Pocket Casts for Android now lets you switch themes without a restart.

Pocket Casts, my favorite podcast app on Android, got updated with a minor update today, raising the version number to 6.4.6.  Before I list the change log, the developer announced some major changes in version 7.4.7, which is a big jump from today’s update. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.

In today’s update, Pocket Casts brings a new “Extra Dark OLED theme.” Dark themes make it easy on the eyes should you choose to watch a video podcast…in the dark. This is great especially if you have a partner sharing the same room or bed. While this might sound like a minor addition, it won’t necessitate a restart of the app. Currently, changing the theme is already available in the app. But doing so requires closing and re-opening the app. With this update, this is not required. The change will happen on the fly. You would think that the most popular mobile platform on earth would handle such a change easily. But no.

This update also fixes some issue with “download URLs not changing properly when the author updates them.” Picture in Picture features also gets fixed as well as chromecasting. I assume that the former is available only on Android devices that runs Android Oreo or 8.0.

The update is available for download in Google Play Store for your podcast needs.

Google Contacts brings faster bulk merging of duplicate contacts.

Today Google has updated its Contacts app for Android. Yes, Google has a contact management app of its own which has been downloaded over 10 million times in the store. That’s not a lot for a Google app and the reason for this is simple. Contact is not built into Android and must be downloaded in the store. Most Android users do not do this because their phone manufacturers already provide their own apps as default that connects to users’ Google account on Google servers. I like Google Contacts over Samsung’s on my S7 Edge. While Samsung went to great length to make its app simple, I still prefer Google’s version.

In today’s update, users will be able to initiate Google Duo video calls directly from Contacts. With this integration, no need to go looking for Duo on one of your screens or through the app list to make a video call. The change log specifically says “setup and make Google Duo video calls directly from Contacts.” I cannot go deeper into this because nobody I know uses Duo.

This update also brings “faster bulk merging of duplicate contacts.” And for Japanese users, this update will “automatically fill in the phonetic name (furigana) for kanji characters.”

If you want to take advantage of the features in this update, head in Google Play Store to download.

Dailymotion for Android lets you view vertical videos in full-screen mode.

Last week VidMe closed down citing inability to compete against Google and Facebook. That news made the headlines last week and that leaves users with one less option to choose from. No doubt YouTube remains the most dominant video platform on the market. Then, there’s Dailymotion, a French owned video platform that’s still available should you want to join a less crowded video platform.

Dailymotion was updated today, offering Android users the ability to display vertical videos in full-screen mode. The update also brings some small improvements to account management and an improved playlist management that lets you “re-order the videos.”

If you’re a user of Dailymotion on Android, make sure you download the update in Google Play Store. If, on the other hand, you want to experience something other than YouTube, Dailymotion is the way to go.

Telegram for Android updated to version 4.6 will now show multiple photos from Instagram and Tweets as an album.

Telegram for Android has been updated to version 4.6 with a bunch of new features. The cross-platform messaging app offers fast and secure instant messaging and the developer claims the app “is the fastest messaging app on the market, connecting people via a unique, distributed network of data centers around the globe.”

Telegram is indeed quite popular with Android users with over 100 million active users in its two and a half years of existence. Not as popular as WhatsApp which has a billion download. But WhatsApp is owned by Facebook and benefits from the billions of users of the world largest social network. Nonetheless, Telegram has a lot more features than WhatsApp with the same simplicity in terms of use.

As I’ve said above, version 4.6 introduces some new features. Here’s what’s new:

·       New granular settings for auto-downloading media.

·       Link previews for Instagram posts and tweets with multiple photos will now show all the media as an album.

·       Embeddable HTML-widget for messages in public channels and groups (available when viewing t.me links to messages in web browsers).

·       Added support for albums to Secret Chats.

·       Added full support to MTProto 2.0.

Telegram has a reputation for taking privacy seriously and if I’m not mistaken, was the first messaging app to offer end-to-end encryption. The app uses a combination of 256-bit symmetric AES encryption, 2048-bit RSA encryption, and Diffie-Hellman secure key exchange. If none of these stuffs make sense to you, just know that Telegram offers the best in terms of protection.

The update is immediately available worldwide for download in Google Play Store.

TuneIn 19.0 for Android gets a new icon, a sneak peak into things to come.

TuneIn Radio brings the world's largest collection of radio stations to your Android device, that's over 100,000 stations for your listening pleasure with categories including songs, podcasts, shows and more. The app is also cross-platform, therefore available on Windows Phone, iOS and Windows. TuneIn also has a social touch in that you can share whatever you're listening with your followers and vice-versa. The Android version of the app is also Android Wear friendly and works with Chromecast too.

Today TuneIn has been updated with a new icon which is “inspired by the ON AIR radio signage, it’s a sneak peak into things to come.” Obviously, TuneIn refrains from revealing what is to come, but we can safely assume it’s going to be good. So, this update is more like a placeholder for upcoming new features. As of this writing, Google Play Store still doesn't display the new icon, but you'll see it on your Android device after updating.

The change log does mention an upgrade to Google Play Services 11.4.0. Google Play Services “is an extension of the Google Play ecosystem and Google automatically updates Google Play services on all supported devices via the Google Play Store to ensure API consistency across devices and versions, and to deliver fixes and new features in a timely fashion…”

This update also includes the usual bug fixes, crash fixes and improvements.

Check out TuneIn in Google Play Store.

Instagram releases two new tools: Stories Highlights and Stories Archive for Android.

Instagram has been on an update roll lately and today they are introducing two new tools for their users. The first is Stories Highlights. If you’re a serious Instagram user, you know that Instagram Stories are available for 24 hours only. That changes with today’s update. “Now you can more fully express your identity by grouping stories you’ve shared into highlights and featuring them on your profile.” These highlights will appear in a new section on your profile.

