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Google adds “Send photos faster” option for RCS messaging
The feature description says, “Resolution is reduced for faster sending.” By toggling on this option, you are giving up your higher-resolution photo sharing via Rich Communication Services (RCS) in exchange for a quicker delivery of a lower-res image. Since SMS already shares low-res images, the toggle should apply to RCS users only in areas with slow data speeds.

RCS is Google’s version of iMessage that allows two Android users running the platform for messaging to share messages with larger character limits and end-to-end encryption. Higher-resolution pictures and videos can be sent and features like read receipts and typing indicators appear. But should an iOS user dare to get into a group chat, all of these lovely features go away. Sound familiar?

Remember that all RCS features won’t be found if an Android user isn’t using the Google Messages app. Some U.S. carriers offer their own messaging apps for Android but if you want the best messaging experience on the platform, you need to install Google Messages and stop using the carrier-branded messaging apps.

The “Send photos faster” option would come into play in areas where mobile data speeds are slower. In these situations, if the feature is enabled, sending a lower-res image would allow a photo to be delivered faster than it might otherwise.

The feature has not been pushed out to all Google Messages users yet. To see if the “Send photos faster” option is available on your phone, open the Google Messages app and tap the profile picture on the right side of the search field at the top of the screen. Press on Messages settings and the fifth item down from the top should be the “Send photos faster option.” The feature is toggled on by default.
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April 11, 2023
Photo shows that Google is testing Material You design for Android’s YouTube app

Some new buttons that Google is testing for the Android version of the YouTube app point toward the release of a Material You update for the popular video streamer. According to Google, Material You is “a radical new way to think about design. Material You will transform design for Android, for Google, and for the entire tech industry.”

New look for YouTube buttons currently being tested hints at Material You update for YouTube in the near future

The Google News-Telegram group has posted a photo revealing that Google is testing a new look for the row of buttons found under a YouTube video that appears to have been taken from the Material Design 3 guidelines that Google released in October. The revised Material You look adds pill-shaped buttons under the video. One button shows the combined number of likes and dislikes. Three weeks ago, Google did away with showing the number of dislikes that YouTube videos have garnered in order to protect their creators.

You might notice that the text revealing the title of each button is now placed next to the icon instead of underneath it which forces the bar to be longer. It isn’t known just yet when Android users can expect to receive the new button design which would be the first sign of an impending Material You update for the app.
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Apple is working hard to avoid iPhone 12 leaks next year

Some companies embrace leaks completely while others use them as a marketing tool. Apple, on the other hand, belongs to a separate group of entities which absolutely hates leaks and ultimately takes them very seriously. Now, according to a report by The Information, the Silicon Valley-based brand is ready to move its leak prevention measures to the next level.

Although Apple has always taken leaks very seriously, things took a drastic turn six years ago in the summer of 2013. Just months before the iPhone 5c’s official debut, thousands of shells for the smartphone were stolen out of a Chinese factory by an employee. The latter was helped by a security guard who helped him avoid security cameras while he drove a large truck out of the building.

The incident apparently forced Apple to buy back a whopping 19,000 stolen iPhone 5c enclosures in a bid to avoid a stream of leaks. This wasn’t enough, however, as the components soon appeared online and revealed the smartphone’s design in the process.

As a direct result of it all, Apple created the New Product Security Team soon after. Referred to more commonly as NPS, the team of people monitors security at Apple’s global suppliers and ultimately tries to put a stop to leaks, something it has done pretty successfully. In 2014, the company reported 387 stolen iPhone enclosures but this number quickly dropped to 57 the following year and then to just four in 2016. In one instance, NPS uncovered an attempt by factory employees to build a tunnel and smuggle out components.

In recent years, more leaks have originated from inside Apple’s Cupertino headquarters than from international suppliers. This has allowed the company to reduce the size of its NPS team slightly and instead subcontract some of the work to others. Nevertheless, Apple is now facing an entirely different issue.

As Apple and other companies have gradually gained more control over physical component leaks, electronic leaks have become noticeably more frequent. Schematics and CAD-based render often provide a glimpse at upcoming smartphones months ahead of their debut, but things undoubtedly reached a new peak for Apple this year.

Just four months after the iPhone XS was released and a whopping eight months ahead of the next iPhone’s announcement, tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer got his hands on files which showcased both the iPhone 11 and a separate prototype. The flagship’s design is yet to be confirmed officially but the leak is undoubtedly one of Apple’s biggest and most premature yet.

