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Gmail can schedule messages to send them at a better time
Google is marking Gmail's 15th birthday (yes, April 1st) with some genuinely useful additions rather than pranks. To start, it's introducing an option to schedule sending your messages so that they'll arrive at a better time. If you need to write a company message late at night but would rather not bug a coworker off-hours, you can delay the email until your colleague is back in the office.
Apple Music code hints at Chromecast support
Whether or not Apple Music is coming to Google Home, there are signs you might get to use it with some Google-powered devices. The 9to5Google team has found multiple lines of code in Apple Music's Android app that reference Chromecast support, including some added through recent updates. While there's no guarantee this would be implemented any time soon, it suggests you could soon pipe Apple's latest Drake exclusive to a compatible Chromecast dongle, speaker, smart display or TV.
Instagram finally tests a fast-forward feature for videos
In a move so overdue you're probably checking the date stamp on this article, Instagram could finally be about to launch a seek bar on videos posted on users' feeds. The feature, discovered by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong, would let you skip backwards and forwards through a video without having to start it again from the beginning (as every other video player ever made already allows).
Gmail finally offers customizable swipe actions on iOS
It took the better part of a year, but Gmail's customizable swipe actions have finally reached the iOS crowd. Google is updating Gmail for iOS to let you personalize what happens when you swipe right. You can tell it to mark a message as read, move it to a folder or delete it outright, among other options. suffice it to say this could help a lot if you're inundated with email (hello) and would rather not laboriously sort it all.
eBay uses AI to help you shop for similar-looking items
When you're shopping, you probably have a general look in mind. But how do you describe that to a shopping site? eBay might have an answer: have AI figure it out. It's implementing a feature that uses computer vision to find items that resemble what you're looking at. Tap the three-dot menu next to a product and it'll give you both simple category buttons (such as "athletic shoes") as well as a "looks like this" option to find visually similar items. Eye a green set of sneakers, for instance, and you should see comparable footwear without having to construct an elaborate search.
BBC removes its shows from Google's Podcasts app
If you search for BBC programs on the Google Podcasts app or through Assistant, you might get a handful of results at most -- or none at all -- instead of the dozens you'd usually get in the past. The broadcaster has pulled its offerings from the app after the tech giant altered its search function to direct viewers to its own service instead of BBC Sounds and other third-party services.
Avis makes it easier to find a parking spot for your car rental
Driving in an unfamiliar city can be stressful, and finding parking is even worse. Eventually, we'll have autonomous vehicles to deal with that for us, but until then, companies are looking at ways to ease the strain. That's why car rental brand Avis has partnered with mobility solutions company Arrive to add a space-finding feature to its app. The Avis app already lets drivers rent a car on the go, and includes a bunch of other helpful features such as remote car locking -- with Arrive integration customers in the US can now instantly find, book and pre-pay for parking. Arrive is already used in some 230 cities around Canada and the US, predominantly by third-party and business customers. Encouraging consumer use makes sense, especially as many city-dwellers don't drive a car on a daily basis -- knowing parking is already taken car of is just one less thing to worry about when you're behind the wheel.
Dropbox brings its simple mobile search to the desktop
Dropbox has given its search function for desktop a much-needed boost by making it more like its mobile app counterpart. Now, when you tap on the little Dropbox icon sitting on Windows' system tray or Mac's menu bar, you'll find a search bar where you can type in your query. Its results will include not just the files synced and saved on your computer, but everything relevant it can find in your account. If you have a Professional or Business account, it can even search for text within documents.
Firefox Lockbox provides access to your passwords on Android
Mozilla's Firefox Lockbox has been helping iOS users keep tabs on their many passwords for a while, and now it's making that tool available on Android. Like its iOS counterpart, the app helps you fetch any password you already have stored in Firefox (and thus synced across your devices). It's not a traditional manager, then -- this is more for ensuring that you can sign into a streaming service on a friend's TV.
WhatsApp test highlights frequently forwarded messages to curb fake news
WhatsApp is experimenting with yet more tools to help fight the spread of fake news. A new beta for Android labels messages you send as "frequently forwarded" if they've been shared five or more times. You can even see the exact forwarding count by diving into the Message Info section. It's limited to messages you send rather than ones you receive, but it could give you second thoughts about sharing a sensationalist piece more than once.
