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Instagram's new QR codes are a shortcut directly to your profile
Instagram's shareable QR codes are a quick link that any camera app can scan to find your profile.
Adobe brings Photoshop tricks directly to your smartphone camera
Adobe has showed off a preview of a new app called Photoshop Camera at its Adobe Max conference that brings Photoshop editing tricks and AI directly to your smartphone's camera. Like most camera apps, you can use it to capture, edit and share photos on social media networks. However, it also brings powerful Photoshop-grade tools, along with automatic AI adjustments, custom lenses and other tricks.
Twitter's revamped camera is its answer to Stories
There were rumors flying around recently of Twitter working on a "News Camera," which would bring a Stories-style feature to the social network. And, well, it turns out that's partially true. At SXSW 2019, Twitter is launching a revamped camera for its app that will make it easier to tweet pictures and videos. This new camera, which starts rolling out to users today, has the potential to be one of the biggest changes to Twitter in the past few years -- right up there with the company's shift to 280 characters. While that may be the case, the new feature still feels very much like Twitter though, not a clone of Snapchat or Instagram Stories.
iOS 8 is here! Read our complete guide to Apple's new mobile OS
Over the past several weeks, TUAW bloggers have been trying out all of the new features in iOS 8 to see how they work and how they'll make your mobile life easier. Now that iOS 8 is officially available, here's a list of all of our detailed write-ups of the new features. While you're waiting for iOS 8 to download and install on your favorite device, take some time to read through our guide to most of the top new features of the mobile operating system. We felt it was a much better idea to give you bite-sized and palatable chunks rather than a 21,000-word review of everything in the new OS. Feel free to bookmark this page for future reference, and be sure to share it with your iPhone-toting friends. We'll be adding more individual feature reviews shortly. Upgrading A list of which iPhones, iPods, and iPads are eligible to upgrade to iOS 8 PSA: Do not upgrade to iCloud Drive during iOS 8 installation PSA: iOS 8 is going to make your iPhone 4s a good bit slower Warning: Dropbox isn't playing well with iOS 8 Photos iOS 8 Photos app: Smart suggestions and searching iOS 8 Camera app: Smart Composition iOS 8 Camera app: Smart Adjustments iOS 8 Camera app: Time-Lapse iOS 8 Camera app: Photo filters and editing You have to delete your photos twice in iOS 8 Messages A new iOS 8 Messages app feature: Audio messages iOS 8 Messages app feature: Video messages iOS 8 Messages app feature: Sending and sharing your location Mail iOS 8 Mail: Drafts and notifications iOS 8 Mail: New swipe gestures General iOS 8's Favorites & Recents: A fast way to get in touch iOS 8: Hey Siri! Setting up two-step verification for Apple ID and iCloud security A look at iOS 8's new QuickType feature The iOS 8 Health app: What can you do with it today?
iOS 8 Camera app: Smart Adjustments
When iOS 8 appears later this month photographers will get new and intuitive editing tools. One important update to the Camera app is what Apple calls Smart Adjustments. The adjustments can be grouped into three categories: adjusting light, adjusting color, and fine tuning. After you capture your image you can edit it from the Photos app or, as usual, select your last photo taken right from the Camera app. Once you are in edit mode, you'll see a button that looks like a volume control that controls the smart adjustments. To adjust the light, you swipe up and down a series of miniature renderings of your photo sliding up to lighten, down to darken. Once you have the brightness about where you want it, you can continue to edit or save the image. Adjusting color is similar. You can make the color very saturated or take it all the way to monochrome, simply by swiping through a number of small thumbnails. Both the lighting and color adjustment screens also have a drop-down menu that allows even more detailed adjustments. Once your image is monochrome, for example, you can change the tone which may enhance the sky and clouds, increase contrast, and change other parameters. It's all pretty intuitive, as long as you are willing to look at the screen and select the buttons that present more options. One new feature is added to the real-time view when you are taking pictures. If you tap on the display to set exposure and focus, a light bulb button appears, letting you swipe up and down to adjust the brightness of the image before you take the picture. It's nice for eliminating highlights in bright sun or bringing up the brightness when lighting is low. Of course there are many apps that offer a myriad amount of adjustments and filters, but Apple is trying to get as many editing tools into its basic Camera app as possible while trying to keep it simple. In my testing of iOS 8 beta 5 I'd have to agree -- you can certainly do a lot more with the built-in Camera app, giving you a greater range of adjustments and letting you be more creative.
iOS 7.1 adds Auto HDR feature to the Camera app
Here's a little bonus that might sneak by you when you update to iOS 7.1. The Camera app has added an automatic function for HDR mode. HDR, or high dynamic range imaging, takes multiple exposures to allow for accurate capture of very bright objects, like the sky, when the photo also has part of the field in deep shadow. HDR was added in iOS 4.1, and it has been really popular. But until now, HDR is either on or off. IN iOS 7.1, with an iPhone 5s, the camera analyzes the scene to see if HDR will help the photo. If it comes back with 'yes', HDR mode is turned on. Otherwise it is off. You can still shoot manually, but the auto mode is a really good idea, because sometimes you don't want HDR, especially in flatter lighting circumstances. The camera can make an intelligent choice without you having to remember to change settings. To access the feature, launch the Camera app and select the photo mode. At the top of your display you'll see 'HDR Auto'. Tap that and you'll see HDR Auto, HDR On, and HDR Off. Tap your preference and you are good to go. The settings will 'stick' when you close out the Camera app. I don't think Apple's HDR is the best available for the iPhone, but it is pretty good. I'm a fan of Pro HDR and Fotor HDR to really push the camera for better images.
