Category Archives: NEWS

A new update of WhatsApp are available for Windows Phone users. This latest 2.16.240 version of WhatsApp for Windows 10 Mobile comes with some new features and
confirms the introduction of what was added with recent Beta. So, let’s see in detail what changes with this new version of WhatsApp for Windows Phone. First of all, let’s begin with the OneDrive integration for backups.

Thanks to this new feature, now users are allowed to backup their chat history and messages, which can be restored after resetting their Windows Phone device (or even on a new phone). In addition, this latest 2.16.240 version of WhatsApp for Windows Phone allows users to decide when to backup their data: daily, weekly and monthly. What if you don’t want to backup your data from WhatsApp? Simple, you can disable this option. And that’s not all. Users who prefer not to start the backup process while they are using cellular data, will be able to configure their device to start backups when they are using Wi-Fi.

This latest update of WhatsApp for Windows Phone also brings another feature that will surely be appreciated by WhatsAppers: GIFs support. Actually you are not yet allowed to send a real GIF, but in the meanwhile you can follow this simple procedure: select any video, crop it to 6 seconds or less and click on the GIF button to send it as a GIF. Last but not least, this latest version of WhatsApp brings also an improved set of emojis with even some 3D emoji.

How can you install this latest 2.16.240 version of WhatsApp on your Windows Phone device? You can download it directly from the Windows Store app. You just have to open the Windows Store and search for WhatsApp 2.16.240. Once you have found it, you can install it on your smartphone. At this point, if you are sure that the installation is complete, you need to use your mobile phone number to get verified in order to log again into your WhatsApp account.

More problems for Facebook and WhatsApp following their Data Sharing Project. It appears that in Europe this decision is raising great concerns and therefore the two services may be banned from sharing their data. Germany has been the first country to take this decision and seems that the UK will follow the same path soon.

Last week the Germany’s Data Protection Commissioner already told Facebook that it must stop collecting information on its users through WhatsApp. In addition, the Commissioner also ordered Facebook to delete any data it has already received. But why? The commissioner claimed that Facebook has not kept its promise made on 2014 to keep the data of the two services separate.

According to the commissioner, Facebook should have asked the permission to WhatsApp users to collect their data, but it did not happen. And a very similar situation may occur in the UK, where WhatsApp and Facebook have never been too loved by the authority. The UK’s national data protection whatchdog, the ICO, is considering to take actions against the two messaging services. The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) is the office responsible in the UK for data protection and is an independent body that usually acts in an advisory role, even if it actually has the authority to fine corporations who violate current regulations on data protection.

During an in interview on Radio 4, information commissioner Elizabeth Denham stated that “an investigation into the data-sharing” has already been launched. Denham also added: “My intervention is an advocacy intervention on behalf of all of the WhatsApp users in the UK — and boy have we heard from them! They are quite concerned. There’s a lot of anger out there. And again it goes back to promises, commitment, fairness and transparency. We have launched an investigation into the data-sharing, remembering that in 2014 when Facebook bought WhatsApp there was a commitment made that between the two companies they would not share information.” During the program, Denham also claimed that “It’s an active and important investigation, I know the public wants to hear from us as to what we’re doing — and you will hear from us very shortly.”

Another interesting update of WhatsApp is available for Android Beta Testers. This latest upgrade, number 2.16.281, along with the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, adds a new feature that enables group admins to invite people to their group thanks to a new “invite to group via link” option that appears at the top of the contacts list. How does this new option work?

By tapping the new ‘Invite to group via link’ button, a unique link to the chat that can be shared with other contacts is generated. In addition, this special link can also be revoked. And users know that this option can come in handy if you want to stop people from joining the group. But this latest 2.16.281 Beta version of WhatsApp for Android brings another new feature. It is a new quick forward button for media, that enables WhatsApp users to easily share media to other conversations.

This new icon (which has the shape of a curved arrow) appears next to links, pictures, videos, GIFs and other media, and allows Android users to forward them to another chat. How can you install this latest 2.16.281 Beta version of WhatsApp on your Android device? As usual, it is very simple. If you are a Beta Tester you simply have to grab your smartphone, open the Google Play Store, swipe in the display from the left side and then select ‘My Apps’. At this point just click on WhatsApp and then click on the ‘Update’ button.

If you live in Germany, today we have other news concerning WhatsApp, specifically about the controversial decision to share users’ data with Facebook. Recent news report that the Germany’s data protection commissioner has informed Facebook that it must stop collecting information on its users through WhatsApp. In addition, Facebook was also told to delete any data it has already received. What are the reasons behind this decision? The commissioner claimed that Facebook has not kept its promise made on 2014 to keep the data of the two services separate. According to the commissioner, Facebook should have asked the permission to WhatsApp users to collect their data, but it did not happen.

A new Beta version of WhatsApp is available for Android users. As usual, also this latest version of WhatsApp for Android devices brings bug fixes and performance improvements, but that’s not all because the addition of some new features seems to confirm that WhatsAppers will soon be able to use the much awaited Video Calling feature. Why? What is changing with this latest 2.16.278 version of WhatsApp for Android devices?

Some new icons for video calls have been added. Isn’t it awesome? Furthermore, the APK (installation) file has been decreased by 10KB. There is also a huge amount of modified files: over 1160 (files related mainly to icons, emoji and optimizations). As we said, there are 5 new icons, all of them related to the video calling feature. That said, let’s see how you can install this updated version of WhatsApp on your Android device.

If you are already a Beta Tester, you can easily download this 2.16.278 Beta from the Google Play Store. If you are not yet a Beta Tester, you can become one simply opening the Google Play Store webpage and tapping on the “BECOME A TESTER” button. Now you can open the official Android store and search for the latest WhatsApp Beta. Once you’ve found the Beta you want to download, you can install it on your Android device.

