Nova Launcher beta makes it easier to disable dynamic badges.

If you're part of the Nova Launcher beta, there's a new update for you to try. Nova Launcher recently added dynamic badges to the launcher and this update expands this feature a little bit with the ability to disable dynamic badges per-app and while that might sounds like no big deal, and it is the case, except that users won't have to navigate through several layers of menu in the app settings to do so. A simple long press on an app icon followed by Edit-Show badges is enough to disable dynamic badges. This update will also "respect system level themes on Samsung and Huawei devices."

This update will take a few days to make it to the official version which is available in the Google Play Store. If you want to get your hands dirty, join the beta program on Google+.

CNN for Samsung gets support for Android Nougat.

CNN has updated there app for Samsung devices today that adds support for Android Nougat, Android latest iteration. As you probably know, Samsung has been late in pushing Nougat to the S7 series of Galaxy devices, namely the S7 and S7 Edge, with deployment limited to a few countries so far. I am still waiting for my Galaxy S7 Edge to get the update to enjoy the new stuff in Nougat. In addition, the phone is also missing out on some security patches, the last ones were the November 2016 patches. That's how life is outside the Nexus realm.

Do you own a Galaxy S7 device? Did you get the Nougat update yet?

CNN for Samsung can be downloaded or upgraded in Google Play Store.

Pocket Casts for Android now supports split-screen and icon shortcuts on Android Nougat.

My favorite podcast app for Android was updated today, adding support for Android Nougat split-screen and icon shortcuts. Owners of Nougat powered devices will be able to run it alongside other apps. Unfortunately, Pocket Casts still does not support split-screen on Samsung devices running Marshmallow and that is a bummer, considering Samsung is the market leader of the Android world. So if you have Nougat on your device, and that is currently limited to Nexus and Pixel devices, you're in luck. I don't really use the feature on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, so I'm not missing anything.

This update also allow users to share their list of podcasts with other people. The change log states that you want to "pick out Rusty's Top 5 Rowing podcasts, or Jenny's Top 12 Jogging ones and share that with the world, you can now!". The last new added feature lets you use audio effects when streaming. This update also contains some Chromecast and playback fixes.

Download Pocket Casts in Google Play Store to enjoy your favorite podcasts.

Nokia Here Maps now compatible with Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch.

I am currently on a business trip in Washington D.C., a city I've never visited before. Thanks to Here Maps, it is very easy for me to move around that fascinating city without eating all my phone's data. I bought a prepaid data plan from AT&T and thanks to Here Maps offline maps feature, I found my way around without asking anyone and saving on my plan.

Today, Nokia has updated Here Maps and made it compatible with Samsung's latest smartwatch, the Samsung Gear S2. The change log does not say how's that supposed to work. Guess we'll have to wait to learn more. In the meantime, download the update in Google PlayStore.

CNN app for Android gets custom breaking news alerts for the Samsung Note 4 Edge.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Edge

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Edge - for simplicity, we'll call it Edge - is the latest in the line of the Galaxy Note series of devices from Samsung. It is quite unique and the "Edge" in the name is not just a name, it is a functionality. As can be seen in the picture above, the device has a curved edge that serves as a customizable notification screen of its own. Among its many uses, you can use it to reject calls, keep tabs of your messages, app notifications and social networks without leaving whatever window you have open on the main screen. It's pretty cool if you have to deal with a lot of those all day long.

CNN

It did not take long to see apps take advantage of this feature and CNN app for Android has released an update that brings custom breaking news alerts for the Samsung Note 4 Edge. The small update also contains the usual bug fixes.

Download the update from Google Play Store.
 

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.