SwiftKey adds a slew of new emojis for iOS

Third-party keyboard SwiftKey is making it easier to communicate via emojis with its latest update. Version 1.3.3 adds support for iOS 8.3 emojis. You can change the skin tone of the human emojis, and add new flag and family emojis. You can also choose to display the emoji or globe key to the left of the space bar.

Aside from that, the app is also getting general performance boost and will reportedly reduce the number of crashes.

Source: 9to5Mac | Download: Apple App Store (Free)

Instagram introduces emoji hashtags

It has come to the point where we can’t even communicate with words anymore. Instagram is now letting you use emojis for your hashtags. And you can search for these through the Explore tab. According to BuzzFeed, the most popular ones are the kissy face one, the one with hearts in their eyes, and the one crying because of laughing too much.

The latest update for their Android and iOS apps also introduces three new filters called Reyes, Lark, and Juno.

Source: BuzzFeed | Download: Apple App Store (free) + Google Play Store (free)

You can now get the latest iOS 8.3 update

Apple's released the latest iOS 8.3 update which brings various performance upgrades, bug fixes and redesigned Emoji keyboard featuring various skin tones. The Siri voice assistant has new accents and languages, she can now make calls using an iPhone's speakerphone.

There are also various WiFi and Bluetooth fixes as well as additions to CarPlay connectivity and ApplePay functionality. Get it now on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch through iTunes, or as an over-the-air software update. On the iPhone 6, the update is 256 MB and takes around 18 minutes to download and install.

Turn your Mac into an emoji machine with the emoji keyboard

Want to extend your emoji typing ways onto your Mac but want to make it easier? The team behind Disk Cactus has a Kickstarter project that’ll give you an emoji keyboard overlay. It isn’t a physical keyboard per se but rather a silicone covers that fit Apple’s wireless desktop keyboards, 13” MacBook Airs, 13/15” MacBook Pros, and the 11” MacBook Air.

The emoji keyboard works with corresponding software so you just need to press caps-lock key for a one-touch emoji shortcut. But if you play around with pairing shift, control, and option, you get around five characters per button. This’ll give you 150 emojis to play around with. The funding goal for the emoji keyboard is at US$20,000 and they have around 25 days to go. They have raised $4,500 at the moment and you can pledge as little as $5. But if you want the keyboard skin and software, you need to shell out $15.

Source: Disk Cactus | Via: SlashGear