Snapchat adds IM and video chat to service

Snapchat doesn’t do away with its self-destructing messages but has updated its iOS and Android apps to do a bit more.  The app now lets you instant message your friends and have live video chats with them. You can start chatting with your friends by swiping to the right from your main screen. You’ll see the list of people available for chats. While this is much like the other messaging services out there, the text from your conversations are wiped after you close the chat screen, unless you tell the app to keep them.

For video chats, a blue icon will pop up at the bottom of the screen when your friend is chatting with you. You press and hold this open for a one-way stream. The person you’re chatting with can do the same thing as well. There are gestures you can use to switch back and forth with your front- and rear-facing cameras.

Microsoft releases patch for IE zero-day flaw, includes security update for unsupported Windows XP

It looks like the security flaw discovered in version 6 to 11 of Internet Explorer was serious enough that Microsoft released an “out-of-band” fix for it. (The company usually releases security patches on the second Tuesday of every month.) This means all supported versions of Windows will be getting the patch. Unusually, Microsoft decided to issue a security update for Windows XP, which they discontinued support for already. This might be a bad move on the company’s part because it encourages its users to keep on using the old operating system. Here’s the link to the security update just in case you haven’t activated automatic update for your Windows OS.

Source: The Next Web

Yahoo to create original shows, livestream Live Nation concerts with new media direction

Yahoo's getting into the video content creation and broadcasting game. At the 2014 Digital Content NewFronts, Yahoo! Inc. unveiled the first of its new original long-form shows, a new partnership with Live Nation for live streaming concerts, the all new Yahoo Travel digital magazine, and new advertising opportunities and measurement capabilities.

“Yahoo is focused on connecting artists, storytellers, great content producers and brands with the audiences they want -- at scale, across devices, every single day.”

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, CMO Kathy Savitt, and Ned Brody, head of Americas, presented Yahoo’s vision to make digital video more inspiring and entertaining for consumers and advertisers. They were joined onstage by a star-studded lineup including Executive Producer Mike Tollin; Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves; Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino; New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan; the stars of Comedy Central’s “Broad City,” Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer; and Kraft Foods Executive Vice President Jane Hilk.

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Vancouver's Tinkerine launches Industry’s first affordable “Prosumer” 3D Printer

The dream of having a prosumer 3D printer in your home or office is now a reality. Tinkerine Studios Ltd. is a Vancouver-based Canadian 3D printer company that manufactures and distributes 3D printers and software. They launched the DittoPro, the 3D printing industry’s first affordable prosumer (the market segment that offers professional-grade equipment at a consumer level price) 3D printer. DittoPro offers professional-grade print speeds and resolution of 50 to 300 microns (0.05-0.3 mm) at a retail price of just $1,999 CAD ($1,899 USD) fully assembled and is expected to ship at the end of the month.

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