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Farewell, Google+: You didn't fail, you just didn't succeed
It's the end of Google+. Eight years after its launch, Google is finally pulling the plug on its social network. It was a platform designed to take on Facebook but, despite the company's best efforts, it always existed in its shadow. As of today, there will be no more Google+ sign-in buttons, no more pages or comments, and your account will simply vanish.
Google Photos flaw let attackers grab users' location data
Researchers have revealed a now-patched flaw that would allow hackers to track your location history using Google Photos. Ron Masas, from security company Imperva, explains in a blog post that Google Photos -- which was recently subject to an Android TV bug -- was vulnerable to browser-based timing attacks, which could leverage a photo's image data to approximate the time of a visit to a specific place or country.
Flickr protects all its users' Creative Commons photos
Flickr has taken extra steps to protect the photos on its platform uploaded under the Creative Commons license. On March 12th, the service will purge free tier users' photos until they only have 1,000 items saved -- not including CC-licensed items, that is. Flickr clairifed after it first announced the purge last year that it will not delete any Creative Commons photo. Now, its VP of Product, Andrew Stalden, has revealed that the platform will leave all CC images untouched, even those uploaded in the future. Further, Flickr will now memorialize accounts owned by deceased members to make sure they never get affected by the new free tier policy.
The Galaxy S10 has a dedicated Instagram photo mode
Samsung's Galaxy S10 phones have a whole bunch of cameras, so what better what to make use of them than by quickly sharing your selfies to Instagram? The camera app has a built-in Instagram mode which lets you slap stickers and music on your photos, and share them to your Stories directly. You can also add hashtags, text or use Instagram's editing tools to soup up your fire selfies without having to open up the Instagram app.
Flickr postpones photo deletions for free users to March 12th
Don't panic if you missed the February 5th deadline before the new owners at SmugMug (previously Engadget's parent Verizon) started deleting Flickr photos beyond the 1,000-image limit for free accounts. SmugMug has postponed the deletion period to March 12th in the wake of feedback and "complications" with photo downloads. While it wasn't specific about what those issues were, USA Today reported "unresponsive" downloads and sluggish deletions, with requests for archives going unanswered days later.
Google is killing its Notifications Widget
As the death knell sounds for Google+, so too comes the end for the Google's Notification Widget. Introduced in 2011 alongside Google+, the bell icon in the top-right corner of every Google page was designed to alert users to activity on the social network, eventually expanding to include Google Photos and Hangout Chat. Now, though, a warning message indicates that the service will end on March 7th. After this date, the navigation bar will only feature your profile avatar and other settings, including the app launcher. Not to worry if you still rely on the feature for Photos, Hangout Chat or Google+ enterprise, though, as you can still enable alerts in the settings section of each individual app.
Flickr will start deleting your photos tomorrow if you're over its limit
If you have lots of photos on Flickr but don't intend to pay for a Pro account, you have mere hours left to consider your options. As warned, the newly Smugmug-owned Flickr will start deleting free users' photos and videos beyond the 1,000-item limit on February 5th. There are exceptions if your additional images fall under a Creative Commons license, but you also can't upload more pictures until you're under that limit. It's not too hard to safeguard your photos if you'd rather not pay $50 per year, although it might require more work than you think.
Facebook will shut down Moments photo app on February 25th
Did you use Facebook's Moments app to handle and share your social network photos? No? You're not the only one. Facebook has informed CNET that it's shutting down the Moments app on February 25th, partly because there weren't enough people using it. If you have a collection you'd like to keep, you can visit a special website before May 2019 to export your photos and videos either as a private Facebook album or as a download.
Popsugar’s celebrity look-alike app is leaking users’ photos
I can't think of a more fitting way to end 2018 than with another, final data leak. This one is from #Twinning tool, the popular new app from Popsugar that matches your selfie with your top five celebrity look-alikes. Turns out, while you were uploading your face and crossing your fingers for who you would or wouldn't be compared to, Popsugar was doing a poor job of protecting your images.
Facebook bug let apps access unposted photos for millions of users
Facebook has disclosed yet another privacy flub. This time around, it says a bug in the Photo API led to third-party apps being able to access not only timeline photos (which users had permitted them to do), but Stories, Marketplace images and photos people uploaded to Facebook but never actually shared.
