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Tumblr gives you an easy way to make reaction GIFs on mobile
Tumblr made it easier to search for GIFs earlier this year, but if you're tired of seeing the same old stuff, you'll like this update a lot better. The social network has created a built-in GIF maker for its mobile apps that can process videos without having to fire up another app or a website. You simply have to compose a new Photo post and pick any video or photo burst (that iPhone 6s/6s Plus format that captures actions in the pictures you take) you want.
Tumblr starts rolling out instant messaging
Tumblr now has a legit private messaging feature you can use to chat with friends. It's a lot more basic than other messaging applications, so don't expect emojis or a way to paste gifs or attach files. A Tumblr rep told us, however, that the social network will be introducing more features, such as the ability to share posts and media, in the future. The bad news is that it's initially available to only 1,500 accounts, but you can easily activate yours by asking lucky friends who can already access the feature to send you a PM. They activate your messaging by doing so, and you can, in turn, help propagate it by contacting other users. Take note that if you don't want to receive IMs from random strangers, you can always switch your blog's settings to receive only messages from people you follow. Don't worry if you don't know anyone who can help you turn messaging on, though -- Tumblr says it will be out to all users by early December.
You now live on a planet with a Tumblr clothing line
Tumblr has launched its own clothing endeavor, featuring shirts, sweaters, dresses, accessories and other items adorned with patterns created by popular Tumblr artists. The clothing line is a celebration of Tumblr's 10th season participating in New York Fashion Week, and all items will go on sale through PAOM starting September 14th. The first pieces feature prints from community members Brian Vu, Andrew B. Myers, John Karel, John McLaughlin, Lauren Pelc-McArthur, Luca Mainini, Monica Ramos and others, and they're priced from $30 to $250.
Tumblr TV makes sure you never run out of GIFs to watch
You already know Tumblr is like GIF heaven. But now, with Tumblr TV, the social network wants to make the animated-image viewing experience better for people. Not only does the newly minted site let you easily search for GIFs, but those results can be enjoyed in fullscreen mode, played continuously and shared with other Tumblr members. So say you search for "Drake," as this editor would do, you can then watch a feed of nothing but Drake-related content that's been uploaded by the community. Unfortunately, it's not as easy to share a specific GIF's URL if you don't have a Tumblr account -- instead, your only option is to use the link related to the topic you've searched for. Either way, Tumblr TV is definitely worth bookmarking.
Tumblr makes it easy to search for reaction GIFs
Reaction GIFs are already a common sight on Tumblr, but this new feature might make them even more prolific. The social network/blogging platform now has a built-in GIF search and insert feature: simply click the plus sign (+) while you're creating a post, click GIF and type in any term you want, such as "slow clap" to get the one above. When the animated images show up, just choose one, and it will be embedded into your post with the proper credits. On the other hand, you'll get a notification if other people use your images, which only means you can contribute by uploading your own. So, make sure to post GIFs from your extensive collection first, before completely nuking them -- if you can stomach deleting years of hard work, that is -- from your computer.
Tumblr replaces 'Ignore' with a more robust 'Block' feature
Tumblr has made it easier to keep trolls out of your account. The feature has been renamed "Block" -- "A proper, muscular name," the Yahoo-owned company said -- and it's accessible from several locations on the website. To shake off haters and weirdos, you can click on their avatar on your dashboard to load a right-hand side menu, where you can find block under the human-shaped icon. If you want to hit someone with the banhammer straight from your Inbox, you can also do so: just click the big X on mobile or find block under the ellipsis' drown-down menu. Finally, you can go to your settings page and manually enter the user you want to keep out.
