Instagram has unreleased ‘nametag’ scanning, adds # & @ links to profiles

Instagram may copy Snapchat’s QR Snapcode scanning, judging by files buried in the Instagram Android app’s files. Meanwhile, today it’s starting to let users link to hashtags and other accounts from their profile.

“Nametag scan” images indicate Instagram might want to let you aim your phone’s camera at a visual code to open someone’s profile. Instagram declined to comment, but the last time we reported portrait mode files that were hidden inside Instagram, it was spotted testing a “Focus” portrait mode option a week later.

TechCrunch reader Ishan Agarwal discovered the files seen below and provided them to TechCrunch.

The nametag scanning feature could eventually launch under a different name like Focus did. It would be a boon to businesses and social stars looking to visually promote their accounts both online and in physical print materials. It also could assist users with long or complex usernames by making it easier for friends to follow them.

Profile links to hashtags and accounts

As for official new features, Instagram is expanding self-expression within the profile beyond your bio and website link. Users will now be able to add links to several hashtags of content on Instagram so they can show off their favorite subcultures and topics. Users also will be able to provide links to other Instagram accounts. That could help people promote their other accounts, pledge allegiance to their favorite creator or shout out their significant other.

“With hashtag and profile links in your bio, you can express yourself and your interests right in your profile. Whether you’re a #guitarlover, into #pencilsketching or have a #makeuptutorial account, now you can link to any hashtag or profile you want,” Instagram writes. Users can add the links through the Edit Profile bio section. A typeahead will help people find the right things to link to. Accounts you link to will get a notification alerting them.

The features could make sure people keep gaining new followers and finding new people to voyeuristically observe. Avoiding graph stagnation is critical to the app keeping users coming back. If people feel like they’ve seen enough preening photos and silly Stories from everyone they follow, they could drift from Instagram.

Meanwhile, hashtag links could encourage users to dive deeper into Instagram, beyond the feed and today’s Stories. Knowing that your friends love a certain #slime or #Jordans hashtag could convince you to leap down the rabbit hole. They also provide a better way to visually define your interests in ways your own images and bio text can’t. In those senses, the feature is similar to Instagram Story Highlights, which launched late last year to let you permanently show off your favorite expired Stories.

Instagram is increasingly becoming a calling card or internet home, especially for younger users who shun Facebook, which previously held that role. By opening new ways to scan or link to accounts, and display what they’re all about, Instagram could become the source of people’s online identity. 

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5 Office 365 Business Tools to Skyrocket Your Productivity

Office 365 is Microsoft’s subscription package designed for productivity and collaboration. So, the Office tools you get depends on the tier you choose.

You are already familiar with Word or PowerPoint. So, let’s explore five other Office 365 business tools that make team collaboration easier.

1. Skype for Business

Skype for Business was formerly known as Lync. Today, Lync is a separate program to the freely available Skype which is Microsoft’s main enterprise messaging and meeting solution. With it, you can communicate through text, audio, and video.

You can even host a call with up to 250 people, regardless of whether they’re in your organization.

There are many Skype alternatives. But, Skype for Business integrates so well with the rest of the Office 365 package that it doesn’t make sense not to use it.

One idea for using Skype for Business effectively:

When scheduling a meeting in Outlook, go to Appointment > Skype Meeting to automatically embed a link that people can click to connect.

Once in the meeting, you can click the Present icon to show your desktop, a PowerPoint presentation, or even start a poll. You can also click the Ellipses icon > Start Recording to save all audio and video from the meeting.

For more top tips, check out our guide to have the best meetings with Skype for Business.

2. Microsoft OneNote

If you want to improve your note taking, OneNote is the perfect solution for you. You can write notes, draw, capture screenshots, record audio, and so much more. It’s different to a word processor like Word. OneNote works more like a ring-binder, allowing you to collect your notes across all applications.

We’ve previously listed how to use OneNote for work, so check this guide out for some ultimate productivity tips.

For example, press Windows key + N at any moment to quickly scribe a note. Or highlight something you’ve typed and press Ctrl + 1 to turn it into a checkbox—the perfect beginning of a to-do list.

One idea for using Microsoft OneNote effectively:

Use the Draw tab for some visual recording, or the Insert > Record Audio/Video options. It’ll even help you transcribe text stored in an image. Simply right click the image and click Copy Text from Picture.

Hopefully, it’s clear that OneNote is much more than a simple note-taking application. For full information, be sure to read the only OneNote guide you’ll ever need.

3. Microsoft OneDrive

If you’ve been emailing files to colleagues or uploading them to file sharing sites, it’s time to stop and use OneDrive. It’s a cloud storage service like Dropbox and Google Drive that lets you upload files and access them from anywhere.

To put an individual file or group of files onto OneDrive, it’s as simple as Upload > Files or Folder respectively. Alternatively, go the New dropdown to immediately create things like a Word document or Excel workbook.

While it doesn’t function as a fully fledged backup solution, OneDrive does have version history. Right-click a file and click Version history to see recent changes to your file, from which you can then roll back to an earlier iteration.

One idea for using Microsoft OneDrive effectively:

For an organization, perhaps the most useful function is being able to share a file at a click of a button. Right-click a file and click Share.

