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An iPod Shuffle for Spotify is surprisingly essential
Thanks to Baby Driver, we've all been reminded of our love affair for the MP3 player -- namely the iPod. Now that Apple Music, Spotify and others allow us to carry millions of songs on our phones at all times, the days of frantically loading a dedicated media player before leaving the house are long gone. However, that doesn't mean a tiny device that easily fits in your pocket is no longer a worthy music companion. Enter Mighty, an iPod Shuffle-like gadget that syncs Spotify playlists for offline playback and the most compelling case I've seen in awhile for a separate music player.
Google makes it easier to read offline in Chrome on Android
While apps like Pocket and Instapaper can help you read web pages on the go without a network connection, Google's Chrome browser added the ability right into its Android app last December. Today, the company has tweaked the feature to make it a bit easier to download pages for offline viewing.
Instagram on Android works without an internet connection
If Facebook has Lite to cater to users in the developing world, Instagram has offline mode for Android devices. The Facebook-owned company has revealed at F8 that most of its Android app's features now work offline. People can browse their feeds and their Explore tabs even if they have no mobile data, as is the case for many users in developing nations. However, they can only see the images and profiles they've previously loaded while they were connected to the internet. They can Heart photos, leave comments and unfollow others like usual, but those obviously won't go through until they reconnect. Click here to catch up on the latest news from F8 2017!
Showtime's streaming apps can download video for offline viewing
A day after trumpeting that it's coming to cord-cutting Sling TV, Showtime is helping out another neglected group: Offline viewers. The premium network announced that its Showtime and Showtime Anytime apps now let users download content to watch later in both standard and 720p high definition format (or up to 1080p on tablets).
Offline Netflix belatedly hits Windows 10 PCs
Android and iOS users have been able to download content from Netflix since late last year, but the service's Windows apps conspicuously lacked the feature. Well, that's starting to change. Windows Central reports that the Netflix app for Windows 10 PCs now has the ability to download certain titles for offline watching — just hit up the Windows Store and get that update going.
Siempo's smartphone encourages you not to use it
Do you find having a computer in your pocket that's connected to the sum total of human knowledge a bit... distracting? The founders of Siempo do, which is why they've dreamt up a smartphone that encourages you to live more in the moment. Rather than the usual Android home screen, Siempo only lets you do a handful of things to ensure you don't spend all day staring at it.
SoundCloud adds a new tier to its subscription service
SoundCloud Go is now a completely different offering after the company has revamped its music streaming service. The $10-per-month unlimited subscription still offers ad-free and offline access to over 150 million tracks, but it's now called SoundCloud Go+. A cheaper $5-per-month tier is taking over its old name: the new SoundCloud Go is the same as the free tier at its core. It can only access 120 million tracks, not 150 million like its more expensive counterpart, but it has no ads and gives you the power to listen to music offline.
'Super Mario Run' won't work offline due to piracy concerns
Super Mario Run doesn't arrive for another few days, but when it does, you'll need a constant internet connection to play the game. In an interview with Mashable, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that due to piracy concerns, the latest installment of Mario doesn't have an offline mode. The company is worried about piracy because the game will be available in 150 countries on devices that it doesn't have direct control over.
Netflix says it is finally adding offline playback
Netflix has long said that it had no intention of ever offering an offline playback mode for when you're stuck on an airplane or anywhere else with no internet connection. But it seems like the company is changing course: An enigmatic tweet from the Netflix account says that "your favorite stories are now available for download any time." It's accompanied by a cute video with scenes from a bunch of Netflix original shows, but it seems as if the feature won't be limited to only the company's original content. Regardless of any catches, the message is clear: Netflix will finally let us save shows to watch when we don't have an internet connection.
Netflix ponders offline playback
Remember when Netflix said it wouldn't deliver an offline playback option because its users are never far away from a reliable internet connection? Turns out that might not be true anymore. In an interview with CNBC, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos conceded that as the streaming giant continues its expansion into new (developing) markets, it needs to adapt its service to better serve customers who don't always have the appropriate internet access to enjoy its content.
