Twitter, Shopify partner
Twitter adds a buy button on its website. Users can browse products from over 10000 merchants on Shopify and purchase directly from Twitter. Twitter:
Users will get access to offers and merchandise they can’t get anywhere else and can act on them right in the Twitter apps for Android and iOS. Sellers will gain a new way to turn the direct relationship they build with their followers into sales
Passes one million digital subscribers
The Times passes one million digital subscribers mark less than four-and-a-half years after launching its metered paywall. The one million figure is on top of the 1.1 million print subscribers who can also access all of the NYT’s content online. Chief executive and president Thomson:
This is a major milestone for our digital consumer business, which we launched in 2011 and has continued a strong and steady growth trajectory. It puts us in a unique position among global news providers. We believe that no other news organization has achieved digital subscriber numbers like ours or comparable digital subscription revenue.
The company also releases second-quarter results showing an 80% year-on-year increase in profits to $16m (£10m), despite a 1.5% fall in revenue to $383m.
Joins tumblr
NASA starts multiple blogs on tumblr. It will share photos, text and videos in its main blog. The second blog is by astronaut Peggy Whitson who chronicles her training. The third microblog posts photos of Jupiter taken by NASA’s Juno mission and other astronomers. The last blog is by Curiosity Rover from Mars.
The agency continues to add new platforms like Tumblr to offer the public a comprehensive view of NASA’s missions, facilities and people.
iOS display darkening feature
Google Maps iOS app gets a feature where the display gets darker colors after evening to make it easier to read. This Night Mode has been available in the android app.
Minaj game announced
Glu Mobile will create a Minaj-themed game that will debut in summer 2016. The game will feature Minaj’s likeness, voice and “creative direction.” Glu CEO De Masi:
I am thrilled to welcome the undisputed queen of hip-hop, Nicki Minaj, to Glu’s growing list of celebrity partners.
Releases Sway for free
After 10 months of beta testing, Microsoft makes the full version of Sway, its online presentation software, available for free online. It is available for free download immedaitely on Windows 10 PCs and tablets with a Windows Phone app arriving in coming months.
Your invaluable feedback has helped us improve Sway to meet your needs.
Ladies-only parking introduced
Frankfurt airport introduces women-only parking places. The ‘Ladies Parking’ spaces are closer to the airport, have CCTV coverage, are better lit, and have more exit points. Women’s groups have labelled this move sexist.
Ebola vaccine trial successful
The rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine against Ebola is 100% successful in trials involving 4000 people which are conducted in Guinea. Brende says:
Having seen the devastating effects of Ebola on communities and even whole countries with my own eyes, I am very encouraged by today’s news. This new vaccine, if the results hold up, may be the silver bullet against Ebola, helping to bring the current outbreak to zero and to control future outbreaks of this kind. I would like to thank all partners who have contributed to achieve this sensational result, due to an extraordinary and rapid collaborative effort.
New flights to Japan
Qantas announces two new flights to Japan. Flights will depart from Sydney to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport followed by the departure of a flight from Brisbane to Tokyo’s other airport, Narita, over the weekend. Launch celebrations will happen over the weekend with Japanese-themed activity throughout the terminal and a water cannon salute to mark the departure of QF61 from Brisbane. Traditional Japanese ceremonies will also take place at both Narita and Haneda Airports.
This significant capacity expansion has been extremely well-received by Qantas customers and especially by corporate travellers heading directly to downtown Tokyo, who can now save up to one-and-a-half hours on their airport commute by flying into or out of Haneda
King’s Quest Chapter 1
King’s Quest brings back the adventure game series created by Williams. Published under the old Sierra name, this revival by developer The Odd Gentlemen takes the form of an episodic adventure game.
Today marks the release of King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember, but considering it’s been 17 years since the launch of the last game in this classic adventure series, there’s a good chance that a few actual grown adults out there have no familiarity with the adventures of King Graham and his family.
N++ release
N++, a fast-paced, physics-based platformer starring a ninja, is released by Metanet Software Inc, The game took 11 years to make.
