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British spy agency reportedly collected millions of webcam images from Yahoo users
Britain's surveillance agency, GCHQ, hasn't fared much better than the NSA these past several months; the latest leak shared with the Guardian claims that Britain has been collecting millions of webcam images from Yahoo users. What's more, it appears that these images were used to discover "targets" and match users with existing persons of interest via automated facial recognition. According to documents provided by Edward Snowden, GCHQ intercepted still images of Yahoo video calls -- including those done with Yahoo Messenger -- in bulk and saved them as part of a program code-named Optic Nerve. The agency apparently collected these images whether or not users were deemed intelligence targets -- in a six-month period in 2008, it amassed webcam pics from more than 1.8 million Yahoo users around the globe. The documents also reveal that these images were collected with the purpose of identifying targets using facial-recognition tools to compare Yahoo users to existing GCHQ targets.
iOS app updates for June 22
The following iOS apps received updates in the App Store: Infinity Blade Version 1.3.1 was released with the following changes: A new content pack, Infinity Blade: Arena. Added a Simplified Chinese translation to the game Updated translations for French, Italian, German and Spanish Angry Birds Seasons Version 1.5 was released with the following changes: 30 new levels Summer theme Summer greeting cards that can be emailed to friends iGrill Version 2.0 was released with the following changes: App redesign Smoker option with upper and lower alarms Graphing screen which allows the viewing of the app's history Yahoo! Messenger Version 2.1.1 was released with a number of bug fixes and performance improvements. It also rolls in the changes from those who did not upgrade to 2.1. The 2.1 changes include: iPad-optimized layout Voice and video calling for the iPad 2 Improved spam management Motion X GPS Drive Version 10.2 was released with the following changes: Facebook integration Custom voices The latest NAVTEQ maps with free traffic and improved intelligent routing TuneIn Radio Pro Version 1.9 was released with the following changes: Songs can now be saved to presets by tapping a heart button in the Now Playing view Search feature returns immediate results while typing Adds recommended stations based on music library Adds the ability to shake for a related station The in-app browser on the iPhone and iPod touch is now disabled by default. This can be toggled through the app's settings. Burn the Rope Version 1.3.1 was released with the following changes: Everlasting flame for assistance through tricky levels Easy mode Terminology Version 2.0 was released with the following changes: Rewritten user interface The ability to customize fonts and font sizes The ability to customize links to other apps and web resources Automatic clipboard searching Integration with term.ly
Yahoo! Messenger lets iPad 2 owners video chat with PCs
Yahoo! rolled out a new Messenger app for iOS that includes support for the iPad 2. The tablet-optimized app will let you make voice and video calls using the front-facing camera. Yahoo! Messenger has a wide install base, and you will be able to make video calls to any device with a camera and a compatible version of the messaging app. Besides video calling, Yahoo! Messenger will also send SMS messages for free. The SMS feature is a quick way to message to a friend, but you have to remember these messages come from your Yahoo! account, not your mobile phone number.
Yahoo! Messenger and ooVoo Mobile do video chat on Android, but only for a lucky few
Two video chats enter the ring, only one comes out. In this corner it's ooVoo Mobile, a portable version of the (somewhat) popular desktop video chat application that will let up to six users simultaneously swap bitrate over 3G, 4G, or WiFi -- but only if you have an HTC Evo or Samsung Epic. In the other corner it's Yahoo! Messenger, with version 1.3 adding video calls and similarly limited device support, though this time it's the myTouch 4G and the Evo getting the nod. So, Android owners, which of these is going to reign supreme? Or, are you going to tap out and stay cozy with Qik? Hit the Android Market now and place your bets. Update: We're told that Paltalk has also recently released an Android app to the Marketplace, giving you yet another way to say "hey."
Updated Yahoo Messenger app now live in App Store, 3G video calling bonanza awaits you
Not stoked on Skype or FaceTime? Looks like you've got another option, bub. That overhauled Yahoo Messenger app we told you about 48 hours ago is now live in the App Store, offering multitasking on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, 3G / WiFi video calling (iOS to iOS, iOS to Android or iOS to PC) and instant notifications. Users interested in making voice calls can also tap into their bucket of Yahoo Voice Phone Out minutes, but it'll only work in America, France, Germany, Spain and Singapore at the moment. Hit that source link to get your download on, cool?