To create new Highlights, tap the “New” circle on the left and you will be able to choose stories from your archive. You will even be able to choose a cover and give it a name. Instagram says that your “highlight will appear as a circle on your profile that plays as a stand-alone story when someone taps it.” As I said above, Instagram has removed the 24 hours limit your highlights appear in your profile. However, you have the option to edit or remove them simply by tapping and holding on them.

Instagram will now also let you automatically save stories to your archive. “From there, you can easily switch between your Posts Archive and your new Stories Archive.” The most recent stories will appear at the bottom and tap on any of them to watch and share as a post or “add it to a highlight on your profile.” Before you worry, only you can see your archived stories and you can turn that off at any time in your profile settings.

Instagram is releasing this update to Android and iOS. Sorry for Windows users, as usual there’s nothing for you. Download and update Instagram for Android in Google Play Store.

Source: Instagram

AirDroid lets you reply to messages directly in notification on Android devices running 7.0 & above.

Chances are that, like me, you use multiple screens at home – like your PC attached to a secondary screen. This comes in handy when multi-tasking. Today, thanks to apps like AirDroid, it is now possible to similarly use your Windows PC or Mac to interact with your Android phone or tablet. When paired with your Android device, AirDroid will mirror your calls, SMS and emails on the bigger screen so you won’t have to reach out for your phone. A great productivity feature as you’ll be able to use the full keyboard and mouse to interact with your Android device. And wirelessly transferring files between your PC and device is faster. Additionally, you can do this without spending a dim.

AirDroid has a whole lot of features. Besides notifications mirroring for replying to messages, AirDroid lets you backup photos and videos from the phone to the computer; manage phone contacts from the desktop; record screenshot; locate your phone when it’s lost and remotely access the phone cameras. The latter feature is available via AirDroid web client only. The latest update adds some more features.

Version v4.1.6.0 improves the reliability and smoothness of AirMirror. Users will also be able to reply to messages directly from the notification area on the phone provided you have Android 7.0 and above.

Here’s the rest of the change log:

·       Show touches in screen recording.

·       Improved device connection reliability.

·       Other bug fixes and improvements.

Like I said above, AirDroid is a free powerful tool I strongly recommend to access and manage your phone from your PC. Check it out in Google Play Store.

VLC for Android gets a major update with a plethora of new features.

VLC for Android is a very popular multimedia player and in addition to that, it is cross-platform that will work on your phone, tablet and desktop. VLC can play almost about every type of multimedia file formats as well as network streaming protocols and it is also a feature-packed audio player.

Today, VLC has been updated with a major update that contains a plethora of new features.

Here’s the full change log:

·       360^o videos support.

·       Android Auto implementation.

·       More dynamic and material-compliant UI.

·       Enable Picture-In-Picture mode on Android O.

·       Refactored MediaLibrary.

·       DayNight mode integration.

·       New Search activity and integration with Google Now.

·       Resume position for audio media tagged as audiobook or podcast.

·       Double tap on screen edges in video player to seek by 10s.

·       Audio boost in video player.

·       Custom equalizer presets.

·       Improve RTL support.

·       Improve app & video player start speed.

As the developer puts it in the app description in the Play Store, “VLC is intended for everyone, is totally free, has no ads, no in-app-purchases, no spying and is developed by passionate volunteers. All the source code is available for free.”

VLC for Android is a must-have app for your multimedia needs on your devices. You won’t find a better offer in the store. Seriously, nothing beats a full-featured free app.

Get it in Google Play Store.

Amazon Kindle update for Android lets you long tap to hide items from your Home view again & saves your books searches.

Amazon Kindle for Android does not get updated often. Sure, there are the usual bug fixes and performance enhancements, but we rarely get an update that actually introduces new features like the one Amazon published today. And I was surprised to read that Amazon actually listens to user feedbacks.

By popular request, Amazon has indeed reinstated a feature that allows users to remove items from the Home screen with a long tap. In the change log, Amazon says the long tap will “hide it from your Home.”

The second feature in this update is about searches you do in your book. Amazon Kindle will now save those so you can quickly look them up again. This comes in handy should you need to remind yourself the definition of a word for example.

Amazon Kindle also gets new dictionaries for five new languages: Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati and Malayalam.

Whether you’re an avid reader or not, check this update in Google Play Store. Amazon Kindle and the update are free to download.

Adobe Photoshop Express supports 9 new languages, image cropping in the original image's aspect ratio.

If you pull up the Play Store on your device and make a search for photo editing apps, the search will bring up thousands and thousands of matching apps. So much that you end up scrolling endlessly through the results, making choosing one difficult, especially since the store search engine does not necessarily sort the list with the most popular app at the top. So, if you’re a developer and unless your app has a well-known brand name, good luck with making your app visible to the billions of Android users. Adobe Photoshop Express does not have this recognition problem if 50 million downloads are any indication.

Adobe Photoshop Express is a brand that inspires trust. The app supports the basics like photo cropping, straightening, rotating, etc. It also allows for quick and easy editing of photos on the go. But it also includes features like blemish removal, corrections, filters, image rendering engine, noise reduction among a lot more. And the app is regularly updated.

In the latest update, Adobe added support for 9 new languages: Filipino, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay, Romanian, Thai, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. The update also lets you “crop your images in the original image’s aspect ratio.”

Check out the ret of the change log below and head into the Play Store to update/download Adobe Photoshop Express.

·       Enhancements in image picker gallery for a smoother experience.

·       Bug fixes and feature enhancements.