Unshorten: speed up the opening of short urls on Android
Whenever you try to load a short url resource on Android, one that will redirect you to the original address in the process, you will be taken to the system's default browser first before you are taken to the native application handling those links.
Say, you spot a link on Twitter that points to Instagram. Without Unshorten, activating that link opens your web browser of choice first, where the link is expanded before it can be opened in the native app.
With Unshorten, the link on Twitter is automatically resolved so that it is directly opened using the native Instagram application.
Here is how it works in detail.
Once you have installed the Unshorten application on your Android device, supported are all versions of the operating system from 2.2 on, you will notice that it adds itself as a potential handler for select short url services such as those used by Reddit, Instagram, Twitter, Google, Facebook, WordPress or The Verge.
When you tap on a supported short url, a "complete action using" screen is displayed to you. Here you need to select Unshorten from the list of available options. You can use the service only this one time, or select the Always option to make it the default handler for these types of links permanently.
You can tap on sample links that the application lists when you start it to make it the default handler for these types of links.
The core benefit that Unshorten provides you with is speed. Once you have configured your Android device to open those links using the application, you will save time each time such a link gets opened on your system as the web browser middle-man is bypassed automatically.
So who is this for?
If you run native apps for supported services, say Instagram or Twitter, and come into contact with short urls regularly, you will benefit from Unshorten as it speeds up the process of opening those links for you.
Unshorten supports a wide variety of online services that make use of short url services, and more are added by its author regularly so that any missing ones will be available eventually. If you use at least one of those services natively, and come in contact with short urls of that service, then it is very likely that you will find this app useful.
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Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.