1.WhatsApp’s new pinned messages make it easy to keep group chats on task
WhatsApp is adding the ability to pin a message to the top of your chats for up to 30 days. Meta says that the feature, which its mobile Facebook Messenger app already has, is rolling out to users now, so not everyone will see it right away. [Source: The Verge]
2. Instagram gets video notes, will let Insta users create short video status for their timeline
The company has recently unveiled a new feature that allows users to add videos to their notes. Previously, notes were limited to text-based updates, akin to the AIM status messages of the past. However, now users can add short video clips with text captions. [Source: India Today]
3. X Adds Incognito Mode Controls for Spaces Hosts
X has added a new “Allow Incognito” setting to Spaces, which will let Spaces hosts decide which users to tune into their audio discussion. [Source: Social Media Today]
4. WordPress Starter Templates AI – Build A Site In 60 Seconds
Astra Starter Templates 3.5.2 integrates ZipWP AI Website Builder that claims to be able to create an entire site in 60 seconds. [Source: Search Engine Journal]
5. Snapchat subscribers can share AI generated snaps
Snapchat’s new generative AI feature lets Plus subscribers extend a photo based on a text prompt by using AI images to fill in the surrounding environment. [Source: India Today]
6. Google has a ‘fix’ to recover deleted files on Drive
Google Drive users lost recent files and changes in folder structure due to a storage snapshot rollback. Missing files have been reported by several users, leading to complaints on the support site. [Source: The Times of India]
7. Meta unveils Audiobox, an AI that clones voices and generates ambient sounds
Unveiled on Meta’s website by researchers working at the Facebook AI Research (FAIR) lab, Audiobox is described as a “new foundation research model for audio generation” built atop its earlier work in this area, Voicebox. [Source: Venture Beat]
8. Meta Collaborates With Ray Ban to Compete With GPT-4V
After releasing its AI-based voice cloning tech, Audiobox, Meta is set to offer Open AI further competition through a collaboration with Ray Ban that will see it create smart glasses that incorporate multimodal AI. [Source: Digital Information World]
9. Instagram’s Status feature to allow users to post video notes
Users can now share a brief, two-second looping video note. It will be visible to mutual followers or close friends for a duration of 24 hours. They can now respond to notes using audio, photos, videos, gifs, and stickers. [Source: Social Samosa]
10. Google Launches the Next Steps Towards the Removal of Tracking Cookies
Google’s moving to the next stage of its program to phase out web tracking cookies, with the implementation of a new “Tracking Protection” option, which will enable Chrome users to restrict the data that they share when visiting a website. [Source: Social Media Today]
