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Tag: feature

  • Instagram testing a new “Edit Grid” feature

    Instagram testing a new “Edit Grid” feature

    Facebook is busy adding new features to its sweet child Instagram, as it seems. According to the app researcher Alessandro Paluzzi, the popular photo social network will be getting a cool new feature soon.

    Paluzzi posted a couple of images on Twitter, showing the new functionality in action. “Instagram is working on the ability to edit the profile grid allowing you to rearrange posts in any order you like,” wrote the researcher.

    The new “Edit Grid” option appears in the profile settings and allows users to re-arrange their profile gallery regardless of the date each photo was posted. This feature seems to be pretty useful, as it will allow people to choose what they want to show on their photo grid.

    Alessandro Paluzzi also shared some insight on new stickers Instagram has been working on lately. Among these is a new reaction emoji, although we’re not sure when will all these new features start rolling out.

    At the beginning of January, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced three new feed changes coming to the platform. Since these are already rolling out, users now have three new ways to sort their home screen – Home, Favorites, and Following.

    Home shows your feed organized the way you’re used to seeing it, while Favorites shows posts from accounts you’ve put a Star on. The third option will display posts from people you follow.

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  • Instagram adds three new features in time for Christmas

    Instagram adds three new features in time for Christmas

    Instagram keeps on adding new features – such as the ability to post a 60-second video as a Story, and the planned content creators subscription service that is coming up soon. Now, just in time for the holiday season, the Facebook-owned company is adding three new features to the basket – Playback, Reel Visual Replies, and Profile Embed.

    Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared the news on his Twitter account, along with a cool short video to explain the new features in more detail. The new features are rolling up as we type, so be sure to check for updates and update your Instagram app when the new version hits your region.

    Now, back to the new features. The first one is called Playback and it’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s a way to relive old memories in form of Instagram stories. You must have at least three of those posted in order for Instagram to suggest you this feature, and it could contain up to 10 stories in total. The Playback feature will probably vanish after 2022 rolls in but Instagram could bring it back again next year.

    Next in line is Reel Visual Replies – this feature allows creators to take a comment and feature it in a 60-second Reel. In practice, this feature should increase engagement, and give creators a new tool to answer questions, and create more content. The Reels Visual Replies option can be found near the comment reply icon.

    The last new feature is called Profile Embed, and it’s the ability to embed an entire profile everywhere, thus offering a snapshot to their Instagram universe. While the first two features are already rolling out globally, this one is US-only.

  • Users can disable Night mode feature with iOS 15

    Users can disable Night mode feature with iOS 15

    Apple is just weeks away from releasing iOS 15 and one of the new features will allow a user to turn Night mode off. If you’re not familiar with Night mode, it allows iPhone users to snap viewable photos even under low-light conditions. This feature is available with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 lines and automatically turns Night mode on in low-light environments.

    You can tell that Night mode is on when the icon at the top of the screen is yellow. When a photo is snapped with Night mode enabled, a number next to the icon will tell you how long the exposure will take. Tapping the icon allows you to control the time of a Night mode exposure using a slider. Depending on how dark it is outside when taking the photo, the Night mode photo might be quick or it might take several seconds.

    With the iPhone 12 series, Night mode selfies are supported as are Night mode portraits. Because it allows you to take photos under low-light conditions, no one would want to turn off Night mode under normal circumstances. Still, some people just might want to have the ability to turn off Night mode and this is happening in iOS 15. With iOS 15 installed, go to Settings > Camera > Preserve Settings and you’ll find a new toggle for Night mode.

    When that Night mode toggle is turned on, the iPhone will know to keep Night mode turned off if you’ve disabled it for a shot. If you need Night mode, you can still manually enable it in the camera app allowing you to decide whether to use it. Personally, having Night mode turn on automatically is a time saver. Allowing you to opt-out of Night mode is also a time-saver, but only if you’re not in a low-light environment.

    Remember, this new feature is coming in iOS 15 which will be heading your way very soon.

