Google One will now automatically backup your phone data.

Google One cloud storage went live last year offering a paid storage for backing up phone data to the cloud. Starting at $1.99 per month, users are offered storage options ranging from 100GB to 30TB to save messages, photos, videos, and contacts online in case disaster strikes. 

Yesterday Google announced in a blog post they're improving the service. Besides the standard features mentioned above, Google One will now automatically backup your phone. In addition, the service will backup original quality photos, videos, and multimedia messages (MMS). And users will be able to manage all that on their Android devices from the Google One app.

Google said, "With Google One, you already get more storage for your photos, videos, and documents—giving you the peace of mind that your memories and important files are stored in the cloud. Now with automatic phone backup, we're taking another step in helping you keep the stuff you care about safe." 

Source: Google

LocalCast for Chromecast Pro is free provided you're willing to watch short video ads.

On my list of most useful gadgets, Chromecast is deeply entrenched in the second place behind, obviously, my phone. It's amazing how a $35 casting gadget make such an impact on how I consume and share digital content. But like all things, Chromecast also has its limitations and one of them being the lack of support for local files casting. There have been some minor improvements over the years, but nothing compared to apps like LocalCast for Chromecast.

Basically, LocalCast is capable of casting every file formats available from mp4, mkv, 3gp, m4v. And it does that from a variety of sources, not just limited to your devices. LocalCast will happily cast from NAS, Google Drive, Google+, Dropbox and even a webpage.

LocalCast is available in two versions in the Store: The free and pro version. The latter contains no ads; lets you search your device for contents; displays a video preview in certain areas of the app. While I don't mind paying to support an independent developer, it's nice to see that in the latest app update, the developer is making the pro version "free". Well, you have to watch a short video ad to unlock the app's pro features and they remain available until the app is restarted. Not a big price to pay to take full advantage of LocalCast.

The update also reduces the app download size from 10.31MB to "around 9MB".

Check out LocalCast in Google Play Store. Happy Casting! 

Instagram introduces Music in Stories.

Have you ever watched a movie without sound or music? And did you like it? It probably sounded weird as a soundtrack is essential to any movie and as of today, will most likely become key to your Instagram Stories.

Instagram announced the 400 million people who use Stories every day will now be able to add music to their Stories from a library of thousands of songs. Instagram added a new music icon and when you tap on it, you get access to a music library from which to browse by mood, genre or what's popular. Of course, songs can be previewed. 

Once you've found the song you like and that fits your Story, you can go even further and rewind or forward to the part of the song that best fits your Story. Instagram recognizes "that music can play an important role in how you share your moments and express yourself with friends and we're working hard to bring it to the global community in the future."

Music is available on Instagram version 51 in "select countries". However, the ability to choose a song before capturing a video is only available in iOS only, but the company says this feature is coming to Android soon. If you live in one of those "select countries", look for version 51 in Google Play Store.

Skype for Android finally lets you access your phone contacts from the dialpad.

The days when Skype was the de-facto messaging and video app are long gone with the advent of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, but that's not stopping Microsoft from bringing new features to catch up with the fierce competition. In an update published today, the software giant is finally letting users access their phone contacts within Skype through the app's dialpad. Start typing a phone number and Skype will retrieve a matching number and name from your device's contacts.

This update also includes the usual stability and performance improvements.

If you still Skype, grab the update in Google Play Store on your Android device.

Instagram now lets you take portrait mode style photos/videos with new 'Focus' feature.

Today, Instagram announced a new feature called 'Focus' "that can instantly take portraits of yourself or friends that you'll want to share". 'Focus' is the portrait mode available on more and more phones these days. In case you've never heard about portrait mode, it lets you take pictures that keep your subject sharp with a blurred background.

Instagram 'Focus' feature will appear next to 'Superzoom' in the app. Tap once to take a selfie or press and hold to capture a video. Focus also works with the back-facing camera. I've tested 'Focus' on my OnePlus 5T and my first impression is that it looks weird. I took a selfie and my ears were also blurred. This thing needs some more work. The portrait mode on my OnePlus is way better - at least it doesn't treat my ears as being part of the background.

'Focus' is available in Instagram version 39.0 for Android, but on select Android devices. Instagram did not say which one. If you do not see Focus mode yet, make sure you download the latest version of the app in Google Play Store.

Source: Instagram

Periscope lets you select the exact part of a video you want to share.

If like me you're particularly annoyed with having to share an entire video with your friends while all you want to show just is the most interesting part, you will welcome this update from Periscope. As from now on, you won't have to tell the time mark your friends should start watching when sharing.

