Software : Twitter introduces a hashtag codebreaker in new test feature

Twitter introduces a hashtag codebreaker in new test feature
Oracle snaps up TOA technologies for SaaS field service
Office for iPad update bolsters PDF support, adds fonts
Updated: BBM finally arrives on Windows Phone

Twitter introduces a hashtag codebreaker in new test feature

Posted:

Understanding the meaning behind popular Twitter hashtags can at times be tricky. There's acronyms, no spaces between the words and sometimes people don't even have the common decency to use casing.

Twitter is testing a new feature that could make things easier for those struggling to decipher the message behind trending tags, by spelling them out for some users of the iOS app.

The Wall Street Journal reports popular tags like #tbt and #smh are being explained as 'Throwback Thursday' and 'Shake My Head' when users click on them.

Likewise #OITNB appears as Orange is the New Black and #manutd is expanded to Manchester United, with Twitter giving users the opportunity to rate the interpretation for accuracy.

Small sample

It's not clear how wide the test is right now. It's common for Twitter to trial new features on a small percentage of its use rbase before rolling them out.

Sometimes they make it into the main app, sometimes they don't.

In this case a hashtag codebreaker would certainly be a welcome addition to the service.

Opinion: Twitter's new mute feature is for chumps

Via Engadget

Oracle snaps up TOA technologies for SaaS field service

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Oracle has announced the acquisition of TOA technologies, adding the latter's product portfolio to its own. In due time, it will be absorbed into Oracle's Customer Experience cloud and Oracle ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions.

The 11-year old TOA is based in Cleveland, Ohio and employs 500 people. It offers solutions for enterprises of all size and complexities; its three products are ETA direct (professional and enterprise) as well as ETA workforce.

Oracle acknowledged TOA's leadership in what it calls "cloud-based field service solutions that optimize the last mile of customer service for enterprises by coordinating and managing activities between dispatchers, mobile employees and their customers."

How to develop an ERP system

Altogether, TOA manages 120 million service events and counts brands such as E.ON, Telefonica, Virgin Media and Vodafone amongst its customers.

The acquisition appears to be targeted at Salesforce.com, which counts TOA as one of its key partners. Buying TOA means that Oracle now has access to a number of Salesforce.com customers who might be encouraged to move away from the latter.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed and the transaction is expected to close later this year.

Office for iPad update bolsters PDF support, adds fonts

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Microsoft has outed a significant update to its free Office for iPad app.

The list of features includes Presenter view for PowerPoint that lets you interact with the tablet when displaying a presentation to another screen.

That accompanies a wealth of improvements including eraser and pen settings and the ability to edit hyperlinks from within the app.

Excel users also get a welcome update in the form simplified interaction with PivotTables, easier grid navigation and improvements around printing capabilities - including more paper sizes.

Pretty words

Across the three apps, Microsoft has also added support for third-party fonts, the ability to export content to PDF regardless of whether you have an Office 365 subscription or not and new tools to edit pictures from Office for iPad itself (rather than relying on a third party).

The original iteration, which was unveiled in March 2014, needs to be used in conjunction with Office 365 for anything other than viewing.

The company made it abundantly clear that the update was done on the back of user feedback and is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to deliver continuous improvements as part of an initial "conversation starter".

Hands on: Office for iPad review

Updated: BBM finally arrives on Windows Phone

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Update July 31: Break out the bubbly. BBM beta is finally publicly available to all Windows Phone users.

You'll need Windows Phone 8 or Windows Phone 8.1 to start thumbing out messages. Features familiar to the BBM set are there, though the company is really focusing on three key ones to start - Contacts, Chats and Feeds.

The app aims to fit in with the Windows Phone look, meaning it emulates Microsoft's Metro motif. Users can also pin Groups and 1:1 chats on the Start screen for easy access.

This is only BBM version one, and BlackBerry says it's already hard at work on version two, when it will bring more features to the fore. The app is free and available now (again, as a beta) in the Windows Phone Store.

Original article below...

Android and iOS won't be alone at the BlackBerry Messenger party anymore come July, when BBM will launch for Windows Phone devices.

After BlackBerry launched BBM for iOS and Android in 2013 it was only a matter of time before the messaging service arrived on WP as well, and the company confirmed in February that it would arrive this year.

Now BlackBerry CEO John Chen has informed the public that BBM for Windows Phone will in fact arrive in July.

Four's a crowd

Chen dropped the news on an earnings call Thursday morning, CrackBerry reports.

Windows Phone will be the fourth platform to host BBM, after BlackBerry 10, iOS and Android.

The most recent advancement on the iOS and Android side was the addition of free calling among BBM users. However, it's unclear at this point what features will be available in the WP version when it arrives next month.

We've asked BlackBerry for some more details about BBM for Windows Phone, and we'll update here if we receive any.

Best Windows Phone - which should you buy?

Yahuui Blog

Friday, August 1, 2014