emoji
Latest
Fear not, Android users: The taco emoji is coming soon
Earlier this week, iOS and Mac users rejoiced at the arrival of the taco emoji, just one of a number of new emoji that were added to the operating systems via a software update. Unfortunately, Android users don't yet have access to these emoji, something that's an undeniable bummer. The good news is that the senior VP of Android says more emoji will be coming soon, the bad news is we don't know when. Last night, Hiroshi Lockheimer tweeted that he's heard the feedback and that Google is working on it -- but when that change might happen is up in the air. Still, it's good news -- every day that goes by without a taco emoji is a day that isn't lived quite to its fullest.
iOS and OS X updates arrive with a ton of new emoji
If you've ever wanted to text taco pics from your iPhone or give the middle finger from your Mac, today's your lucky day. Apple has released iOS 9.1 and OS X El Capitan 10.11.1, both of which add a slew of new Unicode emoji ranging from Mexican food through to rude gestures. There are some important under-the-hood fixes, too. Your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus is now smart enough to stop recording Live Photos when you lower the device, and OS X shouldn't run into trouble with Office 2016. Whichever platform you're using, you'll likely want to update pronto -- if just to see the cutesy characters you'd otherwise miss. [Image credit: Emojipedia]
Instead of dislike, Facebook is testing 'Reactions' animated emoji
Last night Engadget brought you a sneak peek at Facebook's new "Reactions" feature, and today the social network confirmed it's now in testing. Instead of the often-requested "dislike" to counter the existing Like button, founder Mark Zuckerberg explains (in a video embedded after the break) that this idea is just about giving more options to express yourself. Whether or not the feelings of love, sadness and empathy are what you're trying to project, the test is currently limited to users in Ireland and Spain. If you are there (or use a browser proxy service like Hola to fake it) you'll see something like the picture above, after long pressing the Like button on the website or mobile apps. Depending on how things go, this could roll out to the rest of the billion or so Facebook users soon, but it looks like any official support for dislike is never going to be in the plans.
Facebook tests 'Reactions,' a Like button with more emotions
How you "like" things on Facebook is about to change. Engadget has learned that the site is about to launch a "Reactions" feature that expresses multiple emotions, instead of the long-serving, lonely "like" (and long rumoured "dislike"). Our sources advise that Facebook will start testing the feature on users in Ireland and Spain as soon as tomorrow (Friday). Update: Our sources were right, check out the official news on Facebook Reactions.
Coca-Cola is the first company to pay Twitter for custom emoji
Hashtag-activated emoji have been invading our Twitter streams for some time now, but would you believe me if I told you that those Star Wars, Dominos and sport-focused icons didn't make Twitter a dime? Apparently, they didn't, but that's about to change. The company testing out custom "hashflags" as paid advertising -- starting with Coca-Cola's #shareacoke campaign.
Dog emoji keyboard encourages you to adopt real pups
There are plenty of cute emoji keyboard add-ons out there, but one from the UK's Dogs Trust is going above and beyond to raise awareness for a good cause. The charity has released a dog emoji keyboard where every icon is based on a dog available for adoption. Load it up and you can show your fondness for specific breeds, such as Huskies and Greyhounds, while remembering that there's a real pup looking for a home. The keyboard is free on both Android and iOS, so it won't hurt to give this a shot and spread the word... especially on National Dog Day.
Here are the most popular emojis by state (kind of)
Emoji are insanely popular, despite the near-endless stream of stickers and GIFs that dominate our messaging apps these days. But depending on where you live, some emoji are more popular than others. The folks behind SwiftKey, the predictive keyboard app for iOS and Android, have been mining their community's usage via SwiftKey Cloud to see which icons rank highest across the US. They've come up with an interactive map, but to be clear -- each state's pick isn't based on sheer volume. As a spokesperson explained to Gizmodo: "To identify the 'top' emoji per state, we cross-referenced the list of emoji each state uses more than the US average with the emoji each state uses more than all other states." So there you have it. You might be able to poke a few flaws in the methodology, but it's still fun to see where different emoji are used more often. Georgia really likes the moon, for instance, and Utah has a soft spot for lollipops. Who knew?
