Everyone seems to be making updates and changes nowadays and Twitter has just made a big change to the way tweets work. This is important!
Twitter is limiting what types of content will use up its 140-character limit.
Slow down. This is twitter
Now, @names in replies, media attachments (like photos, GIFs, videos) and quoted Tweets will no longer be counted against the valuable 140 characters that make up a tweet. This means that people can interact more and attach more without having to give up some bits of their text.
Well Done Twitter. Now we can express ourselves more
But how can you make use of these new changes? Well, here are a few tips.
Say More when you reply a tweet
With this new update, @names will no longer count against the 140 characters. Now, whenever you start a tweet in reply to another user, you still have room to say everything you wanted to in your tweet, without having to consider the length of their Twitter handle.
You could even add Media files at the end of the tweet and it would still not count into the 140 characters. Say more, express yourself better.
More Visuals, Engage your followers.
A study by Twitter found that photos average a 35% boost in Retweets and videos get a 28% boost.
Visuals give you more reach and engagements on twitter
Although Visuals present numerous benefits, they had the tendency to reduce the length of what has to be said. That is in the past now! Photos, Videos and GIFS added at the end of tweets will not add up to the 140 Characters. Go on and add that meme.
Why? At least we will manage this new update
Do you love twitter? What do these updates mean to you? Tweet at me @Pidho1, let’s get the convo going.
Facebook Messenger’s End-To-End Encryption Is Now Live For All Users after being in beta for some time now.
WhatsApp (which is also owned by Facebook) already has end-to-end encryption. Now, Facebook has finally introduced this end-to-end encryption to it’s Messenger platform.
You can also access the option when you click on “details” on any of your contacts on Messenger
There are an estimated 900 million Facebook users and they can all now access this “Secret Conversations” option on Messenger. Secret Conversations is an opt-in (meaning you have to choose to use it) functionality that allows users to encrypt their messages so no one can read them, not even Facebook itself.
Due to encryption, you can only use one device at a time to chat when using the feature.
Once you make use of the Secret Conversations, you are presented with a message that reads, “Your messages are already secure, but Secret Conversations are encrypted from one device to another.”
If your Messenger app has been updated, you will see a Secret option located on the top right-hand side of the “new message” screen.
The encryption feature allows users to choose an expiration time for the message, like on Snapchat.
Secret Conversations take you to a whole new chat screen
The time period will range from five seconds to a complete day. This way, your messages will be deleted from the core as soon as the set time expires.
You can choose how long it takes for your message to disappear after it has been seen.
Remember, the feature is only available to those who have updated their apps. If you want to secure your conversations, then be sure to update your Messenger app.
What do you think about this feature? Would you use it?
It is the mixtape that all fans of @Paedaezy have been waiting for. Victory through Harmony! The title alone is not enough as the mixtape captures the rapper’s theme of life and Music.
This past weekend, the University of Cape Coast held it’s 2nd – 4th Sessions of the 49thCongregation for the2016 graduands of the University. The Congregation brought a lot of people from far and near to the University as many were awarded for their hard work, and some used the opportunity to make some money.
Celebration! Best Graduating Business Student, Isaac Sarfo jubilating with his Family. There were a host of other celebrations by other families and individuals
Fashion! Style!! Vogue! Setting Trends was not meant for only Graduands.
It’s time to look best. Fashion and Trend on Display.
There is no fashion without Photography, right? Photogees seem to be the new cool and they make all the money. Forget Selfie Sticks, these photographers make memories last for a lifetime.
Make Good Memories last forever, Make Big Money too.
Lemme swag with the robe small. Let people admire my dress, afterall i earned it.
Graduand swaging with her robe
What attraction did I miss? Let me know in the comments below. Congratulations to the UCC class of 2016.
Note: This is different from the ability to quote messages.
WhatsApp has now added the ability for users in group chats to tag other participants in the group (like in slack, or on Facebook and twitter), so they receive a notification even if they’ve muted the conversation. The feature works on Android and iOS version of the popular instant messaging app.
For someone like myself who is in over 150 groups on whatsapp, I’m not so excited about this. However, this update should have a good effect on productivity on the app.
You can tag more than one person in a post
To tag someone, simply enter the ‘@’ symbol, followed by their name; you can choose a contact from the menu that pops up. You can tag multiple contacts in a single message. It also works with contacts that you haven’t saved to your address book, but are part of the same group chat as you.
Clicking on a tagged name in a conversation will take you directly to the participant’s profile.
Have you updated your WhatsApp? Have you tried this? Let me know.
