TECHNOLOGY

What’s new in your favorite daily apps?

July 21, 2017

Layan Damanhouri

This week, you might have noticed some of the tweaks and new features in certain apps we use everyday. They’re simple but have made our favorite apps more exciting.

YouTube’s mini trailer

YouTube’s newest update is allowing users to preview a video before clicking on it. Just hover your mouse over the thumbnail and a GIF will start moving. This is found in YouTube’s homepage, search results, watch page, subscriptions tab, and trending tab.

Despite it being muted, it will still allow you to get a glimpse of what the video will be: a vlog, product review, video clip, etc. It’s a cool gesture by YouTube but unfortunately it only works on your desktop if you’re using Chrome 32 and up and Opera version 19 and up. It won’t work on your mobile device.

Publishers of the video can pick their thumbnail but so far cannot choose their mini-trailer in GIF.

Google Maps with another shortcut

Google Maps recently added a new update offered only to Android users. The popular navigation app not only offers real-time travel information, but will now inform you when is the best time to leave for your destination.

With the hustle and bustle of our daily commutes, Google now tells us what time to avoid the worst traffic.

When searching a destination within Google Maps, pull up the Route Info screen and a travel time estimate will appear along with a new bar graph indicating traffic conditions in green, yellow, or red according to how congested the road is.

This could be one of the most useful tools the navigation app we depend so much on has launched. It’s a disappointment to iOS users who don’t have access to it, unlike Android smart devices.

Snaps are longer now

Snapchat has been on a roll this summer with a series of updates. Just a couple of weeks after we started getting used to the new backdrop and voice filter tools, the video messaging app launched the Tint Brush and Multi-Snap.

The scissors icon on the left bar has more than one option to play around with. Similar to the Magic Eraser, Stickers, and Backdrop icons, the Tint Brush is used the same way by selecting the object you want in a photo with your finger and then changing the color. It’s fun to experiment with, especially when you want to try different hair colors, sunglasses, or any object you want.

The Multi-Snap has been a relief for those who can’t fit their long stories into ten seconds. It’s also easier for the viewer to get a smooth one-minute video rather than interrupted recordings. In addition to limitless snaps and loops were introduced in May, now the Multi-Snap will help lengthen videos up to six consecutive 10-second snaps at once.


July 21, 2017
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