Learn How to Hide WhatsApp 'Last seen at' Time and Profile Picture from Other Users

WhatsApp for Android added most awaited privacy option for all who do not want to display information about when they last used the app.

This is the first impressive update of the WhatsApp after acquisition by Facebook, who has paid a lot of money in cash and stock to acquire it.

The Popular Smartphone messaging application WhatsApp version 2.11.169 will provide you more ability and control over privacy options i.e. Hiding ‘last seen at’ time, Profile picture, status updates from others, which are currently visible for all WhatsApp users.

Currently, these options are set to 'everyone' by default, that allows any WhatsApp user to find out exactly when you used WhatsApp for the last time, also reveals your image and Status message. Most of the times we don't want it to be shown to anyone or to non-contact users.

How to hide WhatsApp 'last seen at' time and Profile Picture?

WhatsApp now allows you to Modify your Privacy settings in three ways:

1. Show to 'Everyone'
2. Show to 'My Contacts'
3. Show to 'Nobody'

To Apply, Open your WhatsApp Settings -> Account -> Privacy and here you can set your Privacy settings as you wish.

So, if you set all the options to 'My Contacts', then only your phone contacts can see your 'last seen  at' time, profile picture and Status, and no one else would have these visibility available.

The WhatsApp's Founder said in a statement:

"There would have been no partnership between our two companies (Facebook and Whatsapp) if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our company, our vision and our product."

I wish, the company keeps doing great work for the users' privacy and Security.

How to Get the latest version before official release?

It is not known that the same has been released for other platforms or not, at the time of writing the article. The Latest version update has not yet rolled out via Google Play Store, but users can manually download and install it from WhatsApp's Official website.

Author: Shivam Kotwalia, CodeKill

Here Are 10 Must Know WhatsApp Tips And Tricks

WhatsApp offers a compelling, dependable and practical messaging experience! Here's all you need to know to achieve the very best out of it! 


There's been a lot of fuss going around the whole 'social networking giant Facebook Inc buying mobile messaging sensation WhatsApp', leaving fans and enthusiasts alike in a state of dizziness regarding the future of the app. Of course, WhatsApp on its part has made it clear that it would continue to remain an independent entity prior to the deal. But, honestly we know Facebook integration might eventually be pushed at some point of time. As of now, WhatsApp undoubtedly remains to be a compelling, dependable and practical messaging experience!

Here are 10 tips, tricks and apps to get more out of your Whatsapp:

1. Hide "Last Seen" Timestamp

-WhatsApp shows a "last seen" timestamp by default. However, you can disable this timestamp on both iOS and Android.

-For iOS users: all you need to do is go into Settings > Chat Settings > Advanced and set Last Seen Timestamp to Off.

-For Android users: third party apps such as Hide WhatsApp Status is there for help. It works by disabling your WiFi and data connection when you open WhatsApp.

2. Backup And Restore WhatsApp Chats

-WhatsApp allows automatic backups of your chats, however there is also a manual option to do it.

-For iOS users: Settings > Chat Settings > Chat Backup, then tap Back Up Now.

-For Android users: Settings > Chat settings and tap Backup conversations to create a backup. To backup media you will need to use a file manager to copy the media folders in /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media.

-However, if you want to restore a backup you will have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.

3. Lock Your WhatsApp

-For Android users: use WhatsApp Lock.

-For BlackBerry users: use Lock for WhatsApp.

-You can then protect WhatsApp by a PIN (WhatsLock) or a password (Lock for WhatsApp).

4. Create Shortcuts For Important Contacts

-For Android users: simply long press on the group or contact you want to create a shortcut for. Tap on Add conversation shortcut on the menu that pops up and you have shortcut right on your homescreen.

-For iOS users: third-party apps such as 1TapWA are there to help.

5. Stop WhatsApp Images from Appearing In Gallery Or Camera Roll

-For iOS users: go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and then turn the WhatsApp switch off.

-For Android users: create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories by using a file explorer such as ES File Explorer (Navigate to the images or video folders, tap the 'New' button in the lower left, pick 'File' and create a file named .nomedia)

6. Change Your WhatsApp Phone Number

-You don’t need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp everytime you change numbers on the same phone.

-Go to Settings > Account > Change number. Enter your old phone number in the top field and then your new phone number in the bottom field and press Done. Verify your new phone number, and you're good to go!

7. Install WhatsApp On An Android Tablet

-Get the latest version of the WhatsApp .apk. Then download SRT AppGuard. Install both.

-Run AppGuard first. Select WhatsApp from the Dashboard then press Monitor. At completion, scroll down and disable read phone status and identity under Phone calls. WhatsApp will now successfully run on your tablet.

8. WhatsApp Chat Heads On Android

-Using WhatsApp Chat Heads you can add chat heads for your conversations.

-The chat heads are also customisable, and come with specific LED colors, notification sounds and chat head colors for each of your contacts.

-Advisory: The app requires root access. Plus, it’s also still in beta.

9. Get Messaging Statistics On Android

-WhatStat provides information on your 'top' friends, most active times of the day when your friends and groups use WhatsApp as well as message distribution for both one-on-one and group chats.