Today, I Review the BAR 3 Album by VGMA Artise of the year E.L as well as provide download link to the songs on the album.
You don’t Know E.L
Born Elom Adablah, rapper E.L is rather ironically notably known more for his Azonto tracks. His first Album – “Something Else” was released in 2012.
Rapper E.L started from humble beginnings, one of the famous Skillions Members, before joining BBnZ
Before that, in 2010, E.L presaged the worldwide Azonto trend by producing “You go kill me” and “Dangeours” by Ghana’s top rapper, Sarkodie. He also had some very good Azonto singles later, including “Kaalu” and “Obuu Mo”. Fast forward to today, and E.L is the current Vodafone Ghana Music Awards’ Artiste of the year – An award which many did not see coming.
EL, Pappy Kojo, X.O. Senavoe and Joey B. Height at Play.
The BARs
E.L’s BAR means “Best African Rapper”. I listened to the first ever BAR mixtape (14 tracks, Duration 0:47:58) in Kumasi somewhere in September 2014 and I was greatly impressed. He featured a lot of other rappers on the first BAR mixtape, including Ghana’s Best – Sarkodie, Edem, Dex Kwasi, Stargo and Joey B. “American Passport” from the Album, later won him the rapper of the year.
Album Cover for the Bar 2 Mixtape
The BARs are a way for E.L to prove that he is really a rapper, and rap has always been his love. He accentuated that greatly, showing versatility on different instrumentals whiles delivering eminent rap in style and lyrics. It is on this mixtape that he branded himself as the “BAR Man”.
Following the success of the BAR mixtape, E.L released the BAR 2 mixtape, preceding it with singles like “All Black”, “State of the Nation” and “10 Rap Commandments”. He announced on BAR 2: “It’s not a mixtape, It’s a tradition”. Fans naturally began looking forward to BAR 3, but he released a studio album – “ELOM” and followed with the BAR 3 in 2016. BAR 2 till date, even after the release of BAR 3 remains my favorite BAR album / mixtape.
CD cover for The First Ever Bar Mixtape
Review: BAR 3
BAR and BAR 2 were mixtapes but the BAR 3 is an Album, according to the rapper. In an interview with Pulse.com.gh he said “BAR 3 came about because people were pushing him into the Azonto Box, and I didn’t like that.” He explained that the BAR 3 is a collection of excellent Hip-hop heads on a single project. The BAR and BAR 2 mixtapes were strictly hip-hop mixtapes; BAR 3 is a predominantly hip-hop album.
The Bar 3 Album took 9 months to finish
A lot of Fans were really expecting the BAR 3 Mixtape
It is against this that a lot of people feel BAR 3 did not raise the bar this time. The Bar 3 album emboldens dance, with tracks like “Portey Dey Be” and “It’s Your Life”. There is also a lot of melody to make the album more commercial, although it was available for free download.
There were more features (22) than tracks (16) on the album.
Dex Kwasi has featured on all 3 BARs
The features on the album are also laudable. BAR 3 included the usual boys from the BBnZ label Ko-Jo Cue and Shaker. Some International features were Nigerian music heavyweight M.I. Abaga and the legendary South African rap king Khuli Chana. Known BAR features Gemini, Dex Kwasi, Edem and Cabum were on the Album too. Other artistes on were Recognise Ali, Worlasi, C-Real, Ayat, Medikal, Teephlow, Illa Shaz, Adomaa, Stargo, KiddBlack, Joey B, Osei, M3dal and A.I.
Bar 3 has 16 tracks, lasting a total of 1 hour, 6 minutes and 4 seconds
E.L produced 5 of the songs on the Album
Songs to listen to on the Album:
Lyrical Algebar (Prod. by D.N.A)
Pelican Fly feat. Stargo & KiddBlack (Prod. by Sam1)
A.R’s feat. Recognise Ali, C-Real, Ayat, Medikal, Teephlow & Illa Shaz (Prod. by E.L)
Lalafalama (Prod. by Ghost)
Drop feat. M.I & Khuli Chana (Prod. by Slimbo)
It’s Your Life feat. Ko-Jo Cue & Worlasi (Prod. by DJ Julz)
It’s a good album, typical of E.L. He delivered Impressive Creativity and his punches on Lyrical Algebar, Shine, Change, Lomi and Can’t Let it Phase were good. -Collins Amedzo
The album has been met with mixed feelings on Social Media. Some feel it is a great production, while some die-hard fans have been disappointed by the BAR 3 Album. See Some of them below:
I relished the album and I would give it a rating of 8.8/10. E.L didn’t just prove why he is here to stay, he delivered real music, not just rap. Great lyrical content and good storytelling. If you haven’t listened to the album yet, try to get yourself a copy.