Yahoo! Mesenger app updated, offers free voice and video calling
The Yahoo! Messenger app has received a pretty significant upgrade today -- the app now lets you make video and voice calls to Yahoo! Messenger friends. That has a few interesting outcomes, the first of which is that you can now make video calls from any iPhone running iOS 4.1 to anywhere with a Yahoo! Messenger account, including back to PCs running the client there. We haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but the app is a free download, so you can see for yourself if you want. You can also make free voice calls between friends, or for an extra fee, call out to phones around the world. One caveat: the calls don't seem to work on the iPod touch 4G, according to reviewers on the App Store. We're not sure why that would be, but the app description clearly states that service is only for iPhone 3GS/4. Otherwise, here's one more solution to voice and even video chatting over 3G on your iPhone.
Yahoo messenger coming to iPhone and Android with cross-platform 3G video calls
You'll be seeing a lot more of the good ol' Yahoo smiley on front-facing cameraphones soon -- the web portal's VP of Mobile David Katz says that a new Yahoo! Messenger with cross-platform video chat is headed to Android and iPhone. Originally confirmed for the new T-Mobile myTouch, it's presently been submitted to the iTunes App Store for review. It'll reportedly work over both 3G and WiFi connections and freely conduct video calls with any other device running Yahoo! Messenger, including webcam-equipped PCs. Look out Qik, Fring and Tango -- there's a new sheriff in town.
T-Mobile HTC Slide to provide non-FaceTime video chat with iPhone 4
FaceTime is one of the most visible features of the iPhone 4, with much of the advertising for the newest iPhone showing off the emotionally-rich video chat capabilities that FaceTime provides. But if your friends are on another network or don't have an iPhone 4, it's impossible to use your phone to video chat with them. Yahoo! and T-Mobile would like to change that. T-Mo announced earlier in the week that an upcoming Android phone, the HTC Slide, will come with two cameras arrayed much in the same manner as those on the iPhone. The Slide will also provide video chatting with any other phone equipped with two cameras, including the iPhone 4. Since FaceTime is an Apple-specific feature, how is T-Mobile going to do this? Through Yahoo! Messenger. The current iOS app doesn't appear to currently support video chats, but Yahoo!'s admission that the capability would be available for the iPhone 4 indicates that an upcoming version will take advantage of the built-in cameras. Yahoo! Messenger will not only provide video chatting with other mobile devices, but it should also make it possible to share some "face time" with Yahoo! Messenger users on Macs and PCs as well. It's expected that the HTC Slide from T-Mobile will be available prior to Christmas, hopefully bringing the new versions of Yahoo! Messenger for iOS and Mac OS X that will make possible video chatting for the holidays.
Microsoft prepping Yahoo, AIM, and Windows Live Messenger support for Kin?
The list of conspicuously missing features on Microsoft's Kin devices is a lengthy one, but considering the target demographic, there's at least one particularly egregious omission: instant messaging. Well-established ROM spelunker Conflipper is now reporting that Microsoft intends to add IM support in the future, though -- a belief he's presumably gleaned from looking through the latest firmware. Specifically, he mentions support for Yahoo Messenger, Windows Live Messenger, and AIM, a three-pack that would come close to covering the main services most of the Kin-owning world cares about; Google Talk would be nice, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if Microsoft went without -- especially considering that they're starting from zilch.
New screenshots of iPad apps start to make this thing seem less like a giant iPhone
We already knew that the iPad would be getting a few pieces of software that haven't shown up on its tinier, phone counterpart -- but now that a few screenshots of forthcoming apps for the device have reared their head, we're getting a clearer picture of just what this thing will feel like. If these shots of the new Yahoo! Entertainment, Bento, OmniGraffle, and Brushes are any indication, the iPad will be doing a lot more than just zooming up your Facebook profile. There's definitely an emphasis on content creation, file exporting (if not saving), and syncing with desktop versions of some of these apps, and Yahoo!'s work (alongside Brushes') shows that we've only begun to scratch the surface of what interfaces will be like on this device. We're sure the next week will be filled with all sorts of these kinds of leaks, but for now you can cherish the moment when you first laid eyes on your new way to check a TV schedule. A few more shots after the break, and lots more at the sources.
