Now you can call phone numbers from inside Google+ Hangouts..

It wasn’t very long ago that we reported Google was changing its Hangouts function inside of Google+ in a big way. The addition of Extras turned Google+ into a virtual meeting room, classroom and collaboration center. Today that gets even more useful as Google+ Hangouts will now let you make free phone calls, bringing anyone in the US and Canada into your group, no computer required.
According to a post on Google+ by Jarkko Oikarinen, it’s available now by heading to the Hangouts with Extras page. Once your hangout is ready to go, just click Invite, click the Phone tab and put in the number that you wish to call.

While the platform was already powerful, TechCrunch rightly notes that the addition of this feature will open the door to even more uses for Google+.  As we originally noted on the release of Extras, this platform could easily be used for collaborative meetings, and now it’s even more likely since you won’t have to have all of your participants in front of a computer in order for it to happen.

There’s no word yet on when, or if, the free calls feature will go outside of the US and Canada. Since this is likely using the exact same system as Google Voice, you can expect parallel updates to both it and the Hangouts calling feature.
Is this feature enough to move you away from more traditional meeting platforms?

Updating your mobile OS? Remember these

There's an OS upgrade available for your smartphone. Getting tempted to go for the upgrade, but not very sure. Here's an upgrade guide to follow


Know what update offers
Be sure to read what the update offers. It is boring in most cases, but be patient - you need to know exactly what is going to happen to your device after the update.


Check support
If you're content with your device, stick with your current OS. It is unlikely to harm you - do check, however, if the company continues to support it (they generally do).


Know if update works for your model
In most cases, updates work best with relatively newer models - older models sometimes do not get all the new features and may get bogged down.


Take backup
Back up your data. Most updates try to preserve user data (contacts, photos, videos), but they can go wrong.


Charge your phone
Charge your phone before updating (or plug in the charger) - updates need battery.


Save warranty
If you value the official warranty, get updates from official sources - unofficial ones can work but they do tend to void warranty and support.


Source: The Times of India