News

WhatsApp Upgrades Video Calls With New Features: A Guide

The platform’s latest update adds filters, backgrounds, and a Low Light feature, improving both usability and privacy.

Published

3 days ago

October 2, 2024

whatsapp upgrades video calls with new features a guide

WhatsApp has rolled out a series of exciting updates for its video calling feature, aimed at making conversations more dynamic and enjoyable. The new features allow users to customize their video calls with filters and backgrounds, giving each call a personal touch.

One of the most highly-anticipated additions is the introduction of filters: Users can now apply creative visual effects to their videos, ranging from vibrant color schemes to artistic styles.

now you can add backgrounds and filters on video calls 🤳 set the vibe and show up in new ways, it’s your call pic.twitter.com/LNVWfaKCBy

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) October 1, 2024

There are ten filters to choose from, including options like Warm, Cool, Black & White, and Dreamy. Each one sets a different tone, allowing users to pick a filter that suits the mood of their conversation. This feature helps make video calls more engaging and visually appealing.

Another useful upgrade is the ability to change backgrounds during video calls. Users can now replace their actual surroundings with various preset scenes, helping maintain privacy or simply creating a more visually interesting call.

For example, users can appear to be sitting in a cozy living room, a bustling café, or on a serene beach. There’s also a blur option to subtly obscure the background, keeping the focus on you. With ten backgrounds to choose from, this feature ensures flexibility and privacy during calls.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

Additionally, WhatsApp now includes a Low Light mode, which enhances brightness in poorly lit environments, ensuring that your video remains clear regardless of your surroundings. This feature is especially helpful when making calls in dimly lit areas.

To access these new features, simply tap the effects icon in the top right corner of your screen during a video call. Whether you’re on a one-on-one or group call, these updates are easy to use and available in an instant.

News

Oura’s Fourth-Generation Ring Becomes Sleeker And Smarter

The Finnish tech company’s fourth-gen Ring offers a sleeker design, improved sensors, and smarter health insights, along with a revamped app.

Published

2 days ago

October 3, 2024

Nour Nasir

Oura

Oura, the Finnish company known for pioneering smart rings, has just revealed its fourth-generation Ring. The updated version features a refined design, improved battery life, and upgraded sensors that provide more detailed health insights.

One of the biggest changes in the Ring 4 are the sensors, which now sit flush with the surface, making it smoother and sleeker. The improvements go beyond just aesthetics, with Oura stating that the Ring 4 now has 18 signal pathways, a significant increase from the 8 found in the previous generation.

The company claims that the updated sensors improve blood oxygen data accuracy by 30%, while gaps in nighttime heart rate are reduced by 31%, and daytime gaps are cut by 7%. Although the exact battery capacity hasn’t been revealed, the sensor optimizations should also allow the Ring 4 to last up to eight days on a single charge.

The Ring 4 is available in 12 sizes (4-15) and six colors: Silver, Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Stealth, and Black. All options except Stealth are coated in titanium with a physical vapor deposition finish, while Stealth features a diamond-like carbon coating.

The Ring is also water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it suitable for swimming and sauna use, though not for dedicated deep-sea divers.

In addition to hardware upgrades, Oura is rolling out a redesigned mobile app. The app organizes health data into three sections: Today, Vitals, and My Health. These sections help wearers monitor their daily vital signs and long-term health metrics, such as cardiovascular age and sleep patterns. The app update is available for all users, regardless of which generation of Ring they own.

Also Read: Meta Reveals Orion AR Glasses, Offering A Glimpse Into The Future

As with the previous model, Oura continues to offer some features behind a membership paywall, priced at $5.99 per month or $70 per year. New to the Ring 4 are automatic activity and heart-rate detection for up to 40 different activities. The app will also now provide better insights for menstrual tracking, specifically around fertility windows.

The Oura Ring 4 is available for pre-order starting today, with prices beginning at $349. Shipping is expected to start on October 15, 2024.