All posts tagged: GIF

How Shohei Ohtani rose to superstar status one GIF at a time

How Shohei Ohtani rose to superstar status one GIF at a time

Published by skeptic

Shohei Ohtani is no Muhammad Ali when it comes to talking about himself, but his standout play and his legions of fans have made him a social media star. (Amy Matsushita-Beal / For The Times) Shohei Ohtani didn’t share many details about his reunion with Mike Trout this month. “Normal,” he said in Japanese of their meeting at the Dodgers’ spring-training stadium. Ohtani said Trout and other Angels players congratulated him on the $700-million contract he signed with the Dodgers. He said he and Trout asked about each other’s families. And that was about it. Except there was more, some of which was revealed by a video that was uploaded to the Angels’ Instagram account. The recording showed Trout marching toward Ohtani with a bag over his shoulder and a smile on his face. “My buddy!” Trout called out. Ohtani and Trout clasped right hands, and pulled each other in for an embrace. They continued smiling over a minute-long conversation, as well as the obligatory photograph opportunity that followed. If a picture is worth a …

What Is a GIF? How (and When) to Use One

What Is a GIF? How (and When) to Use One

Published by skeptic

Quick Links What Is a GIF, and What Is It Used For? Where and How to Find GIFs Key Takeaways GIFs are image files that can host multiple static images and play them in sequence, creating an animation. GIFs are useful for adding humor, reacting to online content, and demonstrating step-by-step processes. You can find GIFs in online libraries, social media platforms, and create your own using various tools. Today’s digital communication often revolves around quick messages and visual cues. You may have come across the term GIF and seen others use it. But what exactly is a GIF, and how can you use it like everyone else does? Let’s talk about the origin of GIFs and when and how to use them. What Is a GIF, and What Is It Used For? GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It’s an image file that supports static images, like other formats such as JPG and PNG. However, unlike these traditional formats, a GIF can host multiple static images. Each of these images is a frame that’s …

NASA Mars rover posts glorious ‘sundial’ GIF

NASA Mars rover posts glorious ‘sundial’ GIF

Published by skeptic

NASA regularly posts highly impressive GIFs of glimpses beyond our own atmosphere, and this week, it’s another beauty from Mars. On Thursday, the space agency’s Curiosity rover posted two animated images showing the six-wheeled vehicle’s view of the Martian landscape over 12 hours. It’s essentially the representation of one Martian day, from sunrise to sunset, with Curiosity capturing its own shadow in the foreground. “Hey look – I’m a sundial!” tweeted the official Curiosity account. “Ok, not exactly, but I did get a sol to enjoy my surroundings. During solar conjunction, I used my hazard cameras to study the Martian weather and dust.” Tweet may have been deleted You can see the second set of images on NASA’s Mars website. Curiosity’s photos were taken on Nov. 8 from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time. The view is looking southeast (front camera) and northwest (rear camera) from the Gediz Vallis Ridge, where Curiosity recently (and triumphantly) arrived — a major stop on its steady climb of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater, ongoing since 2014. Mashable …

Gfycat, the Snap-owned GIF hub, shuts down on September 1

Gfycat, the Snap-owned GIF hub, shuts down on September 1

Published by skeptic

Gfycat, the Snap-owned GIF-hosting platform, announced that it’s shutting down on September 1, pulling its full archive of GIFs offline. Users have two months to save content before it leaves the platform forever. “The Gfycat service is being discontinued,” a message on the website writes. “Please save or delete your Gfycat content by visiting https://www.gfycat.com and logging in to your account. After September 1, 2023, all Gfycat content and data will be deleted from gfycat.com.” It’s not clear whether Snap plans to integrate Gfycat content into Snapchat or permanently delete years of GIFs. However, a Snapchat spokesperson told Mashable that “Snapchatters are still able to search for and use GIFs in their conversations with friends.” Snap did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. Image Credits: Gfycat The shutdown is a sign that the service has struggled to compete against rivals Tenor and Giphy. Gfycat recently faced criticism after its TLS security certificate temporarily lapsed in May, making the platform inaccessible to most users for five days. Plus, reports on Reddit indicate that, for months …