Skype for Android picked up an interesting update today, with Microsoft now letting users switch languages within the app settings. By default, Skype will use the default language that users initially chose for their phone and with this update, they will be able to select from an extensive list of language, independent of the phone’s default language.
As stated above, users can make the change in the app settings by tapping their avatar at the top, then the gear icon at the top right corner of the screen. Scroll down to language and select one from the list. This feature is nicely implemented as it does not require a restart of the app. Should you want to revert to the default system language, go back to the list and tap the first option, which in English is “Reset to system language”.
This update also let users share panoramic photos with friends via chat or highlights and contains the usual performance and reliability improvements.
Head over to Google Play Store to download this update.
Microsoft OneDrive was updated today. In version 4.15 of the app, the company improved the scan feature. The change log says all scans “will be cropped, cleaned up and polished thanks to the power of Office Lens.” Microsoft also improved performance and that results into viewing of photos faster.
Get this update to Microsoft OneDrive for Android in Google Play Store.
Back in June, Periscope launched super hearts that broadcasters can redeem for cash. They will be able to join the Super Broadcasters Program and earn some cash. When users buy Super Hearts, broadcasters will accrue a star balance which they can redeem later. And super hearts are not just any static emojis for users to show their appreciation, they’re rather sparkly, animated hearts.
Today Periscope has been updated and here’s what is in the change log:
• Improved the Super Hearts leaderboard to make it easier to see who contributes to your broadcast.
• When contributors appear, tap on their avatar to reply.
• Producer bug fixes.
Whether you’re a broadcaster or not, get the update in Google Play Store.
Microsoft Office Lens is very useful to me. I use it to scan receipts after a doctor's visit among other things and having the app on all major mobile platform is a great plus. However, I have been using Office Lens uniquely on my Windows Mobile and there's is a simple reason to that: The Windows Mobile version offers the ability to scan multiple images and store them in one file. A feature that makes sense, but which was strangely absent from the Android version of the app. Until today.
Responding to a most requested features from users, Microsoft today published an update that adds support for multiple scans on Android. Scanned files can then be saved as a single file in various supported format such as PDF, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote or a regular image to the local device, your favorite cloud storage service.
This is definitely a welcome addition and one that makes my Windows Mobile device even more irrelevant.
Grab the update in Google Play Store to finally enjoy scanning multiple images.
Some tech companies just don't get the concept of what a desktop app is and how with the Cloud, apps on mobile, the web, desktop can all work together. At least Facebook's WhatsApp and Google still don't get it. The latter just brought its Allo messaging app to the desktop via the Chrome browser. Don't try with Microsoft Edge, it won't work and Google will invite you to download Chrome - no surprises here. If you've used WhatsApp desktop before, the concept is the same and just head to Allo website and scan the QR code to get started. Otherwise keep reading on.
After you've updated and started Google Allo on your Android device, launch Chrome on your computer and go to g.co/alloforweb. The site will display a QR code. Open Allo on your phone and tap the three horizontal bars - also known as hamburger menu - at the top left hand of the app and tap "Allo for web" > Scan QR Code. From there just point your phone to the QR code on your computer screen and Chrome will load all your Allo messages. Put your phone away and start messaging your contacts. A little hiccup though: Your phone must remain online for Allo Desktop to work. Otherwise you get a message in your browser that your phone is unreachable.
That's it. Google Allo now works on your desktop. It's not perfect and I can't believe it took Google so long to come up with this.
Download Google Allo in the Play Store.
Today Instagram announced a new feature that is not yet readily available but will be deployed in the coming weeks on Android and iOS. The new feature is something that should have been into the app since its inception, but no. So today, Instagram has announced that they will soon bring threads to conversations; real threads like the ones that will group together a conversation by slightly increasing the indent to the right. Instagram says comment threads "help you keep track of conversations and make it easy to respond to a specific thread. This update will make your feed an even better place to share interests, get inspired and connect with others."
It's about time.
Instagram made the announcement on the company blog and you can read the full post here. Download Instagram in Google Play Store.
