WhatsApp has its own Snapchat-like disappearing photos and videos

Facebook is really bent on bringing Snapchat’s features to its products. This time, WhatsApp is getting its new “Status” feature, which lets you share photos, GIFs, and videos that expire after 24 hours. If you are either on Snapchat or on the other Facebook-owned Instagram, you know how Status works. You can also decorate the videos and photos you take with the app and either share these with all your contacts or with select groups or individuals. WhatsApp launches the feature in time for the app’s eighth anniversary. It comes to its Android, iOS, and Windows Phone users.

Source: MacRumors

Apple's new iPad Pro campaign doubles down on the Post PC promise

Is the iPad Pro a computer or isn't it? Is is something better? These are the existential questions Apple has to answer time and again. The latest iPad Pro ad campaign comes at a time when we're expecting a refresh of the tablet line and is are based on tweets from frustrated PC owners. There are various instances where iPads are better than a computer (or a PC), with better battery life, no risk of viruses and 4G-LTE variants available for on-the-go use.

Apple sees the iPad Pro as the future of computing, that much is clear. It has continued to push the device in enterprise with partnerships from SAP, IBM and others and has even matched various features of popular 2-in-1 PCs (keyboard, pencil, more powerful processors, the ability to edit 4K video). With iPad sales continuing to shrink, the company needs to bring awareness to what the product can do for users and, hopefully, come up with updated versions that offer more compelling reasons to upgrade.

This is how ILM created one of the epic battle scenes in ‘Rogue One’

Industrial Light and Magic have created amazing effects throughout the years and those they did for Rogue One are extra special, too. It comes as no surprise the film earns an Oscar nomination for its visual effects. A new clip from ILM shows us how they manage to mix practical and digital effects to bring to life the epic space battle in the final act of the movie. You can see they’ve used wireframe models, realistic-looking ships, and even giant LED arrays to give the actors in the cockpits look of what’s happening as well as a more realistic lighting.  There are even physical models of Star Destroyers that were laser scanned and used as models for the digital counterparts.

Source: The Verge

ChargeWrite combines ink pen, power bank, and flash storage in one device

There are all-in-one devices that are truly useful devices and ChargeWrite hopes to be one of those for you. This Indiegogo project packs in not just the aforementioned, pen, power bank, and flash storage. It’s also a stylus and phone screen cleaner. The 16GB internal storage in this device can work both on your smartphone and laptop. It comes with a universal smartphone tip that supports both Apple Lightning connectors and microUSB. It charges via a wall outlet or USB port.

The standard version has the pen, stylus, screen cleaner, and 1,000mAh battery. Meanwhile, the ChargeWrite+has all the features but with a 650mAh battery and the internal storage. It has already raised over US$43,000 in funds and more than surpassed its initial US$10,000 goal. The ChargeWrite costs US$29 (almost CA$40), while the ChargeWrite+ goes for US$39 (around CA$50). Shipping is expected to start in May.