Multimedia

  • Instagram unveils new logo after 10 years

    Instagram has changed its logo after several years. Yes, Instagram has introduced a new logo which is a text-only logo. The announcement was made in a post by Adam Mosseri, head of the Meta-owned photo-sharing platform. He described the new logo as more refined and modern while maintaining the simplicity of the previous name. Mosseri said that Instagram’s logo was being changed after more than a decade because the previous design had begun to feel outdated. The new font used for the name has also changed the appearance of some of the letters in the word “Instagram.” Instagram last redesigned its logo in 2016, when it replaced the classic brown camera design with a colourful rainbow-style logo. Meta has not yet issued an official statement regarding the change.

  • YouTube explains why it keeps changing its interface?

    YouTube’s user interface is frequently changed on both its mobile and web versions, something that many users do not particularly like. This raises the question of why YouTube keeps experimenting with its user interface especially since some changes become permanent while others are eventually reversed. Over the past year alone, more than half a dozen changes have been introduced to YouTube’s interface. YouTube has now explained why it continues to make these changes. YouTube Vice President Jonathan Tiedrsky discussed the matter in a blog post. He said the reason behind these continuous changes is quite simple. According to him, the purpose of these changes is to make the video-sharing platform easier to use. He added that YouTube does not want its user interface to become cluttered or confusing which is why the company continues to make adjustments. The company also explained that some of the recent changes such as redesigning buttons are intended to make them more noticeable and easier for users to identify. According to YouTube, these design improvements are also being extended to larger screens including smart TVs.

  • Google lets users remove Gemini AI image watermarks

    Google’s Nano Banana image generator is considered a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) model for creating images based on users ideas and prompts. However, many people do not like using it because images generated by Nano Banana contain a prominent watermark in the bottom-right corner. Images generated by ChatGPT’s latest model do not contain such a visible watermark. Google is now giving users the option to remove the visible watermark. For this purpose, a new setting is being added to Gemini and Flow and the option will also be available in the AI Mode of Google Search. Using this setting, users will be able to remove the watermark from images generated by Nano Banana. In fact, the feature will not be limited to images. Users will also be able to remove visible watermarks from videos generated by Gemini Omni. However, this setting will not be available to users in countries where laws require the presence of visible watermarks. According to Google, while the visible watermark can be removed, an invisible watermark embedded within the image or video will remain intact.

  • WhatsApp launches AI scam detection feature for users

    WhatsApp is introducing a new feature powered by artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help protect users from scams. According to a report, the AI-powered scam detection feature is designed to help identify potentially fraudulent chats. The feature will use on-device AI to flag suspicious conversations while messages will continue to be protected by end-to-end encryption. According to the report, the feature works by downloading a machine-learning model directly onto the user’s smartphone. The model analyzes WhatsApp messages from people whose phone numbers are not saved in the user’s contacts. It examines the conversation style and language to assess whether the interaction could potentially be a scam. If the system identifies a chat as potentially fraudulent, WhatsApp will display a warning to the user. The other person involved in the conversation will not be notified about the warning. After seeing the warning, users can choose to block or report the sender, continue the conversation or mark the chat as trusted. Once a chat is marked as trusted, WhatsApp will stop displaying scam alerts for that conversation. According to the company, the AI model has been trained to identify fraudulent activity. Meta also stated that the AI model will not compromise users privacy and the company will not have access to users’ messages.

  • Google Maps tests feature to hide all saved places

    Google Maps has become an important part of everyday life for many people with countless smartphone users relying on the navigation service. The app offers numerous features including the ability to save important places so that users can visit them later. In fact, users can also create lists of saved locations. These Saved Places lists can be accessed through the You tab in Google Maps. If users do not want their saved places to clutter the map interface, they can hide them. However, until now, users have had to hide each list individually. Google is now making the process easier by testing a new feature that will allow users to hide all saved places at once. According to a report by Android Authority, the feature has been spotted in a new beta version of Google Maps. The report states that the feature will allow users to view all their saved locations in a single list called “All Saved Places.” An option called “Hide on Your Map” will also be available. It will appear when users tap the three-dot menu next to the list. After selecting the option, a confirmation message will appear. Users will also be informed about how they can restore each individual list later. The feature is currently being tested in the beta version of Google Maps so it may take some time before it becomes available to all users.

