Latest Instagram app update brings pinch to zoom functionality across devices

While some of Instagram's more recent feature updates seem like slavish rip offs of Snapchat, they are adding some useful functionality that allows users to better work within the rather limited platform of square photos and videos. The latest update to the popular photo and video sharing app, version 9.2 now allows you to zoom into photos via the popular pinch to zoom gesture. It's a better way to zoom into details and minutiae. The update also offers a better low-light mode for Stories.

Play with your pet even remotely with Acer’s new pet cam

Acer subsidiary Pawbo outs a new pet cam at IFA that lets you play with your furry little creatures even when you’re not at home. The Pawbo+ has a laser pointer to let you play with your cat and it dispenses treats as well. The footage it takes can be live streamed to you and seven other users. It will eventually be paired with accessories, such as a whack-a-mole game called Pawbo Punch and Pawbo Catch. If you want to catch your pets being silly, the videos taken can be stored on either Dropbox or Google Drive and photos can be saved locally on your phones. The camera will retail for US$169 (approx. $220 CAD) starting November.

Source: The Verge

TomTom expands fitness wearable line with three new models

TomTom adds to its fitness wearables portfolio in North America with the announcement of a line of new and distinctive devices:

• TomTom Touch: World's first fitness tracker to measure body composition and all day heart rate from the wrist
• TomTom Spark 3: A fitness watch that leverages TomTom’s well reputed heritage in GPS and map technology, TomTom Spark 3 comes equipped with Route Exploration so that fitness enthusiasts can freely explore new places
• TomTom Adventurer: A rugged watch with all of the features of Spark 3 and a built-in barometer made for hikers, trail runners and skiers

“TomTom once again stands out in the wearables market by offering unique feature-rich products at competitive prices, leveraging our heritage in GPS and map technology,” said Jocelyn Vigreux, President of TomTom, Inc. “Our goal is to change people’s lives by empowering movement with intuitive and easy to use devices. The line of products that launched today is well-designed, versatile and smart, packed with disruptive innovation that will inspire fitness enthusiasts.”

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Capital One Canada helps out local charities with 40-hour hackathon

Capital One Canada, together with Hackworks, are hosting a 40-hour Gift the Code Hackathon this October 21 to 23 to help address digital issues faced by six Toronto-based charities. Over 100 participants—a mix of volunteers and Capital One associates—will be brainstorming, building, and submitting technology solutions for the charities’ digital challenges. The event, which is hosted by Marc Saltzman, will see the participants broken into teams of four to six experts at BrainStation’s Toronto campus to help solve these problems.

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