Russia considers blocking Facebook over gay emojis
Vladimir Putin's Russia doesn't like Facebook and it doesn't care for gay people, and the government is now attempting to censor both of these things in one fell swoop. Mikhail Marchenko, a Russian senator in the upper house of parliament, has called for his government to investigate whether Facebook emojis depicting two boys and two girls kissing violates the country's 2013 ban on exposing "homosexual propaganda" to minors, Time reports. Russia's Roskomnadzor (The Federal Service For Supervision of Communication, Information Technology and Mass Media) is investigating Marchenko's concerns and is prepared to "take reactive measures," the site says.
Hollywood's making at least one emoji movie
Dear parents who can't wait for their kids to be over the Minion craze: Hollywood's already planning for the yellow critters' replacement in your children's lives. And, if you're unlucky, these new characters might even be more obnoxious than Gru's banana-loving henchmen*. Sony Pictures Animation has won an auction for a story pitch starring those yellow ideograms or smileys we all know as "emojis." Yep, there's going to be an emoji movie, according to Deadline, which also reported that two other studios competed against Sony at the auction for the right to turn the story into a full-fledged film.
Twitter's Wimbledon emoji will let you ace your tweets
Twitter knows it plays a big role in delivering sports news, but it also hosts millions of conversations around the biggest events. To help get users in the spirit, the company has launched emoji for World Cup 2014 and the NBA in the past, but with Wimbledon just around the corner, it's now turned its attention to tennis. Helped by Serena Williams, Twitter has unveiled four new Wimbledon-related "hashflags," giving users the opportunity to adorn their tweets with a racket emoji or images relating to #TheQueue, #TheHill (also known as Henman Hill) and #TheWorld.
Tacos, burritos and unicorn emoji are coming, thanks to Unicode 8.0
The Unicode Consortium unveiled its new emoji set as part of the standard's version 8.0 update on Wednesday. Yes, that taco emoji we've all been waiting for on bated breath has arrived and lo, it is glorious. Other food-related icons include taco's big brother, the burrito, as well as a hot dog, popcorn and a cheese wedge. Inedible emoji like a Unicorn head, prayer beads and a volleyball are also available. Surprisingly though, no hotdog pizza emoji just yet -- probably because we're not sure yet if they're ok for human consumption.
Emoji passcodes promise more security than numbers
There's little doubt that PIN codes are lousy security measures. They're not only easy to crack (there are just 7,290 non-repeating four-digit combos), but hard to remember at first. Intelligent Environments thinks there's a better way: replace them with emoji. Its Android banking app asks you to pick from 44 familiar messaging icons for your passcode, which both expands the potential combinations (to nearly 3.5 million) and should be easier to recall than either numbers or words. The emoji should also eliminate the temptation to use readily available info -- "penguin police pumpkin lipstick" isn't as easy to deduce as your birthday.
'Abused emoji' give kids an easy way to talk about serious issues
Some situations are just too hard to put into words even if you're the most eloquent person on the planet. So just imagine how tough it is for kids in troubled homes to tell someone, anyone, what they're going through. A Swedish non-profit for children's rights called BRIS believes one way to get them to open up is through emoticons -- that's why the organization has created a special set for them called "Abused Emoji." At first glance, they look like the usual light-hearted, sometimes silly, smileys you see on phones or computers, but a closer inspection will reveal some rather disquieting details. (WARNING: The image and video below the fold show representations of child abuse in emoji form.)
Artist adds poop emoji to selfie sticks to remind us of mortality
As depressing as it may be, selfie sticks are inescapable despite how many places ban them. It's a sad truth of the future we live in. But! An enterprising artist by the name of Pablo Garcia has figured out a way to "reduce vainglory and self-importance" by adding pixely emoji to the reviled smartphone accessory. It's a bit more difficult than it looks, though. Garcia says he employed elements of anamorphosis, a technique to distort an image so that it's only visible from a specific angle, to make sure the smiling pile of poop, thumbs up and party horn appear correctly when shot from the smartphone's extended perspective. Is there some bigger message or implication here? "Perhaps it's a sober reminder of your mortality in the midst of your vainglory, or simply a pile of poop with eyes," Garcia writes. There you have it folks: sometimes a rose really is just a (smelly) rose.