Tumblr encourages users to speak up about mental health issues
A lot of people turn to social media to vent and say how they really feel when they can't do so in real life. That's the reason Facebook has suicide prevention tools and why Tumblr has launched a new initiative called "Post It Forward." The project encourages users to share their personal stories on bullying, self-harm, depression and other similar issues, as well as to post messages of kindness and encouragement in video, written text or even GIF formats. According to the Tumblr Communications Manager Leah Linder, the initiative aims to "remove the stigma around mental and emotional health" and to raise awareness of organizations that help people overcome their problems. Anyone can participate by tagging their entries #PostItForward, and those who need to connect with others going through the same thing can browse all entries on the project's official account.
Facebook helps online services warn each other about security threats
Malware frequently strikes multiple targets, but online services rarely do a great job of warning each other about related threats; your data could be at risk simply because your favorite social network didn't get a heads-up in time. Facebook is clearly sick and tired of this problem, as it just launched a hub that's designed to mount a coordinated defense. Its new ThreatExchange web platform lets services both look up existing threat info and share their discoveries with as many sites as they see fit. If Facebook reels under a botnet attack, it can let others know what to do to protect themselves.
Tumblr's 'big update' promotes essay writing, fewer GIFs
If we're honest, there isn't enough money in monochrome erotica and Benedict Cumberbatch GIFs to sustain a billion-dollar website. That's why Tumblr is doing its very best to become more of a publishing platform that can attract the sort of writing (and attention) you'd normally find on Wordpress and Medium. The site began this process a few weeks ago by enabling embeds of its pages anywhere else on the internet, and now it's ready to give users a much stronger set of tools.
Graffiti and satellites combine for a massive animated GIF
Look, it isn't easy making GIFs on the computer without the right applications, so it's giving us a headache thinking of the work that goes into each of these graffiti-turned-GIFs by an artist named INSA. Especially the one you see above, because the piece was so large, its pictures were taken by a couple of Pleiades satellites from space. To be exact, the satellites took the snapshots in orbit, 431 miles above the ground -- the ISS, in comparison, is orbiting the Earth at an altitude of around 268 miles. But first, let's go back to how INSA makes these GIFs. See, he doesn't manipulate pictures of his work on the computer to make these "Gif-itis" (that's not a disease, it's GIF + graffiti, get it?): he actually repaints the graffiti over and over, taking pictures of each iteration.
Tumblr adds a 'Buy' button for impulse shoppers
People post other things on Tumblr besides GIFs and sob stories, you know -- some even use it to promote their handmade goods or crowdfunding projects. It's those users who'll benefit from this update the most, because the website now automatically adds Buy and Pledge buttons to users' posts, similar to the experimental Buy buttons on Twitter and Facebook. One merely has to post links that lead to the ever-familiar Etsy or Kickstarter, or to the more obscure Artsy (an online auction house) or DoSomething (home to campaigns that "make the world suck less"). And then, well, Tumblr will do the rest. We'll bet sellers would love being able to maximize their selling potential on Tumblr, especially now that holidays are approaching. So if you hate seeing those types of posts, you'll just have to find that other button labeled "unfollow."
Tumblr's new desktop app is all Tumblr, all the time
Sometimes you just want to craft your Tumblr posts and browse the latest updates without being distracted by the rest of the internet. For those occasions, the blogging outfit released a desktop app for Mac that does two things and two things only. First, as we've already mentioned, it only shows you Tumblr content and nothing else. It'll also let you post from anywhere on your Mac -- so long as that place has the trusty OS X Share button available. If you haven't yet updated to Yosemite, you'll need to do so as the new app only works with Apple's latest version. Of course, you could just visit the website via your browser of choice, unless you're posting eleventy billion times a day.
Yahoo wants to poach YouTube's biggest 'stars'
Despite what some corners of the internet thought, Tumblr hasn't changed all that much since Yahoo officially bought it over a year ago. That may not be the case for much longer, if a report from Business Insider holds true, though: it suggests that the company's executives have been looking at Tumblr as a way to push back against YouTube's online video dominance.
