Here's the deal with those colorful status updates on Facebook

If your Facebook News Feed is looking a bit more colorful recently, there's good reason: The company is thirsty for your precious personal content.

Facebook has been rolling out a new way to post status updates since the end of last year. Write something in the "What's on your mind?" box and you'll be prompted to select a background color for the text, which gives the post a much more prominent slice of real estate in the News Feed.

The feature was originally exclusive to Android, but it's hitting iOS and desktop now. A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that most users around the world should have the feature as of Thursday.

So, to be completely clear, this is a first-party Facebook feature and not the product of some third-party app. The text is still highlight-and-copyable — it's not a static image. If you want it but don't have it, you'll just have to wait for it to be enabled on your Facebook account. That should happen soon.

Facebook is desperately scrounging for ways to get users to create and post original content. Theoretically, the social network is about connecting with your friends — getting users hooked on consuming and sharing details from their personal life rather than posts from media outlets or brands is key to Facebook's bottom line.

Beyond that, the social network is up against Snapchat, which gives users a ton of creative ways to express themselves. In a sense, the colorful statuses check two boxes: They encourage original sharing, and they give users a new toy to play with.

The only problem? They're pretty damn ugly. Still, don't be surprised when they come to a News Feed near you.

Comments

You can now book fitness classes on Google

Google just released its latest service to the world: a website that could help you get fit all while filling empty fitness studios around the world. Reserve with Google is a new feature that lets you see and book fitness classes in the U.S. It was previously only available in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The site pulls together Google Maps and Google Search and puts them into a new Reserve with Google website (on desktop and mobile). Think Google Flights ( google.com/flights ) except this is for transforming your body rather than transporting it. You can search for fitness studios based on location and style. Google will also recommend ones to you. Here's how it works on mobile: 1. Go to google.com/maps/reserve . Choose your date and location. You can also search for types of classes. Select a time for the class. 2. Fill in your information: name, email, phone number. Some of it will be preloaded ...

The Galaxy S8's misplaced fingerprint scanner was probably a last-minute change

Ask anyone to tell you where a smartphone's fingerprint reader should be and, though the answers will vary, you'll never be told "off center, right next to the camera lens on the back." But lo and behold, that's exactly where Samsung plopped its fingerprint scanner on the new (and otherwise delightful) Galaxy S8. It's a perplexing decision if we consider it as a deliberate design choice, but reports ahead of the S8's launch, which now seem validated by the device itself, suggest that it was a last-minute alteration enforced by the slower-than-desired development of more ambitious technology. A March 13th report out of Korea lays it all out lucidly. Samsung, working in collaboration with Synaptics, had initially hoped to build the fingerprint sensing tech directly into the screen itself. "Samsung poured resources into Synaptics’ fledgling technology last year but the results were frustrating," an informed source is quoted as saying. "W...

Nokia 9 may come with QHD OLED display, Iris scanner, Android Nougat 7.1.2 and more

HMD Global, the company that is making Nokia smartphones is planning to launch the flagship, Nokia 9 in coming months. According to a new tip reported by Nokia Power User . the company may be planning to include Iris scanner to the upcoming flagship smartphone. The report hinted at an entire list of specifications that are rumoured to come with Nokia 9. This is in contrast to the lack of any official statements from HMD Global regarding the release of the smartphone. Nokia 9 is expected to sport a 5.5-inch QHD OLED display panel while running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with Adreno 540 GPU. The quality German glass made by Carl-Zeiss used by original Nokia is expected to make a comeback with Nokia 9 where 22MP Dual-lens camera module will be equipped with Carl-Zeiss optics and a 12MP front camera. Nokia 9 will come with 6GB RAM and two storage variants of 64GB and 128GB internal storage. The smartphone will sport a 3,800 mAh battery along with Qualcomm Quick-Charge 4 support...

TechCruuse

Search This Blog