Apple video service may charge $10 each for HBO, Showtime and Starz
Apple's video service event is just hours away, but there are still a few rumors making the rounds -- including, apparently, pricing. Wall Street Journal contacts claim Apple has been negotiating to offer subscriptions to channels "such as" HBO, Showtime and Starz for $10 each through its new TV app, which would also include Apple's original programming. In that light, it would be closer to Amazon's Prime Video Channels, where the focus is on convenient access to third party services.
Firefox finally takes fuller advantage of your iPad
Your choices for iPad-friendly web browsers just got ever-so-slightly larger. Mozilla has released an arguably overdue version of Firefox that aims to take better advantage of the iPad's extra screen real estate. It supports iOS' built-in split screen and support for keyboard shortcuts, as you might expect, but there are also interface tweaks specific to the tablet version. Firefox now shows all your tabs as easier-to-discern tiles, and private browsing is a single tap away on the main screen.
Kaia's motion-tracking workout app remembers which rep you're on
Kaia Health caught our attention last year with an app that tracks your motion using your phone's camera in a bid to help you achieve perfect squat form, though we found it didn't quite hit the mark. Still, Kaia is elevating the concept with an updated version called Kaia Personal Trainer. It says the app will track your exercises and reps, create workout plans tailored to you and offer audio feedback in real time.
Facebook Messenger gets threaded replies
Facebook is making it a bit easier to keep track of who's talking to who in a busy group chat. It's rolling out a thread feature for Messenger that lets you reply to specific messages (including media and emoji). If you ask an important question, you won't have to scroll through chat to see if someone answered it. You only have to long-press on a message to start a response.
Google will ask European Android users what browser they want to use
After the European Commission slapped Google with a $5 billion fine for antitrust violations, the tech giant has been trying to keep its practices in check. Its latest move? To ensure that European users know they can install and use browsers and search engines other than Chrome and Google. The tech giant will start asking both current and new users in the region their preferred browser and search applications. While Android users can download almost any app they want, the company is likely doing this to show the EU its "continued commitment to operating in an open and principled way." Perhaps in an effort to avoid any more fines in the future.
Google will shut down its Inbox app on April 2nd
Google+ isn't the only Mountain View property that's getting the axe on April 2nd. Apparently, the Inbox app is also bidding its users farewell on the same day. The tech giant first revealed that it's going to discontinue its smarter take on email late last year, but it didn't say when specifically. Now, Google has started notifying users that Inbox will be going away in 15 days (from March 18th) through a screen that pops up when they fire up the app.
'Dota 2' app rewards you for predicting pro match winners
Valve doesn't just want you to watch Dota 2 eSports matches -- it wants you to have a small stake in them. It just released a Dota Pro Circuit app for Android and iOS that lets you win Shards (the in-game currency for Dota Plus members) by predicting the winners of Circuit matches. It's sports betting, just without spending real money beyond your existing subscription.
Facebook helps you host viewing parties for live TV
Facebook's Watch Party won't just help you help watch online videos with friends -- it'll soon help with old-school TV. The social network is launching a new Watch Party experience that will let you host live TV shows, starting with sports. Start a party and you can cheer in chat, create polls and offer trivia questions based on player stats. It's not going to compare to gathering around the couch, but it should deliver more of a thrill than everyday group discussions.
'SimBad' Android adware was downloaded nearly 150 million times
As much as Google has done to keep malware out of the Play Store, some notable examples still get through. Google has pulled 210 apps from the store after Check Point researchers discovered that they were infected with the same strain of adware. Nicknamed "SimBad" based on the abundance of infected simulator games, the code hid in a bogus ad-serving platform and created a back door that could install rogue apps, direct users to scam websites and show other apps in stores. Check Point believes the apps' developers were tricked into using the platform.
Microsoft's AI app for the blind helps you explore photos with touch
Microsoft's computer vision app for the blind and poor-sighted, Seeing AI, just became more useful for those moments when you're less interested in navigating the world than learning about what's on your phone. The company has updated the iOS app with an option to explore photos by touching them. Tap your finger on an image and you'll hear a description of both the objects in that scene as well as their spatial relationship. You can get descriptions for photos taken through Seeing AI's Scene channel, but they'll also be available for pictures in your camera roll as well as other apps (through options menus).