Periscope gives you control to select the exact part of the broadcast that matters most and share it. Those at the end of the sharing line will see the broadcast start exactly at that point you selected. Unfortunately, there is no way to set an endpoint, a feature which would have been nice too, letting you select from one precise point to another. Maybe we'll see that in a future update.

The update is already live in Google Play Store. Now YouTube, if only you could implement the same feature.

CNN for Android now supports Picture-in-Picture video playback.

With Android 8.0 Oreo comes Picture-in-Picture (PIP) mode. Never heard about PIP before? The latest iteration of Android introduces a feature that is kind of a multi-window used for video playback. PIP lets users watch a video on their device while using other apps or browsing the web. The video will pin itself to a corner of the screen, letting users do other stuff on their devices.

PIP is really a nice feature, but unfortunately, not many apps support it right now and that is a bummer considering that Oreo was released a little less than 6 months ago. As of now, only Google Maps and Duo have PIP support baked in. You read that well, only two Google apps support PIP and YouTube is not one of them. Third party’s apps like WhatsApp Beta, VLC and Facebook do integrate PIP when watching videos or making video calls. CNN is the last to join the small club of apps showing PIP love.

The latest update of CNN app for Android does indeed add PIP support when watching videos. As I said above this feature works on devices running Android 8.0 Oreo only and is not enabled by default. To enjoy PIP, it must first be activated in the app settings. Tap the gear icon in the top-right hand corner of the CNN app and tap the toggle next to ‘Enable Picture-in-Picture’. After you’re done, go back to the app and start a video, then press the ‘Home’ button and see the video pin itself to the bottom-right corner of the screen. It’s basically a floating window and should you want to move it to another area of your screen, tap and hold and drag to the location you want.

PIP is a very useful feature, especially to those who like to multitask. Check out the latest update to CNN app for Android in Google Play Store to try PIP.

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.

Join a friend's live video on Instagram with the new 'Request' button.

Instagram for Android has been updated today with a new feature that lets users join live videos of their friends. Instagram added a new ‘Request’ button in the comments section. So, when watching a friend’s video, simply tap the request button. The broadcaster will see the request and choose to accept or reject it. The broadcaster will see a ‘View’ button to accept or reject a friend’s request. Should the broadcaster accept the request, the screen will split in half “so you can hang out live with your friend.” The video host can also “remove a guest and add someone else at any time.”

This update is rolling out starting today in Google PlayStore. Just be patient if you do not see it yet.

Source: Instagram

Periscope introduces 'Do Not Disturb' and tap-to-focus in camera.

Periscope for Android has been updated to give users the ability to control when to get notified of any activity going on in Periscope. Dubbed “Do Not Disturb”, it’s a very welcome feature that, in my opinion, should be made mandatory in every app using notifications.

‘Do Not Disturb’ is simple to set up. It can be found in Notification Settings. Navigate to your profile within the app and tap Notification Settings and you’ll find it right there, at the very top. Obviously, it’s disable by default. Use the toggle to enable it and set the Start and End time you do not want to be disturbed. Easy.

There is also a little something for Broadcasters in this update. They will be able to tap to focus “on a specific part in the camera”. I think that is quite self-explanatory.

This update brings the version number to 1.18 and can be downloaded in Google Play for free.

New Skype update for Android lets you change app language and share panoramic photos.

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.

New Periscope update improves the Super Hearts leaderboard.

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.

Dailymotion on Android finally gets Chromecast support.

Compared to YouTube’s 1 billion downloads, Dailymotion’s 10 million downloads is measly in comparison. Just so you know, there’s other apps in the store for video lovers and Dailymotion is one of those.

The app has been updated today which finally adds support for Chromecast. Yes, you read that right. It’s been one of the most awaited features and Dailymotion users will finally get to watch their favorite videos on a big screen. I’m not sure that will help increase the number of subscribers though.

Download Dailymotion in Google Play Store. 

Google rolling out new video attachments preview feature to Gmail desktop.

Google has started rolling a nifty new feature for Gmail desktop that will allow users to preview video attachments without having to download and viewing them in a media player. The rollout started yesterday, March 16, and is expected to take up to 15 days before users start seeing the new feature in their Gmail Inbox. Google said in a blog post that "this feature uses the same Google infrastructure that powers YouTube, Google Drive, and other video streaming apps, so video is delivered at optimal quality and availability."

