Source: Instagram
What you need to know
- Facebook is adding Instagram Direct to the Instagram web app.
- Previously, users had to rely on either the mobile/mobile web apps.
- Today's rollout is just a test, with only a few users gaining access to it.
Facebook will be adding Direct Messaging to Instagram's desktop site as of today, as per a report from The Verge.. It'll work much like how DMs work on mobile. Users will be able to create chats from the profile screen via a newly added "message" button, and you'll also be able to share posts to others via DM as well as receive notifications on your desktop if your browser supports it.
Previously, users had to make use of either the mobile app or the mobile website to send DMs, a move that was deeply frustrating if you wanted the larger space of a desktop keyboard and didn't use an Android app-enabled Chromebook or the Windows 10 app. Speaking of which, with Instagram replacing its native app with a web app, it wouldn't be a good look for Instagram to update its app and then actually lose functionality, especially with DMs which are a pretty sticky feature.
Unfortunately for users who want to try it now, it's not a global rollout. The Verge states it's just a limited test and only a small number of users will have access to it for the time being.
Facebook has doubled down on building out its messaging experiences over the last year. The firm launched Threads, a dedicated direct messaging app for Instagram. Facebook was said to be working on moving all its messaging services to a common, interoperable backend, with Facebook stating that Threads would be part of this.
However Facebook's messaging intentions may end up, with this new move, Instagram Direct joins Facebook's other apps on the desktop and increases its viability as a standalone messaging app in itself.
Instagram: Everything you need to know
GroupMe may finally get video and voice calls to compete with WhatsApp
Microsoft may finally realize GroupMe has a lot of potential. The group messaging app is popular on US college campuses and smaller organizations, but it may pick up voice and video calls, at least according to a recent user survey.
Hey Sony, it's time for Bloodborne to come to PC
PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan recently announced that more PlayStation exclusives are coming to PC in the near future. Here's why Bloodborne should be on the list.
Job listings suggest the Surface Duo 2 could feature 5G and a better camera
Multiple job listings from Microsoft discuss a Surface Duo with 5G support and an improved camera. Many of the listings have since been taken down, but a few remain up that hint at what a Surface Duo 2 could look like.
Complete list of apps supported by NVIDIA RTX Voice
NVIDIA RTX Voice can remove the background noise from your streams, voice chats, and video conferences. Here are all the Windows apps with official NVIDIA RTX Voice support.