Google Hangouts 2.0 for iOS redesigned with iPad tweaks, 10-second video messages

Google Hangouts just jumped a full version number on Apple hardware -- the first major update since it added voice calls late last year -- and 2.0 has more than just a new iOS 7-ready look. The new app is "fully optimized" for iPads, with a "two-pane" conversation view. On all devices, it's ready for animated stickers -- look out Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger -- 10-second video messages for when your friends are offline, and can send a map of your current location with a few button presses. It's rolling out on the App Store now, assuming you prefer the matchup of Google services and Apple devices.

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Google Redesigns Hangouts For iOS, Adds Video Messages And Animated Stickers

Hangouts for iOS app. This new version is the first to be fully optimized for iOS 7, with a new loading screen and menus, cleaner look, different typography and a couple of new features, too.

You can now, for example, attach a map with your current location to your conversation, something that’s been available in the Android version for a while. The new version also features about three dozen animated stickers. None of them, however, look especially interesting. In addition, the app now also lets you record and send video messages of up to 10 seconds long.

The new version is also fully optimized for the iPad, Google says, and now includes picture-in-picture video calling on Apple’s tablets.

It’s no secret that Hangouts is now one of the more important products in Google’s portfolio. While it grew out of the Google

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Google Glass XE 12 update lets you wink to capture photos, adds new Hangouts and YouTube glassware

MyGlass for iOS isn't the only big news to come out of Google's Glass camp today. Turns out, the company's issuing a major update, dubbed XE 12, for the intelligent eyewear that not only makes the complete Glass-to-iOS bridge possible, but also bundles in a few other bells, whistles and, yes, winks.

Let's start there, shall we? Before today, the only way to take a photo with a wink was by way of a third-party app. But now, Google's baked that functionality directly into the Explorer Edition of Glass, making those sly creepster shots even easier. Glassware's also getting a major boost with the addition of Hangouts, for those of you that want to send SMS, chats or even video calls from your head, and YouTube for simple Glass video uploads. Apart from that significant feature boost, the Glassware for Google Play Music now offers explorers the ability to navigate by playlists or, if they're All Access subscribers, radio stations.

XE 12 brings some much needed security along with it, too, giving Explorers the option to set a screen lock that turns on when you take Glass off or deactivate it. And because shooting off messages with the obnoxious "Sent Through Glass" was a little too... obnoxious, Google's cut that outgoing signature from SMS, though it'll still be present on all outgoing emails. Know what else is getting the axe? Guest Mode. According to Google, the feature was just too much of a strain for its devs to maintain, so if you want to impress with Glass, just hand'em over freely or take Google's advice and create a demo account.

And finally, because Google likes to be cute, you can now ask Glass for helpful caloric counts or even "How far to Brooklyn?" (the answer: No Sleep Til Brooklyn) -- because everyone, even Google, loves the Beastie Boys.

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Source: Google

Tags: BeastieBoys, Glass, glassware, google, GoogleGlass, Hangouts, mobilepostcross, wink, xe12, Youtube Next: You can now tweet O2 for account information thanks to #Tweetserve
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