May 2017 CentralBeat / TechBeat Page 29
Snapchat ’ s cool new features
It ’ s Snapchat ’ s turn to copy Instagram while also staying one step ahead of its competitor . Snapchat has launched a slew of new creative tools , several of which mimic Instagram ’ s features , including the option to remove the 10-second time limit on viewing photos that still disappear once closed . But Snapchat ’ s new option to let users erase real-world objects from their photos shows it ’ s still pioneering the visual communication format . As Snap adds more creative tools , it ’ s now organizing them all down the right side of the screen for easy access . Here ’ s a breakdown of each of the new Snapchat creative features : Limitless Snaps – Now you can select the infinity icon in the Snap photo timer so friends can look at the Snap as long as they want . It will still disappear once closed , though . This could be useful for sharing important information like an address via photo . Instagram already allows limitless viewing of ephemeral Stories and Direct Messages . Looping Videos – You can tap the looping icon on the right side of the Snap composer to make your videos loop over and over , which is great for short videos or highlighting a particular moment . This gives Snap an animated GIF-style feature to compete with Instagram ’ s Boomerang . Draw with Emoji – You can now use an emoji as a drawing brush . Select one from the creative tools on the right , and instead of a pen tip ’ s colour , you ’ ll see a trail of that emoji as you draw . This takes the pain out of drawing with emojis by sticking them on one by one . Instagram actually tried something similar back in December with its Candy Cane holiday brush , but currently only offers more traditional marker , highlighter and neon brushes . Magic Eraser – You can now select and remove objects from your Snaps , blurring their surrounding to cover the empty spot . Just select the Magic Eraser icon , paint over the object you want removed , and Snap will “ Photoshop ” it out automatically . Now the question is how long til Instagram offers a Magic Eraser and emoji brush of its own . New studies and surveys collected by TechCrunch show that existing Snapchat users are staying loyal to the app despite the launch of Instagram Stories . But if Instagram can keep cloning Snapchat ’ s best features and rolling them out to its international and older audiences , it could block Snap ’ s growth prospects . Snap will need a steady stream of innovation to lure new users to an app where they might not have as big of a social graph , but can provide access to the coolest new creative tools first .
( TechInsider )
Lego launches NASA rocket kit
Lego Ideas is launching a NASA Apollo Saturn V rocket set on June 1 , 2017 , to help space fans everywhere pull off historic moon missions from the comfort of their own homes . Like NASA ’ s storied space programme , this kit will come with three separable Saturn V rocket stages , a lunar orbiter , lunar module , crew of three astronauts , and even an American flag for the micro-figurines to plant on the moon .
But Lego ’ s version won ’ t cost billions upon billions of dollars , gobble up nearly 4.5 % of the US national budget , or need to be fueled with hundreds of thousands of gallons of highly flammable kerosene and liquid oxygen . Instead , each set of plastic parts will be scaled down 110 times , stand an impressive one-meter ( 3.28 feet ) tall when fully assembled , and sell for $ 119 . Inside the box : exactly 1,969 pieces — a clever nod to the year of the first moon landing , by the crew of Apollo 11 , in July 1969 .
Lego rated the set for ages 14 and older . This should give parents a good excuse to steal it from their children , lock themselves in a bedroom , and gleefully assemble the space programme of their dreams on a carpet . The concept for this set got its start in August 2014 , when users “ whatsuptoday ” and “ saabfan ” posted their Saturn V concept to the Lego Ideas community , which lets members create , submit , and vote on new set plans .
Within a year , their project received 10,000 votes from fellow fans of plastic bricks . This triggered an automatic review by a board of Lego set designers , and in June 2016 , Lego announced that it would manufacture and sell the set . The company on Friday officially released the product . ( As a reward , the two users will get 1 % of the product sales and licensing revenue , minus Danish taxes .)