Google launches a new app to find out Who’s Down

By David Nield October 31, 2015

google launches a new app to find out whos down who s big — Image used with permission by copyright holder

You might think Google has covered all the bases when it comes to apps — it’s hard to think of a mobile software category the company doesn’t have an offering in — but its engineers are still spinning out new ideas. The latest to see the light of day is called Who’s Down, although for the time being you’re going to need an invite before you can start using it.

As you can probably guess from the name of the app, it simply allows you to see which of your friends are free to hang out right now: A simple slider sets your status which is good for three hours. The app lets you specify what type of activity you’re down for — from hitting the gym to grabbing some tacos — and you can chat inside the app with any of your friends who are currently around and available.

“Instantly see which of your friends are free to hang out, right when you are,” reads the app listing on the Play Store. “And with one slider, you can let your friends know you’re down to hang out too. It’s that simple. Always know who is free to hang out, so you never miss out on the fun.” The app is also available to download for free on iOS.

Hold on just a moment though — you need to be studying at a college in the U.S. to be eligible to use the app at the moment (the same strategy Facebook used in its early days). Even if you meet the criteria there’s a waiting list, so your best option is probably to find someone who’s already using it and get them to add you to their trusted circle of contacts.

As yet, Google hasn’t said anything official about the app, so it may be a small-scale experiment that never gets a wider rollout. It’s an interesting idea though and could give the tech giant a small foothold in the social networking space that it’s been trying so hard to get into.

Topics

Contributor

Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

Mobile

Google Messages vs. Samsung Messages: Which app should you use?

Google messages versus samsung messages app icons side by side on Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Amid the rise of third-party messaging apps, texting remains a popular means of messaging in the U.S. If you own an Android phone, you've likely used or heard of Google Messages, which is positioned as the default text messaging app for Android. It is the culmination of Google's long history with multiple messaging platforms. Google has pursued smartphone companies to use its Dialer and Messages apps as their default since at least 2017 and now mandates them to use Google Messages as the default messaging app on all devices.

Meanwhile, if you have been a Samsung user in the past, you have likely also known and experienced the Samsung Messages app, which comes preinstalled on all Samsung phones and cannot be uninstalled. This is despite losing its spot as the default messaging app on Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Mobile

The Google Pixel Fold 2 just leaked. Here’s everything that’s new

Schematics of Google Pixel 2 according to leaks.

Google’s next foldable phone is going to be a screamer, and not solely for good reasons, if the latest leaks are to be believed. SmartPrix (via OnLeaks) has shared alleged renders depicting the Google Pixel Fold 2, and it looks like a mixed bag of regressive design and positive developments.
The biggest change compared to the first-gen Google Pixel Fold is a camera bump that ditches the stretched bar look on the current-gen Pixel smartphones. Instead, we now have a rectangular design with two rows of pill-shaped black outlines, hosting three camera lenses and a bunch of other sensors.
It’s a stark departure from the mainstream Pixel camera bar, and it revives a look that was last seen on the Pixel 5 and Pixel 4 series phones. Looks aside, the side placement also means the phone will keep wobbling if you place it on a flat surface. I’m not exactly a fan of this approach, to be honest.

Another notable change is the side profile. The curved edges of the Pixel Fold have been flattened, a look that will also appear on the Google Pixel 9 series phones, according to leaked renders.
But if you look closely and ignore the ugly camera hump shape, the Pixel Fold 2 looks identical to the OnePlus Open in its leathery black trim. The side rails, those curved bezels, and the front camera placement are all identical.
Even the ridge seems to have been lifted straight from the OnePlus Open, down to its polished metal aesthetics. It’s not a bad thing, as the OnePlus Open is one of the best-built phones I’ve ever used, and the form factor is an absolute joy to handle.
The most progressive change happens once the phone is opened. The thick bezels are gone, and what we see on the Pixel Fold 2 renders are uniformly thin bezels on all sides, a trend that we first noticed on the foldable phones offered by Oppo.

Mobile

Google is launching a powerful new AI app for your Android phone

Google Gemini app on Android.

Remember Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT? Well, it is now officially called Gemini. Also, all those fancy AI features that previously went by the name Duet AI have been folded under the Gemini branding. In case you haven’t been following up all the AI development flood, the name is derived from the multi-modal large language model of the same name.

To go with the renaming efforts, Google has launched a standalone Gemini app on Android. Moreover, the Gemini experience is also being made available to iPhone users within the Google app on iOS. But wait, there’s more.