Tweet a pizza emoji and Domino's will send you a real one
Ordering your go-to Domino's pizza just got a little easier -- yes, even more so than using your XBox One or Pebble smartwatch. The restaurant chain announced Tuesday that its customers will soon be able to order their preferred pie with nary more than a tweet and an emoji. No, seriously. First you'll need to have an online Domino's Pizza Profile and designate an "Easy Order" pizza. Next, add your Twitter handle to your account and simply tweet #EasyOrder to @Dominos. Or, if that's too many keystrokes for you liking, simply insert the pizza emoji into your tweet instead. Either way, you'll soon get a direct message confirming the order and a piping-hot pizza shortly thereafter. You can give #EasyOrder a whirl today, though unfortunately the emoji method won't to be available until next Wednesday, May 20th.
Instagram takes a serious look at how people use emojis
Emojis are starting to flood Instagram, and the website's engineers are on a quest to sort out how people are using the yellow-faced emoticons. Apparently, their popularity skyrocketed after Apple released the iOS emoji keyboard and Android got native support. In just a single month after the iOS emojis came out, their usage on the website increased by 10 percent. Now, nearly 50 percent of all captions and comments have an emoji or two. Instagram's research has also revealed that folks in Finland insert emojis most frequently, with 63 percent of all text posted from the country containing at least one graphic. The US (38 percent) takes the ninth place in that list, after France (50 percent), UK (48 percent), Germany (47 percent), Italy (45 percent), Russia (45 percent), Spain (40 percent) and Japan (39 percent).
Apple's iOS 8.3 update brings wireless CarPlay to your iPhone
Apple's busy today -- on top of finally releasing Photos, it's rolling out the long-expected iOS 8.3 update. It's not as huge as 8.2 was, but you'll likely appreciate it if you're a tech-savvy driver. The upgrade brings wireless CarPlay in supporting vehicles, so you don't have to plug in your iPhone just to get directions or music on your car's center display. You'll also find more diverse emoji (as in OS X), the option to download free apps without a password and a much easier way of signing into Google accounts when you use two-factor authentication. There's a whole bunch of app performance and interface fixes on top of this, so you'll definitely want to grab the 8.3 patch when you get the chance.
Apple's Photos app is now available to all OS X Yosemite users
You no longer have to be a beta tester (or work at Apple) to give the new Photos app a spin. The Cupertino crew has released the finished version of its OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 update, which centers around the more powerful and iOS-friendly picture management hub. Yes, you can now kick iPhoto to the curb and rely on iCloud Photo Library to sync your images. There are also a few things you might appreciate even if you're not a shutterbug, such as support for more diverse emoji and Spotlight suggestions in Look Up. While this isn't a gigantic update, it's definitely worth grabbing if you think that the Mac's official photo software is overdue for a tune-up.
Daily Roundup: Pebble Time, GTA V delays and more!
In today's Daily Roundup, Pebble turns to Kickstarter to announce its new watch. Meanwhile, Grand Theft Auto V on the PC has been delayed again, Google is working on a new Chromebook Pixel and Apple's latest iOS and OS X betas include more diverse emoji. Catch up on all these stories and more, past the break.
Apple's newest iOS and Mac betas let you use diverse emoji
If you're disappointed that current emoji characters don't reflect your skin tone, don't worry: Apple is getting ready to accommodate you. Both the latest betas of iOS 8.3 and OS X 10.10.3 include modifiers that let you choose the skin color of some icons. There are more flags, too. And Apple couldn't resist being cheeky -- you'll now see an Apple Watch in place of an ordinary timepiece, just as it already replaces generic phone pictures with an iPhone.
