Category: App Update

A small update to the Google Photos app is rolling out in the Play Store that gives a glimpse of what is going to be coming to other Google apps.  The update is version 3.10.0.177481342 for those keeping score at home and functionally, you aren’t going to find anything different.  What you will notice is the navigation bar at the bottom of the display.

Up until this update, the navigation bar has always been black.  Now it is white.  It is something that you are likely going to see more of over the course of the next few weeks as Chrome in the canary channel has a white navigation bar and the latest update to the YouTube app also sports it as does Gmail and Google Maps.

Microsoft has released a new update to their SwiftKey keyboard app for Android.  The new build brings a handful of new features including a new Quick Paste feature.  This new feature allows you to copy text from your screen and it will be available to you in your prediction bar at the top of the keyboard.  This makes pasting that copied text quick and easy.

Along with the new Quick Paste feature, support for seven new languages are in this update.  Those languages are Chamorro, Ju|’hoan, Lisu, Palauan, Piedmontese, Sardinian & Scots.  Related to this, there are also new layouts available for Naratgul and VEGA

A new update to Chrome for Android is rolling out today, bringing mostly under-the-hood improvements to the browser.  The update is build 63.0.3239.83 meaning that it is the first build in the Chrome 63 train to go to the stable channel for all users.

While the release notes for the update point to mostly stability and performance improvements, it was noted that in this update there are also improvements to the autocompletion feature in the address bar.  This should make it easier and faster to get to websites while on your mobile.

Microsoft has rolled out another update to Microsoft Cortana, their personal assistant app & service, for Android.  The update is version 2.9.10 for those keeping score at home and should be hitting devices with the Assistant installed over the course of the next few days.

There are several improvements in this update, the most visible of which is and enhanced upcoming view for better calendar and missed reminders management.  Now calendar events are more discretely listed in the Upcoming page which makes it easier to find upcoming events and reminders.  There is also a new “Here’s what I can do” card at the top of the Upcoming tab to help you with some of the commands that you can give to Cortana.

Smart Suggestions for tasks have also been improved in this update.  These include the ability to have a reminder added or an event added.

Microsoft has rolled out a new update to the Bing search app for Android today.  Version 7.4 of the app brings mostly under-the-hood fixes and improvements to the search app but does have two new widgets for Bing Rewards tracking.

For those who aren’t familiar, Bing Rewards are points that you accumulate as you use the app on your phone, PC or if you use Microsoft Edge on your PC as your browser.  You can then use these points for discounts in the Microsoft store.   It is a program that Bing has had for several years and remains popular.

With the 7.4 update, you will have the ability to add one of two widgets.  The first is an adjustable panel which shows you your progress and a quick link to go search using the search engine.  The second is a non-adjustable round dial style that shows your progress.  I’ve added a screen shot at the end of this post so you can see them.

A new update to Microsoft Lens for Android is rolling out today that brings improved offline support to the content capturing app.  The update, version 16.0.8730.2076 for those keeping score at home and who like version numbering BINGO! allows users to safe content as PDFs while offline.

Previously, in order to capture content using Lens and converting it to a PDF, you had to be online.  Now, if you are offline and capture something with lens, it is save as a PDF locally and when you are back online, it will upload it to your OneDrive account as usual.

For those who aren’t familiar with Office Lens, the app trims and enhances images of documents, business cards, whiteboards and other content and allows you to convert those images to PDF, Word or PowerPoint files.  You an also save the captures to your OneNote account or your OneDrive account.