In light of this, Apple has now shifted resources to preventing digital leaks. It has a team inside its headquarters leading the efforts but has also set out a number of guidelines for suppliers which it refines whenever necessary. For example, physically separate computer networks must be operated by suppliers at all times. Additionally, CAD files are present within a secure, additional network which is present within the first. Apple also watermarks all files to discourage screenshots. Other measures include the ban of all public email services and third-party cloud services such as Google Enterprise and Dropbox.

In the event that a leak was to occur, the supplier responsible for it must reimburse the company to the tune of $25 million and cover any costs related to the investigation. Because of this, certain suppliers have introduced upgraded security equipment including facial recognition cameras, new security cameras, and extra security guards. Interestingly enough, though, Foxconn’s current contract with Apple means it can’t be fined.

Personalisation trend hits photo booths With Disney

Kmart shoppers are now able to personalise a range of stationery, mugs, photos and other products with characters and motifs from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel movies, cartoons and comics.

The offering is the result of a partnership between Kodak Moments, which operates the photo kiosks in Kmart stores nationwide, and The Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand.

It is the latest example of brands’ and retailers’ efforts to differentiate their products, and convert customers, by forging an emotional connection wtih shoppers and giving them the option to put their personal stamp on items.

“This fantastic collaboration not only provides children with a fun photo and learning opportunity… but also allows our cherished characters to be part of Australian stories,” Megan Sanders, vice president and general manager for Star Wars and consumer products commercialisation at The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand, said.

The customisable range includes 2800 designs for educational charts, party invitations, greeting cards, border prints, posters, magnets, and mugs.

“Everyone has a favourite photo that instantly delivers warmth, comfort and a special memory,” Gavin Wulfsohn, Kodak Moments sales and marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand, said.

“Adding these Kodak Moments – alongside a touch a Disney magic – to our educational charts can make all the difference in encouraging children to read and count while developing a lifetime love of learning.”

Kodak has served as the in-store photo provider for Kmart’s photo centres since 2015, allowing customers to create a range of photo products including prints, posters, books, canvas and mugs.

Game of Thrones exhibition flown in for Cityplaza

PCCW Media’s OTT entertainment platform Now E is staging a Game of Thrones exhibition at Cityplaza’s second-floor atrium and centre bridge for a fortnight, starting today.

The mall promotion has been created in partnership with HBO and heralds the approaching end of the cult TV series hit.

An Iron Throne has been flown into Hong Kong to become the centrepiece of the Game of Thrones exhibition and eight interactive zones have been set up to recreate scenes from the TV series.

The final season of Game of Thrones premiers in the US and Hong Kong on Monday (April 15).

The Now E x HBO Go: Game of Thrones Ultimate Experience’s interactive exhibition zones, each represent classic scenes and characters from the show.

Mall visitors will be invited to sit on the Iron Throne and take pictures with 3D Stereoscopic Paintings.

Another exhibition highlight will be Viserion, a six-metre-long ice dragon weighing more than 1360kg.

Exhibition goers will be able to have photos taken with characters in front of a display wall, or pretend to be a White Walker in an interactive photo zone.

In another feature of the installation, fans can get their own House Sigil Leather Coasters to represent their favorite kingdoms.

On arrival at Cityplaza, visitors will each receive a Game of Thrones exhibition passport and receive a limited-edition Four House Sigil sticker by collecting all four stamps at the interactive zones.

Meitu’s Hong Kong IPO to value China photo app maker at up to $4.5 billion

Chinese photo app and mobile phone maker Meitu Inc is set to launch an up to $735 million initial public offering in Hong Kong, IFR reported on Monday, citing people close to the deal. Meitu, better known for its apps that let users retouch and beautify selfies and other photos, is offering shares in an indicative range of HK$8.50 to HK$9.60 ($1.10-$1.24) each, added IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication. The IPO is slated to be priced on Dec 8.

Meitu did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment on the IPO terms. The deal will value Meitu, which counts venture capital investors Qiming Venture Partners, IDG-Accel China and Tiger Global among its backers, at up to $4.5 billion, IFR said.

The IPO will be a rare technology sector IPO in Hong Kong. Between one-quarter to one-third of the shares will be sold to cornerstone investors, IFR said. That would be much lower than some of the large new listings in the city, including the $7.6 billion IPO of Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) in September that had 77 percent of its deal bought by cornerstones.

Large investments by cornerstone investors hurt liquidity for IPOs once the shares start trading, as the stock is locked up for a minimum of six months. The cornerstone money can also pressure the stock as the expiration of the lock-up period nears. China Merchants Securities, Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley were hired as sponsors of the IPO.