Obviously, there is no download link, but do check Gmail on your desktop and the video preview feature will eventually show up, provided you have emails with videos attached.

Source: Google

WhatsApp Beta for Android gets separate phone & video icons; Attachment​ icon moved to message box.

WhatsApp Beta on Android got a nice little update with placements of some icon made more logical. The Attachment icon which used to be at the top of the app has moved to the bottom, inside the text box alongside the camera icon, thus making it easily accessible to attach documents, photos etc. 

Old

New

With the Attachment icon made more accessible, WhatsApp has filled the void at the top with a video call icon. Remember, not so long ago, WhatsApp introduced video calls which required tapping the Phone icon first before choosing between Phone and Video calls. From now on, a single tap is needed to quickly initiate whichever call method you choose. This makes more sense. 

This update is available in the beta version of WhatsApp, but it will make its way to the official version of the app soon. If you can't wait to get these update and are not afraid to get your hands dirty with unstable software, join the WhatsApp beta.

Periscope introduces closed groups and adds support for external video production tools.

Twitter-owned Periscope, the live video streaming app for Android, will now let users create closed groups and only the group creator will be able to add or remove members as well as change the group's title. The group creator basically becomes the group administrator and is the only user with the power to manage the group.

Periscope has also added a new toggle in the settings of the app for users to stop themselves from being added automatically to groups. On turning off the "Auto-accept Group Invites", users will receive an invitation which they can accept or reject. 

This update also introduces Periscope Producer. This new feature is available to anyone who wants to use external video production tools. More information about Periscope Producer can be found in the Settings of the Periscope app.

The update is already available for download in Google Play Store.

WhatsApp Messenger for Android now plays videos right away.

WhatsApp for Android has been updated and now the app "plays videos right away without waiting for them to download first." I tested this new feature and it works like they say. The video started playing right away while still downloading in the background; a much pleasant experience than staring at the downloading icon. To enjoy this feature, your device must run Android 4.1 and above. And that's not all, the videos will play instantly only if sent from the updated version of WhatsApp. Make sure you tell your friends to update by going to Google Play Store.

Share a personalized holiday message with Skype for Android.

The holidays season is almost upon us and I assume we're all looking for ways to share the festive mood with our loved ones. While there are dedicated sites to send our wishes with e-cards, we must not forget that we also have apps to do that and in most cases, apps that already installed on our phones. With that in mind, Skype for Android has been updated to allow you to send a video message to people you care from your phone at any time. 

In the update published this week, Skype added a snowflake themed holiday card to share a personalized messaged to your Skype contacts. Simply update from the store using the link at the bottom of this post. Then start Skype and you will see a new "+" button labeled "Holiday card". Tap on it and Skype will launch video with falling snowflakes. Record your video and share it with your loved ones. You can use both the front and back camera. A nice and easy way to wish your loved ones a happy holiday.

The update also lets you mention (@mention) your contacts and bots in a group chat. Microsoft also fixed a sign inn issue for users with multiple accounts.

Check out the update in Google Play Store and Happy Holidays.

Vine for Android lets you share channels and profiles with followers on different social networks.

The last time I blogged about Vine was on its release and now that video apps/functions are seeing a rise in popularity these days, it's an opportunity to write about Vine's latest update. As a quick note, most social networks now let their users use videos to broadcast themselves live for the world to see. Facebook, Instagram and even Snapchat have recently added videos to their service. But if memory serves me well, Twitter was the first to bring a standalone app in the form of Vine. I have no statistics to share about its popularity, but given Twitter's trouble with attracting new users, I doubt Vine is the ultimate video app out there.

Today, Twitter updated the app so users can share their favorite profiles and channels with their followers on Vine itself and added support for sharing to Facebook, Tumblr and, of course, Twitter. If you are a Vine user, head over to Google Play Store and get the update. If you happen to be an absolute fan of Vine, they have a beta channel to which you can signup to test new features before they get released to the official app. You can signup here and help make the app better.

Opera Mini browser for Android updated with video download.

Opera Mini has been updated with the ability to download videos for offline viewing. Unfortunately, YouTube videos are not supported, probably due to restrictions imposed by Google. Microsoft made a YouTube client of its own for Windows Phone, which Google called for its removal from the Windows Store because it included a download tool. I assume Opera stopped short of adding this feature to avoid Google's wrath. 

Uploaded videos can be downloaded from social media or other video platforms and saved to the device internal storage and SD card. Check out the new feature in Opera Mini latest update in Google Play store. Watch the video below to see how it all works: