Software : Instagram completely disables Twitter integration

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• Instagram completely disables Twitter integration
• In Depth: 10 best hidden features in Windows 8
• Nook Video store comes to the UK, brings UltraViolet access
• Australian police suggest not using Apple Maps
• Game developer slams Microsoft after hit game pulls in a pittance
• Twitter photo filters coming before 2013?
• In Depth: Google Currents: what it is and why you should care

Instagram completely disables Twitter integration Posted: Bad news for hipsters everywhere: Instagram won't work with Twitter anymore. Last week, the retro photo filter company took the first step towards a clean break with the microblogging service by disabling support for Twitter Cards. This had the effect of making any Instagram snaps uploaded to Twitter to appear cropped. And now it's removed Twitter support altogether. So now, when you share an Instagram photo, only the link will appear. Looks like Twitter better get cracking with those photo filters it's rumoured to be working on. Twitter confirmed Instagram's action on its status blog. "Instagram has disabled photo integration with Twitter," the update reads. "As a result, photos are no longer appearing in Tweets or user photo galleries. "While tweeting links to Instagram photos is still possible, you can no longer view the photos on Twitter, as was previously the case." War of the photo sharing Instagram is now owned by Facebook, which is one of Twitter's arch rivals. So it makes sense for it to extricate itself from Twitter. Twitter is also rumoured to be working on its own photo filters. The tool could be available before the end of the year, according to reports over the weekend. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey could already be testing the feature while out and about. Via VentureBeat

In Depth: 10 best hidden features in Windows 8 Posted: There are two distinct parts to Windows 8 — the desktop, which looks and feels a lot like Windows 7, and the all-new, all-singing, all-dancing Start page, which is a complete departure for the operating system. If you've just upgraded, it may take you some time to discover all of the tools hidden away in the nooks and crannies of Windows 8, so here are the top 10 hard-to-find features you should be aware of. If you've uncovered some useful tricks of your own, let us know in the comments. 1. The secret Start menu Moving your mouse cursor down to the bottom-left of the screen and left-clicking switches to the tiled Start page... but if you right-click instead, you'll be met with a menu linking to key areas of the operating system, including Control Panel, the command prompt and the Task Manager. 2. Sync your settings Windows 8 supports the old user account system, but it can also create a new kind of user account that's linked to your Windows ID, and pulls in information from SkyDrive, Xbox, Hotmail/Outlook and all the other cloud services the company is pushing. A linked account can also sync your Windows settings (from your desktop wallpaper to your browsing history) across machines, which is handy if you have multiple computers at home or at work. Launch the Settings charm, then choose 'Change PC settings' and open the 'Sync your settings' page to configure the feature. 3. Windows Defender Windows Defender is back from extinction, taking over from Microsoft Security Essentials. Unlike Security Essentials, Windows Defender tackles both viruses and spyware, and comes baked into the operating system. You'll notice that it makes an appearance in Windows 8 if you don't already have antivirus and anti-spyware tools in place, leaping into action to plug whichever security gaps need filling. 4. Simpler shutdown It's the same keyboard shortcut as in previous versions of Windows, but it's worth mentioning here because Windows 8 makes shutting down your PC more drawn out. Rather than opening the Charms bar, clicking Settings, selecting the Power button and choosing 'Shut down', simply press Alt+F4 while viewing the desktop. You can then press Enter to shut down the PC or choose an alternative option from the drop-down menu. 5. Built-in screenshots Windows 7 had the Snipping Tool for taking screenshots, and this tool is still around in Windows 8. However, there's an even easier way to capture what's happening on your display — press the Windows key and the PrtScn button together, and a PNG grab will be automatically saved to your Pictures library. 6. Keyboard shortcuts Swiping and tapping around Windows 8 is fine on a touchscreen interface, but what about standard laptops and desktops? Knowing the keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8 can save you a lot of clicking and dragging with the mouse, and make it easier to navigate the operating system. Win+C brings up the Charms bar, for example, while pressing the Windows key on its own switches between the desktop and the Start page. Another useful one: hit Ctrl+Tab on the Start page to switch to the 'All apps' view. 7. Snap your apps As you may already know, Windows 7 allowed you to snap windows to the side of the screen by clicking and dragging the title bar. Windows 8 goes one step further, enabling users to dock a Start page app (like Weather or Bing) to the side while you work on the desktop. So, for example, you could keep an eye on the forecast while playing around in Photoshop, or stay in touch with your Twitter feed via the People app while crunching numbers in Excel. To dock a full-screen Start page app, drag it from the top to the left or right of the screen. You can run Start page apps alongside each other too. 8. File History Windows 8 can keep track of previous versions of your important files, which can be a lifesaver if you accidentally delete a document or a favourite photo becomes corrupted. The feature - File History - is not enabled by default, so you'll have to activate it from the System and Security section of Control Panel. The only caveat is you'll need a second hard drive available, whether this is external, internal or networked. 9. ISO support Windows 7 came with a built-in ISO burner; Windows 8 does away with the burning, and can launch ISOs (and VHD files) natively. Double-click on a downloaded or ripped ISO to view its contents; right-click and choose 'Mount' to run it. 10. Reinstall Windows Here's a feature you might not come across until something goes wrong - Windows' new reinstall routine, known as Reset (on the PC Settings page). There's no need to dig out discs or serial codes, because everything you need is already available, hidden away on the hard drive. Returning Windows to its factory setting takes a handful of clicks, and has never been easier. Alternatively, you can do a 'refresh', which brings back all the default operating system settings, keeping your personal files, settings, the programs that came with your PC and any applications that you have downloaded from the Windows Store.

