Pros and Cons of The Latest Viber App Update: June 2020

Well, I just updated my Viber app a week or so ago for the group call feature and voila! There's an advantage and also some disadvantages. Find out what these are below!

Background on my Viber Usage

So I've been using the Viber app for quite a while now. Got introduced to it in 2016 when I got back into Real Estate.

My manager then asked us all to install Viber and communicate through the app for any team concerns or updates. It's also being used by the developer company employees so it came in handy.

It came to a point that I was getting overwhelmed because of all the Viber groups I got added to. Little did I know, I'd get used to it and grow to love using the app.

Surprise surprise too! This year the pandemic has brought more people into Viber. I'm sure the company (Viber) is happy with all new and active groups that suddenly popped up and is currently still growing.

One day I get a Viber message about this:

It's a good feature but my initial thought was Zoom or Microsoft Team meetings are still better.

So of course since I kinda thought it's a good idea, I even shared it on Twitter. And surprise, Viber replied to say we should update our apps to use the new feature. Ok cool. 👍 Maybe when or if I need to use that feature. 🤷

Guess what happened almost a week later?

The Latest Viber App Update

So a week or so ago, a property client asked me if I knew anyone who can do title transfer processing. Since I am an agent and not a broker, I said I will contact brokers I know who would like to help process the provincial property.

And so, voila! I decided to use the new Viber feature! Updated my app because hey, finally we can do a Viber group video call! 💃

After updating and then using the group video call feature this is what I think about it:

Cons of Updating the Viber App

1. Viber classic theme is now almost white!
   I don't know about you but I love violet! How dare they remove my favorite color, the color that signifies the Viber brand!?! 💔
   
2. If you're just three or four people, you 4 can't fill up one screen.
   Well blame it on first time usage bloopers. I thought you can't view everyone's faces. Turns out you have to press on the person's circle avatar at the bottom to be able to see their screen. Otherwise ya'll can't see each other's faces.
   
3. Number of characters you can put as caption under a photo got reduced.
   Well as mentioned, I have joined a lot of Viber groups lately. Of course I need to put long text under pictures I share. Hey you never know who will buy my products. Lol. Too bad they have shortened the number of characters you can type in. So sad.
   
4. Viber ADS!!!
   Oh godzzz, Viber has finally been infiltrated by paid ads! 🤦

Pros of Updating the Viber App

1. Enjoy a cleaner interface.
   Well what do you expect with an almost white interface. Are they trying to be Facebook? Huhuhu.
   
   
2. My Notes feature
   Well I got my own note app but okay. I guess some people need it. Apparently it's been added based on user feedback.
   I used the note and well it is useful when forwarding messages to other groups and other people.
   
   
3. Group call of up to 20 people
   Yeah, pretty useful for big families who want to talk and see each other online. Good for small meetings like what we did too.
   
   

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And then I updated it again today... It seems like they fixed a few bugs with version 13.2.0.8 but it's still the same to me. 😅

Oh well. How about you? Do you use Viber and what do you think about the updates?

Originally posted on Steemit / Hive.

PLDT's Twitter Account Hacked by Anonymous PH!

So I had a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome for two days and then today it's finally better. What do I see upon checking Twitter with my now functioning right hand? PLDT got hacked!!!

Well of course if you're not in the Philippines, why would you care if it was hacked? You don't use their internet service so why bother reading this?

Hah! Well guess what I think about that hacking activity.

It is petty.

Hackers who call themselves Anonymous Philippines hacked PLDT's Twitter account because of poor or slow internet service? Are they for real?

My first reaction to this was one of outrage. I mean, if they are good hackers why hack just a Twitter account for slow or bad internet service? PLDT even offered a free speed boost since quarantine back in March and this is what they get?

Bakit hindi yung mga corrupt politicians ang i-hack nyo? Mga may ill gotten wealth n corrupt officials pati na POGOs n may utang na P50B in tax, un kunin nyo at ibalik nyo sa Philippine government hindi yung dahil lang mabagal yung internet ihahack nyo na. Sus.

Why not hack the corrupt politicians. Those corrupt official who have ill gotten wealth including POGOs that have 50 Billion Pesos unpaid tax, that's what you take and return back to the Philippine government. Don't do such just because the internet is slow. Jeezus.

Umayos kayo Anonymous utang n loob. D ung ganyan kababaw ginagawa nyo. (Pls do better Anonymous. Don't do petty stuff like what you did.)

If you really want change then do something good for the gov't, or even for the environment kung gusto nyo. Hanapin nyo ung mga head ng illegal logging. Or ung mga taong panay child trafficking. (Look for the heads of illegal logging. Or those involved in child trafficking.)

And because I was posting such comments on Twitter and Facebook. I saw an interesting Esquire PH interview article. Wow they were able to get ahold of someone from Anonymous huh?

So I found out from the 2017 article that they also did some hacking related to COMELEC/election and West PH sea dispute etc.

From what I read, yes I know it's not easy to hack but if they are indeed the good hackers they claim to be then they should find bigger ways to help unfortunate people & the environment. Hindi ung mabagal lng na internet ang pupuntiryahin. (Not just making the "slow internet" a target.)

Aside from that, there's the issue of violation of privacy. I'm sure they were able to see all the DMs sent to them. Especially something like this celebrity's concern.

Yeah I know that's another topic altogether, still it is a cause for concern. It would be better if they concerned themselves with the bigger things because they can do it.

If I knew how to hack and was interested in it, I'd do what I mentioned above. Unfortunately I can only comment on what those hackers did. Sad life.

How about you? What would you do for the greater good if you are a hacker?

Originally posted on Hive / Steemit.