  • TikTok is now working on an Instagram-Story-like feature

    TikTok is now working on an Instagram-Story-like feature

    TikTok was an exception to the fact all social media platforms have been getting some sort of an Instagram-Story-like feature, but this is no longer the case. TikTok will now be getting a Story-like feature too.

    Matt Navarra was the first one to reveal the company was working on a Stories feature earlier on Twitter. Currently, all the mainstream social media platforms have a form of Stories – a disappearing post that stays up for 24 hours on your account.

    The fact TikTok is developing the popular feature has been confirmed now by a representative of the company, stated The Verge. The feature will be simply called “TikTok Stories” and will work similarly to the Stories on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat.

    The published Stories will be visible in a newly-added slide-over sidebar in the TikTok app, and you will be able to see Stories by the accounts you follow on TikTok for 24 hours before they automatically disappear. Of course, reactions and comments to Stories will also be present. And, just like Instagram, tapping on a user’s profile picture on TikTok will load a Story if they currently have one active.

    This will be a new way you can interact with your fans, claims TikTok. You will be able to create a new Story by a “create” button that will be available on the sidebar, and as usual, you will be able to write captions, put music and text on. Quite understandably, Stories on TikTok will need to be videos and not a still image.

    At the moment, there’s no clear indication when the new feature will be released to the general public.

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  • Google is testing two features for mobile YouTube users

    Google is testing two features for mobile YouTube users

    Google has been busy testing new features on the mobile version of YouTube. Remember back in 2007 when one ad for the Apple iPhone said that “maybe the biggest surprise is finding YouTube on your phone.” But these days, every iOS and Android phone has access to the streaming video site and Google continues to improve the UI and functionality of the app.

    For example, a limited number of Android users are in the process of testing a feature called Loop video that is already offered to those running the desktop version of YouTube. With this feature, a video will automatically continue to play over and over again. This really isn’t meant for a long movie like Titanic (which runs for three hours and 30 minutes), but for short music videos that can be over in under four minutes.

    If you have an Android device, you can look for the Loop video option by tapping the three-dot menu button. The feature does have an icon consisting of a right-facing arrow on top, a left-facing arrow at the bottom with the number “1” sandwiched in between.

    Also being tested is another feature called Clip that allows YouTube users to create 60-second video clips from existing videos. The clip you create can then be shared with others. Clip, which uses the image of a scissor for its icon, is being tested on both Android and iOS devices which means that you might not see it on your device at the moment.

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  • Twitter’s newest creator-friendly feature is now official and rolling out to select accounts

    Twitter’s newest creator-friendly feature is now official and rolling out to select accounts

    Twitter is having a pretty big week in terms of adding highly requested features, and even though the social media platform’s hundreds of millions of active users around the world remain unable to edit their tweets after publishing them, we’re sure many of you will find the two latest changes almost as convenient as that.

    Just one day after ditching its annoying image cropping habit to finally display “bigger and better” (and especially taller) pics on both iPhones and Android handsets, Twitter is officially launching a functionality that first made the rounds a couple of weeks ago.

    The aptly named “Tip Jar” option is bound to put a big smile on the faces of all sorts of “creators, journalists, experts, and nonprofits”, and hopefully, make it easier for these people and organizations to find the time to keep us all entertained and informed on Twitter.

    For the time being, only a “limited group” of such accounts from “around the world” can be (easily) set up to allow followers to directly send them money using one of a variety of payment services. Said services, by the way, include PayPal, Venmo, Patreon, Bandcamp, and Cash App, although availability naturally differs from region to region.

    If you want to send a “tip” to an “applicable” account on iOS or Android, the good news is you can start doing that with no restrictions… as long as you use the English-language version of Twitter. Eventually, the plan is obviously to expand the feature to “more languages” and “soon” allow more people to receive tips.

    Before sending any of your hard-earned money to your favorite amateur entertainer, freelance journalist, political pundit, or mobile tech leaker, you might be happy to hear Twitter will not intervene in the tipping process in any way, directing you to your financial app of choice when making a donation and taking no “cut” from the sender or the receiver of tips.