From here you can use the dropdown to share the file with anyone, those in your organization, or specific people determined via email address. You can also create a shareable link or embed it straight into Outlook.

For more advice, check out our quick guide to using OneDrive in Windows 10.

4. Microsoft SharePoint

SharePoint is a beast. There’s no polite way of saying it. If you’ve ever encountered it in your organization, you may have preconceptions on what it is and whether it’s any good or not. Broadly speaking, SharePoint is a cloud intranet that lets teams create pages for themselves and the wider business.

SharePoint is capable of doing a lot and it relies on a strong IT team to implement it well and give it a decent structure. It’s not as user-friendly as some of Microsoft’s newer tools, but it can be as powerful, especially when you’re in a large organization that has problems sharing information.

One idea for using Microsoft SharePoint effectively:

Sharepoint is a complete content management system. Use it like a wiki—maybe as an informative microsite about your team or what you’re working on, These can be configured with integrations like polls or contact forms, along with storing and sharing files.

You can build your organization’s intranet homepage that brings together documents, emails, feeds (news, Yammer, or whatever you like), videos, and more. Upload training materials, tag your files with metadata and keep everyone engaged with notifications on the PC and mobile.

5. Microsoft Teams

Slack has taken the world by storm, but Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels. Instead, they fought back by launching Teams. While Teams looks much like Slack on the surface, it’s actually more than that. It blends chat and Office 365’s business applications together to create a collaboration hub.

Channels can be created for different discussion topics and your team members can quickly and simply chat back and forth with one another. Conversations can be threaded to stop people talking over one another. Emojis, gifs and custom memes can be sent to keep things fun.

One idea for using Microsoft Teams effectively:

Microsoft Teams integrates everything from Word to OneNote to Power BI. For example, you can upload a document into Teams and have people comment and collaborate on it without ever leaving the platform. Or you can use Planner to keep up-to-date with all your team’s work, assigning tasks and clearing to do lists as you go.

Perhaps even better is the ability to use third-party APIs or use their platforms. You could have a Twitter feed automatically update within your team area, for example, which is the sort of bot that Slack users might be familiar with. Teams can also integrate with things like Trello, meaning you can use the service without leaving the Teams environment.

How Do You Work With Office 365?

Use these Office 365 business tools together and you can make your organization more effective and collaborative. Of course, the best tools in the world alone won’t help you achieve that. See our tips for effective real-time online collaboration for more advice.

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These Machine Learning Courses Will Prepare a Career Path for You

Did you notice how Google Search has changed? Or how speech recognition and language translation has got better? I am sure you haven’t missed the personalized recommendations on sites like Amazon and Netflix.

That’s machine learning and artificial intelligence at work as it shapes our everyday lives.

It’s also an in-demand career that is future proof for now. For experienced programmers, machine learning skills are also not too difficult to learn. It is just another programming challenge that can solve big problems.

If you have a logical mind, take one of these online courses to understand the basic technology behind machine learning. This is part of our continuing series on the best Udemy courses you can benefit from.

1. Data Science, Deep Learning, & Machine Learning With Python

• Total students enrolled: 54000+
• Course length: 12 hours of video across 90 lectures
• Key lesson: Learn machine learning and data mining techniques employers are looking for.

Data mining is the grease that oils the wheels for machine learning. And, without this fuel, you cannot build an artificial neural network. A basic knowledge of programming with Python is one of the pre-requisites of this course.

The course starts with a crash course in Python and then takes you into the concepts of probability and statistics that are at the core of a data scientists job.

Any course on machine learning and artificial intelligence need to be exhaustive. This course is hands-on and practical with many downloadable code samples. Also, Frank Kane brings his real-world experience from the nine years spent at Amazon and IMDb.

2. Complete Python Bootcamp: Go From Zero to Hero in Python 3

• Total students enrolled: 256421+
• Course length: 24 hours of video across 185 lectures
• Key lesson: Learn the basics of Python and graduate to creating applications

By now, you should have noticed the importance of Python for machine learning. We have answered the most frequently asked questions about Python before but let’s understand its role in this field. Just one of the reasons for its popularity is the easier syntax. That makes it more intuitive to apply as a machine learning language.

Because of its popularity, there are a multitude of high-quality resources for mastering this Open Source language. This Udemy course will take you through 19 coding exercises for both Python 2 and Python 3.

It is suitable for a beginner who has never written a line of code and also for someone who wants to switch to this language.

3. Machine Learning A-Z: Hands-On Python & R in Data Science

• Total students enrolled: 226800+
• Course length: 40.5 hours of video across 281 lectures
• Key lesson: Create Machine Learning algorithms in Python and R

If you are serious about machine learning, then you have to get dirty with both Python and R. The R programming language is a popular choice for statistical programming and data modeling.

So, take on this course if your high school mathematics is still sharp. But don’t worry—the course isn’t too heavy on math. It is a practical course.

The expert instructors coach you through 2-7 algorithms on each topic. Machine learning uses algorithms to learn from data and make predictions. So, you will learn how to code each algorithm with Python and R.

To round it off, you can download the templates to refine and use in the future for any project.

