Facebook Developing Camera App Similar to Snapchat

Facebook to come up with Stand-Alone Camera App

According to online source report, quoting people familiar with the matter, Facebook is coming up with a stand-alone camera app which will be like the disappearing photo app Snapchat, to upsurge user engagement and will encourage its 1.6 billion users to create and share photos and videos.The app which is being developed by the friend-sharing team of Facebook in London is said to be in its initial stage and may not come to completion, as per the report.

 Moreover, the newspaper has reported that the company is also said to be scheduling a feature which would enable user to record video through the app to start live streaming. The same had caused apprehension within Facebook, over increasingly passive behaviour on the social network of the user. Several of the users tend to check Facebook often or multiple times a day though few tend to share photos, video and update of status regarding their own lives.

Withdrawing the trend seems to be a growing priority within the company. Facebook spokeswoman had refrained from commenting on the product plans. She had mentioned that the overall level of sharing on Facebook had been strong and alike to levels in prior years. People familiar with the matter had stated that the camera-first format is focused in motivating users to create photos and videos.

Open to Personalized Feed/Articles

The flagship mobile app, in comparison, tends to open to a personalized feed or articles, status, updates and ads, which encourages users to use content, though not necessarily create it. The approach also tends to differ from Instagram image-sharing network of Facebook that had gained reputation as a place to post the best, most well-photographed pictures.

 Instagram tends to compel users to go through numerous steps before posting an image, inclusive of filters and it is not the first time that Facebook has built an app encouraging sharing. It had launched Slingshot, in June 2014, a Snapchat like app which enabled users to trade photos and videos, which disappeared after 24 hours.

It had earlier launched a photo-editing as well as sharing app known as Camera and none gained much traction among users which was later on dropped. The latest app would have a bit different features like the live-streaming mode. In the past year, the decline in sharing on Facebook has developed as a problem.

New Feature - `On This Day’

Technology news website – The Information had reported earlier this month that the original broadcast sharing on Facebook had dropped by 21% as of mid-2015 when compared with the earlier year.During the first quarter of 2016, 33% of Facebook users surveyed by market researcher GlobalWebIndex had informed that they had updated their profile status in the past month and 37% stated that they had uploaded or shared their own photos.

A year back, 44% had informed that they had updated their profile status in the past month and 46% stated that they had uploaded or shared their photos. The camera app just seems to be one way that Facebook intends tackling the issue.

 Facebook has also tried to re-engage users with a new feature known as `On This Day’ that permits users relive and share past posts. According to GlobalWebIndes, this together with similar features could have prompted more users to `like’ Facebook post. It also said that that in the first quarter of 2016, 82% of Facebook users had clicked `like’ at least once in the previous month up from 73% at the same period, a year earlier.

World's Largest Aircraft Airlander 10

The Airlander 10 – World’s Largest Aircraft

The world’s largest aircraft, the Airlander 10 has ultimately been given its official name – Martha Gwyn, which had uncharitably earned the nickname of the `Flying Bum’ owing to its characteristic shape when seen from front.

The name had been disclosed at a ceremony at its hanger in Shortstown, Bedfordshire, just days after regulators had given the go-ahead for its first flight which was to take place later in the year, by Duke of Kent. Hybrid Air Vehicles, building the Airlander has also revealed that it hadraised-up over £1 billion in crowdfunding push this month and the airship is named after the wife of the chairman of Hybrid Air Vehicles, Philip Gwyn.

Mrs Gwyn had stated that she can’t really take it in and had a shire horse named after her in the past and this is the first airship. She adds that when The Duke had stood back and she read and then looked again and read it, it took some time for it to sink in and that it has been an enormous surprise.

Offer Business/Leisure Flights

The Duke of Kent, who is the pilot himself, during his visit to the First World War era hanger where the Airlander is retained, was shown around the flight deck and cabin of the aircraft before being given the occasion of experiencing what it would be like to fly in the aircraft in its flight trainer.

Over 302 ft. long, the aircraft which is part plane and partairship is about 50 feet longer than the largest passenger jets. It is said that the design of the hybrid airship had been first developed for the US government as a long endurance surveillance aircraft though it fell short of defence falloffs.

 The British firm Hybrid Air Vehicles has launched a campaign in May 2015, to return the Airlander 10 to the skies and would now carry out ground testing before 200 hours of test flights which tends to begin later in the year. The ship is said to be converted to offer business as well as leisure flights in a hanger in Cardington, Bedfordshire.

