Twitter tries to help people understand what it's all about, a joint effort to stamp out ransomware, Prisma lands on Android, Amazon Prime lands in India, and which iPhone can stand the heat?

Nobody Understands Twitter Any More

Twitter has a problem, and I'm not talking about the abusive trolls who inhabit this particular social networking site. They ARE a problem in need of fixing, but a bigger problem for Twitter is its stalled userbase, which seems to have plateaued at just over the 300 million mark. That's a lot of people, but it's a fraction of the 1.6 billion people who are currently using Facebook.

Twitter identified the problem several years ago, realizing that a vast swathe of the online population simply doesn't understand what Twitter is all about. So Twitter released ads designed to educate and inform non-users about the benefits of using Twitter. They failed, spectacularly, and the userbase continued to grow at a snail's pace. But Twitter is now trying again.

According to a Twitter Blog post, the company conducted some research into how people perceive Twitter. And while it found 90% recognized the brand, the majority of non-users still don't quite get Twitter. They think of it as a social network for friends and family, a Facebook Lite, if you will. They also think they'll need to tweet every day, which is patently not true.

So, Twitter is embarking on a new advertising campaign designed to help non-users understand Twitter once and for all, based on the simple adage, "See What's Happening". It seeks to make it clear that you don't have to tweet to get something out of Twitter, and that it's really about discovering what's happening, both to the people you follow, and to the wider world at large.

Will it work this time? We're not entirely sure, but this is the perfect opportunity to ask you whether you understand Twitter, and what it could do for you? If not, are these ads likely to help? As always, please let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

'No More Ransom' Battles Ransomware

Ransomware, a type of malware which holds your files to ransom unless and until you pay money to release them, is an increasingly serious problem. Criminal gangs have used ransomware to extort money from thousands of individual users, and even universities and hospitals. And we need to get a grip on this problem fast.

In a concerted and coordinated bid to do so, two European police agencies have teamed up with Kaspersky Labs and Intel Security to create a one-stop shop designed to protect people from the scourge of ransomware. Called No More Ransom, it's designed to both prevent people being hit with ransomware in the first place, and help those who are affected recover their files for free.

For those seeking information, No More Ransom offers a comprehensive guide to ransomware and how to protect yourself from it. For those seeking a solution, No More Ransom offers tools to help detect ransomware and decrypt encrypted files. The main aim of the site is to persuade people not to pay the criminals behind the scam, because if they stop making money from it they'll stop altogether.

Prisma Is Now Available On Android

Prisma, the app which turns photos into works of art, is now available on Android. Unfortunately, the servers are still being pummeled so much that converting a photo into a stylized drawing or painting may take hours rather than minutes, and the influx of Android users is only likely to make that worse.

However, despite the delays in processing, Prisma is still well worth checking out. It essentially turns any photo into a work of art following the lines and patterns of certain artists and works. And the results are pretty spectacular. Prisma is available on Android and on iOS right now.

Amazon Launches Prime In India

Amazon has launched Amazon Prime in India, offering free One-Day and Two-Day Delivery and early access to Lightning Deals for Rs. 499. This is an introductory price, with the regular price set at Rs. 999. However, there is a 60-day free trial available for those who want to test the waters.

Amazon Prime in India isn't yet as compelling an offer as it is in the United States and elsewhere. It's all about free shipping, with none of the other benefits Amazon Prime offers. However, Amazon has committed to adding Prime Video to the mix soon, which should sweeten the deal considerably.

Which iPhone Can Survive a Fire?

And finally, have you ever wondered which iPhone has the best chance of surviving a dip into a fire? No, we didn't think so. However, that hasn't stopped YouTuber Zach Straley from conducting an experiment to see which iPhone is the most fire-retardant. And the results may surprise you.

It turns out that the older iPhones -- the 2G, the 3G, etc -- are much more able to withstand some flames flicking up around them than their newer counterparts. But then this experiment wasn't exactly conducted under laboratory conditions, so it doesn't really prove anything. [H/T Gizmodo]

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Do you understand the purpose of Twitter? Have you ever been hit with ransomware? Have you checked out Prisma on iOS or Android yet? If you're in India, will you be getting Amazon Prime? Is this iPhone fire test the most ridiculous test you have ever seen?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Tech News Digest is a daily column paring the technology news of the day down into bite-sized chunks that are easy to read and perfect for sharing.

Image Credit: Wilson Hui via Flickr