4. Deep Learning A-Z: Hands-On Artificial Neural Networks

• Total students enrolled: 81415+
• Course length: 23 hours of video across 179 lectures
• Key lesson: Create Deep Learning algorithms in Python

The same instructors from the SuperDataScience team bring you another course on machine learning algorithms. Deep learning is a field within the larger scope of machine learning. Think of it as the next step in the evolution of machine learning.

The course above this on the list gives you a larger view with both Python and R. This course narrows it down as it relates to the design of artificial neural networks.

The course is broken down into two volumes: supervised deep learning and unsupervised deep learning. To cover both, you will learn all about artificial neural networks and self-organizing maps.

Also, the instructors put you at ease by explaining that you don’t need advanced math or statistics to learn and apply deep learning.

5. Complete Guide to TensorFlow for Deep Learning With Python

• Total students enrolled: 25493+
• Course length: 14 hours of video across 96 lectures
• Key lesson: Learn all about Google’s Deep Learning Framework

TensorFlow AI systems got in the news recently when it was revealed that Google was helping the US military drone programme. It’s the same AI that goes into the intelligent portrait mode on Pixel 2 cameras.

TensorFlow was developed by Google Brain and today it is one of the most popular open-source libraries for Deep Learning. It’s a major part of the free machine learning course by Google.

The course is an introduction to TensorFlow. With the help of Python, you will be able to enable you to code for your deep learning project.

You will start off with a crash course on Python libraries for data science, go into the variety of neural networks, and wrap it up with tutorials on how to build one with TensorFlow.

Machine Learning Isn’t Just Hype Anymore

According to PayScale, a beginner machine learning engineer earns an average of $99,993 per year. Yes, the machine learning and artificial intelligence landscape are gargantuan. It can also be daunting for anyone to find a firm toehold here because of the lack of a clear learning path.

These Udemy courses give you some structure and knowledge. As you know, every paid course on Udemy comes with:

• Lifetime access
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Certificate of completion

One of these five courses will help you take that first important step and decide if where you want to go with a career in computer science.

Image Credit: ktsdesign/Depositphotos

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8 Podcasts About Crypto for Future Bitcoin Millionaires

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have exploded into the public conscious.

The price of Bitcoin, the creation of the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, has fluctuated in price, making some people overnight millionaires, and others bankrupt. Some of the leading altcoins also saw their prices rise and fall.

The returns sound enticing. However, the crypto space can be intimidating for beginners. If you’d like to learn more about cryptocurrencies but don’t know where to start with Bitcoin, you could try listening to a few podcasts. They’ll bring you up to speed on the entire sector in no time.

Here are eight podcasts about cryptocurrencies that every wannabe Bitcoin millionaire needs to listen to. Just be sure not to turn into a Bitcoin bore as a result!

1. The Bad Crypto Podcast

Example episode: “What the Heck is Bitcoin?”

The Bad Crypto Podcast went live in mid-2017 and the two hosts—Joel Comm and Travis Wright—have been turning out new content at an impressive clip ever since. It took them just six months to release their 100th episode.

Joel and Travis take a light-hearted approach to discussing the current issues in the world of crypto, thus making their show extremely friendly for beginners.

If you’re looking for technical jargon and in-depth price analysis, this isn’t the podcast for you. If you want something that’s easy-on-the-ear to listen to in your car on the way to work, give it a try.

2. WhatBitcoinDid

Example episode: “Interview with Jameson Lopp”

The WhatBitcoinDid podcast is a spin-off from Peter McCormack’s excellent blog of the same name.

The show is interview-centric. Since its launch in late-2017, Peter has already interviewed some of the biggest names in crypto, including Luke Martin from Venture Coinist, trading celebrity Jameson Lopp, and crypto journalist Laura Shin.

Unfortunately, Peter doesn’t release new episodes very regularly; you can expect one or two per month. However, the quality of the interviews makes WhatBitcoinDid a worthy addition to your subscription list.

3. Unchained

Example episode: “The Tax Rules That Have Crypto Users Aghast”

Hosted by the previously mentioned Laura Shin, Unchained offers an enjoyable mix of business and technology that’s suitable for both beginners and seasoned crypto investors.

Interviewees include entrepreneurs, technologists, and investors. They discuss everything concerning crypto assets and blockchain technology.

Shin used to be a Senior Editor at Forbes but left after Unchained started to gain traction. Focusing on the podcast full-time has allowed her to release new content more frequently. The release schedule has gone from two episode a month to two or three new episodes every week.

4. Coin Mastery

Example episode: “Ripple Going On Coinbase? Trade The Rumor, Picking Bottoms, Analyzing History For Profit”

Coin Mastery is run by investor and marketer Carter Thomas.

Unlike the other podcasts we’ve introduced you to so far, Coin Mastery is almost exclusively centered on cryptocurrency trading. Market news, technical analysis, and fundamental analysis all get plenty of airtime.

The show is available as a podcast, but there’s also a YouTube channel. If possible, you should watch the video footage; many of the trading issues the show discusses have accompanying on-screen charts and graphs.

5. The Crypto Street Podcast

Example episode: “Crypto 303”

The Crypto Street Podcast is another interview-based show. Guests are typically full-time crypto traders and miners. Most of the time, the interviewee is also a well-known personality on Twitter.