YES! We’re so excited. It’s been a really long road, longer than we expected and longer than we wanted, but you know what? We couldn’t be happier with how the game came out, and we think you’ll be able to see that extra effort and abundance of love that went into it.
YouTube unlinks from Google+
Google announces that users will no longer need to use Google+ to comment on YouTube videos. Horowitz:
In the coming months, a Google Account will be all you’ll need to share content, communicate with contacts, create a YouTube channel and more, all across Google…We want to formally retire the notion that a Google+ membership is required for anything at Google… other than using Google+ itself
Expands Internet.org
Facebook expands the free basic mobile internet service, saying it will help billions of people without internet, mostly from Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It now allows any mobile operator to develop under the platform. The service has brought over 9 million people online over the past year with more than half of the users end up paying to access the wider web within 30 days. Source:
This is really a customer acquisition tool for mobile operators where the benefit to them of offering a very light amount of free data is to bring on more paying subscribers to their networks.
Everybody has a Window and Aisle Seat
McLendon, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 19 years ago, publishes Everybody has a Window and Aisle Seat: Choosing a Positive Approach to Parkinson’s Disease. McLendon’s book encourages readers to” laugh loud and often, shun pity, shed ‘downer’ friends, and always refuse to give up or play a passive role”. She credits the support of her family and friends for helping her maintain her attitude.
We all have a choice. We can either choose to take an aisle seat and its limited view, withdraw and only look inward at ourselves and thus have a ‘Why me?’ attitude, or we can choose the window seat, focus outward at the opportunities and say ‘Why not me?’
World’s largest telescope under construction
China is hoping to finish construction of the world’s largest radio telescope by 2016. The telescope is built upon a naturally-formed bowl-like valley in the southern part of Guizhou. The huge dish is actually hung over the ground supported by thousands of steel pillars and cables and has perimeter of about 1.6 km. The telescope’s reflector is 500 metres in diameter and made up of 4,450 panels. Each panel is an equilateral triangle with a side length of 11 metres. Scientist:
Having a more sensitive telescope, we can receive weaker and more distant radio messages. It will help us to search for intelligent life outside of the galaxy and explore the origins of the universe.
Offers free Beats headphones to students
Apple offers a free Beats Solo 2 headphone to students who buy a iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Pro with the Educational Pricing. The headphones cost 199$ if bought alone. The offer is only for students in the USA and Puerto Rico. School faculty, staff, and parents can also take advantage of this offer.
Title Update 27
Title Update 27 for the Xbox 360, Content Update 15 for the Xbox One, and the patch 1.18 for the PS Vita, PS3 and PS4 are available for download. Most of this patch involves bug fixes, but it also includes arcadia and dark oak furniture. This patch also includes the Greek Mythology Mash-up DLC which includes features like different player interface, special soundtrack, a custom set for texture, and 39 additional skins. The Greek Mash-up pack costs £3.29/$3.99 and is already available on the Xbox marketplace and PSN.
Fiat issues hacker recall
Fiat Chrysler’s U.S. unit recalls 1.4M cars to update software in the infotainment system to prevent the possibility that they could be hacked. The recall comes in reaction to a demonstration by Wired magazine in which two hackers were able to take control of a Jeep SUV and control it remotely while a journalist was in the driver’s seat. They cranked up the air conditioning and took over the sound system. The car ended up in a ditch.
Launching a recall is the right step to protect Fiat Chrysler’s customers, and it sets an important precedent for how NHTSA and the industry will respond to cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
Jurassic World sequel announced
Universal Pictures announces the sequel to Jurassic World, to be released June 22, 2018. Trevorrow and Derek Connolly, the co-writers of Jurassic World, will write the sequel, although Trevorrow will not direct. No director has been announced. Spielberg returns as executive director and Marshall will resume his role as producer. Pratt and Howard are confirmed to star.
Birthday photo
Kensington palace releases an official photo for George’s second birthday. The picture was taken by Testino after Princess Charlotte’s christening on July 5, in the gardens at Sandringham House, on the Queen’s Norfolk estate. Spokesperson:
This photograph captures a very happy moment on what was a most special day for the Duke and Duchess and their family.