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Google teases Photovine, slides back into image sharing
Remember when Google acquired Slide way back in 2010? A year after coasting smoothly down the chute into Mountain View, the social gaming company has finally begun to make a splash, launching Prizes (beta) last week, and now teasing Photovine, a social networking app that lets you connect with people through photo-driven themes. You could participate in a vine about your crazy weekend at the lake, join other users in a thread of kitten shots, or share unboxing pics of a new gadget while comparing regional discrepancies with users from around the world. For now, Photovine is little more than an amateurish three-page website with a brief FAQ and a somewhat-hidden reference to Slide and Google, but the service's objective seems to be on-point, and it has potential to attract a diverse group of users. We look forward to watching the vine bud and grow after its yet-to-be-announced public launch, but head over to the source link for a more detailed look in the meantime. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Status ships July 17th, currently in a pre-order relationship with AT&T
Following the usual leak + wait-and-see saga, AT&T has today confirmed that it'll be the exclusive home to one half of HTC's Facebook-infused duo. The so-called Status will be making its way onto Ma Bell's airwaves on July 17th, with eager social networkers able to get their pre-orders in today. It'll sell for $49.99 on a two-year agreement, with that tally netting you a dedicated Facebook "Share" button that'll allow photos / videos /websites to be instantly uploaded to your account. We're also told that it'll ship with Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) onboard, with an "enhanced version" of HTC's Sense overlay. Other specs include a 5 megapixel camera (with autofocus and LED flash), a 2.6-inch touch panel, 480 x 320 screen resolution and capacitive navigation buttons. Oh, and if you're uninterested in the hue you see about, Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile standalone stores will feature an exclusive mauve edition in due time. Fancy.
Share your iPhone photos to Google + with Piconhand
iOS owners using Google+ are in limbo until Apple approves the official Google+ application. Users can view their stream and send updates using Safari mobile, but they cannot upload photos via this web interface. Thanks to the tight integration between Google's online services, Google+ users can use Google's Picasa online photo service to serve up photos to their circles. This workaround uses Piconhand, a free Picasa client for iOS. All you have to do is upload your photos to Picasa using Piconhand and they will appear in your Google+ library. You can then pick which photos to share with your different circles. You can grab the Piconhand app here and head over to Mashable for the step-by-step details. [Via Redmond Pie]
DUST 514 may go true F2P in the future
While we've known that DUST 514 won't be as free as originally thought, there's still hope for a true free-to-play version to come. CCP's Hilmar Veigar Pétursson told GamesIndustry.biz that while PlayStation 3 owners will have to contend with a "cover charge" -- estimated to be between $10 and $20 -- before accessing the game for the first time, the company may drop it entirely in time. This fee is meant to help with the initial start-up costs for DUST 514, and will be refunded to players in the form of in-game currency that can be spent on unspecified in-game microtransactions. Pétursson isn't ruling out the possibility that the game might go completely free-to-play in the future, however: "You're really getting the game for free but you have to pre-buy credits in the beginning. We might go fully free-to-play down the line, but in the beginning we have a cover charge just to manage the initial launch of it. We have always been a big believer in growing up a social network behind the game in a slow and predictable way. Because we have seen that if you don't do that you can end up with a very unstructured experience, where there's no cohesion to the community. By growing it at the beginning we help to make a healthy environment initially." We first reported on this cover charge during last month's E3. Pétursson says that CCP will see how the cover charge plays out during the game's testing period. The company is just now recovering from a hotbed of controversy involving EVE Online's approach to in-game item sales.
Google+ recommends that businesses hold back for now, says current offering is consumer-focused
So, Johnson & Johnson -- you're a male, right? If you've tried looping your business into Google+, you may have noticed that it's not exactly setup for that right now. In case you didn't, however, Goog's own Christian Oestlien has a bit of intel he'd like you to know. For now, Google+ remains a consumer-oriented affair, but he did say that there's a team of engineers toiling away on "an amazing Google+ experience for businesses." As for features? Mum's the word, really, but we are told that it'll "far exceed the consumer profile in terms of its usefulness to businesses." The company's asking for patience while the finishing touches are made, and Google's going to be testing the waters with a few marketing partners over the next few months. As for when your own LLC can take advantage? "Later this year."