Indeed, the podcast itself is run by three well-known Twitter users K1llerWh4le, CryptoDale, and Prince.

If Twitter is one of the leading ways in which you receive your crypto news, this is the podcast for you. You’ll be able to listen to many of the people you interact with every day.

6. The Bitcoin Podcast

Example episode: “Passion, Pain & Unicorn Slayin'”

The Bitcoin Podcast was one of the first crypto-centric shows that became popular. The first episode went live way back in May 2015.

All the episodes take a longform approach; the average episode length is well over 100 minutes. You can expect a new episode to drop every week.

As the popularity of the show grew, the show’s creators expanded the brand into The Bitcoin Podcast Network. The network now hosts seven podcasts in addition to The Bitcoin Podcast:

• Crypto ‘Til Infinity
• On-Ramping
• Buy or Sell, What the Hell
• An ETH Podcast
• Blockchain Future
• Announcements
• Blockchannel

All the shows are well-produced, and each has a different specialization.

7. Let’s Talk Bitcoin

Example episode: “Lightning in Real Life”

Let’s Talk Bitcoin is the longest-running show on this list. It’s been around since 2013, racking up more than 350 episodes since. At the moment, you can expect two new episodes per month.

The show is co-hosted by Andreas Antonopoulos; he is one of the world’s foremost Bitcoin experts and was an early advocate of the technology.

He’s also a bestselling author. His three books—Mastering Bitcoin, The internet of Money, and The Internet of Money Volume Two—have all been mega hits.

If you've ever learned about, participated, used or benefited from Bitcoin in any way, please donate to Andreas M. Antonopoulos #THANKYOUANDREAS https://t.co/vjvlidsQ8Y

— Erik Voorhees (@ErikVoorhees) December 6, 2017

Indeed, Antonopoulos is so well-loved in the community that he received $2 million in Bitcoin donations when he revealed he hadn’t benefitted from 2017’s bull run due to personal cash flow issues.

The Let’s Talk Bitcoin show covers everything from news and investing to real-world applications of blockchain technology.

8. Bitcoins and Gravy

Example episode: “Don Coyote – A Nashville Band With a Hunger for Bitcoin”

We’ll leave you with Bitcoins and Gravy. It comes out of the same studio as Let’s Talk Bitcoin.

The show is probably the most diverse crypto podcast on this list. It blends music, culture, and Bitcoin chat in a way that no other podcast is even trying to do.

Recent episodes have seen them interview a Nashville band, perform a Bitcoin-inspired spoof of Louis Armstrong’s hit song “Hello Dolly,” and meet up with a group of Bitcoin enthusiasts called Bitcoins & Beer.

Despite a long history, the frequency of new episodes has slowed recently. At the current rate, you can expect about one new episode every month.

Other Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Resources

These podcasts are, of course, just one way to teach yourself about Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and the blockchain.

If you’d like to read more, check out our other crypto articles. We have taught you why Bitcoin is so valuable, explained everything you need to know about Bitcoin taxes, and discussed why you should keep your coins in cold storage, among other things.

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Facebook Messenger gets admin rights for group chats

In this modern world, some days it can feel like everything is out of your grasp. So take stock on those thing that you can control. Like Messenger, Facebook’s increasingly feature-rich offshoot app, which now sports admin privileges for group chats.

The new feature is rolling out this week, giving users the ability to better keep group chats on lockdown. Admins can do your standard array of adminy-type things: adding and removing members and promoting and demoting users with admin privileges of their own. It’s enough to make a Messenger users downright mad with power.

Also new is the addition of joinable links — send them to a new person you want to join via email and voila, they’re on board. The new additions should help position Messenger as a more fully-formed Telegram competitor, as Facebook increasingly views the app as a standalone offering in its own right.

The company’s been rolling out features to the app at pretty steady clip over the past year, including mentions, reactions, group payments and customizable groups. According to the company, 2.5 million new group were created on the app every day last year. So a little added power goes a long way.

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Apple Watch gets new bands for spring

Apple has unveiled new Apple Watch bands for spring.

Bands include Woven Nylon bands direct from Apple, Nike bands, and Hermès bands. Long story short, there are a bunch of new colors and styles.

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The Woven Nylon bands focus on stripes, alternating white with another color (Black Stripe, Blue Stripe, Gray Stripe and Pink Stripe). Meanwhile, the Sport band is coming out in Denim Blue, Lemonade, and Red Raspberry, while the Sport Loop comes in Flash Light, Hot Pink, Marine Green and Tahoe Blue. And then there’s Classic Buckle, which comes in Spring Yellow, Electric Blue, and Soft Pink.

Meanwhile, The Nike Sport Loop will now be sold separately, coming in Black/Pure Platinum, Bright Crimson/Black, Cargo Khaki, Midnight Fog, and Pearl Pink, while the Nike Sport will come in Barely Rose/Pearl Pink, Black/White and Cargo Khaki/Black.

Finally, Hermès will be revealing new Apple Watch bands with an accent color. The 38mm Double Tour will come in Indigo or Blanc with rouge H polished edge and contrasted loop, and the 42mm Single Tour Rallye will offer the same colors.

Apple sold more than 18 million Apple Watch units last year.

