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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 Messenger public chats arrive in two countries
Facebook's plan to revive its public group chat feature just became official. The social network tells the Courier Mail that it's rolling out a test version of Messenger Rooms on Android devices in Australia and Canada. As leaked code suggested, this is similar to but not quite like the Rooms app of old. All you have to do is create (or search for) a room around a given topic -- after that, anyone can join. If you're worried that you'll get an influx of trolls, you can require approval for new participants.
It sounds like Facebook Messenger will soon have more games
Facebook's gaming aspirations are deeper than its Gameroom app and quick rounds of basketball, soccer (football to the rest of the world) and chess in Messenger. Zuckerberg and Co. are shopping a development kit to, well, third-party developers to bring more distractions to Facebook Messenger. The "Instant Games" toolset will launch later this month, according to a report from The Information.
Facebook isn't done trying to copy Snapchat
Facebook's Snapchat-alike Messenger Day app has expanded to a new test ground: The Land Down Under. "We know that people come to Messenger to share everyday moments with friends and family," a spokesperson told TechCrunch. "In Australia we are running a small test of new ways for people to share those updates visually."
White House encourages local governments to embrace chatbots
The Obama Administration receives thousands of emails, phone calls and letters every day. And, since August, American citizens have been able to contact the president through Facebook as well, thanks the the White House's Messenger bot. Now, the administration is going a step forward and releasing the bot's source code onto the internet for anyone to use.
Facebook tests feature similar to Snapchat Stories for Messenger
Facebook has been keen on borrowing features from Snapchat as of late and it's testing yet another one in Poland. The so-called "Messenger Day" tool allows Facebook Messenger users to share a collection of photos and videos with friends that will disappear in 24 hours. And yes, they can be decorated with text, scribbles, stickers and more just like you can do with Snapchat Stories. If you'll recall, Facebook reportedly tried to buy Snapchat for $3 billion before getting turned down in 2013.
Mercury is the first planet after Earth with tectonic activity
To date, Earth has been the only planet in the Solar System known to demonstrate tectonic activity. Other planets are geologically active, but not much more than that. However, it now looks like our homeworld isn't alone. Smithsonian researchers combing through high-resolution images from NASA's Messenger spacecraft have determined that Mercury is still tectonically active. The team spotted many relatively young fault scarps (surface offsets), which are strong indicators that the minuscule planet's crust is still shrinking as the core cools down. As Gizmodo notes, common wisdom previously dictated that Mercury's interior would have settled down billions of years ago.
Force your pals to make decisions with Facebook Messenger polls
Instead of having lengthy discussions with your friends on which movie to watch or where to go for brunch, you could just offer them a poll with a list of suggestions. Starting today, you can now do so on Facebook Messenger. While in a group convo, you can tap a Polls icon in the compose window, or you can also just hit More and then choose Poll. Create your list of choices, submit it, and then your friends will be able to see the poll in the conversation and then vote accordingly.
Facebook Messenger calls look like regular calls on iOS 10
It won't be long before mobile networks become just another dumb pipe through which services are handed down from internet companies. Don't believe us? Then receive a call via the updated Facebook Messenger on iOS 10 and notice that they behave exactly the same as one made over the cellular network. The only difference between the two is that the VoIP call will be labeled as such in tiny text below the caller's name.
Facebook Messenger chief admits bot launch was 'overhyped'
Chatbots were oversold and not that great when they first launched earlier this year, Facebook Messenger VP David A. Marcus told Techrunch's Disrupt conference. "The problem was that it got really overhyped very, very quickly," he said. "And the basic qualities we provided at that time weren't good enough to replace traditional apps."
Facebook Messenger chatbots now support payments
The latest version of Facebook Messenger adds a new feature to the 30,000 or so chatbots that currently inhabit its platform. Starting today with version 1.2, those Messenger bots can now accept payments directly in the chat without sending users to an external website.
