Apple iMessage and FaceTime not working for some users

10 April 2013 12:48 AM

Apple has confirmed that its iMessage and FaceTime services are not currently working for some users. On Apple’s System Status page, both iMessage and FaceTime are listed as having issues with a note underneath each that reads “Some users affected.” All other services are up.

iPhone owners have already been aware that iMessage is down. As “iPhones” and “iMessage” have both been trending on Twitter in relation to the downtime. If you thought it was just your phone, rest assured it’s not. You will still be able to send messages to friends though, they will just send as normal text messages rather than iMessage’s, of course that means you will have to suffer with those ugly green chat bubbles temporarily.

The issues began around 3:15PM eastern time according to Apple. It’s been a little over three hours now. The actual problem itself is unidentified at this point, so there’s unfortunately no way of knowing when Apple will resolve the iMessage and FaceTime woes.

Apple has a history of having issues keeping up its services like iMessage and iCloud. This is far from the first time iMessage has been down and if I was a betting man, I’d say it probably won’t be the last.

UPDATE 1:30 AM Wednesday, April 10, 2013 (BST): It looks like iMessage and FaceTime is working again.

Feature Points On iOS and Android, Earn Free Money For Downloading Apps

28 March 2013 9:58 PM

Feature Points
Have you ever wanted to get free money? A new app for Android and iOS, Feature Points, is now offering this feature. The old saying “money doesn’t grow on trees” still applies here. However, if you have an Android or iOS device, you can get rewarded just for using your phone.

More specifically, Feature Points works by providing you with a list of free apps. Each app on the list has a number of points connected to it. After you download this app and use it for 30 to 60 seconds, your account should be rewarded with the points.

The app originated on iOS and was just released for Android in February. In our experience with the app over the past 24 hours, we noticed a few bugs with the WebView interface. Otherwise, if you are worried about Feature Points being a scam, you should be reassured by the fact that Chris Pirillo and other tech junkies used it on iOS.

To get started, visit the following list on your mobile device (+50 bonus points included free). So what do you think about being rewarded for downloading free apps? Is it a good marketing strategy or too good to be true? Let us know in the comments below.

LINE – A fun WhatsApp alternative that lets you make calls and chat for free

23 March 2013 10:41 PM

Line

LINE lets you call, chat and send photos to others for free, from your Smartphone, Mac or Computer.

LINE allows you to make free calls to other users of the service. This includes the ability to make calls between the iPhone and Android versions of LINE. The application is easy to set up, allowing you to register with your phone number or email address (the latter option only gives you access to text chat, though.)

The call function of LINE works really well. Although the option to make video calls is missing, the sound quality when making calls is excellent. There is a slight delay in calls both via WiFi and 3G, though the quality is still better than both Fring and Skype.

Text chatting in LINE is easy, with support for group chats of up-to 100 people, and a good selection of emoticons to add to your conversations. Unlike WhatsApp, LINE allows you to chat between the desktop and mobile versions of the application – on the go and at the office!

LINE is a viable alternative to apps like WhatsApp and Viber, allowing you to make free calls on your phone with good audio quality.

Download LINE now free for; iPod/iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Mac OS X, Windows or Windows 8

Formspring is shutting down

16 March 2013 10:02 PM
Formspring Logo

Formspring Logo

Formspring, a start-up that helped pioneer the “ask me anything” format of anonymous Q&A online, is shutting down. The San Francisco company announced the news in a blog post yesterday afternoon.

The closure of the Q&A platform will occur March 31st, and users will be able to export their data until April 15th, Formspring’s founder and CEO Ade Olonoh wrote in the closure announcement.

Formspring may have been the first mover in its space when it launched back in 2009, but its brand was certainly hurt when parts of its service were replicated by larger existing players such as Tumblr. The company, which raised a total of $14 million in venture capital, worked to keep its independent edge: For instance, last year Formspring rebranded itself with the launch of an “interest-based social network” that downplayed the anonymous Q&A aspects which had been copied by others. But it seems that it just wasn’t quite enough to keep things growing as Formspring and its investors may have hoped.