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Google brings new security features to its cloud

For the longest time, enterprises worried about how secure their data would be in the cloud, and for some, that was a major roadblock for moving out of their own data centers. At this point, most major cloud providers have shown that security isn’t an issue and that they are quite capable of securing their customers’ data. Security is an ever-changing field, though, so there’s always more to be done. As if to hammer this point home, Google today is announcing a slew of new security features for both the Google Cloud Platform and G Suite.

Let’s start with the Cloud Platform updates. The highlight of the launch is the new VPC Service Controls tool for protecting API-based services. I know that name doesn’t scream excitement, but it basically provides businesses an additional security layer for their API-based services on GCP. The idea here is to prevent attackers from exfiltrating data from cloud services. Here is how Google’s VP for security and privacy Gerhard Eschelbeck describes it: “Imagine constructing an invisible border around everything in an app that prevents its data from escaping, and having the power to set up, reconfigure, and tear down these virtual perimeters at will.”

To give its users deeper insights into their security posture, Google also is launching its Cloud Security Command Center today. This new tool will give enterprises deeper insights into their security posture across Google Cloud services like App Engine, Compute Engine and Cloud Storage. The service provides insights into where sensitive data is stored, but also which apps may be vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks. In addition, the service scans firewall rules and regularly looks for changes in a company’s security settings and alerts operators of changes to make sure those weren’t unauthorized.

One of the more interesting aspects of this service is that Google is also partnering with a number of security vendors like Cloudflare, CrowdStrike, RedLock, Palo Alto Networks and Qualys to detect DDoS attacks, policy violations, network intrusions and other threats. 

As far as DDoS attacks go, Google also today announced a new service called Cloud Armor (see, GCP can do naming right sometimes!). Cloud Armor is both a DDoS and application defense service that provides all the usual IP white- and blacklisting tools and integrates with Google’s Global Load Balancing service.

Other Cloud Platform security updates include new logging tools, updates to the Data Loss Prevention API and new tools for managing access to GCP resources. The Google Cloud Platform is now also FedRamp certified at the Moderate Impact level, though unless you work for the U.S. federal government or a state or local agency, you probably don’t care much about that.

As for G Suite, Google is launching a couple of new charts in that product’s security center dashboard (for Oauth activity and Business Email Compromise scan threats) and users can now customize the dashboard, too. Exciting stuff. What’s probably more interesting is that Google now defaults to turning on features like flagging emails from untrusted senders with encrypted attachments or embedded scripts. The service will now also warn users of emails that try to spoof employee names from domains that look similar to your official one and, among other things, it’ll now default to expanding shortened URLs to scan for malicious links.

There are a couple of more updates here, but the main point Google is clearly trying to make is that it takes security very seriously. I don’t think anybody doubted that before, though, given the company’s investment in various security efforts over the years, but if there’s nothing like announcing a few dozen major and minor updates to remind people.

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10 Things You Can Create With Canva With Zero Effort

You might have heard of Canva and may even use it already to create logos, social media posts, photo collages, or blog banners. But this easy-to-use graphic design tool can do so much more than you might know.

For both business and personal use, take a look at these awesome things you can create with Canva in an instant.

1. Book Covers

If you’re an author, then creating a cover for your book is simple with Canva. To get started, select a Canva layout from the many free options available. From cookbooks to romance novels, you are sure to find one that fits your needs.

Click the layout you want and then select the text elements to add your own details. If you like the layout but prefer a different image, you can simply add your own.

2. Event Invitations

For weddings, birthday parties, charity events, and more, Canva offers terrific invitation options. Just like with the book covers, select a layout and then click the elements to adjust the text.

You can change the font style, size, color, and formatting for anything that you design. You can even adjust the letter spacing, line height, alignment, and transparency.

Another nice feature of Canva that comes in handy with invitations is the sharing options. You can post it right on Twitter and Facebook or grab a link to it to share on your own social networks of choice.

3. YouTube Channel Art

Do you have your own YouTube channel? Then you can make it stand out with awesome art. Check out layouts for music, beauty, nature, food, gaming, and many others.

Every element on the design can be changed, rearranged, or removed. This gives you complete flexibility to create the artwork you want.

When you finish, just download the design as a JPG, PNG, or PDF file. It’s that easy!

4. Etsy Shop Covers and Icons

If you sell your goods on Etsy, draw some attention to your shop with a cool cover or icon. Canva offers both of these for selling products like gifts, accessories, clothing, and fragrances.

What’s great about using Canva for these designs is that they are already sized for you. The Etsy shop cover is 1200 x 300 pixels and the Etsy shop icon is 500 x 500 pixels. So, just change the wording and images as needed and you’re set.

5. Business Cards

Many applications can handle business card creations, including Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop. However, Canva can also help you create a new business card.

From casual to elegant, you can pick from a large variety of business card layouts. If you send your cards via email or post them on social media, the link feature is ideal. Just select the design element, click the Link button from the top navigation, type or paste your URL into the box, and hit Apply.

6. Infographic Resumes

If you are in an industry where an infographic resume would benefit you, take a look at Canva’s offerings. The layouts are clean, professional, and help highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments in numerous ways.