Nook Video store comes to the UK, brings UltraViolet access Posted: Barnes and Noble has brought its Nook Video service to the UK, letting you stream and download a host of films and TV shows on your Nook tablet. It's also the first service in the UK to be compatible with UltraViolet, which lets you play movies and shows on compatible devices, and gives you digital copies of physical discs. Nook Video has deals with BBC Worldwide, HBO, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, STARZ, and Warner Bros. Entertainment. So there should be plenty to watch on your Nook HD or Nook HD+ tablet. Movies come in standard or high definition, and are stored in the Nook Cloud. You'll soon be able to watch them on other devices, when the free Nook Video apps launch. UltraViolet (Blu-)rays The use of UltraViolet is pretty cool, too. You can sync your Nook tablet with your UltraViolet account using the Nook Cloud, and then then films you've bought previously will appear on your Nook. Buy a DVD or Blu-ray featuring the UltraViolet logo, and you can add them digitally too, ready to watch on your tablet. So if you start watching at home, you can get on the train with your tablet and not miss a second. The Nook HD and HD+ went on sale in the UK at the end of last month. The 7-inch HD costs the same as the Kindle Fire HD, at £159, while the 9-inch HD+ will set you back £229.

Australian police suggest not using Apple Maps Posted: Apple's much-criticised iOS 6 mapping app may have improved since it launched in October, but it's still a long way from being usable. Today, the Australian state of Victoria's police force publicly denounced the mapping software. In a statement on its website, Victorian police are urging consumers to look for alternate mapping solutions after a series of events that saw motorists incorrectly directed into a national park. The problem lies in Apple's perceived location of the town of Mildura. Instead of being found where the town actually exists, Apple's iOS6 mapping instead places the town of 30,000 people in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, about 70km away. In recent weeks, the police have received multiple calls from stranded travellers, some of whom have spent 24 hours stuck in the park with no food or water, and been forced to walk through Australia's dangerous terrain to get mobile reception to call for help. Apple contacted The Victorian police has taken the matter up with Apple directly to try and find a rapid solution to the problem. It has also taken the step of warning people travelling to Mildura, or other locations in Victoria, to use alternate mapping programs. Given Apple itself took the unprecedented step of naming viable alternatives to Maps, this isn't surprising. But it is another blow to the much maligned mapping software.

Game developer slams Microsoft after hit game pulls in a pittance Posted: Developer Rubicon launched a scathing attack on Microsoft this weekend after a popular game pulled in just £52 (USD$83, AUD$79) in its first week on Windows RT. The Great Big War Game - a big hit on the iOS and Android platforms - has only three reviews after its first week on sale, each of them giving it the full five stars. In a furious blog post, entitled 'Windows RT - Born to fail' the game's creator claimed it had been 'spat on' by Microsoft and vowed to halt all development for the platform. Rubicon criticised Microsoft for not featuring the game prominently on its store because it hadn't been launched for Intel-based Windows 8 machines too. Bitter and twisted The post, which has now been deleted, read: "Apple regularly promote our apps. Android regularly promote our apps. Even RIM (Blackberry) regularly promote our apps... Microsoft on the other hand clearly do not value us at all." "If other developers get this treatment, that store is going to look mighty bleak for a long time to come. Please take this as a warning. "I know I sound bitter and twisted and there's a reason for that – I actually am. We have wasted a lot of time, resources and money on supporting this platform and all that happened was we got spat on." The developer claimed to have spent £10,000 (USD$16,300 AUD$15,200) on porting the game over to Windows RT and said it would take two years to make back its money at the current rate of sales. Gracious Later, after removing the post, Rubicon said it had received a response from Microsoft and said the company was planning to work more closely with the developer. "If anyone already read this post, it has had a very positive effect and Microsoft have graciously decided work with us to iron out the problems and get us past this incident," the new post read. "With a sense of fair play, I'm putting my grumpiness on hiatus and deleting the juicy bits. Which was all of it, sorry."

Twitter photo filters coming before 2013? Posted: The long-rumoured Twitter photo-tweaking tool may arrive before the year is out, according to reports this weekend. The social network is thought to be testing a new version of its mobile app, which would allow Instagram-like filters to be added to smartphone photos before they're uploaded to a feed. AllThingsD is reporting that the company wants to get the app into the hands of its users before the festive season rolls around. Indeed, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey may already be road testing the app, after posting black-and-white filtered photos of his Square colleagues and the wing of a plane this weekend. Twitter on lockdown If the reports are to be believed, Twitter's plans may have been accelerated by the new war with Instagram, which has broken out over the course of the last week. Earlier this week, Twitter turned off the 'Cards' functionality for Instagram, which means users cannot see Instagram posts 'in-line' within Twitter feeds and have to click the link to view the photo. That move was likely down to a combination of three potential reasons: Firstly, Twitter is desperately trying to engage users with official clients and shut down third-parties. Secondly, Instagram is now owned by Facebook, so the gloves are off, and thirdly, Instagram recently rolled out web profiles for users, which could again be considered a threat to Twitter.