10. Get WhatsApp notifications On Desktop

-You need to install Desktop Notifications on your Android phone. Install either the Chrome or Firefox extensions depending on your choice of browser. Link the extension to the app using the code provided and you’ll now get WhatsApp notifications on your desktop.
Author: Shivam Kotwalia, CodeKill

Why Facebook is buying WhatsApp for $19 Billion?

Popular Smartphone Messaging app WhatsApp's $19 billion acquisition by Social Network giant Facebook made Headlines this week.

While Some are applauding the move, and many other users are worried about WhatsApp’s future and their privacy after this acquisition.

Why So Serious?

WhatsApp currently having 450 million active users and processes 50 billion messages a day. Service charges a nominal service fee of $1/year, that means Facebook is buying at $42.22 per user.

.

$19 Billion / 450 million users  = $42.22 per user

These figures show, obviously future revenue from WhatsApp can’t cover the acquisition cost in the short or mid-term.

"You can still count on absolutely no ads interrupting your communication. There would have been no partnership between our two companies if we had to compromise on the core principles that will always define our company, our vision and our product." WhatsApp founder said in a blog post.

So, What Facebook is planning for? Facebook is by far the world’s most popular social network, with over 1.2 billion users worldwide, but all WhatsApp users may not have an account on Facebook. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted on his wall, "Our mission is to make the world more open and connected", that means Facebook could merge WhatsApp data with them, but Mark also said, "WhatsApp will continue to operate independently within Facebook".

"Facebook Mobile Messenger is widely used for chatting with your Facebook friends, and WhatsApp for communicating with all of your contacts and small groups of people. Since WhatsApp and Messenger serve such different and important uses, we will continue investing in both and making them each great products for everyone." Mark Zuckerberg added.

Mark said,'Making them each great products for everyone'

By design, WhatsApp collects all contact information from phones and uploads that information to the company's servers. This is hugely valuable data that Facebook has apparently been after from last two years. In simple words, 'Facebook Just Bought 450 Million Phone Numbers in $19 Billion'.

WhatsApp claim that users’ messages are never stored on their server after delivery to the recipient. So we are expecting that Facebook could never dig into our private messages history, but that doesn't mean -- it will not store in the future.

Can we trust Facebook and WhatsApp?

Well, 70% users don't trust Facebook with their personal information, whereas a large percentage of users still trust WhatsApp for sharing personal information.

WhatsApp has many Security issues as well as privacy issues, but that hasn't scared off its more than 450 million users around the world.

Alternate Secure & Encrypted messaging Smartphone apps? 

If you care about your privacy a lot and don’t want to hand your communication to Facebook, you might want to look into secure messaging solutions, like - Surespot an open-source Android and iOS messaging solution and Threema, end-to-end encrypted app for Android and iOS.

What would be the next in Facebook's shopping list? A mobile handset company? 

Author : Shivam Kotwalia, CodeKill

Finally !!! WhatsApp Acquired by Facebook

Finally, the news has struck that WhatsApp has been acquired by Facebook, and their team would be joining with Facebook.Till, now it seems that WhatsApp would work Iindependently.

Facebook Acquired WhatsApp

What Mark Zuckerberg, told "CodeKill"  in a exclusive Interview.

I’m excited to announce that we’ve agreed to acquire WhatsApp and that their entire team will be joining us at Facebook.

Our mission is to make the world more open and connected. We do this by building services that help people share any type of content with any group of people they want. WhatsApp will help us do this by continuing to develop a service that people around the world love to use every day.

WhatsApp is a simple, fast and reliable mobile messaging service that is used by over 450 million people on every major mobile platform. More than 1 million people sign up for WhatsApp every day and it is on its way to connecting one billion people. More and more people rely on WhatsApp to communicate with all of their contacts every day.

WhatsApp will continue to operate independently within Facebook. The product roadmap will remain unchanged and the team is going to stay in Mountain View. Over the next few years, we're going to work hard to help WhatsApp grow and connect the whole world. We also expect that WhatsApp will add to our efforts forInternet.org, our partnership to make basic internet services affordable for everyone.

WhatsApp will complement our existing chat and messaging services to provide new tools for our community. Facebook Messenger is widely used for chatting with your Facebook friends, and WhatsApp for communicating with all of your contacts and small groups of people. Since WhatsApp and Messenger serve such different and important uses, we will continue investing in both and making them each great products for everyone.

WhatsApp had every option in the world, so I’m thrilled that they chose to work with us. I’m looking forward to what Facebook and WhatsApp can do together, and to developing great new mobile services that give people even more options for connecting.

I've also known Jan for a long time, and I know that we both share the vision of making the world more open and connected. I'm particularly happy that Jan has agreed to join the Facebook board and partner with me to shape Facebook's future as well as WhatsApp's.

Jan and the WhatsApp team have done some amazing work to connect almost half a billion people. I can’t wait for them to join Facebook and help us connect the rest of the world.

Stay Tuned for More Updates.

Author : Shivam Kotwalia,CodeKill