Instagram for iOS gets a newly reworked camera, delves into recent photo history

Instagram knows it can't stay still just because it's under Facebook's wing. Accordingly, a new iOS update has delivered a (quite frankly welcome) remake of the camera and editing interfaces. While snapping photos, there's a more stylized interface with an optional grid to perfect that rule-of-thirds composition, if you like keeping shots neat and tidy. The app makes a greater effort to acknowledge past photos, too: everyone sees the most recent camera roll photo, while iPhone 5 owners' extra screen real estate gives them a new camera roll image picker to sift through their archives. Android users don't get the tweaked layout at this stage, but they do share the same obligatory new image filter, Willow. Check the source links for a fresh coat of paint on a day-to-day app.

[Source: Engadget]

Custom enclosure designs shove 160 Mac minis into a single rackmount tower

When the Xserve joined the great server farm in the sky, Mac-minded datacenters everywhere were left without a true rackmountable computer; even the current Mac mini wasn't designed for those kinds of tight spaces. Enter the purposefully anonymous Steve, who just filled the gap with one of the cleverer solutions we've seen yet. He and vendors have developed custom 1U shelving, cooling from car radiators and four-in-one power cables that, combined, fit 160 Mac minis (and a managing Xserve) into one enclosure without cooking the machines to death. With each Mac mini carrying a quad Core i7 and an SSD, Steve now has twice as many cores (640) as an equivalent Xserve cluster despite lower power consumption and a 45-second, network-controlled reboot -- all big helps to his unnamed employer's software development, even with the lack of built-in redundancy for Apple's tiny desktop. As many gritty details as Steve can share are available at the source.

[Source: Engadget]

The social filter war is officially on: Twitter adds free photo filters to Android and iPhone apps

We knew good and well it was coming, and come it has: Twitter has begun its all-out assault on Instagram (and in turn, Facebook) by including its own set of (free) photo filters. As of now, just the Android version has been updated with the new lenses, but we're expecting iOS and the rest to follow suit in short order. Much like Flickr did earlier this year, Twitter has tapped Aviary to power all of the company's filters and effects.

As of now, users will find just eight filters -- ranging from "black and white to vintage" -- while the grid view enables you to preview how your image would look if any of the eight were applied. You'll also be able to crop, as well as pinch to zoom in order to focus attention. Moreover, there's an "auto-enhance" feature that'll add a little whiz-bang to whatever you managed to snap, and if you're still struggling to wrap your brain around it, there's an introductory video waiting just after break. (As well as a (NSFW) video that speaks the truth about all of these filters.)

[Source: Engadget]

Nintendo on iOS? Pokédex arrives on iOS in the US and Europe, costs $2

Nintendo may not be giving up its gaming IPs to smartphones just yet, but the Japanese gaming giant is willing to work with them if it means crosspromoting games on standalone Nintendo consoles. Take, for example, today's release of the interactive Pokémon "Pokédex," available for $2 across various iOS devices -- Nintendo clearly isn't against taking fans' money in exchange for a valuable service: information on over 640 Pokémon on-the-go ... if you buy the three upgrade packs for $5.99 apiece (!!), that is.

Support for the app extends all the way back to the aged iPhone 3GS, and through to the newest iPad (as well as the iPad Mini), so you'll be able to explore the wild world of Tepig from a vast array of iOS hardware. Of course, much of this could be meaningless to you if you grabbed the free version previously available on Nintendo's 3DS, but then you put it off, didn't you? And now here we are.

[Source: Engadget]

Twitter profiles rolling out to all users by December 12th: here's how to prep yours

Instagram has web profiles? Yeah, well, Twitter's about to give all of its users a bit more of a face online as well. While select users have had access to revamped profiles for a few months, Twitter confirmed today that all of its users would be allowed into the party starting December 12th. The main addition here is the use of a header photo, and if you've got any questions on the hows and whys, there's a cute video just after the break to explain. Pick carefully, okay?

[Source: Engadget]

Bing boosts snapshot search with richer info on famous faces and places

Whether you're upfront about it or firmly in the closet, the search data doesn't lie: we all have a pop culture crush. Which is why Microsoft's expanding Bing's snapshot pane, one of three columns within its revamped layout, to display expanded data on celebrities and landmarks. (What? You thought all of those Kim Kardashian keyword searches went unnoticed?) Now, users that enter queries related to either of those two categories will be able to preview a host of relevant info (e.g., filmography, discography, movie trailers and track previews) from that second results column, all culled from a wider reach of sources. It's the first of many planned enhancements for Microsoft's search platform, so stay tuned for further changes in the "coming weeks."

