Twitter

1,030 'Twitter' stories December 2010 - August 2014

Twitter is a social networking site that was created in 2006. Users send "tweets" to let people know what they are doing. It was created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams.

Twitter accused of hypocrisy over Trump tweets

Twitter is a social networking site that was created in 2006. Users send “tweets” to let people know what they are doing. It was created by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams. Prior to building the service, they were working on a podcast directory called Odeo.

Odeo was a directory and search destination website for RSS-syndicated audio and video. It employed tools that enabled users to create, record, and share podcasts with a simple Adobe Flash-based interface.

When iTunes 4.9 was released, it ultimately made Odeo irrelevant. The people behind the company went on to create a service called Twttr. Twttr would eventually be called Twitter. iTunes 4.9, believe it or not, ultimately led to the creation of one of the most popular social networks in the world.

The major turning point for service’s popularity was the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive conference. Over the next few years, Twitter began to see rapid growth. For mobile devices, it originally relied upon third-party apps. In 2010, Twitter acquired application developer Atebits. Atebits had built the Twitter app known as Tweetie for the Mac and iPhone. It was renamed as Twitter and released for free.

Over the years, the apps have seen various revisions. There are currently versions available for iOS while desktop users must either use the web interface or a third party app like Tweetbot or Twitterrific.

Two next-gen iPhone models approved in Thailand: A1524 & A1586 (Video)

Mark Gurman Aug 13 2014 - 10:00 am PT

6 Comments

Ahead of Apple’s new iPhone event on September 9th, Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (that nation’s version of what we know in the U.S. as the FCC) has approved two new iPhone models for sale in the country. The approval was confirmed on Twitter by the country’s Secretary General for these matters, and a local report indicates the model numbers for two new devices: A1524 & A1586. Thailand’s Secretary General spoke about the matter in a video from earlier this week:

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As Siri gets more powers in iOS 8, we ask: Do you use it to its fullest or is it still a party trick?

Ben Lovejoy Aug 13 2014 - 8:18 am PT

81 Comments

When Siri lost its beta tag almost a year ago, I suggested it might be a good time for those who’d been frustrated with its early performance to give it another chance. What I discovered through your comments was that Siri seems to be one of those things that polarizes views: people either loving it and using it every day, or dismissing it as a useless gimmick. Not too many people seem to fall between the two.

But Apple has continued to work hard on improving the service, adding new capabilities as well as refining its ability to handle existing ones. It might not yet be as sophisticated as its creators envisage for the future, but a year on seemed a good point to revisit the topic and find just how many of its capabilities people are using …
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Apple & Beats use Siri and Pills to promote Dr. Dre’s celebratory party in new video ad

Mark Gurman Aug 1 2014 - 6:28 pm PT

17 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK4MYERlCS0&feature=youtu.be

Continuing today’s celebration of Beats officially becoming an Apple subsidiary, Beats’ official Twitter account has posted a fun video advertisement that uses Siri and the Beats Pill to promote the deal. The video pokes fun at a private Dr. Dre party, and perhaps this is some joke tied to Dre spilling the beans about the Apple deal in the weeks before the official announcement in May. The end of the video also appears to poke fun at Siri not always working properly.

https://twitter.com/beatsbydre/status/495363203740618752

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AeroPress Timer app completely revamped to help you make the perfect cup of coffee

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2014 - 5:15 am PT

2 Comments

The freemium companion app to the amazing and popular $25 Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker has been completely redesigned, with new gesture-based navigation, brewing tips, a timer that tells you exactly when to add water, two-cup recipes and the ability to share recipes and photos on Twitter and Facebook.

AeroPress Timer is the perfect companion for the AeroPress. AeroPress Timer allows you to explore the versatility of the AeroPress with a catalog of carefully curated recipes.

[Version 2.0.1 introduces a] completely redesigned interface. We started from scratch with every screen and made AeroPress Timer more functional and beautiful.

We moved to a completely gesture-based navigation. We feel this is best way to navigate through AeroPress Timer. Who needs back buttons?

The app itself is free, with a choice of two in-app purchases, each priced at $1.99. The Championship Pack includes nine selected recipes from the 2014 AeroPress World Championship, and the Roaster Pack a further seven recipes “from some of the world’s best roasters.”

The revamped app is available on iTunes.

