messenger - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Apr

Chat Heads Come To Facebook Messenger Without Facebook Home, Regular App Updated To Prepare For Home Arrival

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Today, both of Facebook's current apps have been updated to prepare for the arrival of Facebook Home. The main app merely added an extra permission that Home will eventually use. However, the real fun came to Messenger, which now has the ability to pop out Chat Heads, regardless of if you're using the replacement launcher.

As you may recall from the Facebook Home launch event, chat heads are little bubbles that float over whatever you're doing and allow you to jump straight into a conversation no matter where you are in the OS. Just tap your friend's face and an IM window appears.

Apr

WhatsApp: No, Google Isn't Buying Us, Don't Believe Everything You Read

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Google, News

We've been seeing leak after leak about Google's rumored unified messaging service. Now, as more details get seemingly confirmed and and we even get a look at the possibly near-finished app, clearly this is the time for Google to acquire a competing IM service, right? Well, not so much, according to AllThingsD. As it turns out, Mountain View is not about to buy WhatsApp, a company that makes a product that Google is currently nearly done building itself. Just in case you were wondering.

This contradicts rumors that WhatsApp would be selling to Google for close to $1 billion.

Mar

Facebook Quietly Begins Rolling Out Free Voice Calling In Messenger App For UK Residents

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Facebook has been slowly rolling out VoIP calling to its Messenger app in an effort to make it the single, unified source for all your communication needs (before Google can). Today, it apparently took another baby step forward by granting UK users of the mobile app the ability to connect for free (minus data charges where applicable) to anyone they're friends with.

At the moment the service doesn't seem to have rolled out to all users yet, and it may even still be a bit buggy (the slow expansion is partially to conduct tests, after all). However, the important thing is it's coming.

Feb

WhatsApp Messenger Beta APK Released With Snazzy Holo Interface

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

Popular cross-platform messenger service WhatsApp is a little behind the times. It's part of the depressingly huge collection of Android apps that ape their iOS counterparts, never aspiring to anything higher. That appears to be close to an end, as the latest beta release of the Android client has a new user interface, and it conforms to the Holo guidelines that the rest of your phone (hopefully) uses. Google+ user Jose Luis de la Torre took some shots of the updated interface. Observe:

The version in the Google Play Store hasn't been updated yet, so you'll have to go off-market to try out the latest release.

Jan

[Update: It's Live, Hands-On] Facebook Preparing To Roll Out 'Push-To-Talk' Voice Messaging, Is Testing Free VoIP Calling In Canada

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Alright, Google. It's time to stop leaving your VoIP service to languish on the vine. Facebook has released a double-whammy of big news bits. For starters, today the social network is rolling out an update to its Messenger app that will allow users to send each other short, recorded audio clips. It's voicemail for the 21st century, if such a thing can even exist without being horrible. And, really, this sounds like it's not.

Perhaps more interestingly, though, is that Facebook is also testing free VoIP calling in Canada right now. This is a huge deal, as it competes directly with Google Talk.

Dec

Facebook Messenger No Longer Requires A Facebook Account, So I Guess It's A Regular SMS App Now, Too

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

Today, Facebook made an announcement that's probably bigger than it seems at first glance. Now, if you want to use Facebook Messenger, you no longer need to have an account with the social networking giant. This, quite simply, is a really big deal that could easily go overlooked. The app can be used to message contacts via just their phone number, create group conversations, and share photos. Of course, you could do this with Messenger before, as SMS was an available option. The difference now, is that it's open to everyone.

What this means is Messenger can now be counted among basic SMS-replacement apps like WhatsApp and Handcent.

Sep

Facebook Brings Messaging Improvements To Messenger And Main Facebook Apps, No It's Not The New Native App

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

I know, you were really hoping for that extra special upgrade that Zuckerberg has been teasing ever since he admitted that HTML5 was a mistake. This should be a nice little improvement, though. Now, no matter which app you do your Facebook messaging from, whether it's messaging in Facebook, or via Facebook Messenger (confused yet?), you'll be able to see which of your friends is online, whether they're mobile, and even pin select friends that you talk to most to the top of the list.

There is also a new, somewhat familiar look to the threads themselves. Additionally, you can "try texting with Messenger" which is a feature that is only available on some phones it seems.

Jun

Facebook Messenger Updated To Version 1.8 – Add Friends Of Friends To Messages, Switch Conversations With In-App Notifications, And More

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Applications, News

Facebook Messenger, an app the social giant says provides "a faster way to message," got a significant update today, bringing it up to version 1.8. The update, besides promising to speed up app loading, navigating (by way of some small UI tweaks), and message sending, contains several new features that are worth mentioning.

Among these new features is the ability to switch between conversations using handy (dismissible) in-app notification bars which appear any time a friend sends you a message in another conversation. Facebook has also added the option to bring friends of friends into your existing conversation, using the same interface you'd use to add any of your friends to the message.

May

Facebook Messenger For Android Updated To 1.7, Brings Message Read Status And Tries To Call Itself A "Texting" Service

Posted by David Ruddock in Applications, News

Facebook's Messenger app for Android has been updated, and here's the changelog:

Now it’s even easier to reach groups of friends on the go:

Text everyone for free, using your existing data plan

Reach friends wherever they are now – on their phone or the web

Know who’s seen your message, and who hasn’t

See where friends are messaging you from

Now, you're probably wondering what Facebook means by "texting" - they mean the app will send SMS notifications of your messages to people who aren't using the app but are on your friends list, and have their mobile phone number listed on their profile.