A company will scan your Tumblr pictures to work out what brands you love
When Yahoo bought Tumblr for more than a billion dollars, a lot of us wondered how it would ever turn a profit. After all, people sharing cat GIFs and monochrome erotica didn't seem like a very effective business model. According to Mashable, however, the social network is going to earn its keep by helping big brands like Coca Cola and Nike understand how they're perceived. That's because Tumblr is hooking up with analytics firm Ditto, which will scour your pictures looking for sneakers and soft drinks in the frame. It'll then pass this data on to the companies involved for a fee, helping them to ensure the teenagers are all praising the right sort of soda at the next box social, or something. Update: Tumblr's reached out to confirm the deal, a "firehose partnership" with the agency, will go ahead this week.
AMC embraces the power of Tumblr to debut its new series 'Halt and Catch Fire'
A new television series chronicling tech and social media narratives pops up on the regular these days and AMC's upcoming "Halt and Catch Fire" is the latest entry into that sub-genre. In order to cultivate buzz for the series' debut in a couple weeks, the network is relying on shares and reblogs from its Tumblr page to get the word out. Between now and May 31st, eager viewers can snag an early look at the pilot on the aforementioned page. The show follows a former IBM executive's scheme to reverse engineer the IBM PC, and thus thrusting his current company into the personal computing fray for the 80s. According to TechCrunch, AMC has a number of advanced screenings planned at Apple, Twitter, Google and more as part of the pre-air promo effort amongst the tech community. If you're in need of a brief introduction, the trailer awaits on the other side of the break.
The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for May 6, 2014
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
Tumblr's mobile apps finally get full-on customization tools
While Tumblr has had mobile apps for years, it hasn't been easy to truly cut the PC cord; you've had to retreat to your computer to fine-tune every aspect of your blog's look. You won't be held back any more, though. The social service has rolled out new Android and iOS apps that offer the same editing powers you have on the web. You can now change colors, images and anything else that was once desktop-only, and your color pick will even change the interface's look on others' devices.
Tumblr introduces in-app themes and more news for May 6, 2014
Good news for Tumblr bloggers this morning, plus an in-store iPhone event from Apple to make your day complete with the top news stories. Tumblr has rolled out in-app theme switching, and it's accessible from the company's iOS app. Tumblr's creative director Peter Vidani called the move "...a continuation of something we believed in from the start," in that people could have a personal home on the web easily. Apple is reportedly readying an in-store iPhone promotion. According to 9to5 Mac, the plan is meant to drive sales by leveraging the company's iPhone buyback program. I agree with MacObserver: a promo like this doesn't indicate a response to lagging sales, as some would suggest. Retail businesses have promos all the time.
Tumblr gets two-step verification, makes your GIFs more secure
If you've scrolled through Tumblr lately and thought to yourself, "Hey, this could use some added security," the blogging platform has your back. Today the outfit announced that it's adding two-step authentication as a means of keeping your account safe. Authentication codes are sent either via a text message or an app like Google's Authenticator, and work akin to basically every other service that uses them: simply input the code with the rest of your login credentials and you should be good to go. Tumblr says that the verification process won't interfere with using the mobile apps, but you'll need to create a one-time password via your account settings page in order to sign in on your device. From the sounds of it, this shouldn't take any longer than finding your next favorite Emma Stone GIF might.
Tumblr goes retro by letting you post with a phone call (update: more feature revival than retro)
Forget trying to be retro-cool by replacing your digital music with vinyl -- that's so 2013. Tumblr believes that this year's trendsetters will use its throwback dial-a-post service instead. You can now make an audio post on the social network by calling a toll-free number; all you have to do beforehand is link your phone's digits to your account. Will Tumblr's new feature be a gimmick for most users? Absolutely. However, there's definitely an appeal if you're on a spotty data connection or want to get around online censorship. And besides, it's probably your first opportunity in years to dial the internet. Update: As it turns out, the phone-in feature is itself a bit retro. Tumblr had implemented call-based posting a few years ago -- the company is just drawing attention to its sadly neglected option.