City of Cupertino provides update on Apple’s Campus 2 progress with new aerial shot

Jordan Kahn Jul 21 2014 - 10:08 am PT

1 Comment

Following a number of amateur aerial shots of Apple’s Campus 2 construction popping up on Instagram and elsewhere online, today the City of Cupertino shared our best yet look at progress on the site with an aerial shot of the entire campus. The shot doesn’t just show the main circular “spaceship” structure, but also work starting on the the entire surrounding campus.
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Upcoming Twitter for iPhone update will allow you to browse your entire DM history

Mike Beasley Jul 18 2014 - 5:09 pm PT

5 Comments

Twitter has announced that an upcoming update to its mobile clients will allow users to go back and review their entire direct message history. Currently the app only provides a limited look back, but that restriction will be removed in a new version that will also make deleting messages more reliable across its web and mobile platforms.

[tweet https://twitter.com/Support/status/490260546818543618 align=’center’]

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Tweetbot for Mac updated to view and upload multiple images on Twitter’s native photo service

Mike Beasley Jul 1 2014 - 3:38 pm PT

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Tweetbot for Mac, the popular desktop Twitter client from Tapbots, has been updated to version 1.6 today. The update introduces support for viewing and uploading multiple images on Twitter’s native photo sharing service. The new version also includes a “play” icon on Instagram videos to better differentiate them from photos on the same network. You’ll also find “various bug fixes” in this version.

Tweetbot for iPhone got support for multiple images in its last update, so this once again brings the two apps in-line, feature-wise. The full change log for Tweetbot for Mac 1.6 is below:

What’s New in Version 1.6

– Support for viewing/posting multiple twitter images (multiple images won’t show up in search or streaming timeline until Twitter enables it in the future)
– Instagram videos now marked with play icon
– Various bug fixes

Twitter’s mobile app install advertising feature comes out of beta, goes global

Mark Gurman Jun 30 2014 - 9:19 am PT

0 Comments

Twitter has taken its mobile application install advertising feature out of beta and it has also taken the service global. Twitter talked about the feature, which allows companies to advertise mobile apps within the Twitter mobile app timeline, earlier this year. The video above explains how the service works. The app install feature can show apps from the App Store and Google Play based on “interest, keyword, TV targeting and tailored audiences” as well as based on “gender, geo, language and mobile platform targeting.” The service allows apps to be installed on smartphones directly via the Twitter app and the Twitter app will even notify users when the app is ready to use.

Twitter explains how advertisers can use the functionality:

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Twitter users can now share animated GIFs on iPhone, Android and the web

Mark Hearn Jun 18 2014 - 10:46 am PT

4 Comments

The internet is a strange place. While you’d probably think that the World Wide Web’s rapid pace would be filled with short-lived trends, some things are making a comeback. The Graphics Interchange Format better known as the GIF was created by Steve Wilhite and introduced by CompuServe way back in 1987.Extremely popular in the 90s, these retro animated images have returned to the web and are flooding social media networks. Not being outdone by its competition, Twitter has finally adopted this classic piece of web culture, but you probably gathered that already by reading the title of this news article.

Photos: Purported physical mockups of black and gold 5.5-inch iPhone 6s compared to 4.7-inch model

Mark Gurman Jun 14 2014 - 12:10 am PT

54 Comments

This fall, Apple is expected to unwrap two next-generation iPhones with larger displays: a 4.7-inch model and a 5.5-inch higher-end “phablet” variant. While the 4.7-inch model has had physical mockups floating around the web for the past few months, parts or shells for a 5.5-inch model have not been seen until now. Sonny Dickson has sent us photos of a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 physical “dummy” mockup in the Space Gray color (above and below), and he has posted photos of a white and gold model on Twitter:

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Tweetbot for iPhone can now post and view multiple images per Tweet

Mark Gurman Jun 12 2014 - 5:27 pm PT

6 Comments

Popular third-party Twitter client Tweetbot for iPhone was updated to version 3.4 with some nice new features and enhancements today. Most notably, the app can now post and view up to four photos per Tweet. This is in line with functionality that Twitter added to its official application a few months ago.

Support for viewing/posting multiple twitter images (multiple images won’t show up in search or streaming timeline until Twitter enables it in the future)
Image detail views show corresponding tweet when relevant
Instagram videos now marked with play icon
Spanish Localization

The update, as can be seen in the release notes above, also adds various other images enhancements, a new play icon for Instagram videos, and localization for Spanish. For what it’s worth, users are also reporting that this update fixes some problems for iOS 8 Tweetbot users. The update is free on the App Store, and the app costs $4.99 for new downloads. You can read our full review of Tweetbot 3.0 from launch here.