Google+ is dead, but its legacy lives on
Following the revelation of a security vulnerability that exposed the private data of up to 500,000 Google+ users, Google is finally ready to pull the plug on the consumer version of its troubled social network. Simply put, the company said Monday, Google+ has not achieved the broad consumer or developer adoption it had hoped for. Google even said that 90 percent of Google+ user sessions were lasting less than five seconds. This sums up the sad state of a service that, when it launched in 2011, Google dreamed of turning into a serious Facebook competitor.
Apple teaches photo editing with over-the-phone classes
Many device makers give you the tools to capture and edit great photos, but they seldom teach you how to make the most of those tools. Apple thinks it can -- and unlike in the past, you don't need to show up in person to develop your skills. The company has launched an over-the-phone training program that teaches you how to edit with Photos (both iOS and macOS) in a 30-minute one-on-one session with a specialist. It'll both show how to use simple adjustments like Auto Enhance as well as deeper edits like color balance and exposure. If you have Live Photos or Portrait mode pictures from your mobile devices, you'll learn how to edit those as well.
Microsoft’s phone-to-Windows app is available for Android
If you've been waiting to be able to access your Android phone's files and notifications on your Windows desktop, you can relax. The PC app, called "Your Phone," is now available for everyone, not just Insiders.
Windows 'Your Phone' app gives you access to Android files on a PC
If you have an Android device and happen to be a Windows Insider in the Fast ring, as well, you're among the first people who can take Microsoft's "Your Phone" app for a spin. Microsoft has started testing the experimental application, which gives you easy access to the files on your phone from a Windows 10 PC. Sure, you can use third-party and cloud services (or you can email yourself), but the feature promises a more seamless way to access files across devices. When you access Your Phone on a computer, you'll see the most recent snapshots on your Android device. You'll then be able to drag and drop them straight into another app, like PowerPoint if you're doing a presentation.
Apple discontinues its photo printing service
Today, 9to5Mac discovered that Apple is discontinuing its Photo Print Products service. For those who used it, Photo Print Products was a seamless way to order prints and create photo albums, photo books and calendars. Apparently not enough people did, though, because the macOS 10.13.6 Photos app notified users that the last day for orders would be September 30th.
Apple improves Photo search and sharing in iOS 12
Since our smartphones are now the main way we document the world, it's important that all those photos of your world are easy to find. At WWDC Apple unveiled upgraded and new features coming to the Photos app in iOS. Search has been supercharged and your device will now collect and offer to share the best photos from an event.
Facebook users will be able to make normal photos look 3D
Facebook has been working to implement 3D objects into user interactions, but at the company's F8 conference today, announcers introduced a few new features to add dimensionality and VR to photos. This summer, users will be able to upload pictures as a 'new media type' allowing them to capture 3D moments in time, according to the social network. But it's also adding a new feature that takes photos of old locations -- your childhood home, perhaps -- and uses machine learning to recreate them in VR, albeit in a funky pointillism-like style.
Instagram Stories now allows multiple photo and video uploads at once
Instagram will now let users upload multiple pictures and videos to their Stories at once. When uploading media, you'll now see an icon at the top right corner of your screen and tapping it will allow you to select up to ten photos or videos at a time. They'll upload in the order in which you select them and you can edit each one individually. Additionally, when sharing a photo, even if you're not in the area where you took it, Instagram's location sticker will suggest places near the spot where you snapped the photo.
Microsoft’s latest app moves photos from phones to PCs over WiFi
Microsoft Garage makes all kinds of mobile apps for iOS and Android. Some, like the Hub keyboard for iPhone, are experiments; others, like the News Pro app, are a bit more long-term. The team's most recent foray into mobile apps is Photos Companion, an app that easily moves photos from your phone to your Windows 10 PC over WiFi.
Selfies become public art in 'As We Are'
Selfies can be a small act of self-promotion, but it's nothing compared to what artist Matthew Mohr can do for you. He has built a sculpture called As We Are that projects your face onto a 14-foot high interactive sculpture at the Columbus, Ohio convention center. "It is an open-ended, conceptual piece that explores how we represent ourselves individually and collectively," Mohr said in an artist's statement. "As We Are presents Columbus as a welcoming, diverse culture where visitors and residents can engage on multiple levels."