In Depth: Google Currents: what it is and why you should care Posted: The internet has revolutionised the way we receive news updates, and thanks to mobile phones, we can stay up-to-date with the latest stories as they break. Sources such as BBC News and The Guardian are regularly updated, but keeping an eye on news sites can be a bit of a faff, especially if you're browsing on a mobile phone. Google's Currents brings lots of disparate sources together in one place, and formats them for easy reading on mobile devices. It's incredibly customisable, too, and you can add everything from popular news stories to your favourite esoteric blog. It also saves the content of news stories so you can read them when you're offline, which is handy if you're on a limited data contract or a Wi-Fi-only tablet. 1. Find Currents Google Currents comes pre-installed on many new Android devices. If it's not already on yours, search the Play Store for 'Currents', then tap 'Install' followed by 'Accept and install'. Find it in your apps and open it. You'll notice that Currents has two panels, and this design is present throughout. 2. Panel show At Currents' homepage, the panel to the left (or top in portrait mode) shows new and important news stories, and swiping enables you to browse stories from numerous sources. The right (or bottom) panel shows a list of all the current news sources, such as The Guardian, The Independent and Now Magazine. 3. New news Tap the plus symbol in the upper-right corner or the 'Add more' icon to add sources to Currents. Browse through the various categories until you find one that interests you, then tap it and scroll through the list of sources. Tap 'Add free of charge' to add particular sources to your Currents library. 4. Limitless There's no limit to the number of sources you add to your library, and adding loads makes for an interesting and diverse news feed. Return to your homepage and you will see the newly added icons. Tap on one of these and you are taken straight to the news source's main Currents page. 5. Feel the current Currents pages vary, but generally you'll find a big news story, a few smaller ones and top stories from each of the news source's sections. Tapping on a story takes you straight to it, whereas tapping on a section gives you an overview of everything related to it. Swipe horizontally to see more. 6. Keen reader When a story's open, you can swipe to the left to read it in a mobile-friendly layout. Tap images to view full-size, and tap videos to watch them. Tapping at the top when viewing a story reveals a 'share' icon, which enables you to send stories to contacts. The settings icon enables you alter the text size. 7. Offline sync Syncing Currents means that you can read stories offline, which is a definite boon if you're on a Wi-Fi-only tablet. Tap the 'Menu' icon followed by 'Sync now' to get everything up to date. Tap 'Settings' within the menu to choose whether or not to download images as well for offline viewing. 8. Trending stories Trends are current news stories that have attracted a lot of media interest. You can find them by tapping 'Library' on the Currents homepage and then switching it to 'Trending'. You will see a list of the top stories; simply tap one of these to go to a list of all the sources for that story. 9. Contents page To the upper-right of this page you'll see 'Stories', which have been published in the media; 'User Generated', which are non-professional content and videos; and 'About', which searches the internet for more information on a topic. Tapping on stories and content takes you to the relevant web page or video. 10. Manage trending You can add more trends from Currents' homescreen by tapping the plus symbol or 'Add More Trends'. Here you'll find lots of categories, such as 'Entertainment' or 'Sport', which can be added to the trending section of Currents. Don't forget that you can switch back to your library at any time, too. 11. RSS feeds If there's a particular site or blog you follow that you can't find in Currents, you can still add it - provided it has an RSS feed. Standing for Really Simple Syndication, it's the 21st century equivalent of ticker-tape, providing a regularly-updated stream of content, which can be formatted to fit Currents. 12. Searching From the Currents homescreen, switch to the Library view using the menu to the upper-left. Tap the plus symbol or the 'Add more' link, and then tap the search magnifying glass to the upper-right. You can search for keywords ('BBC', for example) and you will see a list of related RSS feeds. 13. Searching Tap 'Add free of charge' to include relevant RSS feeds in Currents. If you can't find an RSS feed here, you can add one manually. You'll need to fire up your web browser and visit the relevant website, then find its RSS feed - this will generally be towards the top or bottom of the site's homepage. 14. Copy and paste Long-press on the RSS feed link, and then choose 'Copy link address'. Now open Currents again, tap 'Add more' and then the 'Search' icon. Long-press on the search bar and choose 'Paste'. Tap 'Go' and then 'Add free of charge' to the right, then press 'Back' and you'll see the new feed in your Currents homepage. 15. Add RSS feeds You can add more feeds - such as Tumblr blogs and Facebook updates, for example - using this method. Usually they are already formatted for Currents and available to read offline, but occasionally you'll have to tap 'See original article' to go to the website's page in your web browser. 16. Strong Currents You've now set up Google Currents to your individual news tastes, discovered trending stories, and added RSS feeds from other websites - well done! Remember that you can use Currents offline, and that the news sources are regularly updated, so you can always stay on top of things.

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