WhatsApp is getting dark mode on desktop, animated stickers, and more

With over 2 billion users around the globe, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app on the planet. As such, the service is continually adding features and enhancing the experience. However, with that big of a user base, it doesn’t roll out features haphazardly. Things tend to be in development for a long time, which is the case with animated stickers, QR codes, and extended dark mode.

WhatsApp has been working on animated stickers for over a year and they’re finally ready to roll out. Like you can find on plenty of other messaging platforms, animated stickers are simply stickers that move. They add an extra layer of expression to the static stickers (which are still available as well).

Next up is QR codes for profiles, which was added to the beta channel in late May. These make it easy to share your profile with other WhatsApp users by generating a scannable code. In some situations, it’s easier to scan a QR code than to give out your phone number.

WhatsApp finally rolled out its long-awaited dark mode on Android back in March. However, the web and desktop apps didn’t get it. There was evidence of the desktop app getting dark mode earlier this year and now it’s official. The dark theme is available on the web and the desktop.

Lastly, WhatsApp is adding the ability to long-press on a person in a group call to maximize their video. There is also now an icon in group text chats of 8 people or less to quickly start a video call. This all goes along with WhatsApps’s recent expansion of the group calling feature.

Look for all of these features to be rolling out to WhatsApp over the “next few weeks.”

WhatsApp Messenger (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: WhatsApp

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5 Deals on HP Monitors and More Starting at Just $119

If you have been working from home over the past few weeks, you might now be aware of a few gaps in your setup. If you would like to upgrade without breaking the bank, check out these deals on HP hardware at the XDA Developers Depot. Right now, you could save up to 14% off MSRP.

HP EliteDisplay E223d 21.5″ Docking Monitor

With nine integrated ports, this 21.5″ LED monitor provides both stunning visuals and impressive connectivity. The supplied stand lets you tilt and pivot the screen to the perfect angle, while the streamlined bezel on this display makes it perfect for dual-monitor setups. It usually retails for $269, but you can pick up the EliteDisplay now for $229.99.

HP EliteDisplay E243p 23.8″ 16:9 IPS Sure View Monitor

If you have a little more to spend, the EliteDisplay E243p is worth the step up. This 23.8” full HD display has IPS technology for incredible color and brightness of 260 cd/m2. Privacy mode dims the screen to keep your view under wraps, and the flexible stand can be tilted, raised, and swiveled. Normally priced at $364, it’s now only $309.99.

HP Chromebook 11.6″ (Certified Refurbished)

Ideal for checking your emails, browsing the web, and writing on the move, this lightweight Chromebook offers 12 hours of battery life. According to CNET, it also features a “sharp design, comfortable keyboard, bright IPS display, and loudspeakers.” This portable workhorse was originally $229.99, but you can get a certified refurb now for $199.99.

HP M01-F0057C Desktop Core i3 1.1TB SATA

This beautiful beast runs Windows 10 Home on a quad-core Intel i3 processor and 8GB RAM. It also has integrated Intel UHD 630 Graphics, a huge 1.1TB hard drive for storing media, and even a DVD drive — remember those? The retail price is $399.99, but you can grab it now for just $349.99.

HP EliteDisplay E273d 27″ Docking Monitor

Rated at 4 stars by Expert Reviews, the EliteDisplay E273d delivers full 1080p crispness with 250cd/m² brightness. In addition, it has 10 ports including USB-C and USB-A, meaning you can easily connect your laptop, charge devices, and daisy-chain displays. Made from ocean-bound plastics, this eco-friendly monitor is now 10% off MSRP at $364.99.

Prices subject to change 

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Spotify now offers a cheaper “Duo” plan for two people

Beyond the free accounts that anyone can sign up for, Spotify offers a few different ad-free Premium subscription plans. The Individual plan costs $9.99 per month, the Student plan costs $4.99 per month, and the Family plan (for up to 6 people) costs $14.99 per month. Last year, Spotify was testing a new “Duo” plan for two people, and now it’s official.

