Google Duo now lets you leave 30 seconds video messages when families & friends miss your calls.

I really would like to use Google Duo, really. What's preventing me from doing so is that nobody around me uses it, absolutely nobody. I live in an environment dominated by WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and to a lesser extent, Skype. To make things worse, I've asked ten 'normal users' about Google Duo and they had no idea what it was. And I think Google knows about this and the company keeps trying by adding new features to Google Duo in the hope of getting users to jump ship.

In an update that is currently rolling out, Google Duo users will be able to leave 30-seconds video messages in case the person they're calling does not pick up. "If the person you’re calling declines or misses your call, you can record up to 30 seconds of a video (or voice) message. Once you’re happy with your message, you can send it to your friend or family member, who will receive it in the Duo app." À la Snapchat, the videos will disappear "within a day after you first watch them." However, Google will let you save your preferred videos to your device if you choose to. These video messages are secure and end-to-end encrypted. No worry here if you care about your privacy.

So that's it for this Google Duo update. Check it out in Google Play store.

Source: Google

Facebook releases Messenger Lite in over 130 countries.

Today Facebook is making Messenger lite app available to more that 130 countries. Facebook Messenger, along with the Facebook app, have long been criticized for being resource hogs on Android devices. In response, Facebook has made Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite available for devices with limited processing power.

The new Facebook Messenger Lite does not all the bells and whistles of the original Messenger app. For example, phone and video calls are missing. In addition, the app will keep you connected should you be in an area where data coverage is poor. Facebook Messenger Lite is pretty much a simple messenger app that's been designed to quickly send a message to your families and friends on any Android phone you have without the frustration you can sometimes experience with its full featured bigger brother.

Facebook did not post a list of countries where they made Messenger Lite available, so just go to Google Play Store and you should see it if it is. Otherwise, you can still search the web for the APK. 

Flipboard to lure new users via sharing to Facebook Messenger.

Flipboard just made it easier to share articles to Facebook Messenger on Android and iOS. According to them, "readers love sharing articles to Facebook Messenger" and it was possible to do that before this update, but Flipboard decided to enhance the experience between Flipboard itself and Facebook Messenger.

The current version of the popular flipping news reader does let you share articles to Facebook Messenger, but your friend only receives a link. This update improves on that by bringing some visuals to it and lure non Flipboard users to download and use the app. 

Once you share an article and your friend opens it in Messenger, they will be taken straight to the article in Flipboard. If Flipboard is not installed, they will be prompted to download it and then share the article. A great way to attract new customers. Flipboard also says that "opening an article from Messenger also unlocks a small new share icon in Flipboard to make it easier to continue the conversation with your friend and quickly share stories back."

Now you can proceed to Google Play Store to update Flipboard on your device and help them get more users by sharing your articles.

Facebook Messenger 5.0 makes it easier to send photos and videos (slowly killing Whatsapp in the process?).

This year Facebook spent $19 billion to acquire Whatsapp, a competing messaging app. The reason behind this insane price is still a matter of debate and the one idea that seems to make everyone agree is that Facebook strategy for acquiring Whatsapp was to take it off the market, thus beyond Google's or any other competitor's reach. Google was reportedly also eyeing the messaging platform and made a bid far inferior to Facebook offer. Now Whatsapp is operating as an independent entity within Facebook. The latter has been working hard to improve it's own messaging platform since the acquisition. Today Facebook released version 5.0 of Facebook Messenger.

The new version carries a lot of improvement. It is now easier to send photos and videos within the app. A new row has been added  that makes it a breeze to do such things as adding a sticker, upload photos etc. It is also possible to upload videos and watch them directly within Messenger. One might argue that these features are already present on competing messaging platform and that's true. Even if this upgrade is nothing new, it does make it easier, more user friendly.

I believe Facebook is positioning its messaging platform as a strong contender in countries where Facebook is the number one social network. I personally use Facebook Messenger more than Whatsapp. It is not a matter of I-like-it-more than Whatsapp or other messaging app. The reason is I do not have much choice. There is no arguing with the fact that most of the people I know use Facebook Messenger. So I'm not as active as I used to be on Whatsapp anymore. What about you? Do you think Facebook Messenger is killing off Whatsapp?

Checkout the Facebook Messenger 5.0 change log:

More ways to message: Now it's easier to send photos, voice messages and more

Video: Send videos from your gallery and play them right in the app. (Works on Android 4.3 and up. We'll continue to improve video and bring it to more phones.)

Instant photo sharing: Take a photo and send it in just one tap.

Stickers shortcuts: When someone sends you a sticker, press and hold down on it to get the pack.

Faster search: Just enter the names of people and groups

 

Download: Facebook Messenger

 

 

Facebook Messenger gets animated stickers in messages.

Heavy users of Facebook Messenger will most likely like this new feature that some stickers are now animated in messages. Besides this fancy addition, the app supports more languages: Croatian, Hungarian and Slovakian. Add to that the usual bug fixes and you get an update that is available for download from the Play Store.

What's New

2.7.1

- Some stickers are now animated in messages—see Pusheen, Beast and Anooki wave, dance and wiggle! (Android 4.0.2 and higher)

- Plus, the app is available in more languages: Croatian, Hungarian and Slovakian

- Bug fixes for reliability

Facebook update brings Chat heads to mid-range devices.

Chat heads was initially restricted to devices supporting Facebook Home, the failed attempt by Facebook to take over your device. Home was meant to be the main point of entry to access your phone features as it worked more like a launcher, an intrusive one which did not garner much support from users. But not all was bad about Facebook Home. 

Chat head remains quite popular and it seems Facebook has noticed and is bringing it to those devices that cannot handle Facebook Home. In the latest update to Facebook Messenger, they added support for Chat Heads for mid-range devices like the Samsung Galaxy Y and HTC Wildfire. A bug on the Sony Experia U which caused chat heads to appear incorrectly was also fixed.

Finally, the usual bug fixes are also part of the update as well as improvements to use less battery.

With this update, Facebook Messenger reaches version 2.6.1. If you haven't received the update notification yet, get it on Google Play.

Facebook app gets new permissions for Facebook Home.

Finally it's Friday and the Play store has a couple of updates for us. If my memory serves me well, it's today that Facebook will push out it's Home launcher to supported Android devices. And my Galaxy Nexus is not on the official list of supported devices. I'm pretty sure the wizards of the Android community will make it available to the unsupported devices that the majority of us own . After all, I was able to use Facebook Home on my Galaxy Nexus for a short while after a leaked version appeared on the web and before Facebook pulled the plug. No matter what, I'm not looking forward to the release of Facebook Home. It's not an exciting technology and is not even a match for Microsoft People hub.

As the title, Facebook app got an update that seems to prepare for the imminent release of Facebook Home on supported devices. The change log list only two items: the usual bug fixes and "new permissions for Facebook Home". Facebook Messenger also gets updated with the ability to keep chatting while using other apps.

Facebook Messenger gets voice support, reduces typing.

Tired of typing? The latest update to Facebook Messenger now lets you do more with your voice. Last week, Facebook published a similar update for the Facebook app for Android. Which brings me to ask why are there two apps for Android with the same feature? Why not get rid of the Facebook Messenger app? Anyone knows?

The update also includes the usual performance enhancements and bug fixes.

Download link.