Friday Social: Facebook’s Voice Converter, WhatsApp Web and Social Cold Turkey

  • Social Media

Our #FridaySocial is a weekly round-up of the key social media news stories from the previous seven days. Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter – @Umpf / @Allllliiii

1. Facebook Testing Voice Messaging

Facebook has this week been testing a new feature allowing converted voice-to-text messaging as part of its Messenger app.

Speaking in a Facebook post, Vice President of Messaging David Marcus said:

“We already offer a feature that enables people to send voice clips to their friends without having to type out the text. Today we are starting to roll out a small test that helps people read the voice clips they receive instead of having to play them out loud.”

The feature is limited to a small number of users now, but is expected to be rolled-out shortly if it proves popular.

 

2. App Forces Addicts to go Cold Turkey

Our worst nightmare: a new Android app, QualityTime, is forcing social media users to cut down on their internet usage.24DF968800000578-2918416-image-a-15_1421766343101

The app quietly works in the background, monitoring your internet usage. Users can set time limits and choose to ‘Take a Break’. During a ‘Break’, you’ll be cut off completely – unless it’s an emergency, of course.

The app also summarises where your online time has gone, whether that’s emails, Facebook or general browsing.

 

3. Sun PR Boss’ Twitter Storm

Following The Sun’s Page 3 U-turn this week, the paper’s Head of PR has seemingly poked fun at a number of high-profile names on Twitter including Kay Burley and Harriet Harman.

https://twitter.com/dylsharpe/status/558163898789281792

The tweet received mostly negative feedback, including from Kay Burley herself…

4. Facebook Breaks Another Billion

According to the latest eMarketer research, Facebook is set to fly past one billion mobile users in 2015, and that around three quarters of the social media site’s revenue will come from mobile.

Debra Aho Williamson of eMarketer said:

“Facebook has been a leader helping marketers to transition to mobile advertising. Because the Facebook experience is basically the same across devices, advertisers don’t have to reinvent the wheel to place mobile advertising. As Facebook’s user base shifts even more heavily toward mobile, it is well positioned to see increasing ad revenues from this channel.”

5. WhatsApp on the web

WhatsApp has launched a Google Chrome extension that promises to  turn your browser into ‘an extension of your phone’ – unless you’ve got an iPhone, due to ‘Apple platform limitations’.

WhatsApp said: “Today, for the first time, millions of you will have the ability to use WhatsApp on your web browser. Our web client is simply an extension of your phone: the web browser mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device — this means all of your messages still live on your phone.”

To connect browser and phone, users can scan a QR code to verify their device.