Conception – Lighter than Air Technology-Airships/Aerodynamic Lift - Airplanes

The conception behind it is to combine the lighter than air technology that is used in airships with the aerodynamic lift that is seen in airplanes, enabling it to travel long distances with comparatively less fuel and set down without the need for large measure runways.

Last October, one of its fins which measures 29 feet by 36 feet was filled with 1.3 million cubic feet of helium adequate to fill 15 Olympic sized swimming pools, in a test run. However in spite of its impressive size and design, which is anticipated to give a boost, in using airships, the vehicles tend to attract more attention due to its appearance.

The test in October resulted in a stir on Twitter, with several spotting the airship rather unfortunate resemblance to a human bottom. In one of the case, head-on image of the airship had been changed with the inclusion of a picture of Kim Kardashian who is said to be famous for her derriere. In November, the aircraft had already been tested with successful float test with the hull being filled with helium and floated external of the aircraft hangar, though it would be the first test once the engines are attached successfully.

Bots Explained

Bots/Chatbots Popular Models for Software

Bot is a software which has been designed to automate the kinds of jobs one tend to do usually on their own, such as making a dinner reservation, fetching and displaying information or adding an appointment to your calendar. While technology to simulate conversation with the computer has been around for several years, bots or chatbots are a popular model for software. The common kind of bots, chatbots tend to simulate conversation and often live within the messaging apps or are designed to look that way. It seems like one is chatting back and forth as one would do with a human being.

Some of the bots can handle various customer service requests that would usually need a telephone call to a human agent. For instance, a bot has been released by Taco Bell which permits you to order and pay for tacos via an automated chat conversion. Other bots such as X.ai could be helpful in scheduling the meeting for you wherein one could just add the bot to the email thread and it could handle the back and forth conversation essential in scheduling the meeting, makes you aware when the same is arranged and adds it to your calendar.

Bots Capable of automating all Types of Things

As the bot technology tends of progress, the thinking is that the bots would be capable of automating all types of things, possibly even things as complex as the taxes. Chatbots have already been there in several places where one tends to communicate, mainly messaging apps that lend themselves to conversational interface. Bots are there in Slack, which is the business-focused messaging service, several of which tend to help with the work-connected task like expenses or to-do-lists. Kik Messengers having about 275 million registered users has announced recently a bot store which comprise of one bot, to send people Vine videos and another to get makeup suggestions from Sephora.

For years, Twitter seems to have bot, such as bots which tweets about earthquakes as soon as they are registered or a Domino’s bot which permits you to order a pizza by tweeting a pizza emoji. Several of the users are expecting Facebook to roll out a bot store of some type at its annual F8 conference for software developers which would mean that these bots would soon be operative within Messenger, the messaging app.

Companies Stacking Big on Bots

Test of the virtual assistant bot known as `M’ had already begun, though the product seems to be available for a few people and mainly powered by humans. Several of the companies which are building the apps used on the phones are building bots. A group of companies are staking big on bots inclusive of Microsoft and Slack which tend to have easy access for bots.

The technology which tends to power bots, artificial intelligence software has been progressing intensely due to the sharp interest from key Silicon Valley powers such as Google and Facebook. Facebook which tends to have 900 million Messenger users is said to get into bots and many envisage this as a big probable opportunity and where Facebook seems to go, the rest of the industry tend to follow.

Slack which imports bot-based services has also developed radically to two million daily users which bot makers as well as the investors view it as a possible profitable market. It is helpful that messaging is seen as a new opportunity particularly in interacting with a corporation in the same personal space one would generally interact with a colleague.

How rude! Words to Avoid When Sending Email

List of Deadly Words to Avoid in Emails

The most pleasant and well manner person could seem like jerks in an email and writing an email which comes out like one would do in person is a fine art. In a conversation, one can adjust the tone, together with the facial expression accompanied with gestures and postures to fit the mood of what is being conveyed to the other person. This is done since people tend to respond on how it is said than to what is actually said. Email tends to strip a conversation plain.

It seems well-organized though otherwise, it turns easy communications into messy misunderstandings. Without the involvement of facial expressions and body posture for guidance in conveying message, people tend to view each word that is typed as an indicator of tone and mood.

