[Updated]Telegram introduces secure voice calls.

Update: Telegram is making the voice call feature available in Africa, North and South America. Initially the feature was available in Europe only.

Today Telegram for Android has been updated with calls. For now, users of the popular messaging app in  Western Europe will be able to make "secure, crystal-clear" call within the app. Calls will be encrypted end-to-end and will require verification by both parties before being initiated. The caller and the callee need to compare four emojis for the conversation to begin. And that is not all.

Telegram voice call is AI powered. The neural network will learn from device's feedback to optimize the call. No user's data will be recorded, only information such as network speed, ping times. These data will help improve future calls. Telegram even goes to the extent of giving users compete control on "who can and who can't call you with granular precision". The app will even let you enable the Use less Data option in Data and Storage settings.

The update is available for all to download in Google Play Store.

Source: Telegram blog

Box will now sync Your "Recent List" across devices and preview DICOM files.

Cloud storage service has been updated with two useful features today. The first one is the Recent list within the app will now show files accessed on other devices as well as the browser. A feature that makes sense when your data lives in the Cloud and, nowadays, we use more than one device to access those data. So it's logical to have every piece of information possible sync across them.

The second feature Box added to its Android app is support for previewing DICOM files. I had to do a search to figure that one out. According to Wikipedia Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM), "is a standard for handling, storing, printing and transmitting information in medical imaging." There you have it, Box is now able to safely handle your medical imaging.

Get Box in Google Play Store.

Google Sheets now supports alternating row colors.

Google Sheets was updated with a new feature that makes reading data on a sheet legible with the introduction of alternating row colors. The change log states that users will be able to "apply and edit alternating row colors from the Formatting menu", thus make it easier to read the data stored in the rows and columns. Hopefully, this addition will open the path apply alternating row colors through Conditional Formatting. Let's wait and see.

Download or update Google Sheets from the Play Store. 

IFTTT now works better with Android services.

Technology is about automating stuff for us humans and make our lives easier. IFTTT follows the same principle. Once installed on your Android device, you can use it to create "conditional statements" called applets to perform some tasks for you. For example, after I publish this post, IFTTT will kick in and post a tweet on my behalf so I do not have to manually do it. I can ask it to do the same to other social networks too. IFTTT lets you also control devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant; change your home thermostat when you arrive. There are plenty of possibilities.

IFTTT was updated today and makes applets that use Android services work better. The company made some changes to make the applets more stable. They also made some "minor improvements to the graphic design of Applets". The app is now 1MB smaller, thus using less space on your device.

IFTTT means If This Then That and is free in Google Play Store.

Opera Mini browser beta adds a Facebook notification bar to Android's notification tray for easy access.

Opera is testing a new feature in its Opera Mini browser beta on Android with the addition of a Facebook notification bar which will give users quick access to the social network. The bar will appear in the notification tray and as can been in the screen capture will allow users directly access Facebook notifications, timeline or messenger without launching the Facebook app. Opera Mini main selling point is the builtin data saving feature while browsing the web and knowing that Facebook puts a lot of pressure on mobile data usage, the Opera's Facebook notification bar maybe a boon for serious Facebook users.

Facebook notification bar is not activated by default after installation. To enable it, tap the Opera icon in the bottom right corner and tap the gear icon to open Settings. Scroll to notifications and toggle the Notification bar for easy access to Facebook. If it's not already the case, Opera will ask for your Facebook credentials. 

Opera also added a media control panel  and a new one-hand friendly video player in this update, which you can download in the Google Play Store. No signup is required, just download the app from the store to test new features before they reach the public channel. 

Pocket Casts on Android celebrates 6.2.3rd birthday with some fixes.

Sometimes I wish I could listen to podcasts throughout the day, but I'm too busy at work to do that and my boss wouldn't be too happy about it either. With Pocket Casts being the best podcast app out there, the listening experience is made enjoyable and fun, and add to that the fact that you can control your podcasts from your wrist thanks to support for Android Wear.

Today, Shifty Jelly, the company behind Pocket Casts, is celebrating the "6.2.3rd" birthday of their popular app with a small update that brings along some fixes. The parents are very proud of their offspring as the change log shows. This change log will make you giggle. See for yourself below:

WHAT'S NEW

I mean just how fast do kids grow up these days? Our apps 6.2.3rd birthday is already here! It seems like just last week this little bundle of joy turned 6.2.2! As proud parents we'd like to announce:

- Fixed OnePlus 2 widget issues

- Fixed lock screen skip buttons on Android 4.4 phones

- Artwork flashing (no nudity allowed, sorry kids)

- Double Chromecasting notifications. You might still see the default one from Google, but you can turn that off in your phone settings.

Pocket Casts is available for purchase on Google Play Store for $3.99.

Microsoft releases new Arrow Launcher beta with new features and PDF support.

After recently making its Arrow Launcher for Android tablet-friendly, Microsoft has published another for those in the beta community to try. Version 3.2 of Arrow introduces a bunch of new features which I assume apply to both phones and tablets.

I used to be a fan of Google Now Launcher on my Android devices. But since Microsoft launched Arrow Launcher, I've started using it and haven't looked back.

Here's what's new for beta testers:

- Apps page: Hide icon title; lock App & Widget position; moveable app draw icon (as shortcut widget); add blank apps page

- DateTime widget: show next alarm time; support multiple cities weather

- Setting: Introduce new features with video snippet

- Document: support PDF format

- Swipe right to BACK for all pages

if you wish to try the new features before they make their way out to the general public, join the community on Google + and post your feedback, then proceed to download the beta version on 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 quickly restores text-based status after user feedback.

Recently WhatsApp introduced a new "feature" called WhatsApp Status that allowed users to use photos, videos, GIFs that disappear after 24 hours as their status in place of the much simpler text based status. WhatsApp was probably thinking that the new status would be a hit with its one billion plus users. The latter proved them wrong and today WhatsApp is restoring the good old text-based status after user backlash "feedback". Given that WhatsApp status is now a completely different thing within the app, the restored text-based status in Settings is now called About. Tap your profile name to edit it.

When you have over a billion users, it is a wise to take action swiftly when they complain. Download the update in Google Play Store. 

U.S. only: Send and request money right in the Gmail app on Android.

Why in the world would you use the Gmail app on your phone to send or request money? Because now your can. That's what the Gmail app on Android lets you do thanks to an update that is rolling out to U.S. based users only. According to Google, "sending money in Gmail is as easy as sending any other attachment. Just tap on the attachment icon and choose whether you want to send or request money". 

The recipients do not need to install a payment app on their devices and handle the transaction right in the email itself. This whole activity of sending or requesting money is free for all parties involved.

If you live in the U.S. check out the update in Google Play Store and use Gmail to send and receive money.