Google Calendar got a little bit better today with a new feature that will let users quickly and easily reschedule events, reminders and goals directly from Day, 3 day and week views by dragging and dropping. Simply press and hold on an entry in the calendar to move it around.
That’s certainly a quick way to get things done in the calendar. However, I did not get it to work with any of my events and reminders – I do not have any goals. On the other hand, it worked perfectly with the English Premier League reminders from ecal.
How do like the new drag and drop feature? Let me know in the comments.
Update or download Google Calendar in Google Play Store.
Learning to code takes time and a lot of practice, but that shouldn't deter you from trying. It's similar to learning any spoken language, the more practice you have, the better. And I believe any kid and adult today should learn coding. Now, if you're asking yourself where to start, I have an easy answer for you. Android has a lot of learning apps in store and there's two that I can recommend and SoloLearn is one of them.
SoloLearn gives you a wide choice for you to pick from as a beginner. You can easily pick among various coding languages such as C++, C#, Java, SQL, HTML5 etc. With SoloLearn on your device, you can learn wherever you are and compare your progress with other members of the community and exchange ideas them, making the learning experience fun and engaging.
The community is what's going to get you going and SoloLearn is well aware of that. In the last update to their Android app, they added the search functionality for you to quickly search your followers and following list.
This update also includes a fix about a wrong round bug in the Play section. I'm not sure what that means, but it's been fixed. So that's a good thing. The update also includes the usual bug fixes and improvements.
So, whether you're a kid or not and want to start coding, SoloLearn is your starting point. The app will track your progress and even deliver a certificate at the end of the course that you can print out and add to your CV.
To get started, download the app free in Google Play Store and enjoy coding.
Version 4.2.2 of Telegram on Android lets you search or add emojis by typing the ':' keyword followed by the type of emoji you want. For example, if you're feeling relieved, type ':relieved; feeling satisfied, type ':satisfied'. I don't know about you, but I find this tedious. I'd rather browse for the emoji, which, to me, is way faster and easier
This update also lets you find messages from a particular user in any group. According to the changelog, to achieve this, tap '...' in the top right corner when in a group. Tap 'Search' and the new 'Search by member'. Then select a user to browse through all of their messages.
That's it for this update, which you can download in Google Play Store.
I hope you made peace with the new skype. The new Snapchat-inspired design of Skype has provoked a kind-of over-reaction from users. At least, this is what I think because I like it for the simple reason that I grew tired of the Skype design of old. Sure Microsoft made mistakes, but well, at least they are listening. Take the new ‘activity indicators’ for example. Microsoft omitted this feature in the new release. Now, with this update, users will be able to see who’s currently active in chat list again. And there’s more.
When Microsoft redesigned Skype, it was all white. Not a wise choice knowing that a totally white screen puts pressure on the battery and on the eyes. So Microsoft added new themes where users will be able to switch between light and dark theme. This feature is available in the settings. To get to it, tap your profile picture, then the settings icon at the top right of the screen. Scroll down to theme and tap the Light or Dark buttons according to the preference. I always switch to a dark theme in apps when I can and Skype is no exception. I’m not sure that saves battery, but it does make it easy on my eyes. In case you’re wondering, I have no problems with my eyes.
So, make sure you download Skype on your Android device via the Google Play Store to take advantage of these new features. I nearly forgot, Skype will also let you reorder your chats by recent, unread or active.
I still use SMS sometimes, but I've long transitioned to messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. And for the rare times that I use it, it's good to see Google keeps adding new features to Android Messages.
The latest update allows users to mark a message as read right in the notification area. A feature that I find particularly useful. Before this update, 'Reply' was the only option available in the notification area and swiping the message away after reading did not remove the unread badge on the Android Messages icon. The 'Mark as read' option fixes that problem. So thanks for that Google, but there's another feature I think you could add up there: A delete button.
Many online services still sends out SMS messages with code for authentication and since messages can be read without opening the app, a delete button in the notification area would make perfect sense.
Do you think a 'Delete' button in the messages notifications will be useful?
Grab the update in Google Play Store.