For example, you can choose a resume layout that shows off your skills using a one to five scale. Or, you can pick one that has a set spot for awards you have received. And remember, if you like a layout but not the placement of the elements, just click to rearrange them.

You can select entire blocks of elements to move or use the Ungroup button from the top to separate what’s inside. If you ever make a change that you don’t like, just hit that Undo button on the top-left navigation.

7. Gift Certificates

Maybe your business sells gift certificates. You can design them for holidays, seasons, or all year round. For dining, drinks, or other types of gifts, there is a large collection of layouts.

You don’t have to just use the gift certificate layouts for that, you can also create coupons to hand out to your customers. If you are offering a discount on your services, Canva gives you a great way to advertise it.

Another feature that’s convenient for gift certificates is that you can order prints directly from Canva. Just pick your print format, choose your print options, and begin your order. You will see the pricing right up front, which is awesome.

8. Yearbook Covers

If you are in charge of your school’s yearbook cover, then you’re in luck. Canva has layouts that your yearbook committee will love.

You can simply choose a layout and update the cover for your school or go all out and pay for a complete theme. This is a nice option that includes a table of contents, photo spots, and an autograph page at the end.

Note that some yearbook cover layouts may not be free. But this is easy to see when you hover your mouse over the pages of the theme because a dollar sign will appear on those you’ll have to pay for.

9. CD Covers

For musicians, the perfect album cover is essential and Canva has layouts for all music types. Pick from genres like symphonies, metal, lullabies, or country.

The sharing options could come in handy for getting your fellow band members opinions on it. Click the Share button from the top, add the email addresses, and then select either Can edit or Can view. This is a wonderful way to collaborate with others on the design.

10. Restaurant Menus

Do you need a little help designing a menu for your shop, cafe, or restaurant? Then look no further because Canva has great menu choices.

From decadent desserts to tasty ales, designing your menu is easy. Since you can edit or delete each element, group or ungroup them, and rotate or resize the boxes, you have full flexibility. And note that if you have a longer menu, you can click the Add a new page button to keep on creating.

Get Creative With Canva

As you can see, Canva offers much more than designs for logos, social media posts, collages, and banners. And the best part is that you don’t need any kind of design experience. The tool is so simple to use that you can create professional looking designs in a instant.

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Facebook Messenger gets admin rights for group chats

In this modern world, some days it can feel like everything is out of your grasp. So take stock on those thing that you can control. Like Messenger, Facebook’s increasingly feature-rich offshoot app, which now sports admin privileges for group chats.

The new feature is rolling out this week, giving users the ability to better keep group chats on lockdown. Admins can do your standard array of adminy-type things: adding and removing members and promoting and demoting users with admin privileges of their own. It’s enough to make a Messenger users downright mad with power.

Also new is the addition of joinable links — send them to a new person you want to join via email and voila, they’re on board. The new additions should help position Messenger as a more fully-formed Telegram competitor, as Facebook increasingly views the app as a standalone offering in its own right.

The company’s been rolling out features to the app at pretty steady clip over the past year, including mentions, reactions, group payments and customizable groups. According to the company, 2.5 million new group were created on the app every day last year. So a little added power goes a long way.

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8 New Android Oreo Features You Should Know About

If you buy a mid-range or a flagship phone now, it will probably ship with Android Oreo. And last year’s flagships are starting to receive the Android Oreo (8.x) update. Thus, this is the perfect time to learn about the new features and capabilities of Android Oreo.

In fact, since there’s so little aesthetic change in Oreo and because every manufacturer puts on their own skin over stock Android anyway, you might be running Android Oreo without knowing!

1. Picture-in-Picture

Nougat brought us native split-screen apps. With Oreo, we get a native picture-in-picture feature. When you’re watching a video in an app like Netflix or VLC, just hit the Home button and the video will shrink to a little floating window. You can then open any other app—catch up on email or even play games while watching the video. Tap on the floating window to get control options. Hit the X button to remove the floating window.

While YouTube supports picture-in-picture mode, it requires a subscription to YouTube Red. As we’ve talked about previously, you can use NewPipe as an alternative.

Picture-in-picture also works with Google Maps, Google Play Movies, Facebook, Telegram, Duo, Pocket Casts and more. Chrome will put any full-screen video into picture-in-picture mode as soon as you hit that Home button (except, of course, a YouTube video).

To see a list of all installed apps that support picture-in-picture (and to turn the feature off), search for Picture-in-Picture in the Settings app.

2. Password Autofill

If you’ve used Chrome’s autofill feature, you know that Google has an entire framework dedicated to saving login details for websites you visit. Android Oreo brings this feature to your smartphones and adds support for apps.

Now, if you choose to, you can let Google automatically fill in login details for apps you’re using. In fact, as this is a framework, you aren’t limited to Google’s Autofill feature. You can use something like 1Password, LastPass or Dashlane (which are way more secure).

Next time you try to log in with a supported app, Google’s Autofill feature will ask if you want to automatically fill in from one of the available usernames and passwords.

3. Notification Channels

Notifications are one of the strongest features in Android. But as Android has grown, apps have started to abuse the access that notifications have to your direct attention. Android Oreo brings a new feature called notification channels which is meant for both developers and users.

