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Around here we LOVE Google’s Hangouts app. We use it for practically everything. Now I know there are a surplus of messaging apps out there and many of them are really, really good at what they do. I’m not here to argue about which is better or what this one has that that one doesn’t.
We really like Hangouts. That’s all I’m saying.
With that being said, I wanted to share a detailed list of a nifty little feature added to Hangouts in the last update.
Version 13 of Google’s Hangouts added a few new features. Some are very productive. For example, the ability to “browse in Hangouts.” This allows for the opening of links without leaving the app itself. You can find this in the settings menu. We have also seen the addition of casting Chrome tabs to Hangouts. This feature alone made the update a very welcome one for me.
Another new feature, however, is just for fun.
The addition of 20 emoticon shortcuts shows a not-so-serious side of the productivity application we have come to love around the office. These shortcuts can be accessed by typing forward slash “/” and the term of your choice from the list below.
- algebraic
- dealwithit
- disapprove
- facepalm
- flowerbeam
- happy
- lgtm
- lit
- octodisco
- puppyparty
- shame
- shrug
- success
- sunglasses
- tableback
- tableflip
- that
- this
- wizard
- yuno
These are super fun and I have to admit I was probably more excited to use them than I should have been. But hey, we all gotta have a little fun from time to time. My personal favorite is /tableflip. Go ahead, try it out. You know you want to.
I should note, that this is currently available on the latest version of Hangouts for Chrome devices, Chrome extension for Windows, and Hangouts for Android. However, the rollout for Android has been slow and sporadic at best. My Nexus 6P just received the update to version 13 last night. The update will depend greatly on the model of your phone and your carrier.
If you would like to go ahead and try it out today you can download the APK at the link below and install following the on-screen instructions.
Until next time. Stay cool.