Facebook video chat and Skype 5.5 beta hands-on
Earlier today, Facebook and Skype got a little friendlier, making it easy to find your Facebook friends in Skype and -- more importantly -- video chat with your Facebook friends in Facebook, a service powered by -- you got it -- Skype. Since you're using Skype either way you slice it, we're not interested so much in the call quality as we are the ease of use. Just how easy is it to make video calls using Facebook chat, which, simply put, has never been our favorite IM service? And what's it like seeing your list of potential Skype callers expand to include all your Facebook buddies? Let's venture past the break to find out. %Gallery-127843%
Skype comes to Facebook, and Facebook comes to Skype (update: available now!)
It ain't the first time Mark Zuckerberg has taken the stage to announce... something, but today's shindig is resulting in "something" that's a bit more exciting for the average user. As rumored, the world's most notable VoIP service is set to become exceedingly integrated with the world's most notable social network. Skype has just thrown up a teaser page for v5.3 for Windows (and v5.5 Beta), noting that Skype and Facebook will aim to provide "the best of both worlds." Zuck is primarily announcing three main things today: group chat, a new way to chat ("an easier way to find someone who is online") and Skype-enabled video chat. Oh, and the tiny, tiny fact that there's now 750 million Facebook members. What's notable is just how easy it is to fire up a group chat (or send transcripts to group members who miss out) and get a video call going using your existing Skype contact list. A single click is all it takes, and we're told that it'll be rolled out to everyone "over the next few weeks" in 70 different languages. The new chat design will be scalable based on your browser size, and the company made a point to mention that it'll be listening closely to user input in order to iterate as it moves forward. Tony Bates stepped up to the plate, and noted that over 300 million videocall minutes a month are going through Skype, and at peak times, over half of its traffic is video. He also noted that the technology behind it was "tough" to construct, but somehow it managed to hammer this whole thing out in around six months via joint development. There's also talk about future "paid products" in due time, and it's strikingly clear that this partnership isn't going to fade anytime soon. If you're looking to take a dive yourself, hit up the source links below for the Windows applications, and wear that F5 button out over at Facebook's homepage if you're more of the "in-browser" type. Oh, and if you're curious about mobile -- video chat isn't active on that front yet, and Mark's not spilling any details on "when." To quote him on a question of time tables: "We'll see." Update: Those on the web can get started right now. Of note, this forces open the familiar chat bar, so it doesn't much look like you can hide from "those people" while attempting to find folks on Skype. Sadly, we're also seeing that doing so can add loads of Facebook contacts to your Skype program, and there's no real way to see that it's happening until it's too late. Clever, Mark. Update 2: We've spent a little time with both of the new options, and you can read up on our impressions here!
Google+ iOS app already submitted for Apple's approval, employee says
Whereas Android users were able to get their hands on a Google+ app as soon as the social network launched, iOS users have thus far been left out in the cold, with nary a soul to "hang out" with. Fortunately for them, though, their arduous, week-long wait may be coming to an end, now that Google+ has applied for App Store citizenship. The confirmation came yesterday from Erica Joy, a Mountain View employee who shared the news on her Google+ profile. According to Joy, the app has already been submitted for approval, leaving it up to Apple's council of elders to give the yea or nay. Joy didn't specify the exact date on which Google applied for iOS entry (saying only that it happened prior to yesterday's post), nor did she speculate as to when the app may be ratified. But unless it's laced with political rhetoric or packing a dictionary, Google+ should sail through the approval process... maybe.
Google+ for Android app (hands-on)
Given the number of apps Google's made available for smartphones, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that it's taken its suite of social networking services direct to the mobile world as well. As soon as Google+ was officially announced, an app was ready for download in the Android Market and a web app became available for Safari for iOS (with its full offering to the App Store coming soon). As usual, we couldn't resist the urge to play around with it, but how does the mobile iteration fare against the competition? Continue past the break to get a peek of the larger-than-life service squeezed into a 4.3-inch (or smaller) display.
Specific Media buys MySpace, already has one friend named Tom
To be honest, we weren't entirely surprised to hear rumors back in February that News Corp. was looking to hand off MySpace -- after all, most of the luster seems to have left the once-mighty social network, and Rupert Murdoch's time these days is pretty full running a media empire and saying things in an Australian accent. Word got out this week that the site has landed firmly in the hands of the broadly-named Specific Media, a digital ad network that apparently couldn't get together a cool $19.1 billion for the first-place Facebook. According to rumors, the company scored MySpace for the rock-bottom price of $35 million, a fraction of the $580 million its predecessor paid a half-dozen years ago. No word on whether Murdoch's electroclash band will continue to use the service to promote its gigs.
Google+ users can now send email invites, brag about being into the service before it was cool
Google's exclusive little club just got a little less exclusive. As promised, the search giant's shiny new social network Google+ has opened up, giving users the ability to invite friends via email. (If it's not working on your system yet, trying logging out and then logging back in.) Existing users, it's time to start building out those Circles to avoid the sort of accidental social networking shenanigans Google is working so hard to curb. Everyone else, we're sure you'll be getting one in your Gmail inbox soon enough. In the meantime, how about prepping yourself by reading our detailed hands-on? Update: Looks like they've been shut down again. It was fun while it lasted! [Thanks, Ryan]
Andy Hertzfeld, 'former Macintosh wizard,' designed the Google+ Project
Google+ looks... a little different. Almost as if it didn't even come from Google. And those drag-and-drop circles? Luscious. Turns out, there's a reason for everything, and he goes by Andy Hertzfeld. According to an investigative piece put up by Wired, Andy's actually credited as being the "original Mac guy," responsible for software and user interface design while working for Apple between 1979 and 1984. He picked up a new role at Goog in 2005, but according to the report, "he had previously felt constrained because its design standards didn't allow for individual creativity." That all changed with Emerald Sea, a diddy that would eventually become known as the search giant's most ambitious foray yet into the wide world of social networking. It's bruited that Andy was given the freedom to go wild whilst designing Google+, and it shows -- the interface throughout is about as intuitive as one could ever hope. 'Course, it takes more than good design to seal a project, but there's no doubt that this is one heck of a start. The rest of the story? Tucked away in that source link, just south of here.
RFID tags let you share waterpark photos on Facebook without leaving the lazy river
See this happy couple? They're smiling because they're in love, they're at a waterpark, and they haven't contracted E. coli yet. They could also be chuckling with the knowledge that all 700 of their closest Facebook friends will soon see them canoodling in an artificial lagoon, thanks to a strange new photo-sharing program from Great Wolf Resorts. From now on, visitors to Great Wolf's Grand Mound lodge will be able to automatically post their vacation pics on Facebook, using only an RFID-equipped wristband. All they have to do is register their accounts at check-in, slap on their bands and head over to any of five kiosks stationed throughout the resort, where they can pose for pictures that will be instantly uploaded to their walls (along with captions). Immediately de-tagging yourself, however, remains a uniquely manual task. Wade past the break for the full PR.
Facebook Likes, hires iPhone jailbreaker 'Geohot'
He's jailbroken the iPhone and been sued by Sony over alleged hacks, and now George "Geohot" Hotz is grappling with the biggest challenge of his young career: social networking. After about a week's worth of rumors surrounding his new employment arrangements, Facebook confirmed that it has indeed added the infamous young hacker to its payroll. No word on what Hotz will be doing at the site, but we expect big things, just so long as he doesn't come within 100 feet of a PS3.
Google+ invite received, we go hands-on
It's hard to argue with Google's track record. The company has scored a hit in nearly every space in which it's dabbled: search, email, ads, office software, etc. There's always been one glaring exception to this rule, however: social networking. The company hasn't made much of a dent in a world dominated by Facebook (and, once upon a time, MySpace and Friendster). For Google+, however, the company dove in with both feet, launching a multi-faceted service that brings a lot to the table with features like Circles, Hang Out, and Huddle. Is it enough to end Google's streak of misteps in the social world? Join us as we take a dive deeper into Google's latest attempt to find out.%Gallery-127373% %Gallery-127362%
Google launches all out social networking assault with Google+ (video)
Social networking has long been Google's white whale. The company has done plenty of dabbling in the space, releasing Orkut, which has failed to catch on in the US, and rolling out Buzz to the relative indifference of its massive user base. Announced today after seemingly endless leaks, Google+ represents a major push for the software giant. The service began showing itself to a smattering of users last night, as a black bar across the top of various of the company's properties. A "+You" button on the far left of the bar currently brings you to the service's landing page, offering a tour of the many features that fall under the Google+ umbrella. Get to know the services better after the break.
Recco claims to provide hyperlocal restaurant savvy
The New York Times recently profiled a new iOS app named Recco. It's yet another social network app, but this time one built around restaurant recommendations. Rather than a service like Yelp, Recco is attempting to be extremely local, picking up restaurant recommendations not from people in your state or city, but from your actual friends and a few food experts. It's an interesting idea, even if the Times' piece makes the app sound just like any other social network startup. The Times actually mentions that Recco only has 2000 users so far, which is adorably tiny in this day and age. Still, if you have a circle of friends out frequenting new restaurants and ready to let you know which ones are the best, Recco seems like it might be an interesting experiment -- it's a virtual replacement for the kind of standard food chatter around town. Recco launched back at SXSW this year, and it's available for free on the App Store right now.
Twitter partners with Firefox, adds new image sharing tools
As TechCrunch suggested earlier in the week, Twitter announced a few new features today: improved search on hashtags and usernames, and a Twitter-branded image/video sharing service that may disrupt established players like TwitPic and yFrog (the back end for Twitter's service is provided by PhotoBucket). The photo service will be live in the next few weeks. The company also announced a partnership with Mozilla to deliver a custom version of Firefox that does Twitter search in the location bar; current FF users can get the same features via a plug-in. This upgraded suite of capabilities lines up nicely with the other TechCrunch tidbit from yesterday, suggesting that part of the image service's mission is to integrate with iOS 5. iPhone users would presumably gain a 'Send to Twitter' button in any image-enabled application, although there are hints that this might go quite a bit further. If it's part of a larger plan for shared services on iDevices, that could dramatically improve the multi-app experience for people working with different sorts of data; Richard points to this Chris Clark post from a year ago with some ideas about how that might work.
Spotify and Facebook partner up, send Europe a friend request?
Spotify may still be in tough negotiations with record labels to bring its streaming music service to the US, but the Swedish company has managed to score a powerful stateside ally, reportedly striking a partnership with Facebook. Neither party is dropping any cash on the deal -- set to be called either "Facebook Music" or "Spotify on Facebook," according to Forbes's anonymous sources -- which will let members of the social network stream songs at the same time as friends and share their listening habits with those in their social circle. The service is reportedly currently in testing and could be launched in a fortnight, but its arrival in the US still hinges on those ever important label deals. In the meantime, we'll all have to share our listening habits the old fashioned way: by posting on our friends' walls.
Toyota to launch social network for people who like to befriend car dealerships
Man, social networks have taken on a loose definition as of late, haven't they? Toyota just announced plans to launch one for its customers, and while our initial reaction was an eye-roll and sighs of "what the world needs now," the truth is that it's really just a system that uses Twitter and Facebook to let you know when something's amiss. Dubbed Toyota Friend (and built on Salesforce.com's private Chatter network), the service will dish up battery power warnings to electric vehicle owners, along with maintenance tips -- advice that can pop up on phones, tablets, and "other advanced mobile devices." In addition to their friendly neighborhood car dealerships, folks can befriend other cars and the friends and family who own them, though it's unclear from the press release below why you'd care. (Okay, we suppose if we had a teenage driver we might want to know if they were about to break curfew.) If that all sounds like bunk, you probably won't get a test drive soon, anyway -- the service is slated to launch in 2012, in Japan, and, initially, for electric and hybrid vehicle owners only.
