Month: July 2022

WhatsApp is updating message reactions and making a big change to videos calls

Yesterday we reported that WhatsApp was hard at work on a new editing tool for tweaking images you send via the app. Today, we have two updates report, one which could have interesting implications for video calls and another, which is an update to new and popular massage reactions feature. Let’s explore these updates further.

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The latest WhatsApp beta version for Android 2.22.15.5 has an enticing new feature that raises some interesting questions. The feature shows a WhatsApp video call in progress but with the user’s camera switched off. Instead of the user’s face, the feature instead shows an avatar. So, what does this mean?

Well, it seems that for a while now at least, WhatsApp has been working internally on its own version of the Memoji and Bitmoji features. Basically, these features allow you to make virtual avatars of yourself to show instead of actual images. In the case of Apple’s Memojis, once you have made your avatar you can then use it to create emojis to send to friends and family. What happens is, that the iPhone actually scans your face and the Memoji reacts accordingly, and you can then snap it and send it on to express emotion in a text chat.

Details are light on the ground right now, but the fact that the first time we are seeing this feature is in a video call raises an interesting question. Will the WhatsApp avatars move and react with your face, like Memojis do, when you are on a video call? It would be very cool to imagine having a video call with somebody while being completely represented the whole time by a customized and dynamic virtual avatar. We will have to wait and see on this one.

In other WhatsApp news, an update to WhatsApp’s new message reactions that we reported on a while back has started rolling out to beta users. They have started to report that now when they react to messages, as well as having the small pre-defined list of emoji reactions, they can also tap on a plus button, which will open up the complete library of emotions to react with. Very cool indeed.

The fact that this is just rolling out to beta users means that there will still be some time before regular users get to take advantage of this feature. However, it is good to see that WhatsApp has moved beyond the concept stage here and is able to push out the feature to its active community of passionate beta testers. It is great to see, and we are truly grateful both to WhatsApp for the work and the testers for providing the vital insights that help features get the full roll-out to all users.

We’re now six full months into 2022, halfway to 2023. Now is a great time to check out what our top 10 expected WhatsApp features for 2022 were and let us know how we did.

Image via: WABetaInfo (2)

You won’t believe which app is copying Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories offer users a great way to keep their friends, family, and followers up to date with all their goings-on. The feature has become hugely popular on the app, and it seems that Microsoft has been taking note and looks set to introduce a similar feature to one of its apps too. You will never believe which app though. Microsoft is bringing an Instagram Stories-like feature to OneDrive. Yes, you read that right, OneDrive.

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In a Microsoft Tech Community blog post, the software giant has released details of what it is calling OneDrive photo story, a feature it says is powered by innovation and built on trust.

The new feature, which Microsoft is currently testing offers users a way to stay connected with loved ones, offering you the chance to share all the moments you have saved on your OneDrive with a unique inner circle. The feed will be invite-only, and your friends and family will be able to comment, like, and react to your pots.

Microsoft’s Catherine Feldman, who penned the blog post announcing the new feature describes it like this:

“Photo story brings all your memories into a private, invitation-only feed that you can share with family and friends, and it supports comments, reactions, and notifications to spur authentic interactions through photos that people actually care about. The feature is available now in beta in Australia on the OneDrive mobile app for Android and iOS, and from your favorite web browser. We plan to roll out the new feature in the U.S. and other regions later this year, as we continue to listen to customer feedback, and develop and improve feature capabilities.”

The feature is currently being tested in Australia, but there are plans to expand its availability. Interestingly, you don’t need a paid Microsoft 365 account to access the new feature either as it is available to users of the free OneDrive basic account, as well as OneDrive Standalone 100GB, Microsoft 365 Personal, and Microsoft 365 Family subscribers.

This is an interesting move from Microsoft, and we will be watching to see how it develops. A more intimate and dare we say more serious version of Stories could be a popular proposition, especially considering many users have family subscriptions to Microsoft 365. It really could go nowhere though, so we’ll be playing close attention. If you are happy enough just using Instagram Stories, check out our guide to the best filters for Instagram Stories.

EA releases Skate early development gameplay

In 2020, Electronic Arts announced a reboot of their highly-popular Skate series. In 2021, the company formed a new studio, Full Circle, that would develop the title. Now, in 2022, EA has finally broken its silence on the subject of Skate once more. 

Recently, we had an announcement from Full Circle concerning the state of Skate. The studio described the game as being in a ‘pre-pre-pre-alpha’ stage of development. Alongside the announcement, the studio also released media showing off various aspects of gameplay in this early developmental stage. 

From what we can see in the trailer, a great deal of texturing and polishing has already been done. However, the studio is not shy with the less finalized content it shows off. The trailer basically shows us a little of what the game might look like when it’s done, and a lot of what it looks like in its current state.

We see primitive rigging, untextured models, and bare-bones environments. One other detail that we see in the trailer is the dense concentration of figures interacting with one another. This potentially hints at Skate featuring a rather hefty player count when the servers go live. 

The most interesting aspect of the early development announcement however is that the EA and Full Circle are opening up Insider registrations for the Skate reboot. This means that fans of the game will have a never-seen-before opportunity to play the game in its early pre-pre-pre-alpha stage and provide the developer with invaluable feedback.

EA recently allowed high-profile YouTubers to contribute to the redesign of numerous characters in The Sims 4, but this is far more impressive. Essentially, this is an opportunity for players to shape the game before it even launches officially. 

‘We’re very early in the development of skate. and are bringing players into the game much sooner than is the norm in our industry. We’re incredibly passionate about skate. and want to ensure we’re building the best possible game, and that’s why we want you playing and providing feedback early enough for us to make meaningful decisions and changes ahead of a worldwide launch.’ 

If you’d like to register for closed playtesting of the Skate reboot, head to the EA registration portal. In other EA news, we’ve recently just seen the launch of the new Werewolves pack for The Sims 4! Don’t get too excited though; as has been the trend for quite some time now, EA has released the pack without attending to major bugs.

Run wild with Werewolves in The Sims 4 READ MORE

Halo Infinite officially begins testing online campaign co-op in July

The decision for 343 Industries to launch Halo Infinite without a campaign co-op disappointed many fans of the franchise. However, the studio just announced that they would be ‘flight’ testing an online campaign co-op starting July 15th.

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So far, they’ll only be testing online co-op, so Halo fans hoping for couch co-op will have to wait a bit longer. Players interested in getting a first glimpse and testing out the new online campaign co-op will need to register for the free and open Halo Insider Program. It’s important to know that this test is being run in a separate version of Halo Infinite. As such, you’ll be starting all over with a new game, and any progress made can’t be transferred between versions.

Lead World Designer, John Mulkey, explained that the new open-world gameplay of Halo Infinite is why there was a delay in adding the co-op at launch. For the first time, they were faced with difficult questions, such as how to set up a shared world state, keep the fireteam together, and many others.

The solution they decided on is an ‘Area of Operations,’ meaning that players cannot move too far away from each other before getting a warning. If the player ignores the warning and keeps moving away, they will be killed for going AWOL and respawn next to the closest player. The developers wanted to promote team play while still allowing some freedom. 

There are also many other features such as sharing cores but upgrading and spending them individually. All players will also be able to keep their progress, meaning they can use the same character to jump between co-op and solo mode while keeping all equipment, stats, and experience.

This online co-op test starting in July is exciting news, and we look forward to seeing how fans receive it. While you’re waiting for campaign co-op, why not look at some Halo Infinite game modes to try in the meantime?