How to Add Animated GIFs to Your Stories

Looking at the latest features that has been introduced on Instagram story, you probably know you can add stickers to your stories.
These stickers are interactive but, like real stickers, they don't move ... until now. In a Jan 23 update to the app, more action can be added to your stories with animated GIF stickers.

Instagram teamed up with GIPHY to provide a high-quality, transparent collection of GIFs to all Instagram users.
While the photo app cut ties with the service due to a controversial, racist GIF, GIPHY support is currently reinstated. To sift through such a large volume of GIFs, Instagram built a search feature into GIF stickers, which gives users access to countless options that match whatever location, mood, or event they want to capture. Snapchat's going to be playing catch up on this one — GIF stickers are pure, goofy fun.

Searching For & Adding Live Stickers to Stories

Adding GIFs to stories sounds more complicated than adding stickers, but it's pretty much the same process.

To get started, swipe right or tap your icon under "Stories" to access the story camera as you normally would. Once you take or choose a photo or video, you just tap the smiley-sticker icon in the top-right corner of the display. Among the stickers, you should find the GIF search option on the second sticker page.

You can simply browse the GIF stickers on the screen or you can search for them by name in the handy "Search" field. Just tap there, enter your query, then tap the GIF you want. You can place and resize the GIF on your story like you would any other sticker.

What do you think about GIF stickers? Think you'll use them in your stories? Let us know in the comments below!

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How to use Google Photos on Android & Desktop without downloading the app (PWA)

Google Photos is now available as a Progressive Web App (PWA) on Android devices, so you no longer need to download and install the application on your Android smartphone or tablet before using it. The PWA is also available on desktop through the Google Chrome browser.

A Progressive Web App lives in your browser and allows you to enjoy the features of a native application without actually installing it on your device, which is a huge plus for users of smartphones with low storage capacities.

With this latest development, Google Photos joins other apps like Twitter and Google Maps Go in the growing list of native applications that have PWA versions. PWAs don't have the same adoption rates as native applications yet, but with big players in the smartphone and app industry including support for them by the day, PWAs just might overtake native apps someday, especially on mobile devices.

For now, though, PWAs are still limited in their applications, and they don't offer the full range of functionalities provided by their native counterparts. Google Photos PWA currently doesn't have an offline mode, so you can only use it when you're connected to the internet. You also don't get push notifications yet on Android, but the notifications are available on the desktop version. Other features unavailable on the PWA right now are automatic photo uploads and Share Target support.

How to get Google Photos PWA on Android & Desktop

For both platforms (Android and Desktop), you have to be using the latest Google Chrome browser in order to use Progressive Web Apps. Simply update the browser to version 67 and above, and you're good to go.

For Android

1. Visit photos.google.com in the Google Chrome browser.
2. Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the browser.
   
   
   
3. Select "Add to Home screen".
   
   
   
4. Click on "ADD" on the dialog that appears, and wait for a few seconds for the Google Photos PWA to be added to your home screen.

For Desktop

1. Visit photos.google.com in the Google Chrome browser.
2. Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the browser.
   
   
   
3. Select "Install Google Photos.." from the list of menu options.
   
   
   
4. Click on "Install" on the alert window that appears at the top of the browser.

NOTE: If you can't see the Install Google Photos option on your desktop even after updating to Chrome 67, visit chrome://flags/#enable-desktop-pwas and change the option for Desktop PWAs from Default to Enabled, restart the browser and try again.

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How to get iPhone X-like gesture navigation on any Android smartphone

Gesture navigation is not a new thing on smartphones, Android and iPhones alike, but with the iPhone X came native support and custom gesture navigations. Google is just adding native support for gestures on the upcoming Android P which currently runs on a very small percentage of smartphones, and you have to either be using a custom ROM pre-loaded with the feature or install a third-party application to enable gesture navigation on your device. One of such apps, probably the best of them all, is Navigation Gestures by XDA Developers.

Navigation Gestures does everything almost every other gesture-control app will do for you, but it is unique in that it is the only gesture control app that allows you to completely hide your phone's default navigation bar without requiring root access. If you're not a root user, you'd have to use the navigation bar in conjunction with gestures when using other apps, which doesn't seem so exciting.

Another interesting thing about Navigation Gestures is that it supports a wide range of Android devices, indeed almost any Android smartphone running Android 8 Oreo down to JellyBean (4.2). It, however, doesn't support Android P and higher, which shouldn't be a cause for concern since native support for gestures is being added to Android from that version upwards anyway.

How to get gesture control on any Android smartphone

All you need to do is to head to the Google Play Store and install the Navigation Gestures application. Most gesture controls are enabled by default on the app, but to get some additional gestures for actions like pulling down the notification shade, pulling down quick settings, opening the power menu and media controls, you'd have to install a premium addon for just $0.99, also from the Play Store.

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