state of unmanaged decline, its enormous potential withering away in the sunlight. Twitter may have shown extraordinary prescience in acquiring Vine, but it's clear that nobody has a clue how it should work.
Twitter remains quiet about OurMine attack on its CEO's account
Early Saturday morning the team that has been breaking into high-profile social media accounts managed to temporarily hijack Twitter accounts for the CEOs of Yahoo and Twitter. Despite repeated requests from Engadget, Twitter has not commented on the incident and Jack Dorsey has not tweeted about it. Twitter's Trust & Info Security Officer Michael Coates did take time to refute a claim made by the OurMine hackers, after they posted a screenshot they claimed proves Vine has access to its users passwords.
Brad Neely's weird Adult Swim cartoon premieres on Vine
Adult Swim is consistently debuting new shows season after season, but usually not on Vine, right? That's why the fact that China, IL creator Brad Neely's Harg Nallin Sclopio Peepio is available on the network is such an interesting change. Neely's upcoming comedy show can be found via one six-second clip that looks like any other Vine at first, but when you click on it a full version of the 10-minute episode is available (all thanks to the service's new rules for "select publishers.")
Netflix signs Vine star Cameron Dallas for new reality show
While you might be aware of Vine, Twitter's six-second social video service, you might not be familiar with its most popular users. With 9.4 million followers and over two billion loops, Cameron Dallas is undoubtedly a Vine star, but he's joining the ever-increasing roster of internet-famous personalities making the jump to TV, having just signed a new reality show deal with Netflix.
