Android 5.1 Lollipop finally allows you to mute until your next alarm

One thing that many people have not been happy about in Android Lollipop is the removal of silent mode. The three new notification modes (None, Priority, and All) don’t allow you to mute the device while still letting alarms through. Priority Mode allows alarms to go off, but it also lets other things through. None Mode blocks absolutely everything, including alarms.

Android 5.1 is one step closer to bringing back silent mode. Now when you put the phone into Priority or None Mode you’ll get the option to have it disabled at your next alarm. In order to see this option you’ll need to have an alarm set to go off within the next 12 hours. This is the closest thing we have to silent mode right now, and it works pretty well. You can block notifications without worrying about your alarm being blocked, too.

To learn more about notification modes check out 15 Tips & Tricks for Android Lollipop and Top 10 Android Lollipop Features. Are you happy with this new feature?

Google Play Services 7.3 allows multiple Android Wear devices to connect to a single phone

Google has just announced a forthcoming upgrade to Google Play Services. It’s version 7.3, and while most of the changes are specific to developers — such as more robust Location APIs and enhancements to Google Fit’s APIs — there’s one neat future everyone should know about.

According to Google, the update will make it possible for multiple Android Wear devices to connect and sync to a single Android device. This means it won’t be much of an issue for users to switch between smart watches at ease. We’re not sure what sort of baller you’d have to be in order to own multiple Android Wear devices that you regularly switch between, but if you ever find yourself in that scenario then you’ll be glad this functionality is here.

Developers can grab the SDK right now by accepting the latest update, and it shan’t be long before the functionality arrives to handsets everywhere.

[via Google]

Snapchat now allows you to switch cameras when recording a snap

Snapchat, that app that all the kids are using and a lot of people don’t understand, just added a cool new feature. When recording a video to send as a Snap you can double-tap the screen to flip the camera. There are a million ways this could come in handy. Maybe you’re filming something crazy in front of you and you want to switch the camera around to show your reaction.

It sounds like a great idea, but there is one big problem: it doesn’t work. I haven’t been able to get it to work, and the Play Store is full of reviews from people saying the same thing. Of course, the feature works flawlessly on iOS. Snapchat is great, but the Android app could be a lot better. If you’re a Snapchat user let us know if you’ve been able to get this feature to work. Download Snapchat from the Play Store for free right here.