The Spotify Duo plan costs $12.99 per month and is aimed at couples, though there’s no reason it can’t be shared between any two people living at the same address. The plan costs $2 less than the Family plan, which is a savings of $24 per year. That might not seem like much, but if you’re only using 2 of the possible 6 accounts on the Family plan, why not save some money?

US pricing

Other than the two account limit, the Spotify Duo plan is essentially the same as the Family plan. Each person gets their own Premium account with their own playlists and saved content. The custom “Family Mix” playlist is replaced by the “Duo Mix” playlist. The only thing you might miss is the Spotify Kids app if you’re a couple with children.

Spotify Duo is available right now in the US, UK, India, and other locations in Europe (though Spotify did not give a clear list). Existing subscribers and new customers can sign up for the plan right now. Again, the one big stipulation is both accounts must live at the same address. News users are also eligible to get the first month for free.

Spotify: Listen to new music, podcasts, and songs (Free, Google Play) →

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Source: Spotify

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Samsung’s 5G Galaxy Z Flip shows up on TENAA with an overclocked Qualcomm Snapdragon 865

Samsung clearly dominates the market of smartphones with foldable displays. After launching the horizontally folding Samsung Galaxy Fold last year, the Korean giant launched Galaxy Z Flip with a much smaller footprint and a vertically folding screen earlier this year. Despite being launched alongside the Galaxy S20 series, which is powered by the Snapdragon 865 and features 5G support across all models, the Galaxy Z Flip ran on the Snapdragon 855+ mobile platform and lacked intrinsic support for 5G, which can be a dealbreaker for a $1,400 phone in 2020. To address this, Samsung has been working on a 5G variant of the Flip phone, and the same has now been listed on Chinese regulatory body TENAA.

The TENAA listing of the 5G Galaxy Z Flip reveals the specifications of the phone while also showing the phone in the familiar black color. According to the listing, the smartphone comes with a Snapdragon 865 chipset that has been overclocked to 3.09GHz (presumably for the Prime core). There isn’t any other observable change to the smartphone in terms of specifications – the 5G variant features the same dimensions of the chassis and the display, RAM and storage configurations, and battery capacity.

As per the listing, the Galaxy Z Flip 5G will carry a model name “SM-F7070” which varies from the previously certified model “SM-F707B.” It is possible that the former is targeting the Chinese market while the latter could be for another region. The Chinese variant listed on TENAA will support n41, n78, and n79 bands for both SA as well as NSA 5G networks.

While there isn’t much information about the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, it is quite possible that the company reveals the phone alongside Note 20 series that is expected to be revealed on August 5th via a virtual event. The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 series is also likely to be accompanied by the Galaxy Fold 2 while the Z Flip 5G could be the mysterious “Project Zodiac” device spotted earlier.

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Source: TENAA

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Today’s OnePlus Day sales include deals on the OnePlus 8 series, 7T, and Bullets Wireless Z

Last week, OnePlus kicked off its new weekly series of “OnePlus Day” deals. These deals will be posted every Wednesday and they include discounts and bundles for a variety of OnePlus smartphones and accessories. This week, the company is offering deals on the OnePlus 8 series, OnePlus 7 Pro/7T, and Bullets Wireless Z earphones. Just like last week’s savings, these deals are only available in North America.

United States:

• Purchase a OnePlus 8 Pro 12GB Black version ($999), get a Bullets Wireless Z free
• Purchase a OnePlus 8 12GB Interstellar Glow version ($799), get Andre Case and OnePlus Type-C Bullets Earphones(Black) free
• Purchase a OnePlus 7 Pro 12GB Black version ($599), get OnePlus 7 Pro Protective Case Sandstone free
• Purchase OnePlus OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Black ($49.95), get $20 OFF, making the price $29.95

Canada:

• Purchase a OnePlus 8 Pro 12GB Black version (CA$ 1549), get a Bullets Wireless Z free
• Purchase a OnePlus 8 12GB Interstellar Glow version (CA$ 1249), get an Andre Case and OnePlus Type-C Bullets Earphones (Black) free
• Purchase OnePlus OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z Black (CA$ 69.95), get Get CA$ 30 off, making the price only CA$ 39.95