    The Tip Jar icon can be easily located next to the Follow button on an “applicable account’s” profile page, and to make everything even more effortless and hassle-free, Twitter is letting Android users send money within Spaces conversations as well.

  • New Google Maps feature is designed for those who fear that they have been infected

    New Google Maps feature is designed for those who fear that they have been infected

    We often wonder whether Google has a room where it keeps several developers locked inside. Inside is a whiteboard and those locked inside cannot leave until a new feature is developed for Google Maps. The latest addition to the app is related to the current coronavirus pandemic. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S. has recommended that anyone who feels that they are exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus call their doctor first before driving to the hospital. This might prevent users who aren’t ill from coming down with the dread disease. And it also could help to take some pressure off an already taxed hospital system.

    An update to Google Maps will now show a reminder when someone is using the app to search for a doctor or hospital. A rectangular box near the bottom of the screen has a heading that is printed in red to catch the attention of a Maps user. It says COVID-19 alert. Then, in black type, the message says “Call your doctor before visiting if you may have COVID-19. Source: CDC.”

    Google is also trying to pass along legitimate information to the public while blocking misinformation, speculation, and outright fraudulent reports from worried and scared people around the world. Go to the Google Search app and type in coronavirus and you’ll see four tabs: Overview, Symptoms, Prevention and Treatments. An overview will show you the latest news about the virus from reputable media organizations. Symptoms provide a rundown of COVID-19 symptoms from the World Health Organization (WHO) and also lists some top stories. Prevention mentions several tips that are supposed to keep users from contracting coronavirus, and Treatments explains that there currently are none for COVID-19.

    WhatsApp also is looking to inform users with information from a reliable source. Text “Hi” to +41 79 893 1892 on the app and you’ll receive some information about the coronavirus via text. Additionally, if you open your mobile browser and go to whatsapp.com/coronavirus, scroll down to the section with the heading “Choose reliable sources of information.” There you will find a link to the World Health Organization (WHO). If you have WhatsApp installed on your phone, clicking on the WHO link will open a chat platform. This might help users get a better grip on what really is happening on the front line. Keep in mind that the chat does not connect the user with an actual MD so the platform cannot be used for diagnostic purposes.

    The Director-General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has nothing but praise for Facebook and its WhatsApp messaging app. The doctor says, “Digital technology gives us an unprecedented opportunity for vital health information to go viral and spread faster than the pandemic, helping us save lives and protect the vulnerable. We are proud to have partners like Facebook and WhatsApp, that are supporting us in reaching billions of people with important health information.”

    Facebook announced yesterday some other initiatives it is taking during this crisis. Number one on the list is to make sure that everyone has accurate information. That seems to be at the heart of everything that the company is doing when it comes to the coronavirus. Facebook is also removing posts with misinformation and harmful content including those that seek to exploit the crisis by touting fake cures or selling items in short supply for jacked-up prices. The social media company is supporting global health experts and relief efforts by making donations and giving reputable organizations free ads. And by promoting ways that people can connect via WhatsApp and making investments to small businesses, Facebook is supporting local governments, communities and businesses.

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  • Google brings iPhone support for an important security feature

    Google brings iPhone support for an important security feature

    In the age of digital security, two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is one of the most important lines of defense against a wide array of cybersecurity issues. Recently, Google released an update to let iPhone users take advantage of this tech a lot more easily.

    Need a refresher on what 2FA is? Basically, it’s a security system that requires two different authentication mechanisms to bypass, which are often based on something you know or have, such as a password or security key. Over decades, this technology has been integrated neatly into our lives, as the PIN code on your ATM card, perhaps, or, more recently, as those ubiquitous codes texted to you whenever you do basically anything.

    Several years ago, Google announced a new way of using 2FA, where your phone can act as its own security key, or one of the two factors you need to unlock your account. You might have run into this system if you’ve recently tried to reset your Gmail password from your computer—you were probably able to reset it just by interacting with a notification on your phone. The system is super simple, easy to use, fast, and secure.

