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Google's Gboard for Android gets stickers and Bitmoji
Google announced today that the latest Gboard for Android update comes with support for downloadable stickers and Bitmoji that can be used in any app that supports image pasting. Once you have the latest version of Gboard, Android users will then be able to get the Bitmoji app or download sticker packs from the Play Store. To get to the new features after you've downloaded them, just hit the emoji button on Gboard and then the sticker or Bimoji button.
Facebook's Messenger AI will sniff out Spotify tracks for you
Facebook Messenger integrated Spotify into its chat extensions back in April of this year, then added a way to create group playlists within the chat app a month later. Now, the music streaming service is showing up in M, Facebook Messenger's AI assistant. The virtual helper monitors the words in your conversation, then pops up with hopefully relevant responses like "you're welcome," "no problem," or suggestions like "send birthday greetings" or "save bookmark." Now, though, when you mention playing music in a chat, you might find a new little popup that says "Find Music" next to the Spotify logo.
Facebook will test Messenger ads worldwide
You might be cringing at the thought of seeing ads in Facebook Messenger, but Facebook doesn't appear to have those reservations. The social network has revealed that it's expanding its beta test of home screen Messenger ads worldwide in the weeks ahead. It'll be a slow rollout, but the targeted promos should be widely visible by the end of 2017. At least the company isn't shy about why it's pushing forward.
Facebook reminds you Messenger video chat exists with new effects
Facebook Messenger has had video chat capabilities for a couple of years now, and last December, it finally added group chat capabilities. Today, the company is unveiling even more features to Messenger's video chat service such as animated reactions, filters and effects to hopefully make Messenger video calling a lot more fun.
Spotify hopes you'll create shared playlists in Facebook Messenger
It can be fun to create shared playlists on streaming music services -- it's a window into your friends' tastes. You don't necessarily want to wade through an app to add tracks, though, and they usually shut out pals who can't use the service. That's where Spotify thinks it can save the day. It's launching a Group Playlists chat extension in Facebook Messenger that lets anyone in a chat add songs to the queue, even if they're not using Spotify. Once someone has started one of these collective playlists, you just have to tap a button to start adding tracks.
SmartCar connects Facebook's chatbot to your Tesla
We've seen AI-powered chatbots for almost everything, and now a company called Smartcar has developed one specifically for Tesla electric vehicles. Owners can access any number of features via Tesla's mobile app, and by logging in via TeslaBot, they can pop open Facebook Messenger to ask questions or send commands. That's a pretty low bar for use, particularly compared to the Tesla app Smartcar's founder developed for Google Glass. Of course, most of us don't have a Tesla yet (at least until the Model 3 comes out), but we could see more tech like this quickly, as Smartcar is already working with Hyundai on its Ioniq platform.
Facebook's Messenger Lite expands to 100 more countries
From the text-only Facebook Zero way back in 2010, to more recent Project Aquila, Mark Zuckerberg and company have made it clear that reaching the developing world is a huge priority for the company. So there was little surprise when it announced Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite, which offer stripped-down, low-bandwidth versions of Facebook's two main products for users in emerging markets with spotty service and expensive data rates. After officially launching in just five countries last year, Facebook is now expanding the rollout of Messenger Lite to over 100 additional countries.
Immigration chat bot can help you with the H-1B visa
When Visabot went live last November, the Facebook Messenger-based artificial intelligence attempted to simplify the US visa application process and help many people skip the fees associated with a visit to an immigration lawyer. At the time, however, Visabot's conversational approach only supported two types of visas for travel or "exceptional individuals." Now, as promised, Visabot support is adding support for the H-1B visa transfers and applications that many Silicon Valley companies rely on for attracting talent.
Facebook Messenger can share your location in real time
Plenty of messenger and map apps let you share your location with friends. iOS has its "Find My Friends" app and you can share your location through iMessage, while Hangouts similarly lets you share where you're at with friends. And that's just first-party app solutions. But now one of the biggest third-part messengers out there lets you show your exact location to contacts for a full 60 minutes.
Facebook adds more familiar features to Messenger chats
Facebook has a habit of copping features from other apps and dropping them into Messenger, so the addition of message reactions and @-mentions in the social network's marquee messaging app was probably inevitable as the company slowly merges features across it's products. Like iMessage, Slack and regular old Facebook comment threads, you can now react to individual messages or tag a friend to get their attention in group chats.
Parking ticket chat bot now helps refugees claim asylum
Joshua Browder's chat bot lawyer, DoNotPay, is clearly multi-talented -- after getting people out of parking fines, it's now helping refugees find a home in a new country. Browder has adapted the AI to offer aid to asylum seekers in the US and Canada, and asylum support in the UK. The Facebook Messenger bot turns the asylum application process into a series of simple questions. Once you've finished, you'll have a filled form ready to go. Refugees in the UK still have to apply in person, but those in the US and Canada are largely set once they've finished the conversation.