Facebook Messenger's 'Instant Video' looks awfully Snapchatty
Bots have been all the rage in Facebook Messenger over the last few months, but today the social network is adding a new way to chat with your pals. The company announced a tool called Instant Video that allows you to have those quick conversations face-to-face in addition to text and photos. Yes, video calling was already available in Messenger, so what's new here? Well, Instant Video is meant to be easily and instantly (get it?) accessible inside a chat conversation rather than having to go through the process of making a call. It's all about efficiency.
Facebook opens up Messenger to ad bots
Right now, Facebook lets Messenger bots from brands like Expedia and HP help you make a purchase, but they can't try to sell you a new product. However, a policy change means those automated assistants will soon be able to send subscription messages, ads and promotions for services like makeup consultations. If you're worried about spam, Facebook emphasized that the user is in control. "All conversations between businesses and people must be initiated by the person receiving the messages, who can then mute or block the business at any time," wrote Product Manager Seth Rosenberg.
Facebook Messenger tops one billion monthly users
Facebook has just announced yet another milestone: more than 1 billion people now use its Messenger service every month. Combine that with WhatsApp, which reached the billion-user point back in February, and it appears that the company now owns two of the most popular messaging apps in the world. The firm says that this also posits Messenger as the second most popular iOS app of all time behind Facebook itself. Over on Android, the company says the Messenger app has been downloaded over a billion times.
Facebook's Instant Articles are heading to its Messenger app
Facebook's fast-loading news stories have been around for a while now, but soon they'll make their way to the company's standalone chat app. Instant Articles will son be available inside Messenger. When someone shares a link with you, a lightning bolt icon will let you know that it's available as one of the quick-to-load stories. This means you won't have to wait for it to appear like a regular ol' web article. There are ads inside the Instant Articles and those will make the trip over to Messenger as well.
Facebook Messenger offers 3D Touch previews on your iPhone 6s
Add one more to the list of Facebook apps belatedly making use of recent iPhone features. Facebook has introduced 3D Touch support to Messenger on iOS, making your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus that much more useful when you're chatting up a storm. The update adds pressure-sensitive previews to seemingly everything -- you can peek at chats, contacts, locations, media, web links and even stickers. If you want to find out whether or not that conversation or photo is worth viewing, you'll want to get the new version right away.
Facebook starts testing encrypted secret Messenger convos
Facebook has begun rolling out an experimental Messenger feature for those who want their secrets protected by something more than the other parties' promise to keep it to themselves. If you're lucky enough to be chosen as one of the testers, you'll be able to start sending end-to-end encrypted "secret conversations" through the app. Any text you wrap with this extra layer of protection can only be accessed on one of the recipient's devices. So, even if your friend has two phones, a tablet and a computer, he can only see what you typed on one of them. According to Facebook's announcement post, not even the company can access your secret messages.
AI is being used to brew beer in the UK
Brewers have a lot of tools at their disposal when it comes to brewing beer: hops, yeast, grain and loads of equipment. One brewery in the UK is employing AI to perfect its recipes though, and it claims it's the first to do so. IntelligentX Brewing Company is a collaborative effort between machine learning company Intelligent Layer and creative agency 10x. Together the two companies created algorithms that process consumer feedback as a means of helping brewers improve their beers.
Facebook makes it easier to start a conversation in Messenger
After adding SMS messages to the Android version of the app earlier this week, Facebook tweaked its Messenger UI to get you sending messages faster. Underneath the list of recent messages, you'll now see a collection of your favorite contacts so you can get chatting quickly. The app will also show you birthdays like the social network's site and core app does, making light work of sending someone a note. That useful list of who's online is there as well, tucked down below the aforementioned messages and groups of contacts. With these changes, it should be even easier to send one of Facebook's new emoji when the time comes.
Facebook adds SMS to Messenger for Android
A few months ago, Facebook was reported to be testing SMS integration in its Messenger app for Android. Now, that feature is officially live. It's entirely optional, so you'll need to enable it. To do so, head over to Settings in the Messenger app, select "SMS" and then choose "Default SMS app." This means all of your text messages will be sent and received on the Messenger app. Your SMS conversations will be in purple to differentiate them from the default Messenger blue.