If it’s true that WhatsApp is getting more improvements, on the other hand users have to pay attention to frauds more than ever and today we have news about a new scam that is targeting specifically WhatsApp users. Let’s see how it works. This time fraudsters are sending a message to WhatsApp users telling that their accounts will be deleted unless they forward the message to all their contacts. This message is sent by these criminals with the clear intention to obtain access to more WhatsApp accounts for future scams.

This is the text of the message: “We are requesting all users to forward this message to their entire contact list, If you do not forward this message, we will take it as your account is invalid and it will be deleted within the next 48 hours. Please DO NOT ignore this message or whatsapp will no longer recognise your activation. If you wish to re-activate your account after it has been deleted, a charge of 25.00 will be added to your monthly bill.”

If you receive a message like this, first of all you should remember that WhatsApp is a free service, so you always have to be suspicious if someone asks for your money. It is also advisable to report the incident to WhatsApp or to Action Fraud.

Over the last few days WhatsApp’s developers have released several updates which further improve our beloved app, so now platforms supporting WhatsApp such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone can benefit of new, awesome, helpful features.

Today we are going to talk about the new 2.16.204 Beta version of WhatsApp for Windows Phone. So, what changes for Windows users with this new update? The changes introduced with this latest Beta mostly regard the use of the emojis. WhatsApp has in fact decided to standardise communication by using the iOS emoji set on all the platforms supporting the app such as Windows Phone, Android and iOS.

As a consequence, starting from this latest 2.16.204 beta version of WhatsApp for Windows Phone, users will be able to use the iOS emoji set. This new option will make it much easier to communicate with cross-platform users. This new 2.16.204 Beta of WhatsApp for Windows Phone and Windows 10 is already available on the Windows Store, and can be downloaded by clicking this link.

That said, let’s give a brief look at European telecommunication’s scenario. In Europe, the growing expansion of internet services like WhatsApp and Skype is a real threat for the health of traditional telecommunications firms, and for this reason this week the European Commission intervened, recommending  for services like Skype, WhatsApp and FaceTime – the so called OTT services (over-the-top) – tighter privacy and security.

Furthermore, with the introduction of this new directive, OTT services should be obliged to report breaches to authorities. Many EU telecoms firms aim for an equal treatment with OTT services, which instead currently don’t have the same accountability of other European telecom companies.

Let’s see how the situation will evolve. In the meantime, Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission President, has proposed a package of interesting reforms that includes the promise to provide free wifi in every European village and every city by 2020. That’s what he said during his his annual State of the Union speech “We propose today to equip every European village and every city with free wireless internet access around the main centres of public life by 2020,”

Are you an iPhone user and you often use WhatsApp? Well, today we have great news for you. A couple of days ago we anticipated that major updates were going to be added to our favourite messaging app, and today we are able to finally confirm you what appeared to be just some rumours. Let’s see what is changing. First of all, the latest update of WhatsApp for iOS brings Siri integration, and that’s great. Furtheremore, now users will be able to answer voice calls straight from the lock screen. So, let’s see in order how these awesome new features work.

Thanks to this latest update, iOS users will be able to use Siri to send messages and to place WhatsApp calls. How can you do it? First of all, obviously, you have to update your iPhone with this latest 2.16.10 version of WhatsApp for iOS 10. Once you complete the update you simply have to launch Siri and tell it or to send a message or to call one of your contacts. The process is extremely simple, and you will receive by Siri the necessary instructions step by step. For the moment this update has been added only to WhatsApp, but we expect that this new feature will soon be added also to Facebook Messenger.

Along with this important new feature, this latest 2.16.10 version of WhatsApp for iOS 10 brings also the ability to reply to voice calls right from your lock screen. We consider this new feature a great improvement since, from now on, you will be able to answer or decline WhatsApp calls exactly in the same way you’d do with a regular phone call.

If it wasn’t enough, a new widget that allows you to go to recent chats or see unread messages has been added. In addition, iOS 10 users will now be able to send multiple chats simultaneously. Furthermore, starting from this latest updated version, the chats you frequently contact will appear automatically.

During the last few months WhatsApp has changed a lot, thanks to the introduction of some fantastic new features such as the drawing tools, the call back option and the voice calling. Not to mention the much debated end-to-end encryption. And talking about new options specifically developed to grant WhatsApp users’security, today we are going to talk about another new option which appears that will soon be added to WhatsApp.

We are talking about a new two-step verification process. How can you use this new security option? This new feature, that will not be mandatory, but that we consider advisable to use, works in a very simple way. You just have to confirm your phone number by entering a six-digit passcode that will be sent to  you by WhatsApp via SMS. If you don’t want it, you will have the ability to create your own six-digit code.

Once you have this six-digit code, you can use it soon after you enter your phone number on WhatsApp. If you decide to create your own passcode, you need to enter also your email address. Why? This step is needed in order to be verified by WhatsApp and, at the end, to create the passcode. There is also another important reason to enter your email: in case you forget your passcode, it will impossible to recover it without the email. And, obviously, without the passcode you won’t be able to access again your WhatsApp account.

But if you enter your email from the beginning you will be sure you will never have this kind of problem. Whenever you don’t remember your passcode, you simply have to tap  the ‘Forgot Passcode’ option. Once you tap on it, a new passcode will be generated and immediately sent to your email address. That’s pretty useful, isn’t it?

While the above mentioned feature will certainly be appreciated by WhatsApp users, we can’t say the same about the recent decision to share the user’s phone number with Facebook (which is the owner of WhatsApp). Many users have been extremely disappointed with this new option, but luckily there are still 30 days to manually disable this feature.