Kindle Fire HD 7.2.2 update adds Camera app, Swype along with FreeTime Unlimited
Liked the sound of Kindle FreeTime Unlimited? Well it turns out that's not the only new goodie on the way. Software update 7.2.2 for the seven-inch Kindle Fire HD also brings a few other bonuses. First up, is a Camera app, to let you take mug-shots with that front-facing shooter, while the keyboard gets a boost with added Swype functionality. The update should come over the air automatically, but if that's not the case -- or, like us, you're not the patient type -- then you can manually initiate a software sync. More details on that can be found in the source.
Sony announces PlayMemories camera apps, will arrive on the NEX-5R first
On top of the NEX-5R announcement, Sony has unveiled new camera apps that will grace the rear screen of the aforementioned WiFi-enabled shooter first when it arrives in October. PlayMemories will feature downloadable software that can be installed on your Sony kit after purchase, offering new functionality for the device. The set of applications will feature the following options at launch: Picture Effect+, Bracket Pro, Multi Frame NR, Smart Remote Control and Direct Upload. The outfit plans add Photo Retouch alongside the Time-lapse and Cinematic Photo apps mentioned in today's presser sometime after the initial offerings roll out. When paired with PlayMemories Online, Mobile or Studio, you can view and transfer captured photos and videos on compatible TVs, smartphones, tablets and PS3 consoles. If more information is what you're after, consult the PR below to gather some more details.
HTC One X gets Android 4.0.4 update today: enhances camera app, adds menu functionality to multitasking button
If you thought the One X's capacitive button layout jarred with the Ice Cream Sandwich experience you saw on the Galaxy Nexus, you'll like what HTC's just told us. An update to version 4.0.4, launching today, will allow users to map menu functionality to the lower right 'recent app' key, while it will also treat its owners to white balance and continuous autofocus improvements within its well-received camera app. Expect a handful of stability improvements as well as a dedicated tab switcher for the built-in browser -- if you haven't already made the leap to Chrome. According to HTC, the update for the international iteration rolls out today, with the AT&T version already doing the rounds. The full statement's included below. Let us know how you get on.
Photography for the blind, courtesy of the iOS Camera app
Most of us in the sighted world never need to use the amazing accessibility features that are built into iOS, but blogger and developer Stephen van Egmond recently found that these features go well beyond what is expected by even allowing the blind to take pictures with the Camera app. Van Egmond was talking to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) iDevice User Group about using Pocket Rocket -- a useful Toronto public transit app from van Egmond's company Tiny Planet Software that fully supports the iOS VoiceOver capability -- when he "simply gawped when one blind woman pulled out an iPhone then snapped a perfect shot, guided by the built-in Camera app." He notes that all of Apple's iOS applications, including Calendar, Mail, Messages, iPhoto, Maps, and Camera, are completely usable by blind people through the standard UIAccessibility framework. However, most developers do a poor job of implementing even the most simple facets of VoiceOver in their apps. Van Egmond talks about what happens when you launch Camera with VoiceOver enabled. His annotated screenshot, seen above, shows what VoiceOver does to make it possible to take perfectly composed photos of other people when you're blind. The last paragraph of van Egmond's blog post is worth quoting: You might end up asking yourself why Apple went to such effort to let a blind person take a picture. The only answer I can give is they not only care about making accessible applications: they also actually put in the effort. [via @mpanzarino and Daring Fireball]
Does BlackBerry 10's camera app get by with a little help from Scalado Rewind? (Update: Yes)
Impressed by the new camera tech on display in BB10? You're not alone. But did the folks at RIM have some help with the new "timeline lens" feature? Well, grab your salt shaker. If you recall, software that allows you to change the faces of those pictured via additional pre- and post-shot frames popped up in Scalado's Rewind last year. The ring UI that allows the user to navigate the extra frames from its border is quite similar to the functionality of BB10's editing feature. We've reached out to Scalado for further details on the matter and we're eager to hear its response. But until that happens, hit the video just past the break for a closer look at Rewind in action. Update: Our pals over at TechCrunch posted an official statement from RIM's Senior Manager of Public Relations Patti McKague on the matter. Our instincts were correct, as the two companies have been in cahoots over the BB10 camera app. Here's the full quote on the licensed tech: RIM has been working with Scalado on camera technology and has licensed some of the Scalado technology for the BlackBerry 10 platform. As shown during the BlackBerry World Keynote, RIM is planning a unique implementation of the technology on BlackBerry 10 to provide an incredible user experience, allowing for more customization by the user and enabling them to easily capture and share their perfect moments.