[Source: Engadget]

Office for iPad referenced on French and Romanian Microsoft support site

Officially there is no Office for iPad... or iOS or Android. But, it seems a foregone conclusion that the premier productivity suite will be crossing those ecosystem boundaries. In addition to countless rumors and alleged screenshots, now references to the app are cropping up on Microsoft's own sites. Documents over at the French and Romanian Office support pages have been tagged (incorrectly) as applying to "Office Mobile for iPhone," "Excel for iPad," "Lync for iPhone," and "PowerPoint for iPad." The docs in question don't actually pertain to these unreleased products, but the repeated mislabeling across documents and languages (presumably by Microsoft employees) would seem to indicate they actually exist. Of course, it could all be an elaborate hoax, but we'd find that pretty hard to swallow.

[Source: Engadget]

Free WiFi service for London's black cabs approved

Soon there will be no where left to hide in London Town. The city is quickly becoming one giant WiFi hotspot, just as mayor Boris Johnson promised. Its iconic red phone boxes, the Thames, the Underground and even a minicab company have all been hooked up with free wireless. Now a plan has been approved to turn every famous black cab into a rolling 802.11 beacon. Company Eyetease has received approval from Transport for London to equip the vehicles with WiFi antennas that will provide 15 minutes of free high-speed data in exchange for sitting through a 15-second commercial. As the cabs ride through the city, the on board router will dynamically switch between 3G and 4G networks to maintain a constant connection. And, in an effort to get cab drivers hooked for the early 2013 launch, the CabWiFi service will provide special driver accounts that provide unlimited and commercial free service. The only thing left to do is figure out what it says about the city that its residents can't go 15 minutes in a cab without high speed internet access. Maybe you can Google it at the next red light.

[Source: Engadget]

RIM teases upcoming BB 10 hardware ahead of January reveal

Lest you forget there's another mobile player hedging its bets on a big comeback, RIM's released a tiny teaser of its upcoming BB 10 handset via its site. The image, which appears alongside a tag promising a "Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented." experience, is part of a registration campaign for news updates on theunreleased platform. There's really not much to glimpse from the enshrouded peek Waterloo's offering up, but with the abundance of leaks that've sprung up over the past few months, we have a pretty decent idea what that hardware mightlook like. The big BB 10 reveal's set for January 30th -- a little more than one month away -- so you won't have to wait much longer to witness the full monty.

[Source: Engadget]

Researchers devise contact lens with built-in LCD

Another day, another step towards technologically tricked out contact lenses. The latest development comes from researchers at the Centre of Microsystems Technology at Ghent University, who've developed a prototype lens with an embedded, spherical curved LCD that isn't limited to a paltry amount of pixels. As opposed to LED-based solutions which could only muster a few pixels, the newly-developed screen can pack enough to display graphics that cover a contact. In its current form, the display can show simple patterns, and demonstrates the technology with a simple dollar sign. What appears on the lens wouldn't be visible to folks who wear it, however, since eyes can't focus at such a close range. Despite the limitation, researchers are trying to tackle the focusing issue and are assessing the feasibility of a version that would effectively act as a heads-up display. In the future, the tech could be leveraged for medical purposes, such as controlling light transmission to the retina when the iris is damaged, cosmetic uses and -- you guessed it -- HUDs. With the technology's foundation established, it's expected that real-world applications are potentially a few of years away. Hit the jump to catch a video of the tech in action.

[Source: Engadget]

Android 4.2 App Verification Service tested, found no substitute for full anti-malware tools

Google's App Verification Service is a quiet addition to Android 4.2, but potentially game-changing: it promises malware checks for any installable Android app, whether it comes from a Bouncer-verified Google Play or a website lurking in the shadows. NC State University Associate Professior Xuxian Jiang doesn't want to simply accept the claim at face value, though. He just pitted the service against 10 anti-malware apps to gauge its effectiveness at stopping a wide range of rogue code. The short summary? Don't quit your day job, Google. Among 1,260 samples, the App Verification Service caught 193 instances, or 15.32 percent -- well below the 50 percent of its closest challenger, and nowhere near the perfect scores of two apps. According to the professor, Google's shortcoming mostly comes from a relatively skin-deep routine that checks the SHA-1 value and install package name, not underlying code that's tougher to change. Android malware isn't a serious enough issue for us to be worried at present, but nor would we lean on the App Verification Service as our only safety net.

[Source: Engadget]

Griffin's take on charge and sync Lightning cables now up for grabs

Sure, Belkin and Scosche have already offered up Lightning accessories, but now Griffin has its own solutions up for sale: Lightning charge and sync cables, which it says are the first of their kind from a third party (authorized by Apple). Ringing up at $25, the four-foot coiled USB to Lightning cable aims to put the kibosh on kinks and tangles. Those who prefer a more straightforward solution, however, can pick up a two-foot cable without the curls for $17, or a three-foot flavor for two additional greenbacks. There's also mention of a 9.8-foot-long version, but it doesn't appear to be available on Griffin's site just yet. To snag the wires, give the neighboring source link a jab.

[Source: Engadget]