In 2010, front-facing cameras were brand new to the iPhone, and there wasn’t a Selfies album in Apple’s Photos app. Oxford Dictionary would select selfie as the word of the year in 2013, but a drunken Australian taking a blurry photo on the internet in 2003 was the rare use of the word before 2012.
Yet, it was the iPhone 4 that made what makes a selfie something mainstream two years before. After a decade of selfies, I have a grounded appreciation for the front-facing camera in my pocket.
iPhone selfies can do more than just provide Instagram fodder, suggests filmmaker Jason Reitman. Even the most basic use of a smartphone camera helps people to gain an instinctive understanding of principles that can help anyone with ambitions to create YouTube videos or more …
As we ramp up for Star Wars: The Force Awakens to hit theaters in December, we are getting Storm Trooper Bluetooth speakers, a new mobile RPG and a SW themed playset for the upcoming Disney 3.0. But it looks like it won’t stop there as Disney has just launched an official new mobile app. Simply named “Star Wars”, this is not a game, but rather a new hub app for “breaking news, rich media, social updates, special events, interactive features” and more:
On top of a basic newsfeed that draws content from all the official Star Wars channels and some typical countdown timers to big releases, there are also some interactive elements to the app as well. There are soundboard and GIF features that provide official clips from the films that users can share on message apps and even a SW themed weather function that compares current temperatures with well-known locations from the Star Wars mythos.
You’ll also find Augmented Reality experiences, a lightsaber trainer that makes use of your device’s motion sensor, and the ability to take as many Star Wars selfies as your heart desires. Much like the Show Your Disney Side app, you can choose from a number of popular costumes from the films, settings and the ability to drop other characters in the background.
WWDC 2015 may be ‘the epicenter of change’ as the announcement’s tagline presented, but it will not be the epicenter of selfie sticks if Apple has anything to say about it. Included in the WWDC 2015 Attendance Policy is a rule that stands out as a sign of the times: no selfie sticks.
After requesting that no one take any audio or audiovisual recordings (sorry Shot on iPhone 6 campaign … wait really?!), Apple drops an explicit ‘no selfie stick’ bombshell on everyone:
In addition, you may not use selfie sticks or similar monopods within Moscone West or Yerba Buena Gardens.
The section also bans “wearable recording devices” from Moscone West where the conference is held — does the Apple Watch with its microphone on your wrist classify? This line likely has another target in mind: the WWDC rebel wearing Google Glass.
While the selfie stick rule may be an extension of a Yerba Bueno policy, it’s likely for your own good. No one’s view gets obstructed by poles, no one’s head gets whacked by your iPhone 6 Plus on a rod, and you don’t have to risk the temptation of whipping yours out in public. Still too tempted to resist? Check out our roundup of the best selfie sticks for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus on 9to5Toys.
VoiceSnap, a new app from MocaApps LLC, allows you to take photos using voice commands on an iPhone or other iOS device. Rich in features, the app is very customizable and includes the settings needed to make it an effective solution for taking photos.
