Nova Launcher to help normalize icon sizes

Google’s given its third-party developers free rein to create unusually-shaped icons for their apps. If you’re OC, seeing your app drawer and home screen with differently-shaped icons might be a bit annoying. Nova Launcher is looking to fix that with an “icon normalization” feature it has in private alpha at the moment.

How Nova Launcher will be able to do this is by following Google’s Material Design guidelines for squares, circles, and rectangles. They then scale the icons to match these dimensions. The algorithm can even take into account the unusual protrusions of icons to align them based on their underlying shape. Even the non-standard shapes will scale correctly. They’re scaling it to make the icons consistent visually. Beta should be coming out soon for those who want to try it out.

Source: Android Police | Download: Google Play Store (Free)

The Apple Beat: 10 things you might have missed from Apple’s September event

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Apple’s September announcement was definitely a jam-packed affair. A time of year traditionally reserved for iPhones and various iOS updates, features and new apps; this week’s monumental unveiling at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium covered so much more.

You can read about the iPad Pro, the new iPhone 6s, the Apple TV as well as all the updates to Apple Watch. You can even relive the moment by watching the keynote video and all the product videos and ads. You’ll realize a lot of things you might have missed. Here are just 10 things that were briefly covered or not even mentioned during the ‘Hey Siri,’ event. 

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Periscope introduces landscape mode

Periscope is making it easier for you to watch landscape broadcasts with its latest update. You can continue watching clips in portrait but you have the option to tilt your device and get a full screen video. Periscope first launched with portrait orientation only but they’re changing that for users who feel they can capture things better in landscape.

Aside from that, Periscope also introduces new features such as Share Context, letting you see who shared a broadcast on your feed. It also has better iOS accessibility support and Mutual Follow, which makes it easier for you to start private broadcasts on Android. It’ll let you choose from mutual followers (those you follow that also follow you) who you want to see the broadcast or select all your mutual followers to see it. Mutual Follow will come to iOS soon.

Source: Periscope | Download: Apple App Store (Free) + Google Play Store (Free)

Microsoft to launch desktop version of Office 2016 on September 22nd

The desktop version of Microsoft’s Office suite is coming out soon—on September 22^nd, to be exact. Coming with it are a slew of new features including real-time collaboration, math input tool for Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, heavier cloud integration, and dark theme. As mentioned though, this is just the desktop version and not the “universal” suite for all Windows 10 devices. This version of Office can run on older devices, the universal suite will need Windows 10 and will be more touch-friendly.

Source: Microsoft Office Blogs | Via: The Next Web