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Giveaway: Win a Pad & Quill accessory pack for iPhone, iPad, & Mac ahead of Father’s Day ($600 value)

Zac Hall Jun 5 2014 - 2:28 pm PT

49 Comments

Update: Our winners have been chosen at random and contacted. As thanks for everyone participating, Pad & Quill is generously offering 15% off any order for a limited time to our readers using the coupon code DAD14 at checkout. 6/12/14

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, our friends over at Pad & Quill are teaming up with us to give away some cool bags and cases for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more. Pad & Quill makes super well-crafted accessories that look and feel very rich and thought out. We’ve had the chance to cover and review several of their products in the past.

We’ll be picking one grand prize winner to receive Pad & Quill’s Field Bag, Aria for iPad Air case, Bell Fino for iPhone 5s case, and any choice of Pad & Quill MacBook case for free (over a $600 value). In addition to the grand prize winner, two additional winners will be selected each to receive their own choice of any Pad & Quill iPhone or iPad case. Find out how to enter after the break…
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Tweetbot 2 and 3 for iOS get mandatory updates, previous versions will stop functioning soon

Mike Beasley May 23 2014 - 6:18 pm PT

6 Comments

Tapbots, the development team behind the popular Tweetbot Twitter client for Mac and iOS have issued a mandatory update for all users. According to a post on the Tapbots blog, all current mobile versions of the app will cease to function soon due to a change in the app requested by Twitter.

Updates for both iPhone versions of the app are rolling out now. Users on iOS 6 running Tweetbot 2 can look out for version 2.8.8, while users on the newer Tweetbot 3 can already find version 3.3.2 in the App Store. The Mac and iPad versions of the app aren’t mentioned in the post, so it’s possible they won’t need to be updated. (Update: The iPad version has been updated to version 2.8.8 as well.)

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Microsoft for Office for iPad shows continued growth with 27 million downloads to date

Mark Gurman May 12 2014 - 11:01 am PT

13 Comments

Microsoft announced today at the TechEd Conference that Microsoft Office for iPad, which includes Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, has been downloaded from the App Store 27 million times to date. The statistic was first shared on Twitter by Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrot and noted by Business Insider:

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Twitter officially rolling out ‘mute’ function to its mobile and web apps, enhances iPad app

Mark Gurman May 12 2014 - 10:36 am PT

5 Comments

<a href="https://twitter.com/missambear/status/461870350301941760">Images from @missambear</a>

After a limited test period, Twitter has officially begun rolling out mute functionality to its iOS, Android, and Web applications. The mute feature allows users to block out Tweets and Retweets from individual people in their timelines without actually unfollowing those users.

In the same way you can turn on device notifications so you never miss a Tweet from your favorite users, you can now mute users you’d like to hear from less. Muting a user on Twitter means their Tweets and Retweets will no longer be visible in your home timeline, and you will no longer receive push or SMS notifications from that user. The muted user will still be able to fave, reply to, and retweet your Tweets; you just won’t see any of that activity in your timeline. The muted user will not know that you’ve muted them, and of course you can unmute at any time. To mute a user from a Tweet on your iOS or Android device or on Twitter for web tap more and then mute @username. To mute someone from their profile page, tap the gear icon on the page and choose mute @username.

It appears the feature is rolling out over-the-air, so an update from the App Store or Google Play is unlikely to be required at this time. The feature will roll out to all users over the coming weeks, according to Twitter.

In other Twitter news, the social network has brought some new features to the iPad:

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Photo editing pioneer Hipstamatic offers Vine-like video app, Cinamatic

Ben Lovejoy May 8 2014 - 4:13 am PT

2 Comments

Hipstamatic led the way in offering a fast and fun way to edit and share photos from an iPhone, but has been a little slow to move into video. The company has now corrected this, launching the Cinamatic app designed to compete with Vine and Instagram.

Cinamatic lets you shoot short videos ranging from 3-15 seconds, apply filters to them and then share on Vine, Instagram and Facebook – or send them via email or Messages …
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Apple teases Samsung in new environmental print ad: ‘There are some things we want every company to copy’

Benjamin Mayo Apr 22 2014 - 2:53 am PT

36 Comments

As part of its recent environmental campaign, Apple has taken out some tongue-in-cheek full-page print advertising in newspapers around the world today. The ad reads ‘There are some things we want every company to copy’. The ad was first spotted by David McClelland on Twitter. (Hi-res version below:)

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Twitterrific adds tweet editing workaround as Twitter announces ad-based app installs

Jordan Kahn Apr 17 2014 - 6:33 am PT

3 Comments

Twitterrific for iOS gets a welcomed update today that notably brings the ability to edit tweets with a simple tap of the “more actions” icon. Of course, in order to get around the fact that Twitter doesn’t actually allow editing of tweets, what the function is really doing is quickly deleting the tweet and opening the compose window with original tweet’s text. From there you can quickly edit and share it as fast as possible.

