Microsoft’s ‘Playable Ads’ lets you try out apps before you install them

While you could think of it as fancy advertisement, a new feature for Windows lets you try out apps before installing them. Called Playable Ads, you can tap on an app install ad on Windows and have three minutes to try out the app without leaving the existing page you’re in. An inline app streaming window will show you the app as if you have it installed on your device. And once you’re done streaming, you can opt to install the app or not. You don’t even need to finish streaming to decide if you don’t want to get the app.

Developers don’t even need to do anything to get Playable Ads to work. But here’s a guide from Microsoft on how to enable it. The feature is currently open under limited preview, though, so it may or may not show up for you.

Watching YouTube videos gets more social with Google’s Uptime app

Let’s get it out of the way first. This might be a Google product but it’s an iPhone product only at the moment. The newly launched Uptime social video app is the product of Google’s Area 120 startup incubator; which was set up last year to let Googlers be startup pioneers during their “20% time.” What Uptime does is it lets you watch YouTube videos with your friends at the same time, even if you aren’t in the same room. All you need to do is sign in with your Google account and connect to friends. From there, your avatars show how far you are into watching a video. You also get Facebook Live-like reaction emojis and written comments similar to how you see it in platforms like Soundcloud.

While there is no word yet if this’ll be making its way to Android or on the browser, it shows us what Google can bring into YouTube or the livestreaming sphere in the future. If you’re on iOS and love watching videos with friends, this might be worth trying out.

Source: Android Central

Apple highlighting Message's sticker feature in latest ad

Apple put a lot of effort in expanding the functionality of its Message app. One of the stickiest features of iOS and macOS, Messages offers quick messaging via text, voice as well as various visual effects, stickers and other animations. Apple is once more reminding users that Messages has an almost limitless range of expression through stickers, there's even a sticker store within the app. The Sticker Fight video above shows just how expressive these animated stickers can be. While they are not for everyone, they do convey feelings and thoughts quite effectively. Also, the Family Guy stickers look hilarious.

First ‘Godzilla’ anime movie is heading to Netflix

Godzilla Concept Art via Toho

It seems strange that after all this time the King of Kaiju a.k.a. Godzilla still doesn’t have an animated movie in Japan. Well, it seems we’re finally getting that and it’s even going to be shown outside of the country. The Polygon Pictures’ Godzilla film will be brought by Polygon and Toho to Netflix. This animated take on the giant monster brought to us by Gen Urobuchi, Hiroyuki Seshita, and Kobun Shizuno will be hitting the streaming service after it airs in Japan later this year.

As a side note, this isn’t the first time Godzilla has been animated. Godzilla made a brief tie-in appearance in Crayon Shin Chan for Shin Godzilla. And the Kaiju King also appeared in two animated TV shows. But getting an actual movie is a first and we’re pretty stoked for it.

Source: io9