Having second thoughts? Here's how to unsend risque Instagram Direct photos and videos

At a press conference last week, Instagram unveiled a new feature for its mobile apps called Instagram Direct. With messaging apps having been identified as the next big thing du jour, Instagram finally decided it was time to get in on the action. Instagram Direct is a private messaging service built into Instagram's existing mobile apps, meaning after a simple update, almost every Instagram user out there has instant access to the service. Users can send photos and videos privately, and then exchange text messages from within the app as well. But what happens when you inevitably have second thoughts after sharing a photo or video privately? Luckily, "unsending" an Instagram Direct message could not be easier.



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Posted in 2013 at 12:45AM, December 17

Microsoft says Google still isn’t playing fair

Microsoft and other interested parties that have antitrust complaints against Google in Europe are not happy with the concessions the search giant is ready to make, adding a study that tracks eye movement to prove Google’s misconduct when it comes to promoting its services in search at the expense of competitors. Microsoft’s Initiative for Competitive Online Marketplace (ICOMP) commissioned a study from the German Sports University in Köln to track the eyes of users performing Google searches in the region. The study revealed that Google users are more likely to click on a search result leading to a Google service than to a service from a different company.



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Posted in 2013 at 12:45AM, December 13

iBeacon customer tracking coming to Apple retail stores

Apple will reportedly deploy its new iBeacon location tracking technology in its retail stores that will work with iOS 7 devices to enhance the store experience for prospective shoppers, while also increasing sales in the process. iBeacon is a GPS-like solution for indoor areas where Bluetooth 4.0-enabled iPhones can be used to trigger certain actions when found in the proximity of these sensors. 9to5mac has learned from multiple sources that Apple plans to install iBeacon transmitters in its stores and use them in combination with an updated Apple Store iPhone app. The application already knows if a customer is in an Apple Store, but thanks to iBeacons, its location accuracy will be significantly improved.



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Posted in 2013 at 12:45AM, November 19

Japan is even more iPhone-crazy than America

For a while, Apple's iPhone has done best in the United States where it's routinely posted a higher market share than in the rest of the world where a larger majority of smartphones run on Google's Android platform. But The Wall Street Journal reports that the iPhone fever has reached new heights in Japan, where its estimated 37% market share by some measures eclipses the device's market share in the U.S.



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Posted in 2013 at 12:45AM, November 12

$50 Android tablets look to take over the holidays

This holiday season is expected to be another big one for tablets, led by Apple's new redesigned iPad Air and the upcoming refreshed iPad mini with Retina display. But high-end tablets are going to get a serious run for their money from a flurry of no-name slates that will be on sale for just $50 this holiday season. ZDNet points out several Android tablets that will be available for around $50 on Black Friday from Walmart, Toys "R" Us and other retailers. Toys "R" Us will have a 7-inch Android slate by Polaroid available for just $49.99 on Black Friday, and Walmart has an even better deal — a 10.1-inch Android tablet running Jelly Bean for just $49. The deals may be short-lived but they could potentially take a bite out of some first-tier vendor sales this holiday season, which could help explain the expected dip in tablet shipments this quarter.

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Posted in 2013 at 12:45AM, November 06