Listened to the album yet? What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Back in 2012, when I was admitted to the University of Cape Coast, I was one of the pleased people on earth (I’m even happier now). I was offered the then Bachelor of Commerce programme which I was to pursue for a period of 4 years. On that Saturday afternoon, when I reported to the Porter’s lodge of the Great Atlantic Hall (ATL), all I thought about was if I was really going to make good friends that understood me just like I had Obed and my mates in the E2 class at Senior High School.
Well, I was given room 510, with my School prefect from Senior High School, Benjamin Agrah and new roommate, Smith. For the first week in room 510, I was mostly glued to my Dell Latitude D540 or my Nokia XpressMusic. I went to lectures, spoke to a few, didn’t have any friends, apart from my roommates. I had a few fights at the Old Site Shuttle Station though.
I still do not recollect how I met Bright and Sammy, and I can therefore not give a clear account of how the friendship started. What I do remember however is that we offered the same courses in Level 100 and we had to study together a few times. We also discussed babble from different sources. Don’t ask me if we conversed about the ladies on campus. I don’t think I evoke any of such memories.
Myself and Bright were B.com students, Sammy was a BMS student. I was in ATL room 510, Bright and Sammy were in ATL room 509.
Make no Mistake, I did not only have 3 friends. I had a great deal of good friends on Campus.
Startlingly, as close as we were, we never stayed together in the same hostel. We had a lot of adventures together. I remember when ATL celebrated our hall week. Some soloku and things. I also reminisce so gaudily when we had to study one night in Level 300 before a Management Information Systems exams. We had to stay all night in the University’s main library and when we realised the “all night” study technique was not really our thing, we had to resort to sleeping in turns at the main Library. 3 Fools indeed!
Well, we graduate from the University of Cape Coast on the 23rd of September. There will for sure be a reunion of the 3 fools, but also an Avenue to talk about our lives, going into the future (if we ever do find the time to chat on that day).
Bright and Sammy, thank you for all the time and friendship inside and outside the University of Cape Coast for the past 4 years. It’s been great meeting you guys! I love the rapport.
I woke up this morning in Accra, but I’ll be spending the night at Yenkukwaa. Yenkukwaa is a very small town in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District of the Central Region of Ghana. What brings me here? Is the Mandatory National Service. If you are a Ghanaian, you probably already know about National Service.
The downwards pointed blue dot shows around where Yenkukwaa is.
So I am going to spend the next year here in Yenkukwaa as a pupils teacher. The school is the Yenkukwaa Presby Basic School, which I would talk about in subsequent posts. Anyway, I met the headmaster, Mr. Odoom Richard who has been very helpful so far. I have my accommodation secured and will hopefully be sleeping soundly tonight.
I got here around 4pm and I have already taken a long walk through some Cocoa farms to the next town. I forgot the name already, but there was a football match between Christians and Muslims to commemorate the Eid and it ended in a 1 – 1 draw.
Football is after all, ubiquitous.
Tomorrow, I get to go to school and then get to be assigned to a class. It’s a new day here and the only familiar thing is the Playlist on my phone.
I’m intrigued by the new experience and pray it goes well. And oh, the people of Yenkukwaa, just like almost anywhere in Ghana are hospitable and friendly.
What would you want to know about Yenkukwaa? Any words for me? Let me here them in the comment. I had to climb a one inch stone to get network access to post this though.
It’s been a while since we spoke. I mean, uni hid your last seen on whatsapp and I don’t even know what’s up. I tried to come down and visit you, but your mum shut me down at the gate. I know I really did a lot of good things for my relationship with you. I offered all the apologies, cracked all the jokes and did all the laughing by myself.
You told me you love me, at least three times in the last six months. That first time when you needed your laptop’s Antivirus updated, on the eve of your birthday and when you needed that loan from my younger brother. Well, I believe you love me, but only when you need me. You know I love you too right? Yeah, I do until this letter comes to an end.
I met your friend, Maria, last weekend at the bar. She asked if I was working now. Well, her question amazed me because I have always been working for as long as I have known her. She laughed off when I told her I still work as the clerk at the VIP bus station. I guess that’s no work then.
Will I ever be good enough? Will I ever deserve the love you should give me? Maybe I’m just good enough when you are in need. When I met you, you looked beautiful. In fact, you still look beautiful, except you are not beautiful. Will I ever be good enough? Maybe not for you, and it won’t be necessary anymore because this letter has ended.
