Author: Clinton

In a post today on the Google apps blog, the company has announced that users who need to access a Google Hangouts video call no longer need to have a Google account to join.  The update follows on an update from last year where an external link could be provided to a Hangouts video call even if they were not explicitly invited.  This new update really pushes Hangouts as a video, voice and conferencing platform given how widely used it is and the fact it is on both Android and iOS devices as well as the web.

The way that this new feature will work is pretty slick.  Users with the external link will click on that link, put in their name in the dialog box that pops up and click the Request to Join button.  Organizers of the Hangouts call will get a pop-up with that users information and can either Accept or Decline to let them in to the call or not.  It’s simple and for anyone who has used a video conferencing solution in the past, will feel very familiar.

Editors Note:  As of January 24, 2017, the old Google+ site has been deprecated and is no longer available.

Yesterday we saw all the hype around the new Google+ website and upcoming Android apps.  For some, this change has been welcomed while others have found it not so great.  The verdict is still out but as a die hard Google+ user, I like what I see so far.  That said, I’m a realist and this new version of the social site is very much a work in progress (Google’s words, not mine).  There are things that don’t quite work the way that you would expect and some of the overall user experiences need to be smoothed out.

For now, you have a way to get back to the Google+ of old with a simple click within the site.  I’ll show you how to do this if you haven’t found it already and give you some thoughts on why you may want to go back – and why you may want to stick with it.

If you have visited ClintonFitch.com over the course of the past few hours, you will notice a change is afoot.  That change is an all new, lightweight and clean Material Design look to the site.  This change has actually been in the works for several weeks now as I have been working on a theme that is based on the excellent WordPress theme built by Brad Williams.  As with any site, any time you make a major change to the look and feel there are a lot of considerations that have to be taken into account:  User experience, adverts, content flow and of course mobile look & feel.  In this update, I think I’ve found the right balance but ultimately it is you, the readers, that have to make that decision.  Feedback, as you would guess, is most welcome.

The Google Play Music app has been updated today for Android devices and while it is mostly a bug fix release, there are a few new features that are worth a mention.  This new build is verion 6.1.2115T for those keeping score at home and it is rolling out to the Google Play Store now.  If you have the app installed then you should expect to see the OTA update for it anytime over the next couple of days.

As far as new features in this update, the first thing you will notice is a completely revamped Settings menu.  Things are generally much more organized into sections with this update and it is a bit easier to see all of your settings without having to tap to change a particular setting in most cases.  Functionally there isn’t much different other than the new Auto-offline feature which I will discuss after the break but I find the new Settings to be a bit easier to figure out what to adjust in Google Play Music.

Google Play Music – Free – Download Now

If you are a new Project Fi users, chances are you are a bit confused.  That confusion surrounds SMS and which app you can use for getting your text messages on your Nexus phone using Fi.  On the surface, it looks like you are required to use Google Hangouts, the voice, video and yes, text messaging integrated app.  But that not necessarily true and in fact, even Google suggests that you use Google Messenger, the default SMS app on Nexus devices, for texting.

So what gives?  What’s the truth and what is the plus or minus of using Google Hangouts or Google Messenger?  Essentially it comes down to where you want messages to appear and on which devices and how you plan to communicate to friends and family.

I am an unapologetic fan of Google+.  It is a great source of information, tips, new ideas and communicating with other Android users who share a passion for the platform. But, as we all know, Google+ hasn’t exactly gained huge grounds in terms of users (the joke is that only Googlers use Google+) but that doesn’t mean it is completely dead in the eyes of Mountain View.  Today the company announced a wide range of changes that are coming to the social platform including a completely revamped user experience that focuses more on communities and collections.  If you remember back to my first post on how I use Google+, I pointed out that Communities was one of the key draws to the platform.  It would seem that I’m not alone.

Google+ for Android – Free – Download Now