Facebook ‘Stories’ Camera gets jazzed up with new 3D drawing tool, Boomerang

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Image: Twitter/John Barnett (@picturejohn) via AFP Relaxnews

“A picture is worth a thousand words” goes the famous saying, and it seems like social media platform users agree.

Fewer words seem to be making it to the platforms, we’ve gone from posts, to tweets, to hashtags, to…. GIFs, Bitmojis and stickers, and one of the latest ways to express oneself, in-app cameras.

This week Facebook Camera is welcoming Boomerang, an app that creates a mini GIF-like video of 10 compiled photos on loop, which has become a very popular feature on Instagram. John Barnett, Product Manager for Facebook Camera, confirmed the rollout via Twitter on April 12: “Something else I’m launching this week: Boomerang in Facebook Camera! It’s been almost 3 years since I started the IG hackathon project where we created Boomerang. Excited to bring it to FB Camera!”

And since users can share their Instagram feed or stories to their Facebook page and stories, why not offer them across the board to those that don’t use both platforms?

But that’s just the starter; the main course started rolling out on April 9, according to Elite Daily, and it’s called 3D Drawing.

The feature enlivens Facebook videos with augmented reality doodles designed to capture the mood and creativity of the user. It integrates 3D arrows, hearts or words into the video that make you want to reach out and grab them.

TechCrunch reported, “You can add the drawings before or while you’re recording, allowing you to draw on something out of frame, then pan or unzoom to reveal it. Facebook will eventually add more brushes beyond the pastel gradient colors seen here.”

The site also quotes John Barnett, who, in an email explaining the new tool said, “We wanted to give people an easy way to create with augmented reality and draw in the world around them.”

Barnett posted a demonstration of the feature on Twitter and noted that it will “continue rolling it out globally over the coming weeks.” JB

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