GOOGLE ANNOUNCED NEW WAY TO TEXT ON ANDROID PHONES

Google has announced it's going forward with a new way to text on an Android phone, swapping out the default Messenger app for a new texting app called Android Messages.

This would allow Android Messages to work more on par with the likes of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple's own Messages service (to an extent), which have quickly become the go-tos for mobile messaging due to a wider set of features,

 Several manufacturers, such as LG, Motorola, Sony and ZTE, have also said they'll embed the technology in their phones so it's preloaded on devices sold throughout the world. With the roll out announced today, more than 1 billion subscribers globally will be ready to access this new messaging technology, Amir Sarhangi, head of RCS at Google said.

"Last year, it was about getting alignment with different partners and working to get the technology pieces in place," Sarhangi said in an interview. "This year, it's about launching the service, so subscribers can start using the enhanced features."

The news is a big deal because it means Android phone users on these mobile carriers will see an automatic upgrade to their SMS messaging experience. It will give them the same kind of sophisticated functionality that's already offered on messaging apps, like Apple's iMessage, Facebook's Messenger or WhatsApp.
Sarhangi said there's nothing to announce yet, but he's optimistic. "We're working with everyone, including the folks in the US," he said.

Google also said it's launching an early access program for businesses so they can develop branding around the messages they send to customers. Millions of businesses already use SMS to communicate with customers. Banks use it to send fraud notices, doctor's offices remind patients of appointments and airlines even send links to boarding passes via text.
This is likely because, as noted by Android Police, these larger service providers have their own take on RCS messaging services that could be seen as stepping on Google's toes, or vice versa.

Additionally, concerns have arisen about how adding "smart" features to texting - especially on an platform like Android - could be seen as a possible security hazard, according to Recode.

It will take some time to see how Android Messages pans out for telecom companies and customers alike, though those running an Android phone from almost every major manufacturer - ranging from HTC to Motorola to LG to even Google's Pixel - will be capable of preloading the new app starting today.

WhatsApp adds a touch of Snapchat with 'Status' feature

The Facebook-owned app debuts a feature that lets you post photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. Sound familiar?

WhatsApp is making a radical update to its app, turning it for the first time into a platform for passively consuming content, similar to the way people scroll through their Facebook or Instagram newsfeeds - and it’s a move that could finally usher in a money-making system like advertising.
WhatsApp’s new Status feature, being rolled out on Monday, will let users share photos, GIFs or videos overlaid with drawings, emojis and a caption that will be visible to selected friends for 24 hours, before disappearing.
With the revamped feature, you can share photos, videos, and GIFs and punch them up with emojis, text and drawings. You'll be able to share them with all your contacts. WhatsApp also said the new feature is encrypted end-to-end.
Snapchat, which announced its filing for an IPO earlier this month, is manna for young people. Nearly 70 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds in the US use the app, according to ComScore. Facebook has noticed.
Instagram's version of Stories has been popular. The feature has 150 million daily users, and last month Instagram said Stories would start showing ads.
WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum said in a blog post that the new version of Status is meant to coincide with the app's eighth birthday, on February 24. Facebook bought the app in 2014 for $19 billion.

How to turn any video into an animated GIF

Make a fun looping animation that's perfect for Facebook or Twitter

Animated GIFs are a great way to share short, funny clips on social media – they work in any app or web browser, on any device, and are easy for other people to save and reuse.

The format originally rose to prominence on short-form blogging site Tumblr, but is also ideal for Facebook and Twitter. The best examples can convey a huge amount of information in just a few silent seconds.

If you have a video clip that would make a good GIF, VideoPad Free Video Editor is the perfect tool for optimizing and converting it. Here's how to do it.

1. Import and trim your clip

Download and install VideoPad Video Editor, then start the program and select ‘Open project’. Choose the video you want to turn into an animated GIF and click ‘Open’. Drag the clip into the Timeline window at the bottom of the screen.

Scrub back and forth through the video by clicking and dragging the red marker on the timeline. Once you’ve found the part you want to convert, click on the beginning of the clip and drag it to the right to select the start point, then click and drag the end of the clip to the left to select the end point.

Click the Play button under the Sequence Preview to see how it looks, then adjust the start and end points if necessary. None of the changes you make are permanent at this point

2. Apply effects and optimize

If you like, you can add special effects to your clip before converting it. There’s an excellent selection of artistic and fun filters available under ‘Video effects’, so spend some time experimenting with these. The ‘Change clip speed’ option can also be useful for creating fun GIFs (you can ignore any settings related to audio).

Once you’re happy with your clip, select ‘Export > Video File’ and choose GIF from the drop-down list. Now pick a resolution; social media scheduling tool Buffer recommends 1200x628 pixels for Facebook and 1024x512 pixels for Twitter, so pick ‘Custom’ and enter the appropriate dimensions.

You also need to set a frame rate; 15 frame per second (fps) is usually suitable for a GIF, so select this and check ‘Constant frame rate’. Click ‘Encoder settings’ and select ‘Looping’ so your GIF doesn’t just play once and then stop.

3. Save and share

When you’re done, click ‘Create’. If you receive a warning that the preview and export aspect ratios don’t match, select ‘Crop edges’ – resizing the video to fit will distort it.

It’ll take a few moments for your video to be converted. Once it’s done, you can open it in Microsoft Photos to see how it looks, then share it on your preferred social media platform.

If you’d like to make a GIF using a section of a video from YouTube, check out our guide to the best free YouTube downloaders