How to hide ‘Last Seen’ timestamp on WhatsApp

WhatsApp has finally rolled out the feature to disable to the 'Last Seen' timestamp on Android smartphones. While this feature has been available for iPhones for long, Android users have got this option now only.

The new feature is not available via the WhatsApp app on Google Play Store as of now and you will have to do a bit of tweaking in Settings menu to get it. Here's how you can disable the 'Last Seen' timestamp on Android:

1. Make sure that your smartphone is running on Android 2.1 or a newer version

2. Head to the Settings menu and enable 'Download from Unknown Sources' in the Security tab

3. Go to the WhatsApp website and download the APK (application) file available under www.whatsapp.com/Android/

4. Once the APK file is downloaded to your device, tap on it. It will show two options - 'Package Installer' and 'Verify and Install'; select the first one

5. You will get a message saying that this application will make changes to WhatsApp; allow it to alter the app. All your WhatsApp data will be retained despite the changes

6. Now that WhatsApp has been updated, select Setting → Account → Privacy. You will see the 'Last Seen' option here, with three options - Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody. Select the one that suits you best
Remember, when you stop others from seeing your 'Last Seen' timestamp, you were not be able to see theirs either.

Under the Privacy menu, you will also see the options of restricting who can see your profile photo and status. This is a feature available only on WhatsApp and not on iPhones.

iPhone users who want to alter the 'Last Seen' settings can follow these simple steps:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Chat Settings and select Advanced

2. Now turn toggle the 'Last Seen Timestamp' to 'Off'
Once you change the Last Seen status on WhatsApp for iPhones, you will not be able to alter it again for the next 24 hours. On the other hand, Android has no such restrictions and you can change the setting as many times as you want on the same day.

HTC Desire S vs HTC Incredible S – Head to Head Comparison

With the names like Desire and Incredible, it sounds like these two phones were made for super heroes, and with their features they probably would probably make a good sidekick for most super heroes on the block. So let’s see how they come out in a head to head dual. You can also go through our Samsung Galaxy S vs HTC Desire – Comparison.

For the first round we’ll take a look at the key board. The HTC Desire S has a bit of secret weapon in the form of its slide out QWERTY keyboard, making it popular amongst those super heroes who have lots of emails and text messages to type. Where as the HTC Incredible S has a capacitive touchscreen with buttons at the bottom that rotate with the screen. So it really depends whether real or virtual buttons are your preference for this one. We’ll declare a draw for round one.

 

Round 2 is down to size, the Incredible is slightly larger and marginally heavier – 120x64x11.7mm and 135.5g compared with 115×59.8×11.6mm and 130g from the Desire S – this is pretty marginal, but we’ll have to give Round 2 to the Desire S for its more toned appearance.

Round 3 – the screen. With smart phones it’s usually a case of the bigger the better when it comes to screen size. So taking advantage of its slightly larger size the Incredible S weighs in with the larger screen size at 4 inches compared to 3.7 inches on the HTC Desire S. Although both have the same resolution of 480 x 800 so there isn’t really much in it, but for this round we’ll have to hand it to the Incredible S.

Round 4 is down to the processor and it’s a dead heat as both phones feature the same 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM 8255. It means they both consume even the most demanding of apps with ease and make multi tasking a piece of cake.

Round 5 is memory and it looks like neither phone is managing to take a lead yet, as both the Desire S and Incredible S have the same 1.1GB of ROM and 768MB of Ram and support Micro SD cards, so there is nothing in it.

In Round 6 their operating systems are coming to blows and it looks like the Desire S can claim a small victory with its more recent Android 2.3 Gingerbread compared with the Incredible S that’s still running on Android 2.2 Froyo, although both will soon be upgradable to Android 2.4 Ice Cream.

Round 7 is played out by the camera and we really need one of the phones to start to take a decisive lead. The HTC Incredible S streaks out ahead with its 8 megapixel camera that captures at 3264×2448 and has such features as image stabilisation, autofocus and an LED flash. Compared with the Desire S with its 5 megapixel camera. The Incredible S also has the stronger front-facing camera at 1.3 megapixels.

Well it’s a difficult contest between these two strong contenders and it will have to come down to points and there isn’t really anything in it with 2 points apiece. If a camera is the thing that’s important to you then give the Incredible S an extra point, but if it’s smaller size and the most up to date operating system then give the Desire S an extra point and you’ll have your winner.

Guest Writer : Clove Technology specialize in mobile technology and smartphones and are one of the leading UK distributors of android mobile phones, Blackberry, HTC, HP IPAQ, Motorola, Samsung, Nokia and PDAs.