The app also gets a number of other bug fixes and improvements in the version 5.7.2 update available on the App Store now.

In other Twitter news, Twitter announced today on its blog that it’s launching a new mobile app promotion suite that will allow advertisers to promote mobile app installs both on and off of Twitter.

We have developed a full suite of targeting, creative and measurement tools to enable Twitter advertisers to effectively promote their mobile apps. These are being tested in a private beta, and you may have already seen some examples of these app promotions on Twitter. For marketers, this means a rich, native ad unit that combines the best of Twitter Cards and Promoted Tweets. Users can easily install and engage with apps, directly from the Twitter timeline.

While the Twitter Publisher Network will let mobile app devs run campaigns on Twitter with promoted tweets, Twitter is also teaming up with MoPub Marketplace for ads outside of its service. Twitter says MoPub is one of the biggest mobile ad exchanges in the world reaching over a 1 billion unique devices and serving “more than 130 billion ad requests inside Android and iOS applications every 30 days.”

Twitter has already been testing the new mobile app advertising suite with partners such as Spotify, HotelTonight, Kabam, and Deezer that you might have already seen in your Twitter timeline, but today it’s letting all U.S. advertisers sign up to the private beta through ads.twitter.com.

Vine adds private video messaging, profile theming in latest update

Benjamin Mayo Apr 3 2014 - 12:36 pm PT

0 Comments

Vine has just released its ‘biggest update yet’ to the App Store, bringing one-on-one video messaging to the service for the first time. Analogous with Twitter DM’s, Vine’s VM’s work in the same way — hosting private conversations outside of the main stream. As you might expect, conversations can include short video clips as well as text messages.

You can start a conversation directly to a recipient, or bounce off a public Vine for inspiration. Just share the Vine to as many as friends as you want to start a message. It’s important to note you cannot have group conversations (yet). If you share a Vine to more than one person, a separate thread is created for each recipient.

Version 2 also adds some new customization options for your Vine profile. In Settings, you can theme your profile with a specific color which then shows to all other Vine users.

Vine can be downloaded on the App Store, for free.

Twitter announces photo tagging, multiple photo uploads per tweet rolling out to iPhone users

Mike Beasley Mar 26 2014 - 2:15 pm PT

4 Comments

Twitter has announced a few new features for its iPhone app today. Users with the latest update to the Twitter for iPhone app will soon see the ability to select up to four photos at a time to upload when composing a tweet. These photos will be displayed as a collage on the tweet’s detail screen.

Along with the multi-photo support, users are also now able to tag other people in their photos. A new “who’s in these photos?” button allows you to add the username of other people in the picture. Photo tags won’t take up any characters in the body of the tweet, so the full character count will be available for composing a message.

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Twitterrific goes free with version 5.7, optional IAPs to remove ads, enable push notifications

Benjamin Mayo Mar 25 2014 - 8:56 am PT

2 Comments

With the latest update, The Iconfactory has changed their business model for Twitterrific rather dramatically. Up to now, Twitterrific has been available for iPhone and iPad for $2.99.

However, Twitterrific has now changed to a freemium business model. This means anyone can download the app for free as an ad-supported application. There is also a selection of unlockable features available as in-app purchases.

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Amazon sending out credit to customers affected by ebook price fixing settlement

Benjamin Mayo Mar 25 2014 - 8:15 am PT

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Amazon has begun issuing credit to accounts that qualify for a refund as a result of the price fixing settlement reached between Amazon and publishers. Customers are eligible for refund credit on ‘qualifying’ Kindle book purchases between April 1st 2010 and May 21st, 2012.

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Twitter #music goes the way of the Flappy Bird, pulled from App Store as service prepares to shut down

Mike Beasley Mar 21 2014 - 3:43 pm PT

3 Comments

Remember Twitter #music? Apparently not many people do, and as a result Twitter has decided to pull the app from the iOS App Store today and shut the service down completely next month. According to a pair of tweets posted on the official @TwitterMusic account, the app will be removed from the App Store later today and all streaming service will end on April 18th—one year after the app first launched.

If you hurry, you can probably still grab a copy of the app to use until then.

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Profit machine: Interactive graphic shows Apple/tech company money making potential

Ben Lovejoy Mar 20 2014 - 5:35 am PT

2 Comments

Fortune drew our attention to a cool interactive graphic that lets you watch in real-time the revenues and profits made by a dozen tech companies. While Samsung wins the revenue race, Apple is by far the most profitable, at $71,000 a minute.

Apple is doomed …