Rest of the Day: Twitter Closes Vine
Twitter is shutting down Vine , its short video platform it acquired in 2012. The platform spawned its own online culture that encompassed the six-second limit for creating meaningful videos, but the enthusiasm faded as other social networks added their own video features.
- No other site has had the charm of a six-second GIF loop, despite the ubiquity of video on other platforms. The limitation of the environment was her advantage. However, the most popular Vine users did not have the opportunity to monetize or leverage their celebrity, and many switched to YouTube and other networks. As for the existing Vines, nothing happens immediately with the service, and you will have enough time to download the previous videos before the connection is permanently disconnected. For now, they are simply saying that they will stop releasing mobile apps in the coming months. Meanwhile, parent company Twitter recently looked into a sale but failed to find a buyer; about 300 employees are currently expected to be laid off .
- In other news, T-Mobile is offering 50 percent off Google Pixel phones if you buy them and subscribe to their “unlimited” One plan. However, keep in mind that the plan has limited video streaming and banned the modem. (Verizon currently only sells the Pixel online, but you can also buy an unlocked phone directly from Google.) [T-Mobile]
- Facebook has new Snapchat-style face filters for Halloween. You can use them when broadcasting live video. There are also Halloween-themed emoticons. ? [The Verge]
- If you were planning on watching DVD on an Apple laptop, you’re out of luck. After today’s update to the MacBook Pro line, Apple stopped selling the oldest model , which, yes, still had an optical drive. [9to5Mac]