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Someone made a Hillary Clinton avatar generator and it’s already been abused to bits

Jun17
by on June 17, 2015 at 8:35 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, Shareables

hillary avatar maker

This week, two more candidates from the Republican party officially announced their plans to run for President of the United States. With campaign season kicking off, designer Matthew Bolaños decided to make an avatar generator (not affiliated with Hillary Clinton campaign) to let the former first lady’s fans show their support.

But of course, this is the internet, and on the internet, we can’t have nice things.

Just a day after the generator went live, people have already abused the heck out of the tool, making mockeries of the Clinton campaign logo.


There are plenty more that are not safe for life, but we’ll spare you the details. Though admittedly, we could only wonder the kind of results a Jeb Bush avatar maker could generate.

➤ HillaryAvatar.com

Read next: Hillary Clinton has joined Instagram and started with an obligatory #OOTD picture

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Twitter for Android swaps the Favorites star for a heart… for some people at least

Jun17
by on June 17, 2015 at 7:48 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web

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Twitter appears to have made a cheeky little change to its Android app, for some users at least. The familiar ‘star’ icon for favorites has disappeared in favor of a heart.

Manu on Twitter flagged the change up to me…

…and a quick search found a smattering of others reporting the same:

It may be an A/B test, or Twitter may actually be following Periscope’s lead and switching permanently from the Mario-style star to hearts all the way down.

I’ve obviously contacted Twitter to see what it has to say.

Thanks again to Manu for the tip. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @TheNextWeb. 

Read next: Spotify changed the color of its icon and it’s driving people crazy

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The GameOn Project recommends Android games based on other games you like

Jun17
by on June 17, 2015 at 7:46 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Insider

game on project

Although mobile games can be addictive, not all of us have time to explore and discover new games. With thousands on offer in the Play Store, reading the reviews then downloading each to sample isn’t exactly ideal.

The GameOn Project wants to be a Pandora for mobile games – by building a list of your favorite games, the algorithm will recommend other games that you might enjoy.

gameon proj ageTo get started, the app asks you for your gender, your age, then to list three favorite games (you can add more as you play more or remember old game titles). I’m generally gravitate toward puzzle games, so my entries were Two Dots, Elevate and Plague Inc.

You can narrow down search results, such as “Play With Friends” or “Free Games Only.” I opted for something free, since I don’t plan to play religiously.

GameOn’s results displayed some classic titles geared toward puzzle lovers: Candy Crush, Cut The Rope, Temple Run. There was also a bizarre game called My Talking Tom which consists of a giant, bright-eyed cat that you get to adopt and raise. It was actually a bit jarring to me that people older than 9 played something like this, but to each their own.

talking tom

While GameOn got the general premise of what games I liked, it didn’t always take into account the visual graphics behind the game – which, to me, is a primary draw. I do like simulation games, but I’m quite sure I’m into Talking Tom‘s aesthetics.

Nevertheless there are some decent recommendations: I had forgotten about Dumb Ways to Die which I’ve played on someone else’s phone but haven’t yet downloaded. I was also recommended Don’t Tap the White Tile which is a speed-based game similar to Doodle Jump, but more simplistic.

For those who want to find new games without looking to friends or Google for recommendation, The GameOn Project is a neat tool to find different content. The interface isn’t the freshest, but for kids and older audiences, the large photos and fast results are likely to be the draw.

➤ The Game On Project [Android]

Read next: This Android game uses Chromecast to turn your phone into a tennis racquet

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The FAA plans to finalize commercial drone rules within a year, and Amazon is ready

Jun17
by on June 17, 2015 at 7:22 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

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The FAA may not be dragging its heels on commercial drone regulations after all. At a congressional hearing on Wednesday, senior FAA official Michael Whitaker said “the rule will be in place within a year.”

At the same House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, Amazon’s vice president of global public policy, Paul Misener, vowed its delivery drone fleet would be ready as well.

We’d like to begin delivering to our customers as soon as it’s approved. We will have it (the technology) in place by the time any regulations are ready. We are working very quickly.

In July of 2014, Amazon petitioned the FAA to allow it to test drones for delivery from its Seattle R&D lab. At the time, Amazon said it was working on ninth generation drones for commercial use.

In February, the FAA proposed regulations that would allow commercial drones to fly during daylight at a 500 foot ceiling — so long as the drone was within line of sight of its operator.

The FAA didn’t indicate what its final rules on commercial drones may involve, but if Amazon is readying a delivery fleet, don’t count on ‘line of sight’ being part of the regulations.

➤ FAA, Amazon officials see drone operations in a year [Reuters]

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Slidely pact with Getty gives users access to professional images for their creative work

Jun17
by on June 17, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Posted In: Around the Web

Slidely_Getty2

Slidely, a social media platform for creative consumers to post, share and remix their artistic projects, has announced a new partnership with Getty Images that allows members to use its content in their designs.

The network will make available a selection of photos and videos from Getty Images, which will be immediately available on Slidely’s SlideShow and Gallery apps, and soon will appear on its mobile apps. The collaboration lets Slidely provide access to Getty’s professional images — as distinct from the stock photos that are currently available online.

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“Slidely is focused on fusing content with creativity, working towards an ‘abundance of content’ approach to help users create amazing things,” Tom More, Slidely CEO, told TNW. “This combines their content with other premium, free and creative commons-based media — photos, videos and music — where each product can be edited, shared and saved as the other formats.”

Slidely’s products includes Slidely Mobile, Show, Capture, Video Greetings, Collage and Gallery.

➤ Slidely and Getty Images

Read next: Rejected Logo Competition: Breathing new life into spurned designs

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