  • Instagram unveils new logo after 10 years

    Instagram has changed its logo after several years. Yes, Instagram has introduced a new logo which is a text-only logo. The announcement was made in a post by Adam Mosseri, head of the Meta-owned photo-sharing platform. He described the new logo as more refined and modern while maintaining the simplicity of the previous name. Mosseri said that Instagram’s logo was being changed after more than a decade because the previous design had begun to feel outdated. The new font used for the name has also changed the appearance of some of the letters in the word “Instagram.” Instagram last redesigned its logo in 2016, when it replaced the classic brown camera design with a colourful rainbow-style logo. Meta has not yet issued an official statement regarding the change.

  • NCA and PUCAD unite in ‘Ra’naai-e-Khayal-o-Khat’

    LAHORE — On the afternoon of August 14, 2026, Lahore’s main cultural pivot along The Mall became a two-part gallery circuit. It’s because two of Pakistan’s most valued art institutions: the National College of Arts (NCA) and the College of Art & Design, University of the Punjab (PUCAD) opened their doors to a historic joint exhibition titled Ra’naai-e-Khayal-o-Khat (The Beauty of Thought and Line). The inauguration began at 3:30 PM by Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The collaborative display marks a rare institutional symbiosis arranged under the leadership of Vice Chancellor NCA Prof. Dr. Murtaza Jafri, Vice Chancellor Punjab University Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali and Principal CAD PU Prof. Dr. Samina Nasim. This exhibition took place across two physical sites. Part 1 is hosted at PUCAD’s Allama Iqbal Campus and Part 2 is taking over the galleries of NCA. The exhibition which runs through September 3, 2026 forces observers into an active pedestrian dialogue between both historic campuses. The atmosphere felt energetic with a distinct focus on tactile exploration, material experimentation and personal commentary while walking through the gallery spaces. It’s far from a conventional student thesis. The works on display demonstrate a meticulous engagement with raw textures, physical mediums and thematic intensity. One of the most captivating pieces in the gallery space is Silent Voice (2026) by Syedah Adeela Ijaz Naqvi. This piece neatly sits on the white wall with a modest print label: the 2” x 3” work entirely relying on hair on canvas. The tactile quality of the piece is intuitive. There are fine strands of human hair intricately arranged to compose two emotive faces. One of the faces is posing a silent scream and the other is gazing outward with quiet resignation. The physical texture of the woven fiber creates a three-dimensional depth. The artwork captures abstract emotional distress in the immediate reality of human bodily material. Nearby, Zaheer Chaudhry’s Shadow Has No Choice (2022) offers an abrupt photographic counterpoint. The large-format 36” x 25” black-and-white print captures the web-like shadow of tree branches cast against a weathered wall. Chaudhry’s deliberate work turns simple light exposure into a study of urban architecture, restraint and organic silhouette. This artwork emphasizes on physical grain of the surfaces upon which shadows fall. The exhibition moves fluidly between interiority and observational realism. In an extraordinary mixed-media work, an artist utilizes actual transparent MRI and CT scan films as a physical substrate. The cross-sectional images of the human spine and skull form the internal structure of a curled human figure. The scan is overlaid with swirling patterns reminiscent of cellular forms or neural pathways. The artwork physically merges medical technology with existential vulnerability. In contrast to these monochromatic psychological investigations stands a large botanical painting depicting green parakeets clustered within a canopy of lychee trees. The piece revels in the lush sheen of ripening fruit and light filtering through leaves. The painting is executed with meticulous brushwork. It celebrates regional flora and fauna with precision. Elsewhere, a surrealist monochrome composition presents a reclining figure intertwined with reptilian and avian wildlife. There’s a frog resting on patterned cloth while a bird hovers close to an open beak-like mouth. This piece of art blurs the line between human anatomy and raw natural ecology. The exhibition’s opening on Independence Day preserved national identity and historical homage. The central hall sculpted spaces render tributes to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. A heavily dark bronze bust of Jinnah presents prominently before the official insignias of Punjab University and NCA. Its rough tactile surface catches the ambient overhead lighting. Nearby, a tonal portrait executed in high-contrast graphite and airbrush tones captures Jinnah’s likeness in quiet contemplation.   Ra’naai-e-Khayal-o-Khat sets a significant precedent for academic art institutions in Pakistan by uniting NCA and PUCAD. The two institutions have created a unified platform that foregrounds artistic integrity and field research. The exhibition will remain open to the public at both venues until September 3, 2026.