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  • Facebook tests a fresh new feature

    Facebook tests a fresh new feature

    It’s one thing to copy a feature from an app that belongs to another company, but Facebook is now thinking about copying a feature from a family member. Popular Photos are being tested on Facebook and provide users with photos from friends and family members that they can scroll to view. Popular Photos, which are curated by algorithm, appears under a photo opened from the News Feed and offers an Instagram-like experience.
    For those unaware, days after Instagram finally released the Android version of its app, Facebook swooped in to buy the company for a reported $1 billion. At the time, many wondered why Facebook would pay so much for what was then essentially a photo filter app. But Zuckerberg and company got the last laugh since the transaction might have turned out to be one of the most profitable tech deals ever; estimates of Instagram’s valuation today are in the neighborhood of $100 billion.
    Facebook has confirmed that the test is underway and plans on doing more testing of Popular Photos in the future. Only a very small percentage of Facebook users are part of the testing process. The feature opens when a user taps on a photo in his News Food or on a profile; this creates a full-screen view of the image. While swiping and scrolling on the image usually takes the user back to his feed, those that are part of the test will see more photos along with a button that says “See More Photos.” And since Popular Photos is offering a way to communicate visually, captions are capped at 65 characters; Facebook users see the date and time that a photo was posted and can “Like” the image and leave a comment.
    Facebook could also monetize the feature by adding ads in between the photographs. Of course, this would depend on whether or not Facebook decides to officially rollout out Popular Photos to all mobile users. This wouldn’t be the first feature that it took from its stablemate although, in the case of Stories, Instagram had already copied it from Snapchat.
  • Amazon adds important offline capabilities to Alexa Auto

    Amazon adds important offline capabilities to Alexa Auto

    Voice assistants are becoming more useful as companies like Amazon, Apple and Google are trying to penetrate as many markets and industries as possible. It’s great to have a car that allows you to make a call or ask for information concerning the weather without having to touch anything.

    Voice control has become a convenient way to do all these tasks while driving thanks to digital assistants like Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. The majority of the features offered by these assistants rely on connectivity, so when you’re driving through tunnels, parking garages or areas with a weak signal, these features are unavailable.

    To reduce the chance of being unable to access Alexa, Amazon launched something called Local Voice Control Extension, which is available in Alexa Auto SDK 2.0. The new feature enables offline access to Alexa in vehicles so that you can use music and radio, search and navigation, calling and messaging, as well as car control even when connectivity is intermittent or not available at all.

    With the latest version of Alexa Auto SDK, automakers will be able to add a lite version of Alexa’s cloud-based service to a car’s infotainment system, which kicks in when your car is no longer in an area with decent connectivity.

    The in-vehicle voice service will impact the purchasing decision of 59% buyers, and most (76%) people want continuity from their voice service at home to vehicle, Amazon claims. That’s why the name of the voice assistant vehicles offer could become a major selling point in the coming years.

  • WhatsApp is now rolling out a renewed privacy feature

    WhatsApp is now rolling out a renewed privacy feature

    Groups are a vital part of WhatsApp, although as the Facebook-owned messaging platform has grown in popularity so has the number of unwanted group chats. But today, after testing them for a while on iOS, WhatsApp is rolling out new privacy settings which should help control this.

    Until now, group admins could add any WhatsApp user to a group without needing their consent – the only requirement being that the user is a contact in the admin’s phone. As part of this latest rollout, though, WhatsApp users will now be able to choose which people can add them to groups.

    In order to access the new feature, users need to simply head over to the Settings menu within WhatsApp and tap Accounts. Then a quick tap on Privacy and later Groups will present users with the choice of three options: ‘Everyone,’ ‘My Contacts,’ or ‘Nobody.’ Each one is pretty self-explanatory with ‘Nobody’ meaning users will have to approve every single group with ‘Everyone’ allows users to leave their group invitations completely open, as they are today.

    WhatsApp’s latest privacy feature will begin rollout out today to a select number of users before expanding globally across the coming weeks.