Notification channels helps you sort notifications based on importance. Multiple notifications for the same app can appear at different places in the notification drawer based on the notification’s importance. And while the system for accessing this feature is a bit convoluted, you get complete control over what kinds of notification can get your attention instantly (or not at all).

From Settings, select an app from the App Info screen and go to the Notifications section. If the app supports Notification Channels, you’ll find a Categories section.

Tap on a category and then select Importance. Here, you can switch the importance to Low, Medium, High or Urgent. As the titles suggest, an Urgent notification will make a sound and pop up on the screen. On the other end, a Low notification won’t appear in the notification bar at all.

4. Snooze Notifications

Swipe horizontally (just a bit) on a notification and next to the gear icon, you’ll find a new clock icon. Tap on it and you’ll get an option to snooze the notification for an hour (you can pick a different time span from the dropdown box if you want).

5. Notification Dots

This is Android’s take on iOS’s app badges, minus the stress. The notification dots feature will put a little dot in the bottom-right corner of the app when you have any unread notification.

You can tap and hold on the app icon to see a new popup, which will show all the notifications for the specific app. Unlike iOS, Android doesn’t show the number of the unread messages in the dot.

6. New Emoji Styling

Somehow, Android’s blob emojis turned into a controversial debate, where seemingly, both sides had a sound design opinion. I think they were hideous and lacked any kind of a coherent design language.

But I’m not a fan of the replacement either. Android Oreo’s emojis have the same round shape of Apple’s emojis but that’s where the comparison stops. Oreo’s emojis are unnecessarily detailed. For goodness sake, they have gradients!

I wish Apple would make its emojis open source so we could use them everywhere. But this is the world we live in now: one of emoji fragmentation.

7. Smart Text Selection

Selecting text on a touchscreen, especially on Android, is kind of a nightmare. You can never get it exactly right. Android Oreo tries to make this process slightly less tedious.

Now, when you’re selecting text, Android will try to help you automatically select an important element (like an address or a phone number) and then provide handy shortcuts in the popup menu itself. For instance, if you’ve selected some text that looks like an address, you’ll get a shortcut to directly open it in Google Maps.

8. Auto-Enable Wi-Fi

This nifty little feature will automatically enable Wi-Fi when you’re “near high-quality saved networks.” Basically, when you’re near your home or your office, Android will automatically enable Wi-Fi for you. This way, you won’t accidentally overspend your cellular data allowance.

Turn this feature on from Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi Preferences.

There’s a Lot More in Android Oreo

Android Oreo is filled with small features and under-the-hood changes. For instance, some Android One devices now get an ambient mode, Google Assistant is twice as fast, and there’s support for adaptive icons. Quick Settings on stock Android now has the same grey background. The Settings app has been redesigned and simplified yet again.

Additionally, if you’re a fan of sideloading apps, you should know about a new change in Android Oreo where you need to approve app installation on a per-app basis. Previously, one toggle enabled you to sideload apps from anywhere.

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Use This Formula to Estimate the Battery Life of Any Laptop

It’s not easy to establish the true battery life of a laptop—at least not without using it.

Manufacturers aren’t exactly honest in their advertising, and the facts are obfuscated behind all sorts of numbers and technical jargon. For someone who spends a lot of time on the road, that lack of transparency can quickly become problematic.

For example, if poor battery life is a deal-break when you’re buying a new machine, how are you supposed to make an informed decision? You don’t want to be forced to constantly take battery saving measures just because a manufacturer conned you.

Luckily, you can take matters into your own hands—you just need a special math formula (and possibly a calculator).

The Formula for Estimating Laptop Battery Life

Just divide your computer battery’s watt-hours by your estimated wattage. The result is the number of hours you can expect your battery to last.

Your expected wattage varies depending on the task you’re performing. Gaming will use between 40 and 60 watts, watching video will consume 15 to 30 watts, and web browsing will eat 10 to 15 watts.

The watt-hours of your battery can be found on the battery itself, on the manufacturer’s website, or on the accompanying spec sheets.

You can also find the information using the operating system. On Windows, open Command Prompt, type powercfg /batteryreport, head to the path it spits out, and open battery-report.html in your browser. On Mac, hold Option, then navigate to Apple > System information > Hardware > Power.

Remember, all batteries degrade over time, so this calculation is only going to be accurate on relatively new devices. If you’re not getting the amount of usage out of your battery as you think you should be, check out our guide to troubleshooting battery issues on Windows and Mac.

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Facebook Privacy Tip: How to Limit Your Data Being Shared With Third Parties

By now you’ve probably heard that UK-based company Cambridge Analytica reportedly harvested 50 million Facebook profiles and used that data to build software that targets and influences voters.

Cambridge Analytica was able to access the data of millions of users through an app that was used by just a few hundred thousand people. Because Facebook allows apps to access the data of not only those who grant access, but also data shared by their friends, Cambridge Analytica was able to harvest so much more information than they normally would’ve been able to.

The privacy settings you should consider changing (to prevent apps from sharing your data in the future) are all found on the App Settings page.

1. Kill Switch for Facebook App Permissions

This kill switch feature allows you automatically remove all apps that have access to your account in one easy step. It will also completely disable future logins on third-party sites using Facebook.

