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)

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

Twitter looks to unify app experience on iOS with iPad update

Twitter is hoping to have a more unified experience on iOS with the latest update for the iPad. The tablet version of the app now sports a similar look to the iPhone app. You can now also quote tweets on the iPad. Twitter’s using an adaptive layout for the iPad so it can support new features coming to iOS 9 such as multitasking. The rollout of the update is happening on an account-by-account basis. Just wait for a bit before it hits your device.

Source: The Next Web | Download: Apple App Store (Free)