Google nixes “view image” button in its image search features

Google revealed last week that it has implemented changes in its image search functions through the removal of the search engine’s “view image” button.

Announced on February 15 via Google’s @searchliaison account on Twitter, the change sets the “visit” button as the primary option that links Google image search to the website an image is directly hosted on.

The change comes after Google’s recent partnership deal with Getty Images, a US-based stock photo agency. The agreement mainly entails making copyright disclaimers more prominent in search tasks, alongside improvements in the search engine’s author attribution system.

Given the recent agreement, it appears that the removal of the “view image” button is geared towards limiting instances wherein one could easily get photos via a Google image search.

A number of tech journalists have also opined that the move seems to be aimed towards steering users to a website where an image is hosted, thereby drive engagement statistics (such as page views) to a website. More information on the change is hosted on Google’s official online channels.

WhatsApp ventures into the electronic money transfer arena

The National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) announced over the weekend that an inter-bank transfer service by the messaging app WhatsApp is underway in the country.

Reports on the matter indicate that a “full feature” interbank transfer service by WhatsApp will be rolled out after a test phase that involves one million users comes to a conclusion.

The reports note that the service entails linking a WhatsApp user’s phone number to bank accounts as a means to address payments and/or money transfer tasks. The service stands as the first money transfer service by WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned messaging app-and-service suite.

Concerns pertaining to interbank transfers in India have been raised following the announcement. Outside of India, reactions towards the announcement are tinged with eager interests – mostly inquiring if the service, should it prove to be successful in India (WhatsApp’s biggest market) will be brought to other countries.

Microsoft’s new “Photos Companion” app

Microsoft recently rolled out a file transfer application that’s envisioned to ease out the kinks entailed in transferring photos and videos from a smartphone to a computer system running on Windows 10.

Named “Photos Companion” and available in versions for Android and iOS, the application serves as a liaison between smartphones and a Windows 10 computer system that’s connected in one network.

It works through a quick response (QR) code which can be scanned on the latest version of the Windows 10 “Photos” app. The code initiates wireless transfers between a smartphone to a PC, with the app itself functioning as a file manager that allows users to pick out which photos or videos would be transferred from a smartphone to PC.

Developed under the Microsoft Garage project, the app was made after Microsoft’s Photos app team visited various classrooms in the US and the UK to see how teachers incorporate multimedia content into their lessons.

The team discovered that the use of multimedia content wasn’t really a huge issue, as it was transferring content from a smartphone to a classroom PC that proved to have certain hassles. More information on the app is hosted on its official digital distribution pages.

Electro Beach Festival, 10th Instalment

Partyphiles may mark their calendars for the hottest event this summer! Mövenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu and Ibiza bring the 10th edition of the highly popular dance and music event in the region, the Electro Beach Festival, top-billed by Japanese music sensation, DJ Daiki Wakayashi. Dubbed as the “Summer Foam Party” happening on March 10, Saturday, at Ibiza Cebu, this instalment of the beach party series is expected to break its record with a fresh entertainment lineup and international music artists.

This bi-annual celebration has become an attraction that’s followed and attended by crowds of partygoers – a wide cross-section between locals and tourists from different parts of the globe. Each event, over the last few years, has gathered a crowd of 1,000 to 1,500 from mid-afternoon until closing time. To some, it has become both a tradition and spectacle one must experience during a Cebu sojourn.

DJ Daiki has been known to star in various music festivals across the region and in different capital cities around Asia. His high octane beats have made him a favorite among international artists associated with dance music events, while the continued success of Electro Beach Festival at Ibiza Cebu has also helped make him a superstar in the Queen City of the South.

Tickets to the upcoming party are now available at a discounted advance-purchase rate. Guests who wish to unwind at the beach before the party starts may take the Party and Day Tour package, inclusive of event ticket, lunch buffet, Mövenpick ice cream, Chocolate Hour and complimentary use of the hotel’s pool, game room and beach.

For those who are planning a weekend party getaway and skip the post-party blues and long drive, the hotel is offering overnight deals on  March10, for a Deluxe accommodation for two and for four in a Two-Bedroom Suite Ocean View. Exclusive benefits apply for the maximum number of occupants in a room, including VIP access to the Electro Beach Festival, a designated cocktail table at the event, a bottle of wine, individual welcome shots of Ibiza Sour, breakfast buffet at The Sails restaurant, and complimentary late checkout at 4 p.m. Special rates are also offered for extended stays.

For inquiries, tickets, and reservations, one may contact 492 7777 or email [email protected].