Google Adds SLR-Like Lens Blur To New Camera App

Yet another feature once only found in expensive SLR cameras is making its way to smartphones: the buttery background blur caused by wide-aperture lenses. Google is bringing a simulated version of this blur to Android phones worldwide.

The feature is part of a redesigned camera app out today from Google, available only to devices running Android 4.4 (KitKat) and up.

Background blur, also called bokeh, is an optical effect made possible by the opening in the lens through which light passes — the aperture. The wider this is opened, the more light is let in (allowing for shots in lower light) but the narrower the area in front of the camera where the image is sharp — sometimes it can be just a fraction of an inch.

Smartphone cameras don't generally show this effect because their compact lenses and sensors don't allow for the distortions of light necessary to create it. Simulating it is possible — but only if you can somehow tell how far away everything in the image is.

Google solves this problem by having the user move the camera after taking the picture, during which the software captures more images in succession, tracking objects and determining their distance. This creates a "depth map," and from there blur can be applied by the user to the background or foreground, and to whatever degree they choose.

Others have achieved this with other means: Lytro's famous but impractical camera measured tiny differences in the paths of light waves, and the recently announced Nokia Refocus app uses a technique something like Google's but without the moving camera bit.

SLR users will doubtless mock this method as being as close to real bokeh as Instagram's filters are to the famous film stocks on which they are based. But fake or not, it's a tool any photographer, mobile or professional, will be glad to have in their possession.

You can read more about the technology at Google Research's blog post.

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Change Google Plus Custom URLs?

Did you noticed the URL of my profile in the above image? Yes, it is custom which comes with the name or username and the long code is removed now from my profile! Recently, Google has announced the custom URLs for Google+ accounts and profiles and it really seems a great update because mostly people was being irritated by that old long URL which came with the code. In this post, I'm going to show you that how can get or change the custom URL which will be short than previous.

Google+ Custom URLs - Who Can Get This?

As you know that Google has recently announced the custom URLs because the old URL seems long and it was annoying people many times because we couldn't easily remember the old long URL and this new one is really simple and short which can be remembered just by seeing it only one time. I would like to recommend you that before getting it you must read the terms, conditions, policies and principles of this new feature. Read Google+ Custom URLs Term of Use.

Now, this awesome feature is available to only established profiles which may have good number of followers, friends, well designed with cover and profile pic, real and accurate information in the profile like date of birth, living place, work etc, it should be verified with the phone number and you should have the verified Google authorship if you own a blog or website. It just means that you should have the strong profile. If you've all these requirements then you can easily get it. You can checkout the following link to know that how can we verify the authorship and it helps to get that custom URL. 

Read : How To Get Google Authorship Verified?

How To Get Custom URL for Google+ Profile?

There is nothing any big process in getting the custom URL but once if you're eligible for that feature, then you can get it in seconds. So, follow the below simple tutorial.

1. Go To Google+ and Sign in to your account.
2. Go To Profile.
3. There, you will see the blue color notification asking for getting the custom URL.
4. Click on "Get it" button.
5. Now, it will ask for the confirmation and also for choosing your own custom URL.
6. Edit or change the URL and confirm it in last.
7. That's all, You're done!

Was it difficult? - Final Words

I don't think it was any difficult process for getting the custom URL for your Google+ profile but it was the most easiest thing. Now enjoy the short custom URL and also show your friends about and share this tutorial with them. Remember, if you've pages on Google+ and if they're also eligible then you can also get it for your pages. And if you can't see that blue notification bar then you need to complete your profile or verify the authorship and you will get it soon! Keep visiting us for more news, Take Care!

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Show Author Profile Picture In Google Search Results

Google is making a lot of improvements and introducing latest features in their whole system for the development. Some months ago, the latest feature was introduced specially for webmasters and bloggers and that is Google Authorship Markup. It is a kind of certificate or license which helps webmasters and bloggers to produce content is a better way. If you've verified your Google Authorship then whenever you'll search for any keyword and if your webpage appears in the search results then it will be having a profile picture or it will appear like thumbnails. Most of webmasters are willing to get their verified Google authorship to show the author image and today here I'll be guiding them on how can we verify Google authorship and show author image in search results.

In order to display author profile picture in Google search, you may setup profile picture for Google+ and you can use photoshop online free to edit or customize your picture.

Display Author Profile Picture In Google Search

In order to show the profile picture in Google search results, you will need a Google+ account. Because, you've to connect the Google+ account with your Blogger account. It actually shows the Google+ profile, that's why It is required. There are two main methods to to get the Google authorship verified. The first one is verifying with domain email and second is one by manually inserting the rel='author' attribute to the Google+ profile links. And second method needs to link the profile with your site manually. We're going to discuss these both methods below.

Method#1 : Verifying The Domain Email

Verifying the Google authorship with domain web email is not difficult. But it is the most easiest way. And here you will just need to have an email address created in your domain hosting panel or control panel. If you've bought the hosting of your domain then you can easily create that email or you might have already created. It will look likeyourname@yourdomain.com or simply my email address Master@techbloggermaster.com. You can also contact your hosting provider or 24x7 to create that kind of email if you've hosting. Let's come to start the tutorial.