Rumors had swirled in recent months that Formspring had made internal cuts of key staffers, and also saw the departure of its charismatic COO Ro Choy. Today’s news shows that it was unfortunately all leading to this closure, and not to an acqui-hire situation.

Here is the blog post announcing the shut down in full:

Formspring launched in November 2009 as a unique way for people to have engaging conversations about anything. Eventually reaching over 30 million registered users and 4 billion posts, Formspring grew beyond my wildest dreams to become an important part of how people interact online.

I’m grateful to each of you that helped make the site better by asking questions and posting responses. None of this would have been possible without you. Through the community you created, we’ve met new people, strengthened relationships, opened our minds to different points of view, and made each other smile.

Unfortunately, and with great sadness, I must announce that Formspring is shutting down. While we’ve had great success in reaching a broad audience, it’s been challenging to sustain the resources needed to keep the lights on.

Sunday, March 31st will be the last day you’ll be able to ask questions or post content on Formspring. You’ll be able to export your responses from now through Monday, April 15th, after which the site and apps will go offline, and any content will be permanently deleted.

You can export the responses you’ve posted by following these steps:

  1. Log into your account and visit http://www.formspring.me/account/export
  2. Click the export button
  3. When your export is ready you’ll receive an email
  4. Visit http://www.formspring.me/account/export again to download a zip file with your data

Sincerely,
Ade Olonoh, Founder and CEO.

YouNow ‘Acquires’ BlogTV

15 March 2013 4:20 AM
YouNow.com

YouNow.com Acquires BlogTV for it’s users?

YouNow, the fast-growing live social network, announced today that it has acquired blogTV, the veteran social streaming service, founded in 2006. YouNow will integrate blogTV’s four million users into the YouNow service.

As part of this integration, blogTV.com will redirect its users to YouNow.com and operate under the YouNow brand starting March 27th. Existing blogTV users will have the opportunity to easily merge their accounts onto the YouNow service using their Facebook login and blogTV credentials. blogTV users will be able to sync important data from their blogTV accounts, including their usernames, broadcasts, social connections, registration date and status. All users from blogTV that merge their accounts with YouNow will be able to view their integrated blogTV information, including all recorded broadcasts, on their new YouNow profile page.

The integration will also allow blogTV users to gain unique levels and rewards based on their blogTV site activity, seniority, number of subscribers, and PRO membership. To accommodate the blogTV users, YouNow has also created special new channels to allow all users to broadcast immediately, without waiting in a queue, as is the case with the classic YouNow channels.

As part of the acquisition, YouNow will also integrate parts of blogTV’s award-winning technology onto its platform, including features loved by blogTV’s millions of users.

“YouNow, with its fresh social and mobile functionality, is a great environment for our dedicated users,” says Oren Levy, founder and CEO of blogTV. “YouNow has the features that our users have been asking us for! I am excited to be working with YouNow’s experienced A-list team to continue to innovate in the social television space.”

BlogTV’s staff will remain with YouNow. Mr. Levy will stay on as a consultant to YouNow.

“We are excited to join forces with the experienced blogTV staff. We are committed to serving our new blogTV users as best as we can and welcome them into our joint community,” says Adi Sideman, CEO, YouNow. “Our business is to connect people, and provide an audience to anyone who wishes to broadcast. With the addition of the blogTV community, our ability to do just that has significantly increased.”

About YouNow

YouNow is a live network that allows users to collaboratively broadcast live and interact with audiences in real time. The live network encourages users to participate in the broadcast experience, facilitating an entirely new entertainment format. YouNow enables users to expand their social influence, and is the only platform in the world that guarantees users an audience.

About blogTV

blogTV is a leading live, interactive, internet broadcasting platform that enables anyone with a webcam or mobile phone to broadcast LIVE. Its viewers can watch LIVE shows and interact with the broadcaster — it’s 24/7, interesting, genuine, live content, created by real people!

To learn more about the YouNow/blogTV acquisition, please email Candice Reeves at [email protected].