These deals are available on OnePlus.com and they are only valid today, July 1st, 2020. If there’s nothing that interests you today, the company will have new OnePlus Day promotions next Wednesday. In addition to the weekly offerings, OnePlus is running some monthly deals in the US:

• Purchase OnePlus OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren ($899), get 50% off on OnePlus 7T T-Mobile Version. (Promotion lasts until July 31th 2020)
• Purchase OnePlus OnePlus 7T T-Mobile Version($499), get a 3D Tempered Glass Screen Protector, a Silicone Bumper Case, and Type-C Bullets Earphones Black free. (Promotion lasts until July 31th 2020)

OnePlus 7 Pro Forums ||| OnePlus 7T Forums ||| OnePlus 7T Pro Forums ||| OnePlus 8 Forums ||| OnePlus 8 Pro Forums

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Google is rolling out smart compose in Gboard for Messages, Telegram, and WhatsApp

At Google I/O 2018, the company demonstrated the Smart Compose feature that uses machine learning to autocomplete sentences. Smart Compose was launched as an exclusive feature for Gmail and only available via G Suite accounts and limited to Pixel 3 devices. In early 2019, Google expanded the feature to all Gmail users and later on in the year to Google Docs for G Suite accounts. Now, Smart Compose is rolling out on Gboard for messaging services, starting with Google Messages, Telegram, and WhatsApp.

Since at least 2017, Android app including Gmail and Messages (as well as the now-defunct Inbox and Allo) have had the Smart Reply feature that offers instant responses generated machine learning. The feature was also released for third-party messaging apps with the help of an API prior to the launch of Android 10. But, Smart Compose is a step ahead of Smart Reply as it suggests words that might follow as you’re typing and these suggestions also change dynamically with each added word. Not just that, Smart Compose also allows you to tweak the message instead of sending it directly.

9to5Google notes Smart Compose is available with the latest beta of Google’s keyboard app Gboard, presently v9.5.12.317844448 that was updated last week. Similar to Gmail and Google Docs, you can swipe right across the suggested sentence to autocomplete it.

Image courtesy of 9to5Google

The feature is also supported in popular third-party messengers like WhatsApp and Telegram other than Android Messages. But since it has been enabled by Gboard and not the apps themselves, we may see it on other messengers. Although I’m running the same version of Gbaord in India, the feature is not available for me, which means it might either be available only for an A/B test group or restricted geographically.

Add a comment below to let us know if you are able to use Smart Compose via Gboard in any other messaging app. 

Gboard - the Google Keyboard (Free, Google Play) →

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Qualcomm essentially confirms the OnePlus Nord has a 5G Snapdragon chipset

OnePlus recently confirmed that its upcoming affordable smartphone series, which was previously referred to as the OnePlus 8 Lite and later rumored to be the OnePlus Z, will be called OnePlus Nord. However, the company has still not released any official information about its specifications. While previous leaks about the device have given us a good look at its design and camera hardware, rumors about its internal specifications have been contradictory so far. At first, rumors suggested that the OnePlus Nord would be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset. However, we later learned that it might feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 SoC. But now we can finally confirm that the OnePlus Nord will be powered by a 5G-enabled Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC.

Excited to be working with @OnePlus_UK as they embark on #NewBeginnings powered by a #Snapdragon 5G chipset! #OnePlusNord https://t.co/1Eitm4GJSI

— Qualcomm EU (@Qualcomm_EU) June 30, 2020

According to a recent tweet from Qualcomm EU’s official Twitter handle, the upcoming OnePlus Nord will be powered by a “Snapdragon 5G chipset”. While the company hasn’t confirmed exactly which chipset will make an appearance on the OnePlus Nord it could be the Snapdragon 765G, if previous rumors are to be believed. We have already seen mention of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G in a survey from OnePlus which asked users whether they would be willing to purchase a smartphone from OnePlus with the processor, a 64MP triple camera setup, a 4,300mAh battery with 30W fast charging, and a 90Hz refresh rate display at ₹24,990. But we currently don’t have any confirmation if the upcoming device will offer these specifications. The OnePlus Nord is expected to launch in India and Europe on July 10th. OnePlus has confirmed that the device will be priced under $500.

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