Today we're having a peek at Kiwi, a web browser based on Chromium, but made to be a whole lot better than Chrome. This web browser is for Android only - for now - and it's got features the likes of which most users will likely be glad to utilize. One of these features is a full-fledged dark mode, made for easy access and non-intrusive deployment.
Microsoft has updated its Bing mobile apps for iOS and Android with new visual search capabilities. This tool is powered by artificial intelligence, which enables the user to snap an image of an object, then get information about that object through a Bing search. At no point does the user have to input text, helping for those times when you don't have quite the right words to search.
Facebook's previously announced language translation AI has finally brought direct Spanish translations to the company's Messenger app. With this, users can see direct translations to and from Spanish/English without using a secondary translation tool. This is the latest step in AI-powered translations helping remove the language barrier.
Instagram has announced a new app called IGTV, a vertical video platform for Instagram users to post content and watch videos. The content will be available in both the Instagram app and the IGTV app, the latter of which serves as a dedicated destination for video-only content. The app will launch in the near future, but we know all the details now.
Some Uber users are seeing a new in-app feature that gives them the choice to save money by waiting longer for a ride. A screenshot of the feature has appeared online; in it, we see an advisory stating that "if you're OK leaving later, we'll request your ride" at the later, cheaper time slot. Users are presented with both the current and delayed costs.
A new Adobe Creative Cloud app was revealed this week at VidCon 2018, an app called Adobe Rush. This is a video editing app, but better than that, it's a video editing app that works on multiple platforms and stores data in the cloud. Adobe's positioning this app as the best place for video editing individuals of all sorts to start their video editing journey - but they also want people who use multiple devices to use it, so it's... kind of for everybody.
Yahoo Mail is making a couple of big changes today. The first involves a redesign that makes Yahoo Mail play nice with mobile web browsers, making it easier to access your email without having to download an app first. Aside from that, Yahoo is also launching a new Android Go version of its Mail app, and it seems that the only major difference is that it cuts back on RAM, data usage, and install size.
Google released their Google Podcasts experience in app form this morning to the surprise of Podcast lovers everywhere. Before now, Google had a podcast-collecting experience available in their Search app, but it wasn't particularly comprehensive. Now there's an app for that, and it's free, and we're expecting apps like Pocket Casts and Sticher to be ... disappointed, to say the least.
Late last year, Google released a data-saving app called Datally that helps users understand and manage where their mobile data is being used. The company has announced an update to the app today, one that brings in four new major features, including a WiFi map that helps users find available wireless networks near them.
Google Maps is the navigation app of choice for many people, but it's not always the easiest to navigate. Given that Maps is used for driving, you need to be able to access your primary destinations quickly, and that's where quick access buttons come in. These buttons are overlaid directly onto the home screen and pull up directions with a single tap.
It's pretty safe to say that most mobile users have a love/hate relationship with their notifications. There can be times where they're really handy, and others where they're nothing more than an annoyance. Notifications for email can be particularly frustrating, especially if you're receiving dozens or hundreds of them every day.
Back at the beginning of February, Instagram announced that it would begin notifying users when other people snapped a screenshot of the Stories they shared. Snapchat, which has been a continuous source of inspiration for Instagram, has done something similar for years, so it wasn't really surprising to see Instagram follow suit in this instance. What is surprising is what's happening today, as Instagram has confirmed that it's scrapping these notifications instead of rolling them out to everyone.