‘Forever in Thai Hearts,’ an exhibition hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Culture

Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, assigned by the government, joins hand with Siam Paragon to host ‘Forever in Thai Hearts,’ a photo exhibition portraying historical moments of Thai nation to mark the Royal Funeral of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Locals and visitors are invited to join a vowing campaign by recording their pledges to carry on his legacy and royal teaching. All images and video clips are to be included in ‘The People’s Archives’ memorial book. This exhibition runs from 19-30 November 2016 at Lifestyle Hall, 2^nd Floor, Siam Paragon.

On this occasion, General Thanasak Pratimaprakorn, Deputy Prime Minister, presided over the opening ceremony on 19 November 2016. Joining the opening ceremony were Vira Rojpojchanarat, Minister of Culture, Chadatip Chutrakul, Executive of Siam Paragon, Thanpuying Angkarb Boonyatthiti, Khunying Charmaree Snidvongs Na Ayudhya and M.L. Kwanthip Devakul. As the highlight of the opening ceremony, the song ‘Kao Dern Tor Pai ’ or ‘Moving Ahead’ composed by Dolchai Boonyaratavej with the melody written by Pongpoon Pibulkasetkij was performed by Chitralada School Choir to encourage everyone in moving forward with conscience and hope.

General Thanasak Pratimaprakorn, Deputy Prime Minister, pointed out that “In making a memorial book titled ‘The People’s Archives’ and a documentary ‘Forever in Thai Hearts,’ the government has assigned Ministry of Culture to collect images and video clips contributed by public sectors, various organizations and medias. Aiming to preserve and publish Thailand’s historical moments related to the passing of the late monarch, highly revered by all Thais, we have received great feedback from people across the country. Over 30,000 images and video clips including images reflecting the sense of deepest respect and appreciation to His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, images of mourners from near and far traveling to pay their respects before the royal remains as well as messages of condolences and heartfelt gratitude were shared via our provided platforms. Hence, we have also chosen images uploaded to Facebook , Line application and email to be exhibited at ‘Forever in Thai Hearts’ exhibition at The Bangkok National Museum since 28 October 2016.

“To offer wider opportunities for both Thais and foreigners in expressing their boundless gratitude to the late monarch and witnessing these historical moments, Ministry of Culture together with Siam Paragon has organized ‘Forever in Thai Hearts’ exhibition at Lifestyle Hall, Siam Paragon. On this occasion, 100 unseen images are specially curated to be on display.

Joining the Ministry of Culture, Mayuree Chaipromprasith, executive of Siam Paragon, added, “The passing of our revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the greatest loss and despair in the lives of all Thais nationwide. As his royal subjects, we would like to express our deep-felt gratitude and humble loyalty by organising ‘Forever in Thai Hearts’ photo exhibition. This exhibition narrates the story of a deep mutual bond between the longest serving monarch and his people through images and films portraying his lifelong works and devotion. We also would like to invite everyone to join a vowing campaign by recording the ‘do-good-deeds, follow-the-King’s-teaching’ videos, all of which are to be included in ‘The People’s Archives’ memorial book. In this exhibition, each participant will receive a portrait of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.”

Nopakun Kunsujarid, the President of Bangkok Photographic Society, one of photographers whose image was included in the exhibition said, “I took this picture on 22 October 2016 when massive mourners filled Sanam Luang to capacity in order to join the historic mass singing event being filmed by MC Chatrichalerm Yukol. That heartfelt tribute to the Late King on that day was another momentous day in our history that Thai people across the nation united as one. From this picture, many mourners are seen holding both new and old portraits of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. People were smiling and being helpful to each other. The passing of our revered king united everyone together again. As a photographer, I intended to communicate these emotions as best as I could.

Adul Tanthakosai, whose image was also on display stated, “This picture was taken on 14 November at the festival of the Illuminated Boat Procession known as the sacred ‘Lai Reua Fai’ festival in Nakon Panom Province. I was impressed by the unity of locals. Not only had they come to participate in the festival, but also to express their profound appreciation to His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej through lighted candles and the formation of Thai number ‘9’. Many people cannot travel to pay their final respect at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, so they took this chance to do their part in this festival as a token of humble loyalty.”

Tanakrit Kalaseranee, also added, “I wished to take pictures that demonstrate deepest emotion of mourners coming to pay their final respects to the royal remains as well as pictures of those working as volunteers, so I chose to capture moments from a prime spot inside the walls of Royal Palace where the majestic Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall stood tall as a background. This image was taken on 15 November 2016 and it truly conveys my true feeling. The image of students assisting elderly people on their wheelchairs portrays the value of togetherness, sincere gratitude and unconditional love we all share.

Please be invited to witness and be part of ‘The People’s Archives’ in remembrance of His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej by joining the ‘Forever in Thai Hearts’ exhibition taking place on 19-30 November 2016 at Lifestyle Hall, 2^nd Floor, Siam Paragon.