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

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.

Google releases its video calling app Duo to the world.

Announced and demoed during its developer conference, Google finally made its Duo video calling app available to the public yesterday. The app is being gradually released and thus is not immediately available for all to download - It is still not available in Mauritius yet.

Google is presenting Duo as the simplest to use video calling app. The app is launched on Android and iOS: "Video calling is the next best thing to being with someone in person, but too often it can be a frustrating or complicated experience." Duo aims to make 1-to-1 video calling as natural as regular calls with all what is needed is a phone number.

Duo will use both data and/or Wi-Fi to handle calls without dropping calls. Should the network be choppy, Duo will adjust to that too by reducing video resolution. Google wants to make sure users enjoy the best video calling experience. Google also introduces a feature called Knock Knock "which lets you see live video of your caller before you answer, giving you a sense of what they're up to and why they want to chat. Knock Knock makes video calling more spontaneous and welcoming, helping you connect with the person before you even pick up."

If you're concerned about security and privacy, Google has you covered. Duo supports end-to-end encryption.

Google Duo is available for download in the Play Store. However, if it still shows as coming soon, hit that register button to get notified when it becomes available.

Source: Google