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    Google marks Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day with special Doodle

    ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day has received a colourful digital tribute from Google, which replaced its familiar homepage logo with a special Doodle inspired by the country’s national colours. The special artwork appeared on Google’s Pakistan homepage on Friday, August 14, adding a digital touch to celebrations taking place across the country and among Pakistani communities around the world. Instead of the company’s usual multicoloured “Google” logo, users visiting the search engine in Pakistan were greeted with a design reflecting the green and white colours of the national flag. The simple but eye-catching tribute has brought Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations to one of the world’s most visited digital platforms, allowing millions of users to see the national-day themed artwork while using Google’s search service. A digital salute to Pakistan Google regularly creates special Doodles to mark national days, historic milestones, cultural occasions, achievements and notable personalities around the world. These temporary artworks replace or transform the company’s standard logo and often incorporate symbols associated with the occasion being commemorated. For Pakistan’s Independence Day this year, Google has continued that tradition with a design centred on the country’s national identity. The appearance of the Doodle comes as Pakistanis across the country celebrate August 14 with flag-hoisting ceremonies, patriotic songs, cultural events and public gatherings. From Islamabad and Lahore to Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, streets, homes and public buildings have been decorated with the green and white colours of Pakistan. The digital tribute also gives the country’s large overseas community another reason to celebrate, with Pakistanis living in different parts of the world marking the occasion through social media, community events and family gatherings. Not Google’s first Pakistan tribute Google’s recognition of Pakistan’s Independence Day is not a new tradition. Over the years, the technology giant has marked Pakistan-related occasions with Doodles featuring elements of the country’s history, culture, architecture, art and natural heritage. Past designs have highlighted national symbols, historic landmarks and distinctive aspects of Pakistani identity, bringing them to a global online audience. The Doodles have become more than simple changes to a search-page logo. For many users, they offer a brief visual reminder of an important national occasion while connecting local celebrations with the wider digital world. This year’s green-and-white design carries a similarly simple message: Pakistan’s Independence Day is being celebrated not only on streets and public squares but also across the digital landscape. As the country marks 79 years of independence, Google’s colourful tribute has added a modern, global dimension to a day rooted in Pakistan’s history, identity and national pride.

  • Google Gemini surpasses one billion users

    Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) app Gemini has surpassed one billion users. Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the milestone in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He said Gemini has become Google’s fastest-growing service to reach the milestone of more than one billion users. With this achievement, Google Gemini has become the second-most popular AI assistant after ChatGPT. Sundar Pichai also hinted that more updates related to Gemini are being planned and will be announced soon. He said that one billion people use the Gemini app every month making it the 14th Google service to reach one billion users. ChatGPT reached the same milestone in June 2026 while Gemini achieved it within about two and a half years. Google introduced the app in early 2024. Google’s Android operating system may have contributed significantly to Gemini’s rapid growth as the AI assistant is available as the default assistant on many smartphones. Despite Gemini’s impressive growth, Google continues to face strong competition from OpenAI and Anthropic.

  • WhatsApp tests button to make searching old messages easier

    Finding old messages on WhatsApp can often feel like a difficult task. However, WhatsApp appears to be working on a solution to this common problem in the form of a new button. According to a report by WABetaInfo, the new button will take users directly to search mode without requiring them to leave the chat. The new feature has been spotted in a new beta version of WhatsApp for iPhone. How will it work? Currently, finding an old message in WhatsApp chats on iPhones requires several steps. Users have to open an individual or group chat, tap the name at the top to open the Chat Info screen and then tap the search button which takes them back to the chat in search mode. Although the feature works, the process may not be convenient for everyone. That is why WhatsApp is reportedly introducing a new feature that will place a search button directly within the chat screen. The button will not remain visible all the time. Instead, it will appear when users scroll upward through older messages. Although this may seem like a minor change, it could make searching for old messages much easier and save users considerable effort. As the feature has so far only been spotted in a beta version, it is difficult to say when WhatsApp will officially make it available to all users.