• First of all, Sign in to your Google+ account.
• Secondly, Go to Google authorship markup.
• There in the right side, you will see an input box in the last for domain email address. Simply fill the email address which you've but remember it must be created in your domain hosting like  Master@techbloggermaster.com.

• After entering the email address, easily click on "Sign Up For Authorship" button at the bottom.
• Now you will receive an email address for confirmation that email. It will be having a link which you've to click.
• Open the inbox of that email and click on the confirmation link.
• A message will appear that you've verified the email address.
• That's All for verifying Google authorship with email address.

Method#2 : Manually Verifying Google Authorship With rel='author'

This is another manual method specially for those who don't have the hosting for domain and still want to get verified Google authorship. This might be difficult for you but I don't think you will face any problem in doing this method if you follow this tutorial carefully. In this method, we'll make use of rel='author' attribute which help us and Google to verify the authorship. In this method you need an About Us page created in your blog and Google+ profile is also required as it is already needed while verifying Google authorship. So, let's begin the tutorial.

Step#1 : Adding Google+ Badge Widgets In Sidebar

The first thing is that I recommend to add the Google+ badges or widgets in your blog anywhere you want. But I think sidebar is the best idea. This will help you to get linked your profile and Google+ page with your site that will also help to Google in understanding that this is your own site. There is not any long process to add these widgets in your blog but previously, I'd shared a tutorial on how can we these kind badges in our blogger blogs. Just land on the tutorial given in the last upcoming sentence and follow the tutorial. I recommend to add the two widgets which are your Google+ profile and Google+ page if you have. Same as I've added in the sidebar, look at the sidebar and here is the tutorial.

Step#2 : Using rel='author' Attribute In About Us Page

• Go to pages in Blogger and edit the About Us page.
• Enter into the HTML Tab and add the following link code anywhere where you want to add.
• Replace Google+ ID with the ID of your Google+ profile. [You will see the long ID number in the URL of your profile]
• Replace Your Name With Your Name.
• Don't touch or remove the rel='author' otherwise the tutorial won't work. 
• Publish or Update the About Us page.

Note : After adding the rel='author' link in your about us page, if you've more links in your blog going to your Google+ profile then I recommend to add rel='author' to all them. I'm not saying to add other links on any other place but If your google+ profile link is already added before the tutorial then you should add rel='author' to the link. Mostly, people have used social widgets in which Google+ profile link might be available. So if also have any kind of widget then add rel='author' to that link in that widget for the quick verification.

Step#3 : Adding your blog link in Google+ profile

By continuing the tutorial, this is last part of the tutorial in which we'll insert your blog link in your profile. And this will make sure to the Google that you're the actual owner. I won't waste your time and I'm not going into deep. Here is the tutorial.

• Login to your account.
• Go to the About page.
• Scroll down and Links section will appear.
• Click Edit button and a popup will appear. Simply, Add the link there.

• After placing the link there. Save your profile and you've done!

Checking How The Profile Picture Will Appear In SERPs

This is the additional or advanced part of the post and in this part, we'll check that how the profile picture will appear in Google search results. By default, it will take about a week to completely display the picture in SERPs but there is a tool given by Google and by use of this, we can check that the authorship is verified correctly or not. So, let's check it.

• Go to Structured Data Testing Tool
• Enter the URL of your blog and click "Preview".
• It might take some seconds to check and load the results.

Note : After completing the process, you've to wait at least a week to let the Google get verified your authorship and they may update the pages of you in SERPs. Sometimes, they take more than a month. So, please keep calm and wait for being completed the whole process.

Final Words

People mostly asked me through contact form and on social profiles that how do we show the image in search results. I'm sorry for being late to publish this tutorial. I hope this tutorial is surely going to help those who contact me and also for those who want to get authorship. If you've any problem regarding this guide then feel free to ask in comments. Also share your views on this guide and share this tutorial with your friends. Take Care!

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Google kills file-sharing apps Bump and Flock

Smartphone file-sharing apps Bump and Flock have announced that they will be discontinued at the end of January.

US internet giant Google bought the startup behind the apps, Bump Technologies, in September for a deal reportedly worth between $30 million and $60 million.

"We are now deeply focused on our new projects within Google, and we've decided to discontinue Bump and Flock," Bump co-founder and chief executive David Lieb wrote in a blog post late on Tuesday.

On January 31, Bump and Flock will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play, after which neither app will work and all user data will be deleted.

Over the coming weeks, users can export their data by opening either app and following instructions. They will then receive an email with a link containing their photos, videos, contacts and other data.

Lieb thanked users for their feedback, enthusiasm and support over the years, saying it "brought much meaning to our work."

"In many ways, Bump was a revolutionary product that inspired many subsequent advances and helped push the world forward," Lieb wrote. "We hope our new creations at Google will do the same."

The Bump application lets smartphone users easily share data by gently knocking knuckles while holding devices.

Flock software taps into smartphone location-sensing technology to note when friends are in proximity of one another and lets them contribute to sets of photos reflecting shared experiences such as a concerts or sporting events.

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