Homebrew dev reveals AtYa, Yahoo Messenger on DS
Homebrew developer atomsoft is hard at work on his application, AtYa, which is the first working Yahoo Messenger client for the handheld. While it did pre-release, the files have been pulled due to an issue with the loading page.With fancy cell phones and other technological gadgets, instant messaging on-the-go has become a reality, so we wonder how viable an application such as this is. Still, we're sure some of you out there are interested in being able to IM from your DS. No idea as of right now on when the pre-release will be available for download again. But, when it is, you can bet we'll let you know.[Via QJ]
Yahoo! Messenger 3 adds voice, in beta
Our friends on the Yahoo! Messenger team dropped us a note alerting us to their newly released Yahoo! Messenger 3 Beta 3 for the Mac. What's the big news with this beta? As you might recall previous betas made Messenger a Universal Binary and added tabbed chats. New in this beta: voice calling.That's right, you can now do the following with Yahoo! Messenger, just like our Windows running comrades: Make free computer to computer calls Sign up for a Phone Out account which will allow you to call regular phones with Yahoo! Messenger Send free text messages to cell phones (though the receiver might get charged for the text) Receive calls from phones on your Mac if you have a Phone In account (these accounts aren't free) I gave the new features a whirl, so check out our gallery with screenshots of the new features, or head on over to the Yahoo! Messenger blog and watch their screencast.%Gallery-19189%
Yahoo! Messenger for Mac 3.0 Beta 2
After months of waiting Yahoo! Messenger for Mac 3.0 Beta 2 is now available for download. New in this version of the beta are: Tabbed conversations, as pictured above Access to Yahoo! Chat rooms More emoticons (to combat those times when there isn't an emoticon available to express how you're feeling) Better Webcam and file transfer performance Message archiving Yahoo! Messenger for Mac 3.0 Beta 2 requires OS X 10.4, but it is free. I had the pleasure of meeting with the Yahoo! Messenger team a few times, and I know they are Mac users and are very receptive to user input. If there is anything you want to see in Messenger sound off in the comments.
CamCamX: Spice up your video chats and get more out of them
For those who want to spice up their video conferences and would like to use their iSight (or other webcam) with more than one application simultaneously, CamCamX might just be the app for you. Offering an old-school UI for mixing movies and images into your video conferences, CamCamX allows you to play digital broadcaster with most of the webcam-enabled apps for Mac OS X. In addition to mix-master-iSight with your video and media, CamCamX also allows you to use more than one webcam app at once, allowing you to, for example, hop into a video chat while also providing a live webstream or recording yourself with QuickTime (though, for some strange reason, you apparently need to purchase iChatUSBCam if you want iChat to fit into your CamCamX workflow). While the UI isn't the most beautiful thing this side of the HIG, it's a powerful concept that mimics Apple's upcoming iChat Theater in Leopard, but seems to open a few more doors since it works with apps like Yahoo! Messenger, Skype and even Flash.A watermarked demo of CamCamX is avaialble from VJ Software, while a license costs $29.00, with 3-year and lifetime upgrade memberships available for $59 and $99, respectively.
Yahoo! Messenger team needs your input
It's a question that keeps many developers up at night: should they maintain backward OS compatibility at the expense of release speed and new features, or just dump support for older releases in the interest of getting out a new version as quickly as possible? The Yahoo! Messenger for Mac team is facing this quandary now, and you can help them make the call by responding to the version poll here. Want a quick release of a Tiger-only Messenger? Or a longer wait for a 10.3-compatible build? Make yourself heard.Thanks, Lucky.