Google India debuts offline YouTube app, public WiFi expansion
At an event in New Delhi, India, Google laid out plans to better serve users in the country. These efforts broadly focus on two areas: data usage and language support.
Google Maps for Android lets you save maps to an SD card
After testing it in a limited rollout, Google has officially unveiled "WiFi only" mode for Maps on Android. When enabled, it will keep the app in offline mode, blocking it from using expensive or spotty cellular data. At the same time, messaging and other apps can still connect to mobile networks. That will help travelers cut down on roaming charges, as navigation is often the only reason you need data on a trip. It will also be a big help to folks with limited data plans.
Opera Mini can download videos for offline viewing
If you're often in areas where mobile data is spotty or pricey, the Opera Mini browser for Android has a helpful new feature: video downloading. When you're at home or have solid WiFi, you can visit sites like Facebook, IMDB and GQ.com and download videos directly to your phone. Later, if you're without a signal or want to keep your cell bill down, you can watch the videos offline at your leisure.
Google Maps' WiFi mode won't eat into your data plan
Google Maps may get a subtle change to its offline and data modes that could have a not-so-subtle effect on your cellphone bill. According to an update spotted by Android Police, it has replaced the "Offline areas" in settings with something called "WiFi only" for some users. The difference is apparently that with the new mode, Google Maps will (almost) never use cellular data, even if you're outside one of your downloaded regions. Rather, it only connects to the internet when you have a WiFi connection.
Chrome OS is getting a much-needed storage manager
With Android tablet apps coming to Chromebooks, the very basic storage management in Chrome OS is going to be an issue. You can get your total free space via the Files App, but that doesn't give you any info about how it's being used. It can also break things down file-by-file, but that can be too much info for many folks. Luckily, Google is about to unveil a storage manager for Chromebooks that gives you just the right amount of info at a glance, according to insider François Beaufort.
Google Drive saves individual Slides, Docs or Sheets offline
Google introduced offline access to Sheets, Docs and Slides for Drive back in 2013, but once you select the option, it stores a large chunk of files on your device. Starting today, however, an update to Drive lets you select individual documents to save offline. To use the new option, go to the home screen for either Docs, Sheets or Slides, select the overflow menu for the file you want to make offline (the three dots) and toggle the "available offline" switch to "on." Bear in mind that it only works in the Chrome browser on the desktop for now.
Microsoft beats Google to offline translation on iOS
Microsoft updated its Translator app to support offline translation on Android back in February, and it's just added the same feature to the iOS version. Like the Android app, the translation works by way of deep learning. Behind the scenes a neural network, trained on millions of phrases, does the heavy lifting, and the translations are claimed to be of "comparable" quality to online samples. Your mileage will apparently "vary by language and topic," but even an adequate translation is probably worth it when you're saving on data costs abroad.
Microsoft Translator gets offline and photo-based features
Microsoft rolled out a pair of super-useful updates to its Translator app on Thursday. Unfortunately, the new feature you get depends on which platform you use.
Apple Music now lets Android users save music to an SD card
Apple doesn't often make Android apps, but when it does, it's either to secure more iPhone users or give people access to Apple Music. Now that the streaming app has eclipsed one million downloads, the company has begun outfitting it with features that are native to Google's mobile OS. In its most recent update, Apple Music has gained the ability to download tracks to an SD card, allowing users to store more of their chosen beats offline.
Amazon's Prime Music stores tracks on an SD card
To help you conserve that limited storage space on your Android device, Amazon is letting you download Prime Music tracks to an SD card. If your go-to device has a slot for extra memory, you'll be able to store music from Amazon's streaming library for offline listening. As you might expect, you can download any purchased albums and songs there, too. In addition to the storage update, you can now control the audio and browse the app from your Android Wear device. The service also gained expanded artist pages and tabs for new and popular music to keep you up to date on what's fresh. The latest version of Prime Music for Android is rolling out now, so if you're not seeing the new features, they should arrive shortly.