Facebook Messenger bots are going to get a lot more verbose
Facebook's next updates for Messenger have a big focus on bots. Yep, Zuck is still trying to make "fetch" happen with those. Anyhow, the newest bits for the platform are mostly about letting others know that a bit of text originated from. That means from a shared bit of bot text will allow you to start a conversation with said bot from your existing conversation window. Even if you're using Messenger from desktop. In addition to a bunch of other developer-centric notes is word that the bot text limit has been doubled. So yeah, jumping from 320 characters to 640 means that the bots are about to get a lot more chatty.
Facebook tries adding reactions to Messenger chats
Facebook's reactions are thriving in your News Feed, and it now looks like the company wants to spread them to Messenger, too. The social network has confirmed to TechCrunch that it's testing the ability to add reactions to individual messages, much as you would with stickers in Apple's iMessage system or Slack's team chats. The experiment has all the icons you'd expect from conventional Facebook posts (five emotions plus a thumbs-up), but also a thumbs-down -- this is the closest you may get to that mythical Facebook "dislike" button. This would help tally up votes for a place to eat, for example, or share your response if you're a little late to reply with text.
ICYMI: Ford's Autolivery is the future of delivery
Today on In Case You Missed It: Ford used virtual reality to demo its "Autolivery" concept service at Mobile World Congress. The package delivery system of the future would consist of a self-driving van and a drone working together to deliver parcels and orders right to your door -- even if your door is on the 30th floor. While it's unlikely that anyone will see this system in action for several years -- the company anticipates the fleet won't be ready until at least 2021 -- it would go a long way to reducing urban gridlock and pollution.
Facebook starts testing ads in Messenger
It was only a matter of time before Facebook Messenger would start testing ads, after rumors of its plans to do so leaked nearly a year ago. Earlier today, it announced that users in Australia and Thailand will begin seeing sponsored content in the coming weeks, with the experiment being labeled as a way "for people and brands to engage on Messenger." What this means, really, is that you and your friends should expect to see targeted ads in the app soon -- which won't be hard to miss, judging by the image above.
Facebook Messenger adds group video chatting on iOS and Android
In case you haven't noticed, Facebook has spent a lot of time making video a priority this year, and its latest initiative involves the Messenger app. Today, Facebook is launching group video chat in Messenger for both iOS and Android. The app has had video calling for a good year and a half now, but it was only one-on-one -- but now the app can compete directly with services like Facetime and Skype, both of which offer video calls with multiple participants.
Facebook Messenger gets a new camera with special effects
Facebook definitely isn't depending solely on Instagram to take on Snapchat. It's introducing an upgraded camera in Facebook Messenger that promises to not only be simpler, but help you spruce up your shots with Snapchat-style effects. The camera is quicker to access wherever you are in the messaging app, and shooting video is just a matter of holding down the conspicuously-placed shutter button. And the effects? You can now add 3D masks and special effects, such as turning yourself into a holiday-appropriate reindeer or adding a prop. There's also a new picker that helps you find "thousands" of art objects and effects.
Facebook Messenger test hints at a bigger role for AI
Facebook wants its M chat assistant to be useful for much more than shopping and travel recommendations. It's testing an M suggestions feature that has the artificial intelligence offer actions depending on the circumstances in your chat. Some will be familiar: if a friend asks where you are, it'll give you a Google Hangouts-style opportunity to share your location. Others are more creative, such as suggesting stickers in response to common phrases like "thanks."
Facebook and Instagram are finally integrated, sort of
Facebook bought Instagram way back in 2012, but you almost wouldn't know it from how separate they are. Outside of Instagram's options to log in with and post to Facebook, you almost wouldn't know the two entities are connected. However, that's changing in a big way... for the corporate crowd, at least. Facebook is launching a unified Pages Manager inbox that lets businesses see and reply to their Facebook, Messenger and Instagram interactions in one place. If you complain about a faulty product in an Instagram comment, you're just as likely to be answered as if you'd sent a scathing Facebook message.
Chat bot helps immigrants complete their visas
Legal-minded chat bots are useful for more than just fighting parking tickets -- they might just start your life in a new land. Visabot has launched a namesake Facebook Messenger chat AI that helps you complete US visa applications. After you answer a slew of questions, the bot fills out the relevant forms and gives you instructions on how to send those documents to immigration officials. And it should learn over time -- if you voluntarily report officials' decisions on those forms, you can improve the bot's approach for future applications.