APIOTeK's VP-0002 Skype phone could be so much more
Why, oh why can't this be a wireless Skype phone? Just look at the hotness which is the APIOTeK VP-0002. Unfortunately, it's just another USB Skype handset which also manages support for MSN and Yahoo Messenger. But at just 7.5-mm thin, you betcha we'd rub up against it if only they could have cut the cord and uh, add a display and dual-mode landline support. Wait, we've seen that. See ya APIOTeK. [Via Akihabara News]
Yahoo! Messenger sneak peek
There was a time when Yahoo! Messenger on OS X, well, sucked. That time has long since passed thanks to the great Mac focused team that Yahoo! has created (the Mac team may be small, but they are passionate). I was able to sit down with Matthew Skyrm, Director of Product Management for Yahoo! Messenger, and take a look at what Yahoo! is cooking up for the next beta. It looks good folks, really good.The UI won't be changing too much, but it will be modified to allow for some new features: Tabs - this one is huge. We all know tabs, and the team decided to go with the classic one IM window with tabs on the bottom. If you close the window, it only closes the Tab that you are currently in (which is a nice touch). Voice chat support - one of the most highly requested features it would seem. You can make free computer to computer calls and you can even call phones (and have a phone number associated with your Yahoo! Messenger) thanks to Yahoo! Voice. A new notifications section - one of the nice things about Yahoo! Messenger is that you can IM someone who isn't online and they'll get that IM when they sign on. Sadly, that means if you haven't been online in a while you can face an onslaught of windows when you start up Messenger. Tabs remedy this somewhat, but the good folks at Yahoo! went one step further and create a new section in Messenger that will show you, in your buddy list, any IMs you might have missed. You will find your voice mail here, yes you will be able to get voice mail on Yahoo! Messenger. Archiving - finally the next beta will offer a way for you to archive your messages, and not just in an ugly text file. It is clear that the team spent some serious time on the UI for the archives, and it shows. The archives also offer full Spotlight integration so now you can search your IMs just as easily as you can search the rest of your Mac. I tried to get a firm date for the release of this beta, but that Matthew is cagey. He told me to expect it sometime in the next several months because he would 'rather be vague than late.' Fair enough. This beta of Yahoo! Messenger is looking to be a very compelling upgrade, my only complaint is that I didn't get one bit of Yahoo! swag. Perhaps next Macworld.
Infinite Loop interviews Yahoo! Messenger dev
When we first came across the beta of Yahoo! Messenger 3 we were impressed. This feels like an OS X app, not some crappy Windows port! Then we pretty much forgot about the whole thing, but Jeff Smykil at Infinite Loop didn't. He wanted to know why Messenger suddenly didn't suck on the Mac, and he wanted to know who was responsible.It turns out that Tristan O'Tierney, who used to work on the Colloquy project amongst other things, has had a large part in making Messenger 3 beta what it is. Jeff interviews Tristan about all things Mac at Yahoo!, so go check it out.
Logitech's EasyCall Desktop -- the MS Office of VoIP peripherals
Today Logitech got a clue: why sell one device to the burgeoning Internet calling community when you can sell an entire suite of peripherals. Introducing the EasyCall Desktop which Logitech claims is the world's first mouse, keyboard, headset and speakerphone combo. In essence, EasyCall Desktop does for desktop clutter what Adobe, Microsoft, and Apple did for software -- take a bunch of disparate tools, give 'em the same look and feel and enhance each for relatively seamless interaction across the suite. In addition to a cordless keyboard and laser mouse (which, while not stated, will likely both feature Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR like other Logitech Desktops) the package includes a tethered stereo headset which can be attached to the full-duplex speakerphone. The speakerphone, apparently also wired, acts as the Internet calling control center and features Logitech's RightSound echo cancelation technology to get the most from VoIP apps like Yahoo Messenger with Voice, AOL's AIM, and of course Skype. What's odd is that a Skype specific keyboard will also be launched as part of the Desktop but only in Europe -- go figure. Expect the kit to ship in the US and Europe by mid-September with an expected retail price pegged at $130/€130.[Via CrowdedBrain]