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps, Websites and Plugins. 
2. Click the Edit button.
3. Click Disable platform.

Changing this setting means:

• You will not be able to log into websites, mobile games, or applications using Facebook. (If you try to, Facebook will prompt you to re-enable Platform.)
• Your friends won’t be able to interact and share with you using apps and websites.
• Instant personalization will be turned off.
• Apps you’ve logged into (with Facebook or Anonymously) will be removed.
• Posts by apps will be removed from your profile.

So for example, if you’ve posted to Facebook automatically using Instagram, those posts will disappear from your profile.

Facebook also points out that apps you’ve previously installed will still have information you have shared with them, and recommends contacting them directly for details on how to remove this data.

2. Revoke or Edit Individual Facebook App Access

If you prefer a selective approach, you can pick and choose which apps have access to your profile, as well as choosing what kind of information you share with them. (If you’ve already disabled Facebook Platform, you won’t see these settings.)

1. Go to Settings > Apps.
2. In the list of apps, click the Edit Settings (pencil) button.
3. In the popup window that opens, you can uncheck specific items that are being shared. This may include your friend list, email address, and who can see items shared on your Facebook profile through this app.
   
   You will find that with some apps, there are certain items that can’t be unchecked including name, age, profile picture, and any other public information.
4. To completely remove the app, click the X button associated with each app.

3. Prevent Your Friends From Sharing Your Data

If you’ve disabled Facebook’s Platform setting, this feature will already be turned off. But if you choose to keep Platform enabled, at least disable this setting that was integral to Cambridge Analytica’s software.

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Apps others use. 
2. Click the Edit button.
3. Uncheck all the items that friends could be unknowingly be sharing from your profile.

In addition to adjusting your Facebook privacy settings, you’ll probably also want to take precautions to prevent Facebook from selling your browsing data to advertisers.

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How to Take an iPhone Screenshot Without Home or Power Buttons

Taking a screenshot on your iPhone is one of the important shortcuts that most people know: press the Home and Power buttons together, and you can capture anything that’s on your screen.

But what happens if you have an issue with one of your iPhone’s buttons? If your Power button gets stuck or your Home button is unreliable, you might not be able to take screenshots. Thankfully, an accessibility feature known as AssistiveTouch can help.

How to Take an iPhone Screenshot Without Buttons

1. Navigate to Settings > General > Accessibility.
2. Find the AssistiveTouch entry and enable its slider. Doing so will add an overlay button to your screen consisting of a white dot.
3. Whenever you tap the AssistiveTouch icon, you’ll see a menu that provides quick access to various functions. To easily add screenshot functionality to this menu, select Customize Top Level Menu.
4. Here, tap an icon you’d like to replace and choose Screenshot. If you’d rather, you can add an icon by tapping the Plus button and creating a new shortcut to Screenshot.
5. Alternatively, select the Double-Tap, Long Press, or 3D Touch options and set them to Screenshot for even more convenience.
6. Now, whenever you select Screenshot from the quick menu or perform your assigned shortcut, your iPhone will take a screenshot as normal.

Note that when you take a screenshot with this method, the AssistiveTouch button won’t appear in the shot. You can drag the button to any corner of the screen you like. This feature is designed for users who have difficulty touching the screen, but it works just as well for anyone who has issues with their phone’s buttons.

If you’re feeling up to it, check out how to fix your own broken iPhone. Then you won’t have to deal with that problematic button.

Image Credit: jovannig/Depositphotos

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After selling his company to Facebook for $19B, Brian Acton joins #deleteFacebook

Brian Acton, the co-founder of messaging service WhatsApp (which Facebook bought in 2014 for $19 billion), is now joining the chorus of the #deletefacebook movement.

It is time. #deletefacebook

— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018

A tipster alerted us to the fact that Acton made the same call… on Facebook… as well.

Since the sale of WhatsApp (which has made Acton an incredibly wealthy man), Acton has been actively financing more secure (and private) messaging platforms for users.

Acton has already used some of his WhatsApp wealth to give $50 million to the Signal Foundation.

While some may say it’s hypocritical to reap millions from Facebook and then call for users to jump ship, Acton has always had a penchant for supporting privacy. Back in its earliest days, WhatsApp’s stated goal was to never make money from ads:

Why we don’t sell ads

No one wakes up excited to see more advertising, no one goes to sleep thinking about the ads they’ll see tomorrow. We know people go to sleep excited about who they chatted with that day (and disappointed about who they didn’t). We want WhatsApp to be the product that keeps you awake… and that you reach for in the morning. No one jumps up from a nap and runs to see an advertisement.

Advertising isn’t just the disruption of aesthetics, the insults to your intelligence and the interruption of your train of thought. At every company that sells ads, a significant portion of their engineering team spends their day tuning data mining, writing better code to collect all your personal data, upgrading the servers that hold all the data and making sure it’s all being logged and collated and sliced and packaged and shipped out… And at the end of the day the result of it all is a slightly different advertising banner in your browser or on your mobile screen.

Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product. – June 18, 2012 — WhatsApp blog

It may be that this latest scandal was the straw that borked the camel’s back.

I’ve reached out to Acton for comment.

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