Outsource-Philippines firm, a provider of global outsource solution, has gathered a list of ten deadly words which people should not use while composing emails, to make sure that you are not giving the recipient the wrong impression. Should you be using words like `thanks’ or showering with `I’s, me’s together with plenty of exclamation point !!!?, to end the emails, you could be considered as rude even if you don’t intend to do so. Some of the tips to be observed are avoiding swearing, usage of exclamation points sparingly, single one at most. One should avoid using word like `actually’, since it seems to make one sound, insulting and annoying.

Definite Terms/Words Best Said in Person

The site also recommends avoiding saying `sorry’ in an email since it seems better to apologize in person when one tends to make a mistake. According to the company, ‘communicating with clients and colleagues through email does not mean that one should not be careful with the choice of words. There are definite terms or words which are best said in person since one can identify easily the meaning behind it by observing the facial expression and tone of the speaker.

In fact, some of the tips tend to make sense especially in the context of customer care emails. Leslie Katz of CNET points out that some of the suggestions come across as far too broad, with regards to dealing with customers. The word `important’ could be helpful in underscoring a point without implying rudely the readers who are not smart enough to know the important emails when they seem them. She adds that `digital communication like several human interactions is far from one byte that suits all.

Swearing Not Helpful in Winning New Customers

At times, a bit of spontaneity together with a few exclamation points could go a long way in humanizing an exchange even one which tends to originate with a big faceless company and they actually can. As the infographic recommend, for instance, `fine’ could convey a couple of various messages - `that works’ and `sure, be that way’. Swearing will not possibly win one any new customers. Google `rude emails and one will encounter various tips on how to keep the emails on the right side of being rude.

Several recurrent points seem to be common sense and are worth bearing in mind, irrespective of the recipient. One needs to be professional and respectful, steer away from a Debbi Downer vibe, mitigate criticism with support and in stick circumstances, should give oneself, time-out before hitting the send key and be cautious of the risky reply-all.

EE Aims to Improve 4G and Relocate Customer Services in UK

EE Bringing Customer Service Operation Back to UK

After being branded as one of the worst mobile networks for customer satisfaction of UK, EE is making attempts of bringing its customer service operation back to the UK. The operator has mentioned that 100% of its customer service calls would be controlled in the UK and Ireland towards the end of 2016, giving rise to 600 new jobs in Merthyr, North Tyneside, Plymouth and Ireland.

Marc Allera, the new boss of the company had stated that EE had already improved customer satisfaction and reduced complaints by 50% by creating 1,400 new service jobs in UK and Ireland since 2014. He had stated that they are creating 600 additional jobs to handle all EE customer service calls in the UK and Ireland by the end of this year, offering the best possible experience for the customers.

 Alex Neill, director of campaigns and communications for Which, had stated that telecoms are a vital part of present life and providers need to begin delivering for their customers. EE had also made an announcement of a major investment in rural 4G coverage with a pledge to cover 95% of the landmass of UK by 2020.

Vital Aim of Covering Whole of UK with 4G

Usually mobile operators have focused on population coverage which means that the majority of investment has been put in providing 4G in cities and towns, where the population density seems to be the highest.

Though presently EE coverage has reached over 95% of the UK population, it has only reached about 60% of UK geography which means that large paths of the country does not have 4G coverage at all. Allera has stated that customers desire 4G speeds wherever they go and mobile operators are too used to saying `no’ to new coverage.

He further added that presently they have an ambition to go further than any operator has ever gone and with the vital aim of covering the whole UK with 4G. EE had made this commitment by switching on 4G in Shetland and the Isles of Scilly, which is almost 1,000 miles apart at the opposite ends of the UK.

EE to Build More New Cell Sites

This has been possible due to the fibre broadband links installed by BT which had recently closed its £12.5 billion acquisition of EE. EE intends to build more than 750 new cell sites all over the country, as part of its rural 4G rollout. Mr Allera has stated that the demand for 4G could help mobile network challenge public opposition to infrastructure like transmitter mast need to enable it.

The barriers needed to overcome are around how fast and easy it can get access to these sites as well as how to ensure that we do not have landlords who can charge ransom rates that would make it prohibitive to get a solution. He further informed that EE is working with the government in tackling the issue. Matthew Howett, Ovum analyst mentioned that reforms are vital for the success of the strategy and unless the government takes a lead on ensuring fair and reasonable access and site rentals, EE hopes 95% coverage will be apprehensive with difficulty.